Results

In this section I have a compilation of the fruits of our labour. The finished products after weeks of script writing and editing, audience evaluation results, and the stories that accompany our skits and the wonderful children and families we met along the way.

Eureka Science Banner

The Eureka Science banner. We incorporated the characters that appeared regularly into the banner--Professor Meinstein and Boo. The banner was created due to strong request from the Sick Kids staff. They stated that if our Eureka Science was to be a mainstay at the hospital the project would require an icon, a symbol that could be easily recognized as our very own--to distinguish it from the various other programs provided by the hospital. We were told that this would be particularly useful when we would be incorporated into the SickKid's closed circuit television--as the hospital's "science guys" as we are often fondly referred to by the staff and parents.


Episode List and Scripts

All of our skits follow a particular format. This was done intentionally so that each episode appears to be part of a larger series, as opposed to a number of random science presentations. We begin with a "cool fact" (an actual audience question) immediately following the word "Fact!" in the exclamatory. This "cool fact" is then followed by our usual introduction and then Boo appearing with a number of letters from audience members. In reality, these faux letters contained real questions from audience members we had collected from previous episodes via the "wonder why" section of our evaluation forms. We then move on to our main experiment (often involving the entry of a special guest). We finish the episode with our usual concluding remarks...

"It looks like we’ve run out of time. In the meantime, I hope you all continue to be curious of the mysteries and miracles of your own world. Farewell for now, but as we say around here…

EUREKA!!! We’ve Got It!!!"

Episode 1: Out of This World Fun: How to make a periscope, a rocket, and goo! 



This is the first episode we had done at SickKids and was our pilot episode. It seemed to hit all the right keys and the children and adults really seemed to enjoy it. Bushra and I did place a disproportionate amount of time into perfecting this script in particular. Therefore it illustrates the amount of time and consideration we put into producing a script that would entertain and educate--a task that is easier said than done.

 Episode 2: Disasters O’ Naturel: Tornadoes, Volcanoes, and Earthquakes, Oh My!



In my opinion the weaker of the episodes. We had though to experiment at this point and create a script that would place the ball in the children's court--the script itself was well written, but our presentation strategy was not the most effective.We had greatly miscalculated the intelligence of the child-audience, and the script turned out to be more patronizing than educative. However, the children took this as an opportunity to shine and display their knowledge. The parents and staff expressed their gratitude and felt that placing the reins in the children's hands was a nice change in pace. The children's lives were strongly dictated by adults and the children seemed to enjoy the attention they were receiving, as well as the chance to mingle with their peers. Bushra and I used this episode as a learning experience. We made changes--making the content more difficult, practicing in front of a mock audience of children in the same age demographic, and making the necessary changes according to viewer response--while striking a happy balance with the control the children seemed to enjoy and perhaps even require. 


Episode 3: A Messy Situation: How does soap work?  Indestructible Bubbles!

Our first episode back, with our new and improved format. We had practiced the material in front of a group of children (i.e. cousins) who fit the age range of our target audience and used their feedback to formulate a, hopefully stronger, script. The presentation went off without a hitch and the children seemed to enjoy the bubble blowing a great deal. I was afraid the script would introduce too many new words and concepts within such a short period (an hour), but the children (particularly a 7 year old, the youngest in the crowd that day) seemed to cling on to our every word and expressed great understanding of water's physical and chemical properties. Sick Kids encouraged us to repeat the bubble blowing experiment because many of the children enjoyed it immensely.


Episode 4: ‘Rad'cycling Dudes: How to make recycled paper at home  



This script underwent a great deal of refinement. Originally the guest was to be a hippy named Gnarley Marley (hence the episode title--'Rad'cycling), but Bushra convinced me the name and mannerisms of the character sent the wrong message to the children. So we reevaluated the script and had the nature specialist changed to a pompous boy scout, with an infatuation for badge attainment. This proved to be a hit with our audience, and the experiment we had incorporated into the script during the final few read-overs (balloon powered car) proved to be a favourite. Instead of using a balloon, we were forced to use  non-latex surgical glove (due to allergies to latex). These gloves proved difficult to inflate for the children, however many children enjoyed building and designing their customized air powered roadsters. The parents commented on how this experiment was particularly enjoyable as it gave the children the freedom to create their very own cars in any way they saw fit and it also allowed parents and children to work together (the parents had the appropriate lung capacity to blow the glove) allowing families to bond.

