On 3 ^rd November 2018, India Literacy Project (ILP), a volunteer-based non-profit organization dedicated to improving literacy in India, in association with Gubbi Labs conducted a workshop for 18 science teachers from different Government schools in Gubbi Town and 10 motivators from ILP’s Multi-Dimensional Learning Space (MDLS). The workshop was held at ILP’s MDLS center in Gubbi. The main intent of the half-day training program was to introduce foldscopes to teachers from different schools and present them with an opportunity to include them in their classroom activities in an attempt to enhance the learning experience of students.

After a brief session of building the foldscopes and demonstration of previously prepared slides, the participants were made to collect and bring different samples from the surroundings to observe under the foldscope. They were also encouraged to try using samples which are typically showed to students in the conventional microscope as part of their school curriculum.

All sorts of samples were observed under the foldscope- live ants, pollen from different flowers, onion cells, potato skin, plant parts, hair, blood and a dead spider.

The volunteers at ILP feel that by training a number of teachers, they have the potential to reach that many schools and indirectly impact thousands of students in the process.