Researchers say science education could soar with the help of high-altitude balloons.

“High-altitude balloons can carry student and scientific payloads to the boundaries of space,” says researcher Jeremy Straub, from the University of North Dakota.

The balloons give students the opportunity to carry out experiments in a cold, near-vacuum, higher-radiation environment at high altitudes.

“In the process, students experience the awe of space exploration as, through their payloads, they are able to view the curvature of the Earth and capture images as inspiring as those taken from the Space Shuttle or the International Space Station,” Straub said.

Furthermore, experiments carried to high altitude can help students to grasp complex principles, or perform their own original scientific experiments.

Straub suggests that high altitude balloons are ripe for exploitation in science education, but there is a need for a formal framework.

“The function of a high-altitude balloon is incredibly simple: it lifts objects towards the upper boundary of the Earth's atmosphere,” explains Straub.

High-altitude balloons can reach altitudes between 18 and 37 kilometres above sea level.

“The rate at which it does this and how long it remains aloft are functions of the level of inflation and type of balloon chosen,” Straub said.

“While the functionality of the balloon may be simple, the learning results that can be attained vary significantly.

“The value of the balloon is the opportunity for access to near-space that it presents and the chance to enhance student creativity and enthusiasm.”

More details are available in Straub’s latest report, published in the International Journal of Learning Technology.