Prior knowledge video - session 1
Completed explanatory animation
Final director's commentary
My topic is solar panels and what I know about them is that they take something from the Sun and make it into energy that can power stuff like, umm, and, it saves you money on electricity bills.
And that's most of the, no that's all of the stuff I know about solar panels.
I know that solar panels are pretty expensive, but they are good to save money on electricity. I know that they take something from the sun and do something with it to make it power stuff.
This student is very descriptive with both his commentary and his voice-over text.
It allows me as a researcher to focus on where he's going rather than trying to interpret what he's saying.
| Uses correct terminology | With assistance | Simplified terminology | Some correct terminology | Actual terminology |
Identifies relevant variables |
Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Identifies relationships between variables | Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Self assessment. Does the student think that they understand their topic? | No | Not really | Basic understanding | Yes |
Director's commentary - session 1
I'm thinking that I need to find out how it changes from one type of energy (heat energy) into electricty that powers things.
I know that solar panels are pretty expensive, but they are good to save money on electricity. I know that they take something from the sun and do something with it to make it power stuff.
This student spent most of the session animating auto shapes as he is keen to get going. Unfortunately, his voice-over text hasn't changed and he didn't record a commentary so his concept has probably not evolved since the previous session.
The imagery he is producing does not attempt to explain how solar power works. He has however changed his topic from "Solar power" to "Solar panels."
| Uses correct terminology | With assistance | Simplified terminology | Some correct terminology | Actual terminology |
Identifies relevant variables |
Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Identifies relationships between variables | Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Self assessment. Does the student think that they understand their topic? | No | Not really | Basic understanding | Yes |
Director's commentary - session 3
Today I wondered if, that a solar panel takes heat or light from the Sun?
Solar panels are pretty expensive, but they are good to save money on electricity.
They take something from the sun and do something with it to make it power stuff.
The voice-over text is unchanged other than removing the 1st person tense.
He is now asking more relevant questions so I have moved him up in the conceptual consolidation rubric under identification of relevant variables.
| Uses correct terminology | With assistance | Simplified terminology | Some correct terminology | Actual terminology |
Identifies relevant variables |
Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Identifies relationships between variables | Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Self assessment. Does the student think that they understand their topic? | No | Not really | Basic understanding | Yes |
Session 4 - did not record commentary
This week this student focused on the novelty of animation. I have found this to be a common distraction for some students (usually boys) where they just want to create movement.
This student is very capable so I'm not too concerned about his tangent into animation techniques.
| Uses correct terminology | With assistance | Simplified terminology | Some correct terminology | Actual terminology |
Identifies relevant variables |
Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Identifies relationships between variables | Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Self assessment. Does the student think that they understand their topic? | No | Not really | Basic understanding | Yes |
Director's commentary - session 5
Today I learnt that solar panels take light and not heat from the Sun, and, I learnt something about a photovoltaic cell.
Solar panels are pretty expensive, but they are good to save money on electricity.
They take something from the sun and do something with it to make it power stuff.
It was convenient for me in my discussion with this student to be able to literally drop a term like "Photovoltaic cell" into his concept map without having to offer or expect a full explanation.
| Uses correct terminology | With assistance | Simplified terminology | Some correct terminology | Actual terminology |
Identifies relevant variables |
Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Identifies relationships between variables | Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Self assessment. Does the student think that they understand their topic? | No | Not really | Basic understanding | Yes |
Director's commentary - session 6
Today I was out for most of session but when I came back I brought a new computer so now I have my software with Internet.
Solar panels are pretty expensive, but they are good to save money on electricity.
They take something from the sun and do something with it to make it power stuff.
This student was only able to attend the last 10 minutes of this session.
It was beneficial for him to change computers from now on to ensure that he has Internet access.
There are a variety of animations on solar power online which will be helpful for him to determine a suitable way to represent this topic.
| Uses correct terminology | With assistance | Simplified terminology | Some correct terminology | Actual terminology |
Identifies relevant variables |
Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Identifies relationships between variables | Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Self assessment. Does the student think that they understand their topic? | No | Not really | Basic understanding | Yes |
Director's commentary - session 7
Today I researched about photovoltaic cells. And I think the abbreviation for it is PV. And that's what solar panels are pretty much made up from.
I think they take photons from the Sun's light and covert them to energy.
Blank (i.e. deleted)
This student has deleted his voice-over script (which I only noticed after the session). He has also deleted his concept map slide so I will ensure that he re-instates these during the next session.
