ED6346 Chris Quek July 15, 2010 The OUTSKIRTS

 Teacher wants to make his classroom hands on; his students are doing experiments by collecting and analyzing their own data.  He has heard of a software tool that can collect temperature readings quickly and feed the data automatically into a computer for analysis.  He thinks that using this tool will be much more motivating to his students than doing all the operations by hand.

 What software tool would you recommend that Mr. Charles use to address this problem?  What would be the relative advantage of using this tool?  If Mr. Charles has 30 students in a class and only five such tools, how could he arrange the tool so that all students could learn to use it?

 What are MBLs?  A type of instructional software tool consisting of hardware devices (probes) and software (probeware) to allow scientific data to be gathered and processed by a computer.  Advantages of using probeware in general   View first 1:30Dave Vernier of Vernier Software and Technology  discusses why we should use probeware in the classroom

 Real life application  Lets students concentrate on the science behind the experiment  Allows you to do experiments you couldn’t do before  Allows you to do long term experiments  Kids like using technology

 watch?v=ElsNQNaReT s watch?v=ElsNQNaReT s  Currently in use by District 2  External Hardware (beyond laptop)

 Uses laptops as the hardware.  Plugs into the USB  GO! Temp

 30 students  5 computers/sparks  Lab groups of 6  Assign Group Roles  Ensure laptops and probes are working  Back up plan of thermometers  Lesson explaining use and care of MBLs

PASCO SPARK  Absolutely.  We currently have the technology available to use in District 2.  Teachers attended an in- service and feel relatively comfortable introducing the program to students. VERNIER GO TEMP  Absolutely.  The technology is easy to use, easy to set up, very economical.  Technology aids in the teaching process  We like how the process can easily be shown on the smart board or projector.

 Teacher learning about the GIS tool and knows it is essential to studying geography and local issues  She wants her students to learn to use this tool with real life applications  She pairs up with the science class on a project at a local river where they collect water samples and analyze sources of degradation and contaminants

 What instructional problems did Ms. Keishan see that she wanted to address in the new project?  In what ways could a GIS system help with the environmental studies project?  How might GPS tools also be useful with the project?

 A computer system that is able to store in a database a variety of information about geographic locations.  After it has stored all the data that describe a given location, the GIS can then display the data in map form.

 To record and maintain large amounts of geographic information  To produce up to date, customized maps  To allow analysis and comparison of information on different locations

 World wide radionavigation system made possible by a bank satellites and their ground stations  Using satellites as reference points, a GPS unit can calculate positions of anything on earth accurate to a matter of feet or inches.

 Ms. Keishan needed to find a meaningful way to integrate the technology.  She knew she had the TECHNOLOGY (knew that GIS tools becoming essential to studying geography) but she needed the total package  Sought the science teacher for the CONTENT and together they would merge the PEDAGOGY to create a technology integratation lesson that was authentic.

 Students can take the information gathered at the river and study and map it using GIS technology.  These technologies can primarily be divided into desktop GIS (ESRI’s ARC VIEW) and Internet- based GIS (GOOGLE EARTH) applications.  Since all data from any project can be downloaded with a latitude and longitude, it is relatively easy for teachers and students to create event themes, laid atop base maps of political boundaries, hydrology, and elevation.

 Software program  $1500 single user license  Available in a 60 day free trial  Could use it for the project and use results to apply for an ILF or Proposal to district for funding.

 Free download on computer  Provides tutorials on each aspect of the program  Lesson plans available N W

 Students can take waypoints while at various points of the river to organize their research  Could utilize the Geocaching website to make an “Earth Cache” to inform others of their research findings. Geocaching website

 Utilizing probeware and GIS, through various scientific experiments and project, students are meeting all outcomes of the NETS while simultaneously learning content.  The technology aids in the learning process and does not overshadow the curriculum outcomes.

REFERENCES Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching: Fifth Edition (M.D. Roblyer and Aaron H. Doering) Probeware GIS k/gis.notes/ncgia/u01.html GPS