Improving Science Education with FizziQ

There is general consensus between professional scientists, science educators and students that experimental work is essential for meaningful science learning. 

Yet, in many schools around the world, scientific experimentation is not possible due to cost of infrastructure, lack of teachers training, and inadequate teaching material. 

Our solution transform smartphones, which are increasingly available to all populations around the world, into scientific instruments.

We have developed FizziQ, an app which turns any smartphone or tablet into a portable laboratory for scientific experimentation. FizziQ is free, does not collect personal data and works on entry-level smartphones. It can replace more than 25 different instruments to conduct real life experiments on sound, light, color, movement and more. It is a complete ecosystem with educational resources for teachers and organized to foster collaboration.

With FizziQ teachers can conduct real life scientific experimentation with their students where this was not possible before. 

Although precise data is lacking, there is overwhelming evidence that in spite of a number of recent NGO and governments initiatives, science education is facing significant challenges in developing countries and underserved communities.

The consequences are significant : low participation rate in science classes at secondary levels (for example World Bank study shows a participation rate for Senegal below 20% in lower secondary and 10% in upper secondary), gender inequality towards science (only 34% of girls enrolled in science in Saharan Africa, and only 2% take physics), and lack of science related economic growth (Sub-Saharan scientists represented only 1.1% of world's scientist researchers, and filed only 0.1% of global patents).

Among the many challenges of science education in those countries, one recurring theme is the lack of capabilities to conduct scientific experimentation. Practical work is essential to achieve outcomes related to inquiry and guided discovery; develop experimental skill; link conceptual learning to concrete experiences and motivate students; and enhance cognitive achievement in science.  

Practical work requires costly infrastructure, qualified teachers, adequate learning material, which are lacking in many countries or communities. Digital technologies can provide solutions to these challenges, not as virtual environments, but as real life experimentation tools.

FizziQ is an application available for iOS and Android smartphones. It uses the sensors present in all smartphones to transform them into scientific instruments to conduct real life experimentation on sound, light, color, movement, magnetism, .... 

FizziQ is free and does not collect any personal data. It works on even entry-level smartphones, and does not require internet. It's ergonomics makes it easy to use for everyone and gender neutral. It is currently available in 15 langages.

FizziQ is organized around four functionalities : capture and analysis of over 35 types of data; experiment notebook to organise and document measurements and share them for collaborative work; experimentation tools such as dual recording or frequency synthesizer; experiment protocols to create and share experimentation directions.

To complement FizziQ's experimentation capabilities, we have built a complete ecosystem with educational of resources designed for teachers. Standardisation of protocols and automated translation allows the teaching community to create and exchange easily pedagogical resources.

FizziQ leverages on the latest programming technologies. The app is built on Flutter/Dart. Significant efforts have been invested on speed and sensors precision to create real scientific apparatus. The ergonomics is familiar to all students and creates an intuitive and productive environment.

What are challenges face our target population ?

FizziQ has been designed to make scientific experimentation at school in secondary level accessible in those countries or places where science education faces significant challenge. 

It adresses a number of specific hurdles teachers and school administrations face in developing countries or in places which have limited education money. These hurdles are the following :

1. Infrastructure: 

To be effective, school labs need to have the following attributes: dedicated space, diversified instrumentation, proper maintenance of instruments and availability. Space in schools in developing countries is rare, students are used to be framed in classes. Extra space is often used to allow for smaller classes rather than be used by a laboratory. Instrumentation is expensive as shown in graph below, and consequently unaided schools will tend to spend very small amounts on the lab.

Furthermore instrumentation needs to be maintained. In developed countries, such maintenance can be automated or products replaced easily. In developing countries the ecosystem does not exist for replacement, and instrumentation is often not working. Finally, availability is key, a lab that is not available at the right time is of little use. If there are not enough lab or working equipment, labs are overbooked and teachers tend not ti use them.

2. Incomplete training

Highly qualified science teachers in developing countries are in short supply. Attracting and retaining sufficient numbers of science graduates into the teaching profession remains a serious problem in countries where these graduates are high in demand and are better paid in the private sector in other occupations. In some developing countries a minimum entry level is defined by secondary school leaving qualification in science, in others a degree may be required. The major curriculum issues in most training systems are the balance between subject matter upgrading, general education and pedagogic studies, and professional studies including teaching practice. Effective science teaching undoubtedly requires an adequate level of subject matter knowledge. the graph below shows a deficit of general scientific education among science teachers as shown in the graph below which details the proportion of teachers at level 1 or below in mathematics. 

