Module 6

Advantages and Disadvantages of Integrating Technology in Science Class

“Technologies are an integral part of modern mathematics education and science education because they are essential in the field themselves” (pg 324). There are so many ways to integrate technology into science lessons. However, science teachers face many challenges. Due to the ever-changing world of science, teachers must keep up and know how to use and integrate new technology in the best way possible. “To help train the workforce of tomorrow, all mathematics and science teachers must keep updated on what these new requirements mean for their own content knowledge” (pg 324).

Virtual Science Labs

Advantages

One advantage of a virtual science lab is that it helps cut costs. It allows teachers to be able to demonstrate labs that may be very expensive. A second advantage is that they help present ideas and concepts that can be difficult to comprehend or explain (“How can students”).

Disadvantages

There are many disadvantages that come with them virtual labs. One disadvantage is that the lab lacks the hands-on part and so students do not get to see things as they happen in reality. A second disadvantage is that some teachers use them to completely replace real labs. A third disadvantage is that a virtual lab may not align with your school’s curriculum. You should always go through the lab and make sure that it covers the correct material. Otherwise, this could become a huge mess come lab day. (“A few disadvantages”, 2013).

Poll Everywhere Text Message Polling Service

Tremblay (2010) suggests having students use their phones as student response systems (pg 322).

Advantages

There are many advantages to using cell phones as student response systems. One advantage is that you can use any device that has either text messaging or an internet connection. Setting up student response systems can be difficult, but using cell phones is quick and easy. A third advantage to using cell phones is affordability. They cut costs tremendously because they are 1/10 the cost of clickers (“Lots to love”).

Disadvantages

An inevitable disadvantage of using cell phones is that not every student has a device that they can use. A second disadvantage is connection issues and text messaging. If student’s device is unable to connect to the internet or they do not have text messaging, then they are unable to participate. A third disadvantage was that students had to register using the same format, which can be confusing (Nanovsky R. & Mistler B.).

Robotics

The book states that technology and engineering are known as the missing topics in science education (pg 323). One way teachers can highlight these topics is through robotics curriculum. This has become a very popular way of getting students interested in engineering. Nugent, Barker, Grandgenett, and Adamchuk (2010) found that robotics camps significantly impacted students’ learning and attitudes towards science and technology (pg 323).

Advantages

Robotics is a great way to learn about engineering. It also helps students develop critical thinking skills because they are in control of everything when they develop a robot (“Canadian students identify”, 2011)

Disadvantages 
A problem with robotics in education is that it mainly draws in those students who are already interested  in the topic. A second disadvantage is that there is a lot that goes into building a robot such as the parts, computer programming, and graphical programming. Some students may not have the ability to remain focused on such a task that takes up a large amount of time (Correll, N., Wailes, C., & Slaby, S.).

 

References

Canadian students identify benefits of robotics curriculum. (2011, Feb 24).     

         http://www.vexrobotics.com/news/2011/02/canadian-students-identify-benefits-of-robotics-

         curriculum/

A few disadvantages of virtual labs in a classroom. (2013). http://virtualweblab.com/a-few-    

         disadvantages-of-virtual-labs-in-a-classroom/

How can students learn from virtual labs, and what are their advantages and disadvantages?.  

        https://sites.google.com/site/virtuallabsadvantages/

Lots to love about poll everywhere. http://www.polleverywhere.com/classroom-response-system

        Mistler, B., & Nanovsky, R. Real-time student response systems in the classroom.   

        http://www.cdetg.org/HandoutRevised_5.pdf

Slaby, S., Wailes, C., & Correll, N. A one-hour curriculum to engage middle school students in     

        robotics and computer science using cubelets. http://www.gk12.org/files/2012/11

        /dars_toecubelets.pdf

M6: "Mobile learning is not only on the rise, it’s inevitable." http://t.co/wySboS6fZa #ED527UM
— Peyton Truett (@peypey3191) November 12, 2013

Wikispaces Reflection

The comments I received said that my wiki was very informative and well organized. The only suggestions about change that I received had to do with the widgets and the format of the pages. This was one of the biggest problems I had with creating my wiki… the widgets never worked and the format did not seem to want to stay the way that I had saved it.

