This week, hundreds of seventh graders at Arcola have been learning to use digital microscopes, taking pictures of tiny organisms and printing them out at the end of class. Ron Faust, a Science in Motion biology educator based at Ursinus College, oversaw each lesson.
Having students get their hands on the same kind of equipment used in college labs and industry is "unbelievable," Arcola seventh-grade science teacher Peggy Greene said. "It definitely encourages the students to see that the microscope is a tool that can be exciting in learning science. . . . It makes them consider science as a real career opportunity or a real passion."
Students agreed. "It's a good learning experience," seventh grader Hannah O'Neill said. "It's really great to use this cool piece of technology."
The Science in Motion premise is simple: Schools often can't afford state-of-the-art scientific gear, costing thousands of dollars, that might be used only sporadically. Science in Motion buys the equipment and supplies, and lends them to schools that request them. Highly trained staffers often come along, introducing the technology and teaching students.
Started in 1987 with federal funding at Juniata College in central Pennsylvania, Science in Motion began receiving state funding 12 years ago. This school year, it got $1.9 million from the state, a drop of $600,000 from the year before, plus some private donations, and the use of storage, office, and lab space from the 12 colleges and universities that host it. In 2007-08, the last year for which statewide statistics are available, the program served 280,000 students in 337 schools.