If we abstract ourselves from the general level of education, the use of experimentation in a course also needs specific expertise and preparation. Experimentation in class requires extra work and training, not only to learn how to use scientific apparatus which can be complex like an oscilloscope, but also to design course and practice beforehand. Teachers will face questions as students and pupils face difficulties or ask new equations which are not prepared. This requires work that teachers often cannot devote as they have other jobs. In many places, teachers have other jobs to earn sufficient money. Universities are themselves not well equipped so teachers themselves have often done little experimentation in their own studies.

3. Inadequate teaching and learning material 

Resources are often not created with experimentation in mind. It is significantly easier to only include theoretical work and assignments that follow a precise pattern. Designing experimentation exercises requires inventiveness and the description of precise protocols that need to be rehearsed. In many places, school books have been passed to the next generation as is and there is no way to include new material that would include experimentation. Finally teaching material on Inquiry Based Science Education is often not available as access to internet is scarce, and printing capabilities absent.

How can FizziQ help the target population overcome the challenges ?

FizziQ has been specifically designed to answer a large part of the challenges we have described. 

In term of infrastructure, the main hurdle for FizziQ adoption is the presence of smartphones. Smartphones adoptions has been exponential in all countries. 

Younger people lead the way in smartphone ownership. In a typical class in the average developing country, the teacher will own a smartphone and some students will own one as well. If we look forward, adoption will be even greater. There are two specific uses for FizziQ in class. the first one is when the teachers demonstrates a concept through experimentation. In this case has can use his/her own smartphone. The other is group work. In this case if w few students have a smartphone this is enough. In some situation, the school can acquire smartphones which will be shared, which will be significantly less costs than scientific lab equipment and can be used for other purposes. In this case we can speak of a "Mobile Laboratory"! FizziQ works on even entry-level smartphones so there is no specific need on what type of equipment needs to be bought.

Other challenges like maintenance, availability or infrastructure do not exist with FizziQ as smartphones fit in pockets, and further more FizziQ does not need internet or access to the network. Finally maintenance is inexistent for obvious reasons. 

In term of Training and resources, teachers can easily practice their courses with FizziQ. FizziQ website www.fizziq.org includes many protocoles that can be downloaded directly in the form of QR code for teachers to modify or share with their students.  They will also find more teaching resources on the website of La main à la pâte :La main à la pâte website. This website includes a large number of teaching resources like scientific background and pedagogical tips. Using a common platform also makes the learning and delivery process more easy. As all teachers will use FizziQ, experiment protocols can be used on any smartphones without changes to be made. There is no need to adapt to this or that specific equipment. Resources are have also been published by teachers around the work progressively created by teachers around the world and it is extremely easy to exchange protocols thanks to the QR code. FizziQ protocols can also be exchanged without internet between students using QR codes.

FizziQ can be used to experiment in most science fields. In physics it is used to experiment with movement (centripetal acceleration, rectilinear movement, gravity), sound (frequency, period, pure and complex sounds, notes and scale, Doppler effect, echolocation, spectral analysis, speed of sound), light (illumination, sensitivity, communication), color (spectrum, color addition, color blindness), magnetism (magnetic field, electricity). In chemistry, FizziQ can be used for coloration or Beer law calculation. Many teachers also use FizziQ in natural sciences, music, pictural art, geography and more.  

There is general consensus between professional scientists, science educators and students that experimental work is essential for meaningful science learning. 

In many countries, secondary schools cannot afford the necessary equipment,  teaching material and teachers training. 

The rapid adoption of smartphones in all countries opens new avenues to create affordable and reliable scientific instruments and organise a collaborative ecosystem for teachers.

FizziQ turns any smartphone or tablet into a portable laboratory for scientific experimentation. It is free, does not require internet or a complex infrastructure. It provides a complete environment to help teachers conduct experimental work with their students.

After a period of development between January 2020 and August 2020, FizziQ has been launched in France in September. It has been recommended by French Education Nationale for experimentation in class. FizziQ has also been used extensively in Lebanon when the countries was under lockdown. Since March, the app is translated in 15 langages and made available everywhere. 