Service Learning

Above you will find a diagram illustrating where our placement falls on the service-learning continuum. As you can see our program gives a greater weighting to learning, but the service component was just as important and musn't be neglected. In terms of the learning aspect of our placement, I learned to gain a greater appreciation for teaching. Through this placement I experienced the joy and frustration that accompanies teaching a younger audience. This experience taught me to think on my feet and address various types of questions (some quite strange) in an effective manner. Also, I was forced to communicate very complex, scientific principles in a manner that was conducive to knowledge acquisition within a group of youngsters. Counter-intuitively, this exercise (converting complex thoughts into simple ideas) was extremely difficult, and in fact required greater scientific know-how to be done effectively. In terms of experience, Eureka Science provided me with the opportunity to work along side child-life specialists, child psychologists, and other health professionals in a setting I hope to one day find myself (a paediatric hospital). The opportunity allowed me to familiarize myself with the inner-workings of the foremost paediatric facility i the world and gain a glimpse of a day-in-the-life of many of its staff. Also, I was required to communicate with these individuals on a continual basis and show greater professionalism--which will undoubtedly aid me in my future career and graduate school endeavours. Finally, application of knowledge was key in this placement. I was forced to think critically about what I had learned in the classroom and to apply it to various situations. This knowledge aided me in experimental design and construction and in the answering of audience questions.

In terms of service, this opportunity required me to volunteer and carry out a service to a particular community. Volunteering simply involved Bushra and I donating a large portion of our time and energy to initiating and progressing this project. With respect to community service, my partner and I recognized a need within a community (that of greater scholastic engagement at SickKids). We then devised a plan to fill this void and produce a more science literate patient populace at the Hospital for Sick Children. 

 

Learning Goals

Interpersonal Skills:

Through my placement at SickKids I have acquired the interpersonal skillsin my future career aspirations (i.e. medical professional, veterinarian, lecturer, etc). I have gained the skills to express my knowledge and understanding of abstract concepts (scientific principles) in a way that is concrete and this new found ability will hopefully allow me demonstrates my mastery of the art of science as a whole. Through this course I have gained the confidence to speak about a topic I am very comfortable with (science) and this capacity has encouraged me to venture further and often engage individuals in conversation regarding topics I am much less familiar with. This ability to talk about such topics to great depth during colloquial exchange will truly aid me in the interview process, as well as in later discussion amongst my peers and clients. My placement at SickKids provides me with ample opportunity to hone this invaluable capacity via direct exchange with a rambunctious and youthful demographic. I oft find myself in a position where I am swarmed with questions, each more difficult than the last, as I present in front of a camera and a very inquisitive group of youngsters. A wrong response or a simple stutter generates further questions and fosters a sense of doubt amongst the viewers, therefore all information presented must be well researched and delivered with the greatest level of certainty.  Furthermore, children have proven to be very frank and forthright regarding our presentations. Providing us with feedback that seems to closely match the quality of our presentations—stating explicitly their contempt for certain presentations and outright jubilance for others. The evaluation forms and feedback have proven to be an invaluable tool in sculpting a better presentation and a better group of presenters.  As my time at SickKids has progressed I have see a metamorphosis amongst my partner and I. We have emerged from the comfort of our hard cocoon shells of introversion and have spread wings of confidence able to bear the pressure of difficult questions and improvisation. Within 2 weeks our reviews have become considerably more positive and the interest in our show has begun to climb as we continuously revise and edit our scripts to cater to our audience’s demands.

Apart from the children, the parents, staff, and placement supervisor have allowed me to develop my capacity to interact and function within a professional setting. The development of this ability has served me well as it has taught me how to deal with others (i.e. professors, researchers, etc) in a more appropriate manner. This in turn has caused me to be taken more seriously amongst professional circles (professors, etc) and to has even granted me opportunities in the near future. Using the skills and confidence I acquired at SickKids I had applied for a research position for the upcoming summer and was called in for an interview. I spoke to the director of research with great regard and persuasion that was highly reminiscent of the social exchanges I had experienced at SickKids. The director expressed his awe for my composure and confidence during the entire process and has offered a summer internship at his renowned institution.

Above you will find 2 sample emails that illustrate the change in style of correspondence between me and my placement supervisor. The first is an email I had sent Ms. Petro, during the initial stages of Eureka Science (the pilot episode). I had typed a very lengthy email which surely proved arduous to read (particularly with Ms. Petro's busy schedule). I was under the false impression that professionalism was equated to lengthy emails filled with inflated language. This also made it difficult for me to get closer and connect with my placement supervisor on a personal level. However, with time I became more comfortable with Ms. Petro and Ms. Irwin, and could shed some of the formalities from my emails, thus writing more concise emails that proved more convenient for both me and the placement supervisor. Also, I formed a very strong and genuine friendship with these two phenomenal women, while maintaining a high level of professionalism. I am much more comfortable speaking to them in person as well, before I would often ramble and find myself at a loss of words. Now, I am able to communicate in an effective manner and ensure I get my point across--but this often involves less formal speech. In fact we often find ourselves sharing a chuckle over inside jokes that we have come to share over time. This relaxed atmosphere has been the major catalyst allowing me to come out of my shell and feel more comfortable and at ease when communicating with SickKids staff.