I have, however, moved his self-assessment along the conceptual consolidation rubric as he is increasingly confident about what constitutes a solar panel.
| Uses correct terminology | With assistance | Simplified terminology | Some correct terminology | Actual terminology |
Identifies relevant variables |
Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Identifies relationships between variables | Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Self assessment. Does the student think that they understand their topic? | No | Not really | Basic understanding | Yes |
Director's commentary - session 9
Today I learnt that there’s more than one layer in a solar panel. And I don’t quite know what they are yet but that’s something I’m going to be looking at next time.
Blank (i.e. not saved)
I'll try to spend a larger percentage of our next session with this student as he has had some technical issues lately.
Sometimes the setbacks from losing work can be minimised when the basic framework is restated with increased clarity.
I will suggest that the handful of layers which belong in a solar panel are not merely shown and explained but rather explained as they are successively added. In this manner the animation would literally build a solar panel.
| Uses correct terminology | With assistance | Simplified terminology | Some correct terminology | Actual terminology |
Identifies relevant variables |
Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Identifies relationships between variables | Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Self assessment. Does the student think that they understand their topic? | No | Not really | Basic understanding | Yes |
Director's commentary - session 10
For my animation I’ve decided to make it so that I’m going to build the solar panel as I go through. So I’m going to start with one layer and then do the next one and so on.
Solar panels are pretty expensive, but they are good to save money on electricity. They take something from the sun and do something with it to make it power stuff.Solar panels are big square disks that take light energy from the sun and convert it to a different type of energy called electricity. A solar cell (also called photovoltaic cell or photoelectric cell) is made of monocrystalline silicon wafers
This student decided to implement my suggestion to build the imagery from scratch rather than present it and then explain it.
His voice-over script has been expanded with a new section covering photovoltaic cells whilst still retaining his introductory remarks about the cost and benefits of this technology.
| Uses correct terminology | With assistance | Simplified terminology | Some correct terminology | Actual terminology |
Identifies relevant variables |
Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Identifies relationships between variables | Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Self assessment. Does the student think that they understand their topic? | No | Not really | Basic understanding | Yes |
Director's commentary - session 11
I found out that there are three layers in a solar panel and there are “N type” and “P type” semiconductors. And some of, only some things in them, most things are the same, but, two things can be switched around to make an “N type” into a “P type”…I think.
Solar panels are pretty expensive, but they are good to save money on electricity. They take something from the sun and do something with it to make it power stuff.Solar panels are big square disks that take light energy from the sun and convert it to a different type of energy called electricity. A solar cell (also called photovoltaic cell or photoelectric cell) is made of monocrystalline silicon wafers
The voice-over script hasn't changed this week nor has the imagery. This is because this student has realised the importance of finding out the essential structure of a solar panel so he can generate his imagery.
The definitions that he encountered for "N type" and "P type" semiconductors were identical except for certain variables which were switched around. Interestingly, he concluded that each type of panel was interchangeable when in fact the are complete opposites. This should be resolved soon when he looks into the structure and composition of the semiconductors.
| Uses correct terminology | With assistance | Simplified terminology | Some correct terminology | Actual terminology |
Identifies relevant variables |
Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Identifies relationships between variables | Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Self assessment. Does the student think that they understand their topic? | No | Not really | Basic understanding | Yes |
Director's commentary - session 12
Today I, my computer shut down randomly so I didn’t get much done but I did decide that I might need to see a semiconductor, actually how it works and then I might be able to understand how a solar panel works. And I need to know the difference between an N and a P type semiconductor.
Solar panels are pretty expensive, but they are good to save money on electricity. They take something from the sun and do something with it to make it power stuff.
Solar panels are big square disks that take light energy from the sun and convert it to a different type of energy called electricity. A solar cell (also called photovoltaic cell or photoelectric cell) is made of monocrystalline silicon wafers
This topic has proved difficult for me in terms of assistance as it is one where I need to expand my own knowledge.
His voice-over script hasn't changed this week but I'm now more aware of the reference to the solar panel doing something to the light rather than the light doing something to the solar cells.
| Uses correct terminology | With assistance | Simplified terminology | Some correct terminology | Actual terminology |
Identifies relevant variables |
Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Identifies relationships between variables | Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Self assessment. Does the student think that they understand their topic? | No | Not really | Basic understanding | Yes |
Director's commentary - session 13
I spent most of the session working on the voice-over script so, what I’m going to say when the animation’s playing. And I’m probably going to finish it next time I work on it. All I need to…well, what I need to find out now is what…which semiconductor is which…if it’s P to N or N to P.
