K C Pun M K So Experience sharing 1

LABORATORY Teacher Laboratory Technician STUDENTS 2

Agenda today Duty of Laboratory Technician Teacher’s perspective and LT’s perspective Challenges and how to overcome Coordination among science teachers, LT, and Laboratory attendant Preparation for NSS 3

Duty of Laboratory Technician: Focus areas 4 Lab maintenance and regular inspection Procurement of chemicals Storage of chemicals and equipment Daily preparation for students' practical

Duty of Laboratory Technician Regular operations Ordering of chemicals / apparatus Categorization of chemicals / apparatus Daily operations Before laboratory session During laboratory session After laboratory session Annual operations Stock check Writing off items Other duties assigned by the school 5

Duty of laboratory technician: Regular operations Any budget Science (F.1 – F.3) AL Biology AS / AL Chemistry Take note that some chemicals would require license Example: KMnO 4 Who? How? Ordering of chemicals / apparatus 6

Duty of laboratory technician: Regular operations 7 Procurement of chemicals / apparatus Usual practice in EDB Any requirement in the school Purchasing substances without receipt? How and How much? => Tendering procedure and purchasing practice EDB: EDBC No. 15/2007

Duty of laboratory technician: Regular operations 8 EDB Suggestions: EDBC No. 15/2007 Financial limitsProcurement arrangements $5,000 or belowCompetitive bidding not required if certified by a staff member at an appropriate rank that such purchases are essential and their prices are fair and reasonable Above $5,000 but below $30,000By oral quotation (at least two) From $30,000 to $50,000By written quotation (at least two) Above $50,000By tenders (at least five)

Duty of laboratory technician: Regular operations 9 School requirements Any further school requirements How about those without official receipts? Visa to purchase: Allowed? Who? How much? Any reason?

Our school: Quotation form 10

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Never over budget 12

Petty cash 13

Duty of laboratory technician: Regular operations First-aid box; washing-eye bottle Fire extinguishers / fire blanket / sand bucket 14

Duty of laboratory technician: Regular operations 15 Hazard warning labels In case of doubt, consult MSDS

Duty of laboratory technician: Regular operations 16 Categorization / storage of chemical reagents / apparatus Any special reagents / radioactive substances Refer to booklets issued by EDB Storage of Chemicals in Laboratories (accessed on 1/10/2008) A good categorization system Stock room Preparation room

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Storage of chemicals 18

Storage of chemicals 19

Storage of chemicals 20

Collection of chemical wastes 21

Storage of chemical wastes 22

Storage of chemical wastes 23

Storage of chemical wastes 24

Laboratory: Easy access (Students) 25

Laboratory: Storage of safety goggles 26

Duty of laboratory technician: Daily operations 27 Before laboratory session Have all the chemical reagents / apparatus ready Personal safety Preparing solutions

Bromine water: may not require to purchase 28 NaBr 1.10 g HCl 1 M 10.7 mL Sodium hypochlorite (bleaching solution 7.6 mL Water 32 mL Dissolve NaBr in HCl and transfer with water to the labeled bottle. Add sodium hypochlorite to the bottle and swirl to mix the reagent.

Duty of laboratory technician: Daily operations 29 Checking of laboratory – all in good order Some questions to be answered (with the help of teacher): How many groups? Arrangement: In plastic trays Weighing substances by students Senior forms – any special cabinet (any form for students to sign) (May have differences in different laboratories Physics: rotation Chemistry / Biology: all do the same experiment

Our school: chemistry (AL) 30 Loan to students

Bench reagents 31

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Duty of laboratory technician: Daily operations: Before Lab session 33 May have to work out the experimental results for the teacher Data Any foreseeable dangers in the experiments? Discuss with the science teachers Any new science teachers? May be unaware of the safety practice

Duty of laboratory technician: Daily operations 34 Within the laboratory session May have to walk around Smooth run of the laboratory session Students may have diverse ability in handling of apparatus Using air conditioners Suggestion: Bunsen flame => turn off air conditioner Usually encounters Basic first aid treatment

Duty of laboratory technician: Daily operation: Within laboratory session 35 Any danger / bad practice should be stopped immediately Closed system Washing bottles Safety goggles Use of burette clamp Chemical reagents Spillage (e.g. acids / alkalis) and chemicals removed by students (e.g. magnesium) Broken glass apparatus

Within the laboratory session: Students should be aware of 36 Use an appropriate amount Solubility: sample-water mixture should be well shaken Strong heating of a substance: take some time for the decomposition NaOH(aq) / NH 3 (aq): have to add excess Avoid overheating of solutions (especially concentrated acids) leading their spillage.

