Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T13:28:46.371Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

In To Africa: Teaching Nanoscience to Undergraduates in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 April 2011

Brian H. Augustine
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, U.S.A.
Orde Q. Munro
Affiliation:
School of Chemistry, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, Pietermaritzburg, R.S.A.
Get access

Abstract

There has been considerable interest in developing curricular programs and materials for teaching undergraduate courses in nanoscience in the United States and other developed countries in the past decade. Materials science and nanoscience research programs are growing in developing countries in South America, Africa and Asia. However, there still exists a significant disconnect between the research efforts in developing countries and undergraduate coursework. This report will focus on the teaching of an upper-division one semester lecture/laboratory course developed at James Madison University (JMU) called “The Science of the Small: An Introduction to the Nanoworld” taught in the School of Chemistry at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Pietermaritzburg (UKZN-PMB), South Africa in 2009 through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar program. We report insights into the preparation needed to teach a cutting-edge laboratory course in South Africa. Also addressed will be some of the challenges of teaching an instrument-intensive laboratory course in a developing country, academic preparation of the typical native isiZulu-speaking UKZN undergraduate student compared to a typical U.S. student, and pre and post attitudes and content assessment of students who were enrolled in the course. Further discussed will be observations of post-apartheid science and math education in South Africa, and the beginning of a pilot program bringing South African undergraduate students to the U.S. to gain undergraduate research experience.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1.Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program”, http://www.cies.org, Accessed Nov. 8, 2010 , (2010).Google Scholar
2.The World Factbook”, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sf.html, Accessed Nov. 8, 2010 , (2010).Google Scholar
3. Claassens, C. H., Nano, 7, 24 (2008).Google Scholar
4. Cele, L. M., Ray, S. S. and Colville, N. J., S. Afr. J. Sci., 105, Accessed Nov. 8, 2010 (2009).Google Scholar
5. Van Rooyen, K., “Matric 2009: The Sobering Aftermath”, http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article254358.ece/Matric-2009–The-Sobering-Aftermath, Accessed Nov. 8, 2010 , (Jan. 10, 2010).Google Scholar
6. Mohale, M., “What is the real matric pass rate?”, http://p10.opennetworks.co.za/sairr.org.za/press-office/archive/edu_jan_09.pdf, Accessed Nov. 8, 2010 , (Jan. 16, 2009).Google Scholar
7. Augustine, B. H., Caran, K. C. and Reisner, B. A., “An Evolutionary Approach to Nanoscience in the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum at James Madison University”, ACS Symposium Series on Nanotechnology in Undergraduate Education, edited by Pacheco, K., (American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 2010), 1010, pp. 1948.Google Scholar
8. Salaita, K., Wang, Y., Fragala, J., Vega, R. A., Liu, C. and Mirkin, C. A., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 45, 7220 (2006).Google Scholar
9. Roduner, E., Chem. Soc. Rev., 35, 583 (2006).Google Scholar
10. Whitesides, G. M. and Grzybowski, B., Science, 295, 2418 (2002).Google Scholar
11. Novoselov, K. S., Giem, A. K., Morozov, S. V., Jiang, D., Zhang, Y., Dubonos, S. V., Grigorieva, I. V. and Firsov, A. A., Science, 306, 666 (2004).Google Scholar
12. Green, J. E., Choi, J. W., Boukai, A., Bunimovich, Y., Johnston-Halperin, E., Delonno, E., Luo, Y., Sheriff, B. A., Xu, K., Shin, Y. S., Tseng, H. -., Stoddart, J. F. and Heath, J. R., Nature, 445, 414 (2007).Google Scholar
13. Jung, G., Johnston-Halperin, E., Wu, W., Yu, Z., Wang, S., Tong, W. M., Li, Z., Green, J. E., Sheriff, B. A., Boukai, A., Bunimovich, Y., Heath, J. R. and Williams, R. S., Nano Lett., 6, 351 (2006).Google Scholar
14. Rothemund, P. K., Nature, 440, 297 (2006).Google Scholar
15. McFarland, A. D., Haynes, C. L., Mirkin, C. A., Duyne, R. P. V. and Godwin, H. A., J. Chem. Educ., 81, 544A (2004).Google Scholar
16. Torcivia, S. L. and Caran, K. L., J. Chem. Educ., (manuscript in preparation 2011).Google Scholar
17. Meenakshi, V., Babayan, Y. and Odom, T. W., J. Chem. Educ., 84, 1795 (2007).Google Scholar
18. Park, E. -., Swarat, S., Light, G. and Drane, D., Proc. Ann. Nat. Assoc. Res. Sci. Teach., April 17-12, Garden Grove, CA (2009).Google Scholar
19. Light, G., Swarat, S., Park, E. J., Drane, D., Tevaarwerk, E. and Mason, T., Proc. Int. Conf. Res. Eng. Educ., June 23-24, Honolulu, HI (2007).Google Scholar
20. Russell, S. H., Hancock, M. P. and McCullough, J., Science, 316, 548 (2007).Google Scholar