I used Google calendar as one of my widgets because I trust Google apps. But for some reason, one person said they were unable to view the calendar. However, when I went to see if it was working I was able to see it just fine. I'm not sure what was going on for them not to be able to view it correctly. Another person said that the format of part of my wiki was messed up and a picture was covering up other parts of the wiki. Again, I’m not sure what was going on for this to have happened because I checked and I was able to see everything just fine.

I felt like I had put a little too much on my wiki and felt that it was a little busy looking. I rearranged some things and removed some tabs to make it not look as busy. The comments said that my wiki was very informative, but by removing some things, I made it just as informative but without it looking busy.

I definitely want to use some sort of class webpage for my students to use; however, I'm not sure that I will use Wikispaces. I had the hardest time with sizing fonts, changing colors, and formatting the pages. Nothing seemed to want to stay the way I saved it and I had to continuously go back in and fix it. Needless to say I was extremely frustrated with the website. Also, for some reason, others sometimes did not see the wiki as it should have looked. The format was off or a widget didn't work the way it should have.

Here is my finalized wikispace:
http://petruett.wikispaces.com/home

Module 5

The Interactive Classroom

Discuss how the interactive classroom (and interactive lessons, like flipcharts) relate to the following criteria (Make at least one connection (1 - 3 sentences) to each. Be sure to bold and italicize these headings so that they are recognizable.):

21st Century Skills for Students and Teachers, including the ICT Competency Framework for Teachers (p. 21)

When teachers use technology in the classroom such as an interactive classroom lesson, it incorporates the skills that are important in life and the workforce. According to figure 1.3, curriculum and instruction, learning environments, and professional development are the support systems that are essential for achieving these 21st century skills (p 22). The ITC competency framework is designed to help teachers teach their students using the three different levels of human development in technology. 

Technology use based on problem solving (p. 25 - 26)

Just like interactive lessons, using technology for problem solving also helps prepare students for the future. Besides helping to prepare them for the future, it also helps motivate and support learning needs p 25).  When using technology for problem solving, it is best to combine variables to help teach students (p 25).

Constructivist vs. Objectivist

In chapter 2, Objectivist (Directed) and Constructivist teaching strategies are discussed. Decide if the use of interactive classroom components and flipcharts more closely align with constructivist or objectivist learning theories. Briefly justify your rationale (2 - 5 sentences).

I believe that the interactive classroom components align more closely with objectivist learning theories. Interactive lessons offer structured, direct, and step-by-step instruction with reinforcement, which follows the objectivist teaching and learning theories.

Here is a video of a teacher using technology in her classroom which I believe is linked more closely to the objectivist teaching approach. She is giving direct instruction with reinforcement and helping her students all throughout the lesson. She gives them chances to practice on their own, but goes over the answers and checks to see what areas she needs to reinforce and reteach to her students.

Flipchart

Finally, find at least one flipchart that you like on the Promethean Planet website. Include a link to your chosen flipchart and discuss why you liked it and why you think it would be beneficial to your classroom and student learning. Make connections to information from both chapters 1 & 2.

Punnett Squares Lesson

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/33524/punnett-squares#.Um8dWhDORnj

This flipchart teaches how to predict the outcome of an offspring using the Punnett square. I believe it reflects the objectivist teaching theory because it first explains the meaning of some terms and then gives direct, step-by-step instructions as well as drill and practice problems with reinforcement at the end of the lesson. I like this flipchart because of the direct and step-by-step instruction and the reinforcement. Because of the direct instruction, it makes it easy to understand and learn. On page 40, it is argued to direct instruction is more efficacious than teaching students the bare minimum and letting them go off and be self-guided. The fact that this lesson gives reinforcement after answering the practice problems can help students improve their study skills (p 40). Curriculum and instruction are one of the support systems needed for students to achieve skills for the future and when they do not receive direct instruction, they overload their working memory and learning does not stay in long term memory (p 21). Hirsch (2002) stated that “one minute of explicit (direct) learning can be more effective than a month of implicit (exploratory) learning”. This quote does a good job of summing up how direct instruction is more effective than minimally guided instruction.