This quality will surely aid me during interviews for graduate school, as well as during future professional discourse amongst potential employers and my peers. The ability to

Career Goals and Aspirations:

This placement has also played a key role in solidifying my career goals and aspirations. I had always found myself drawn to the sciences from childhood to present. I was extremely curious of many of the mysteries and miracles of our world and the scientific explanations that accompanied them. I particularly found the dynamic orchestration between organ systems within living creatures to be a topic of noteworthy excitement. My father, a veterinary surgeon, would often ask me to assist in surgery—pointing out the various organ systems and their relative function in the body. However, this interest in all things physiology and anatomy caused me to reach a cross-road—the professions of human health and veterinary medicine seemed to beckon my name and pull me with equal force in opposite directions. A weathered student and eager to enter the job market—I made a rash decision to leave human medicine behind and concentrate my full and complete mental energy on veterinary. I had hoped to use this placement as a chance to clarify my thoughts regarding human medicine and assist me in my final career decision. And this is precisely what my placement has allowed me to accomplish. I have found myself drawn to the child audience and have taken this opportunity to educate myself on their various conditions, and have observed the strong and lasting relationship that exists between these resilient young patient populace and their caregivers. I have found that I have a great interest for pediatric medicine and find myself in continuous conversation with nurses and child-health specialists regarding various pathologies that affect the members of my audience.  It is through my placement I have gained an even greater appreciation for the bond created between care-provider and patient found exclusively in human medicine (that seems to resonate through various realms of being—family, spiritual, psychological, etc). Although similar bonds can be forged in veterinary system, there appears to be a level of intimacy that is strongly lacking between patient and care provider. It may be ignorance and my strong belief in Darwinian mechanics and psychology—but it seems that caring for one’s own species effuses greater feelings of empathy from the care provider which ultimately guides practice and treatment. It is this connection, very difficult to express in words, which I find myself drawn to. As a result, I have found myself showing greater interest and initiative in my pursuit of human medicine. This zeal has appeared to influence all those close to me, as they have been actively researching (on my behalf) the requirements of various medical schools throughout Canada and the United States, providing me with helpful advice and guidance. Furthermore, I have applied for and have been granted an opportunity to shadow an anesthesiologist in London, Ontario and hope to further my knowledge regarding the field of medicine. I have also applied for and received a grant for a summer studentship with Professor Aarts--the acceptance letter can be found below (thumbnail below). This is a grant awarded by the Canadian Stroke Network, which will indeed further my knowledge regarding human pathology and treatment--both areas I find of great interest. This new found focus and balance has also appeared to influence my coursework, as I have become aware of the fact that these courses will not only act as a basis for further knowledge acquirement but also as a launching pad to bigger and great things.

Time Management:

My placement has allowed me to adopt a completely new perspective. It has allowed me to master my time and, as opposed to becoming submerged in the constant flow of events and demands of daily life. In the past, I went about my daily life and undergraduate career in a reactive-response cycle, with no attempt to manage my time. Instead of taking control of my daily events, I simply reacted to them as they occurred. Consequently, I often felt I had very little control over my coursework and the activities of my daily life.  I deemed time management to be a tool large commercial businesses used to increase output in shorter periods of time. The very word conjured up images of Taylorism— eerie assembly lines engineered to make even the most menial task more efficient. This misconception soon gave way to reality. I realized that this approach would no longer be adequate in managing my coursework, volunteer activities, and the initiative my partner and I had started at Sick Kids. Performing for a child-audience requires a great deal of oversight from a number of governing bodies that must determine whether the performance is suitable for young viewers. As one can imagine, this often proves to be a very lengthy process and requires a great deal of time for revision and editing. It soon became apparent that my old approach of simply dealing with events as they occurred required amendment.

 I adopted a completely new perspective, in lightprioritize accordingly. Consequentially, I began to make more time for important endeavors (i.e. Sick Kids’ skits) and less for those unnecessary activities that resulted in a loss of both time and energy. This technique has allowed me to optimize my performance both inside and outside the classroom, permitting me to focus on certain important aspects of life I had neglected earlier (i.e. spending a sufficient amount of time with my family members). Furthermore, this method has reduced my feelings of anxiety and depression associated with a loss of control, and has in fact stirred feelings of vitality and vigor within me—surely contributing to my improved performance.