Unsafe / poor practice 37 Heat

Duty of laboratory technician: Daily operations 38 After laboratory session May have to clean the laboratory immediately for the next class Require the help of laboratory attendant Use of gloves They may lack knowledge of chemical reagents or handling of apparatus A suggestion: May consider: time-tabling to schedule laboratory (Very challenging)

Duty of laboratory technician: After the laboratory session 39 Handling / Storage of chemical wastes Compatibility of chemical wastes In special cabinet In designated bottles Categorization of chemical wastes Acid Alkali Organic Arrangement for the collection of chemical wastes E.g. Saturday

Duty of laboratory technician: Annual 40 Check stock of chemicals Writing off items Number of grams of KMnO 4 used Safety cabinet

Duty of laboratory technician: Other duties to be assigned by school 41 May have other duties: In this school Camera man AV Aids CYC Club Etc. Negotiate with the school: no other duties during laboratory sessions If possible, also the laboratory attendant

Agenda today Duty of Laboratory Technician Teacher’s perspective and LT’s perspective Challenges and how to overcome Coordination among science teachers, LT, and Laboratory attendant Preparation for NSS 42

Challenges and how to overcome 43 Note that: Nothing is difficult but only challenging

Challenges 44 Personal Duty With people Science teachers Laboratory attendant Students Non-science teachers Reagents / apparatus Non-availability Equipment failure

Challenges: Personal 45 I have a lot of duties to perform in school Negotiate with the person-in-charge Talk with the panel chairpersons Within laboratory session: in laboratory Prioritizing the duties

Challenges: with people 46 Most challenging: Dealing with people Laboratory Technician

Challenges: with people 47 Science teachers Early in the day, I have to do an experiment. What should be your reaction?

Challenges: with people 48 Laboratory attendant Daily cleaning of the room S/he may be naïve on the nature of wastes. What advice will you give him / her?

Challenges: with people 49 Students You are not my teacher. I am not required to listen to your instructions What is your reaction?

Challenges: with people 50 Non-science teachers The non-science teachers may use the laboratory. What should you do?

51 The most challenging problem faced would be to find a way in having an effective and efficient collaboration among science teachers, LT, and Laboratory attendant

Agenda today Duty of Laboratory Technician Teacher’s perspective and LT’s perspective Challenges and how to overcome Coordination among science teachers, LT, and Laboratory attendant Preparation for NSS 52

Coordination among science teachers, LT and Laboratory attendant 53 Communication Expressing your own concerns Consider other concerns Consider the limitations in the environment We are inter-dependent

Coordination among science teachers, LT and Laboratory attendant 54 Highlights the importance of laboratory technician in laboratory regulations Any accidents occurring in the laboratory should be reported immediately to the teacher and laboratory technician. Showing respect to each other Collaboration requires effective communication

Coordination among science teachers, LT and Laboratory attendant 55 Microscale => more safe? May neglect the safety aspects

Agenda today Duty of Laboratory Technician Teacher’s perspective and LT’s perspective Challenges and how to overcome Coordination among science teachers, LT, and Laboratory attendant Preparation for NSS 56

Preparing for NSS 57

Preparing for NSS: Basics 58 Compulsory part + Elective part Which electives are chosen? Checking of apparatus

Preparing for NSS: Budget 59 Any budget allocated from the school? At present, IS, AL Biology, AS / AL Chemistry : EDB grant Note that there is migration grant School authority can use this lump sum of money to purchase items for transition to NSS

Preparing for NSS 60 Any new items to be purchased (Generally no if your school has offered AL at present) Any course to attend: Yes Preparing Laboratory technicians for NSS Any new arrangement for NSS science subjects: Investigative study

Preparing for NSS: Any new items? 61 Physics If elective “Astronomy & Space Science” chosen May require to purchase telescope May require quotation

Preparing for NSS – Any new items? 62 Chemistry BCA Enough glassware: e.g. burette / pipette / volumetric flask Consider to have surplus Miscroscale apparatus Organic Chemistry Microscale Fume cupboard

Preparing for NSS 63 Number of fume-cupboards At least 2 years

Preparing for NSS: Any course to attend? 64 Course ID: CDI Course Title: Professional Development Programme for Laboratory Technicians on Scientific Investigation (Re-run) Link: ourseID=CDI &LanguageFlat=1&Posted=1&Web =1&Freeze=1 ourseID=CDI &LanguageFlat=1&Posted=1&Web =1&Freeze=1 13/11 – 18/12; 13/11 – 13/12

Preparing for NSS (IS) 65 Year of implementation: IS to be included: 2014 (This year’s F.1 students) and thereafter (i.e – 2012; 2012 – 2013; 2013 – 2014 academic years)

More about IS (Physics p.87 / Chemistry p.83) 66 Searching for and defining questions for investigation Developing an investigation plan Conducting the investigation Organising and analysing data for a justified conclusion Presenting findings in written reports, posters and by other means

More about IS (Physics p.87 / Chemistry p.83) 67 Searching for and defining questions for investigation Developing an investigation planLT Conducting the investigationLT Organising and analysing data for a justified conclusion Presenting findings in written reports, posters and by other means

More about IS in science subjects 68 Group work Same or different? When? Where? What additional items to be purchased? Are the students required to purchase their own things?

Final remarks 69 NSS to be implemented as from 2009 The future is bright and beautiful.

Final remarks 70 Effective collaboration among various groups depend highly on communication Teachers need your help.

Final remarks 71 Nothing is difficult but only challenging.