M5: Using the interactive white board http://t.co/gpMrLBMUTW #ED527UM

— Peyton Truett (@peypey3191) October 30, 2013

Module 4

Wiki: Find, link and discuss a wiki that is similar to one that you might create for your class (i.e. same grade or subject, etc.)

Ms. Aceituno's Science Classes Wikispace--http://amerischoolscience.wikispaces.com/

I like the set up and the content of this Wikispace. This Wikispace follows the criteria of a well-designed web page (pg 255). It has good structure and organization and has a page for each of the teacher’s classes. It is visually appealing and has just the right amount of content and it is not overcrowded with irrelevant links. You can easily navigate through the Wiki and see that it includes homework assignments, student project samples, class expectations, project guidelines and deadlines, as well as PowerPoint notes from past classes. I am going to utilize this Wikispace for ideas on arrangement and content.  

2 Widgets: Find 2 HTML widgets that you might use within your wiki. These widgets must be embedded directly within your blog post. Discuss how you might utilize these widgets in your classroom.

My Pinterest Board "Weird Science"

I would post science experiments and cool photographs for my students to look through. I would allow them to do these science experiments and write up a report of what experiment they did, what happened in the experiment, and why they think it happened. I think this would be a good way to encourage students to learn on their own.

Google Calendar

I am a very organized person, almost to the point of OCD. One thing I love being organized about is dates. I am always putting dates into my phone’s calendar and planning things far in advanced to make sure that I can get everything taken care of in a timely manner. Rather than just listing dates on my Wikispace, I would use the Google calendar widget to post all important dates for class including test dates, homework assignments, field trips, reminders, etc. 

Web-Based Lesson: Discuss and link to a web site where students could access or you could create a web-based lesson.

Glencoe Science webquests-- http://www.glencoe.com/sec/science/webquest/

As I began searching for a science web-based lesson, I found plenty of lessons, but I couldn’t find one that was well-suited for a middle school science class or that was free. Just as the book states, one of the downsides to finding lessons on the internet is the challenge of find the perfect one for your grade level (pg 257). I checked out the websites listed in the book and still had no luck. I finally came across Glencoe science and found some interesting and useful webquests. After evaluating the Glencoe science webquest with the Rubric for Evaluating Webquests discussed on page 248, the webquest showed to be a great tool to use in the classroom. Glencoe science is a great source for students and educators to access web-based lessons. It offers webquests on some very interesting topics such as neon, gemstones, laser eye surgery and roller coaster physics. These science webquests are a great way for students to practice higher level thinking, following directions, making use of information on the internet and applying what they have learned (pg 258). Webquests are also an excellent way for students to practice or learn teamwork skills (pg 245).

For example, the webquest about neon signs teaches the chemistry behind the glowing tubes and how gases are combined to create the different colors. The student then applies what they have learned in order to design their own functioning neon sign.

M4: How Wikispaces is being used in K-12 classrooms http://t.co/Efvu5xxt7n #ED527UM
— Peyton Truett (@peypey3191) October 13, 2013

Module 3

Begin blog post by discussing the content in chapter 7 as it relates to your use of the Internet. 

Chapter 7 focuses on how the internet is being used in different ways to teach and learn. This is what I mainly use the internet for, as a learning tool. I am always looking for answers to my questions, looking up how to do something, or looking up directions to an address. I have even had my share of experiences with online learning through college.

URLs: What do URLs tell you/students about web sites?

URLs tell you the type of website it will link to (government, education, etc.) and it give you an idea of what type of information you would find on that particular website. An example used in the book was that the domain designator (last three letters in a URL) such as .org indicates a website of an organization of some type (pg 216).  