As I became more accustomed to the script writing, editing, acting, and experimenting process I found it easier to the balance Eureka Science with my academic schedule (i.e. exams, assignments, presentations, etc), as well as my other volunteer activities (excluded for simplicity sake--they remain more-or-less constant throughout the year). I progressively designated greater time to Eureka Science preparation as the term progressed, and this change was most apparent during the busiest time of the semester in my particular situation.

Accept Responsibility:

My placement has also allowed me to accept responsibility for my failings and use my past mistakes as an opportunity to improve myself. Our first episode did not go as planned, with numerous unforeseen  obstacles presenting themselves and detracting from the quality of our skit, aside from some intrinsic shortcomings in our script. As a result, Bushra and I thought it best to reevaluate our approach in order to improve the quality of our work. Unfortunately, we found this process more difficult than first anticipated. We had quickly come to the conclusion that many of the problems we encountered during our presentation were due to external factors that had been out of our control, and thus felt little could be done to improve our current situation. In retrospect, I can understand why we had been so keen to displace fault from ourselves to others, as this project had begun to represent us as individuals. Any flaws attributed to the skit began to be reflective of our value as scientists and presenters. Instead of actively seeking ways to improve our project, we submerged ourselves in regret and replayed, in an almost obsessive manner, the events that had occurred during our first presentation.

It was only a week later, when presenting our new skit to a group of young family members (roughly within the age range of our target audience) Bushra and I stumbled upon an alarming discovery. We had again made the same mistakes that had proven so detrimental during our first presentation. We underestimated the knowledge of the young audience and opened the floor to discussion in an unregulated fashion. This time there were no excuses, we could no longer attribute our problems to fluke events—our issue was a persistent one. This blow caused us to accept responsibility and actively seek out our mistakes and consider alternatives. We worked together with our young family members to produce a skit that was more applicable to their level of knowledge and pertained to their interests. We adamantly practiced and revised the skit—acquiring input from numerous different parties (family, friends, supervisor, etc). Suggestions to increase the difficulty of the material, add more interactive components, and to make the skit more humorous were all taken into consideration and integrated into the skit. Upon the date of presentation, Bushra and I felt confident we had done everything in our power to produce a high quality skit and simply presented the skit with our greatest ability—hoping the end result would be a favourable one. It appears this attitude was advantageous as the presentation went very well—many nurses, parents, and children approached us upon the completion of the skit to inquire about the next presentation date and to learn more about us. Furthermore, our patient evaluations have shown a positive and upward trend, with “lack of difficulty of material” no longer being a chief complaint.

Audience Evaluation Results

Evaluation Results from Our First Show Post-Pilot

These are the results from our first show post-pilot. The episode was titled "Natural Disasters" and the script can be found above. Our pilot episode was quite a success and many individuals expressed great interest in our work. As a result, when time had finally come to present our very first episode of the season we had drawn quite a crowd. Unfortunately, as you can see from the results above, it appears we did not hit all the right notes. Although our script was considered funny and entertaining, the children did not really learn anything new (the more important aspects of our presentation). This obviously ignited strong feelings of worry and distress amongst me and Bushra and we desperately sought an explanation for our poor performance on these two important dimensions of our presentation. All those approached (children, parents, child-life specialists, volunteers, and our placement supervisor) provided a similar criticism--our experiments were simply too simple and lacked a level of  panache. The experiments conducted (volcano building, tornadoes in bottle, etc) were much too mundane and the children had seen them several times both at home and at school and had learned the science governing these phenomenon to a tee.

Evaluation Results from a More Recent Show

With this in mind, Bushra and I did what any good scientist would do, we complicated things (our friends Newton and Einstein would be proud). We introduced more challenging concepts such as cohesion, hyrophillicity, hydrophobicity, surface tension, etc and introduced experiments that were not necessarily intuitive to an average individual. We taught the children how to make bouncing bubbles, how to create home-made paper using old scrap paper, and various other experiments that required deeper scientific knowledge (which we provided via our skit). With these changes we saw a significant turn around in our evaluations (as evidenced by our evaluation results above), children found the experiments more interesting and seemed to have learned something new (our primary goal).

Pictures

Above one can see pictures of the experimentation and material acquisition process that we must conduct for each experiment--where the materials for an experiment are purchased and are then used to carry out the experimentation process. The picture on the top left shows the materials we had used to make the balloon-powered car and the ingredients we had used to make the goo for our "Things Out of This World" Episode. The pictures of the actual balloon powered car (taken during the episode) can be found on the right-hand side (above and below). The balloon-powered car was made during our "Rad-Cycling Episode".  The bubble machine was used in the background--the bubbles and the sound it made (of bubbling beakers) was used to produce an eerie laboratory setting. If one looks carefully at the pictures on the right hand side--one can see that I am wearing a scout-uniform (the yellow bandanna around my neck) under my lab-coat--so as to facilitate a quick costume change.