A solar panel is made up of photovoltaic cells.
A photovoltaic cell converts light energy into electricity.
A conductor is something that electricity can travel through. Conductors vary in their ability to allow electricity to flow.
Semiconductors are made from materials such as silicon. Other chemicals are then added to change the behaviour of the electricity.
P type Boron
N type Phosphorus
The silicon is treated with an antireflective coating to absorb more energy.
Solar cells are usually quite small so many cells are combined to make a solar panel.
This voice-over script is a complete revision. I acted as both scribe and mentor whilst we discussed the final animation in term of an unfolding explanation.
We are both unclear on whether the current flows from P (positive) to N (negative) or vice-versa. This student speaks for us both when concluding his director's commentary with the research goal of determining "which semiconductor is which."
| Uses correct terminology | With assistance | Simplified terminology | Some correct terminology | Actual terminology |
Identifies relevant variables |
Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Identifies relationships between variables | Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Self assessment. Does the student think that they understand their topic? | No | Not really | Basic understanding | Yes |
Director's commentary - session 15
I’m considering changing my topic to “Solar cell efficiency.” I’m going to cover the same thing I was going to cover in my old animation but just briefly at the start. And then I’ll focus on how to make a panel, or cell, more efficient.
A solar panel is made up of photovoltaic cells.
A photovoltaic cell converts light energy into electricity.
A conductor is something that electricity can travel through. Conductors vary in their ability to allow electricity to flow.
Semiconductors are made from materials such as silicon. Other chemicals are then added to change the behaviour of the electricity.
P type Boron
N type Phosphorus
The silicon is treated with an antireflective coating to absorb more energy.
Solar cells are usually quite small so many cells are combined to make a solar panel.
This student changed his topic to Solar cell efficiency today in response to my suggestion that we broaden the scope to efficiency issues. This allows us to cover important and interesting issues around solar cells without getting stuck at the atomic level.
His voice-over script hasn't changed this week so I have drafted a new script for him to review in our next session.
| Uses correct terminology | With assistance | Simplified terminology | Some correct terminology | Actual terminology |
Identifies relevant variables |
Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Identifies relationships between variables | Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Self assessment. Does the student think that they understand their topic? | No | Not really | Basic understanding | Yes |
Director's commentary - session 16
Today I recorded my voice-over script and finished it off. And I started animating my animation. And I decided not to do a 3D solar panel because it’s too tricky to make.
Solar panels are made up of photovoltaic cells.
A photovoltaic cell converts light energy into electricity.
At the heart of a photovoltaic cell is an NP junction where negative and positive plates made of silicon and other materials are placed close together. Electrons want to jump across from the Negative to the Positive side. This force is known as voltage but energy is still needed to make electrons jump across.
Energy in the form of photons from sunlight enables electrons to jump across which creates the flow of electricity which is known as current.
Even the best solar cells only achieve around 40% efficiency.
There are several things than can improve the efficiency of solar cells:
Silicon is very shiny so most of the sunlight is reflected which is a waste of energy. This is why solar panels have a dark non-reflective coating so that more light flows into the cell.
Light can have different amounts of energy just like it can have different colours.
Most solar cells are designed to create electricity with only a small amount of light but this means that only a low voltage is produced.
The strength of the voltage known as “Band gap energy” depends on how much energy is required for electrons to jump across the NP junction.
In strong sunlight you get extra current but the voltage doesn’t really increase. New research involves multi-junction cells which have more than one electric field. This allows the panel to operate in low light and also take advantage of stronger light with increased current and voltage.
I have moved this student along on the conceptual consolidation rubric for both "identifying relevant variables" and for "self assessment."
During this final session I got him to complete the newly devised voice-over script / imagery table so I would have clear instructions on how to complete the animation to his satisfaction. The only scene which he didn't know how to represent was the multi-junction cell. The following imagery ended up being used after trialling other ideas like diagonal plates showing varying band gap energy:
| Uses correct terminology | With assistance | Simplified terminology | Some correct terminology | Actual terminology |
Identifies relevant variables |
Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Identifies relationships between variables | Not apparent | With assistance | Basic understanding | Deep understanding |
| Self assessment. Does the student think that they understand their topic? | No | Not really | Basic understanding | Yes |