Search Engines: How can learning to use search engines help you/students find better information?

Sometimes if you are not specific enough in your search, you may or may not get the results you were looking for. The more specific you are, the better the outcome of search results. Also, if you learn how to correctly utilize search engines, your search can be quicker and easier.

Internet Tool: Choose one Internet Tool (in the section beginning on p. 223) and discuss how you might use it in a classroom.

Throughout my college years, I have found it to be very helpful to have some way to be able to quickly contact other students whenever I need help. I think students could benefit greatly from using a class chatroom system whenever they are at home and forget what homework problems they were to do or if they need a question answered regarding a project or assignment. 

Favorite Web Sites: Finally, pick two web sites that you feel are your favorite. Post the web sites and talk about why they will be beneficial to teachers and/or students.

Two of my favorite websites are brainpop.com and sciencebob.com. BrainPop is an award winning website that is useful for both teachers and students. Teachers of any subject can utilize this site to find all kinds of resources such as lesson plan ideas, graphic organizers, videos, and even mobile applications. Page 209 talks about the issues with online education, one of them was aligning curriculum standards. BrainPop gives you the option to choose your state, subject, and grade to help you find lessons that align with your state curriculum standards.    

Students will also find BrainPop to be of great use. The student resources include videos, games, quizzes, activities, as well as Q & A’s. Students can watch the videos to review material or even learn something new. Quizzes and other activities can also be utilized to help prepare for a test. It’s important for an online educational site to be engaging, rather than just spitting out information (pg 226). BrainPop does just that, it engages students and can be used in traditional, blended, and flipped classroom settings.

ScienceBob is a neat website for students. It has ideas for projects, a weekly science Q and A, links to other websites, videos, a blog, as well as science experiments. The content of this website encourages kids to become self-directed learners. ScienceBob meets the Quality Matter program standards (pg 228). The website includes excellent resources and materials, it’s engaging, it’s accessible, and it has learner support. Students can easily contact Bob and ask him questions (which he will gladly answer). With the use of a blog, ScienceBob creates a feeling of community and social presence (pg 227). Students and even teachers can make comments and interact with others on this site. 

An overview of BrainPop with Tim and Moby

#ED527UM M3: Blended learning is becoming a huge thing! http://t.co/MgvT2Dd4xg

— Peyton Truett (@peypey3191) October 1, 2013

Module 2

Shutterstock--www.shutterstock.com

Shutterstock is a developmental resource website that consists of a myriad of clipart, photographs, and video clips from all kinds of categories. Shutterstock is an excellent source because it allows for easy access to so many useful pictures and video clips that can be utilized for teaching different learning types. The book states that hypermedia is suitable for teaching students who fall under any learning type or “intelligence” (p 176).     

I would use the science lab graphics to quiz my students’ knowledge of lab materials prior to using the lab. I would create laminated picture cards (that I can reuse each year to save paper) of each lab tool. I would hold them up and ask my students to write down the proper name for that specific item as well as what it can be used for.

The video clips are an excellent way to show students sequences or things in motion. This could include a clip of cells multiplying or even an artery becoming clogged due to plaque. If I am teaching something that is very complex and some of my students are struggling to grasp the concept, I can show a video clip to clarify things. Sometimes it is easier to understand something when it is demonstrated or you see it in motion, especially something that is very complex. According to the book, to avoid overwhelming your students, it is best to explain the video before playing it and then proceed to narrate the video as it is playing (p 177).

HyperStudio 5-- http://www.mackiev.com/hyperstudio/index.html

HyperStudio is a web-based virtual environment software and hypermedia production tool that allows you to create your own world. Users are able to create videos of their virtual world and add animations, music, and narrations. The book includes that Coffman and Klinger (2007)  believe the placing of students in virtual environments can be appealing to them (p 194). It also states that a study conducted by Hernandez-Ramos and La Paz (2010) revealed that when students created their own hypermedia presentations, they had a better understanding of the subject than when they used traditional learning techniques (p 193).

