EDUCATION & CULTURE
VISSER®: Addressing the Need for Modern Science
Laboratories in the Philippines
Giovanni A. Tapang, PhD 1 | Romel D. Gomez, PhD 2 | Nelio C. Altoveros, MS 3
1 National Institute of Physics, UP Diliman
2 University of Maryland
3 UP Los Baños
E-mail: [email protected]
Access to modern science laboratories remains a problem in most public high
schools in the Philippines. Based on a survey conducted from September 2013 to
June 2014, 77 percent of schools have laboratories, but only 33 percent have
access to digital measuring devices and only 15 percent have access to sensors due
to the prohibitive costs of equipment.
In order to address this problem and provide science equipment to schools that
need it most, the researchers developed the Versatile Instrumentation System for
Science Education and Research (VISSER®). It integrates both the hardware and
software needed for experiments and research. VISSER® uses both generic and
custom probes that can be adapted for different applications. Handheld modules
and sensors were developed to be compact and can be used without a computer.
These modules are currently being piloted in 20 schools in the subject areas of
physics, chemistry, biology, environmental science, and engineering.
Along with the development of the VISSER® technology, the researchers are
also working with the UP College of Education, the UP National Institute for
Science and Mathematics Education Development, and the UP Integrated School
to integrate the use of VISSER® into existing K-12 science curricula and teacher
lesson plans.
UP Diliman SALIKSIKHAY | 9