Lab-on-a-Book
A Paper-Based Chemistry Kit for Hands-on Science Learning in Under-Resourced Schools
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21240/constr/2025/105.XKeywords:
Unplugged Programming, Educational Board Game, Programming Concepts, Game Based Learning, Computational Thinking, Primary EducationAbstract
This paper presents Lab-on-a-Book, a low-cost, paper-based chemistry kit designed to support hands-on science learning for middle school students (ages 11–14) in under-resourced schools. The kit integrates scientific experiments directly onto the pages of a book, replacing traditional laboratory materials with paper-based alternatives. Using a constructionist approach, it engages students in active inquiry and problem-solving. Each experiment is framed around students’ own questions, encouraging exploration, collaboration, and iterative learning. The book includes eleven experiments covering fundamental chemistry concepts such as pH, density, and mixtures. This paper discusses the theoretical foundations and design elements of Lab-on-a-Book, highlighting its potential to promote science learning in resource-constrained settings.References
Blikstein, P. (2008). Travels in Troy with Freire: Technology as an agent of emancipation. In Social justice education for teachers (pp. 205-235). Brill. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789460911446_015
Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. National Academy Press.
Eisenberg, M., Oh, H., Hsi, S., & Gross, M. (2015). Paper mechatronics: A material and intellectual shift in educational technology. In 2015 International Conference on Interactive Collaborative Learning (ICL) (pp. 936-943). IEEE. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/ICL.2015.7318153
Eisenberg, M. (2020). Examining Constructionist Bodies: Interview with Michael Eisenberg. In N. Holbert, M. Berland, M., & Y. B. Kafai, Designing constructionist futures: The art, theory, and practice of learning designs (pp. 387-392). MIT Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/12091.003.0049
Freire, P. (1996). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Continuum. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-25349-4_25
Gericke, N., Högström, P., & Wallin, J. (2023). A systematic review of research on laboratory work in secondary school. Studies in Science Education, 59(2), 245–285. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03057267.2022.2090125
Hartings, M. R., & Fahy, D. (2011). Communicating chemistry for public engagement. Nature Chemistry, 3(9), 674–677. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.1094
Heemstra, J. M., Waterman, R., Antos, J. M., Beuning, P. J., Bur, S. K., Columbus, L., Feig, et al. (2017). Throwing away the cookbook: Implementing course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) in chemistry. In J. M. Heemstra, R. Waterman, J. M. Antos, et al. (Eds.), Educational and outreach projects from the Cottrell Scholars Collaborative: Undergraduate and graduate education (Vol. 1, pp. 33–63). Am. Chem. Society. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/bk-2017-1248.ch003
Kafai, Y. B., & Peppler, K. A. (2014). Transparency Reconsidered: Creative, Critical, and Connected Making with E-textiles. In M. Ratto, M. Boler, & R. Deibert, DIY Citizenship: Critical Making and Social Media (pp. 179–188). MIT Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/9568.003.0016
Kolb, D. A. (2014). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. FT Press.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511815355
Martinez, S. L., & Stager, G. S. (2013). Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom. Constructing Modern Knowledge Press.
Papert, S. (1980). Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas. Basic Books.
Sotério, C., & Queiroz, S. L. (2022). Chemistry students as science journalists: Creating a virtual magazine about Covid-19. Journal of Chemical Education, 100(1), 380-388. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00277
Tatli, Z., & Ayas, A. (2010). Virtual laboratory applications in chemistry education. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 9, 938-942. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.12.263
UNESCO. (2023). Global Education Monitoring Report 2023: Technology in education: A tool on whose terms? (1st ed.). GEM Report.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1980). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvjf9vz4
Downloads
Published
Conference Proceedings Volume
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Carolina Sotério, Paulo Blikstein

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.