After this initial roll out which has confirm the robustness and the potential for the product, we would like to address our main target which are all places where science education is made difficult by lack of funding for experimentation tools. The app has been downloaded in many of these countries, but we would like to conduct a few targeted pilots with identified teachers to really address the needs of these countries and mature a sustainable business model.

Hans-on experimentation is necessary to learn proper science. Yet, the experimentation is done at school requires scientific apparatus which are costly, require maintenance and training. This is a significant hurdles for schools, teachers, and sometimes students. 

Smartphones offer a modern and affordable solution to democratize scientific experimentation. They are largely available, even in poorer countries. They are equipped with numerous sensors that provide reliable scientific measurements. Touch screen, speakers, communication capabilities offers numerous educational possibilities. they can be used in class, at home or in the field.

Apps exist that recreate virtual worlds in which students can experiment in all safety. These products can be useful but the risk is for students to operate in these virtual environment like in a game where a solution needs to be found. In this case, the goal takes precedence over the process.

Scientific experimentation is about confronting yourself to reality. Richard Feynman allegedly said in a lecture : "Progress in science comes when experiments contradict theory”. The real world mysteries are complex to uncover, and it is by facing these difficulties that the student becomes a scientist.

FizziQ and other similar software provide a way to really understand reality by experimenting with state of the art scientific tools. To train better scientists.

Current : 4 000 users per month

In one year :  75 000 users per month

In 5 years : 1 250 000 users per month

Number of users per day

Number of classes that have used FizziQ in their curriculum

Number of protocols created

4 people :

1 developer and manager (100%)

1 developer (100%)

1 resource developer and link with teaching community (50%)

1 marketing manager (50%)

+ 20 volunteers in different countries that use FizziQ in their class and provide feedback

Our team has four expertise :

1. scientific (MIT and Ecole Polytechnique alumni)

2. programming (50 years total expertise in programming)

3. pedagogy (physic teacher and support of Foundation La main à la pâte)

We will keep a small team. Our team is diversified in background and expertise. We work closely with individuals in over 20 countries with extreme successful relation. We have been able to attract a lot of volunteers thanks to a transparent, pragmatic, problem solving approach.

FizziQ is an efficient way to roll out experimentation in developing countries school cursus. It is significantly cheaper then school labs and in many cases is sufficient in secondary. 

We expect Solve to help us present this concept to NGOs and governments active in science education in undeserved places. 

If we can get some funding on top of that, it would be great!

We look for :

1. Contacts with teachers, school and universities willing to develop free resources that use FizziQ for experimentation (or other apps that offer the same services)

2. Senior contacts with NGOs, governments, universities that are willing to use FizziQ to significantly reduce the cost of scientific education.

3. Contacts with Private schools and companies that are interested in white labelling or co-branding

4. Increasing the visibility of the app in our target countries

Large Foundations that operate in the field of scientific education (Gates Foundation, Pacard Foundation, Moore Foundation, ....)

Education ministry from developing countries

Large Scientific Institutions, NGOs and Universities (Smithsonian, National Center for Science Education, STEM Learning, Khan Academy, ...)

Schools 

Education companies (Coursera, Schoology, Course Hero, ...)

The below chart shows the many factors for girls opting out of STEM as they grow older.

Experiments have shown that IBSE (Inquiry Based Science Education) can be instrumental to help women consider science as a career opportunity as shows the example fo Malaysia.

Malaysia has develop a set of policies that encourage girls’ and women’s participation in STEM-related fields across all levels of the education system; these policies encompass issues relating to curricula, pedagogy, teacher education and professional development. These policies have resulted in among others, the increase in women researchers from 35.8% in 2004 to 49.9% in 2012 as well as more women’s participation in selected STEM courses at the tertiary level. Currently, Malaysian women who are pursuing STEM fields of study in higher education make up more than half of enrolled students; among these women, 57% are attaining science degrees and 50% are working towards computer science degrees. Since 2018, the National STEM Centre has trained 1,370 in- service teachers in IBSE using La Main A La Pate and 5Es instructional model. 

FizziQ provides an accessible, attractive and gender neutral tool to encourage IBSE in all countries. It has been specifically designed with La Main à la pâte, well known around the world for promoting IBSE.