I would have my students create their own presentation video of a world with characters and make up their own story that deals with science. I would require them to include some of the things that they have learned in class. For example they could create a world and make up a scientific superhero or supervillain such as Tungsten Boy and tell how that superhero saves the day or stirs up trouble with the qualities of that particular element. Tungsten Boy has a high melting point; therefore, he can help save people trapped in burning buildings when firemen are unable to reach them quickly. As stated in the book, “having students design websites and other hypermedia products is a challenging and complex problem-solving process. It encourages reflective and critical thinking…” (p 193).

Mikayla gives a tour of Mount Mac

 Here is Kaila taking her "passengers" on a trip through the many layers of Earth

#ED527UM M2: Tips for using hypermedia in the classroom http://t.co/ojJ3XZ6E8B
— Peyton Truett (@peypey3191) September 18, 2013

Module 1

Digital frog dissection-- http://www.digitalfrog.com

Simulation

The digital frog a virtual dissecting program is used to teach anatomy. It can substitute an actual animal dissection not only to save time and money, but it can also serve as an alternative to those students who do not feel comfortable with dissecting.

                                      Dr. Lovelle Ruggerio discusses the Digital Frog program

Brainpop’s "Pavlov’s Dog" game-- http://www.brainpop.com/games/pavlovsdog/

Instructional game

"Pavlov’s Dog" can be used to help students understand the concept of conditioning in a fun way. With this game, students figure out how to train their own virtual dog to drool at the ring of a bell. The students choose from different noise makers and food, and are to use their knowledge of conditioning to make their dog drool. Chapter 3 talks about how instructional games can be used to help students be able to quickly recall what they learned (Roblyer & Doering, 2013). You can use this as a supplemental software. First explain the concept and then have your students try to ‘train’ their virtual dog so they can practice what they learned and visually see the concept.

Science Seekers-- http://www.tomsnyder.com/products/product.asp?SKU=SSKSSK

Problem-Solving Software

This software touches on many important skills for students to learn. Students apply what they have learned in class in order to solve real world problems by reading for information, working as a team, and interpreting data. You can use this in your classroom so students can practice critical thinking and learn to think for themselves. In chapter 5, it states that Southworth et al. emphasizes the importance of software that teaches students to become “computational thinkers” because our world is “increasingly defined by data” (Roblyer & Doering, 2013). In chapter 3, the book discussed a study conducted by Healy and Hoyles (2001) and Hollebrands (2007). The study revealed that the practicality of a program is determined by students’ prior knowledge. If a student is uninformed on a certain topic, they may have trouble with the program, making it seem as if the program is not helpful (Roblyer & Doering, 2013).

Worksheet and Puzzle Generator-- http://amoredpenguin.com

Materials Generator

A worksheet/puzzle generator can be used to quickly create worksheets and puzzles. Chapter 4 discusses how software tools increase productivity because they help accomplish things quicker, as opposed to doing something by hand (Roblyer & Doering, 2013). Puzzles help students practice what they have learned or review vocabulary words to prepare for a test. You can use the puzzles so students can review material in a fun way. You could even introduce new material with puzzles to help them learn to use their textbook glossary and index to find and learn new words.

The Graph Club 2.0-- http://www.tomsnyder.com/products/product.asp?SKU=Grpv20

Graphics tool

Some graphing software can be difficult for students to learn and comprehend. The Graph Club 2.0 is ‘kid friendly’ and makes graphing data easy and understandable. You can have students conduct research and gather data, and then they can utilize this software to create a graph so they can interpret and understand their findings. In chapter 5, it says that when students do not have to focus on creating graphs/charts by hand they are able to concentrate on what their data means rather than how it looks (Roblyer & Doering, 2013).

Roblyer, M. D., & Doering, A. (2013). Integrating educational technology into
      teaching. (6 ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

#ED527UM M1: 7 Ways to keep students focused when using technology http://t.co/rIXVSrpI6A
— Peyton Truett (@peypey3191) September 5, 2013