As a high school science teacher, it is absolutely necessary that I incorporate technology into my course. Additionally, this course has opened my eyes to possibilities with web 2.0 options. Let me start by reflecting on the ways that students already use technology, shared information interfaces, and the internet in my classroom. Then, I will discuss the ways I’d like to incorporate blogging.
This year I had a lap top for every student. Being able to create digital content was more efficient and as we saw during the vide week one, it will prepare them more adequate for the demands of the 21st century. Further, using laptops made students more engaged and excited during class. Students use Microsoft excel to collect data and create graphs during lab investigations. During experiments, students record data and share this data electronically share their data with their classmates and other periods using a variety of programs. Students use Microsoft word to create lab reports during class and submit these lap reports in a paperless format and also share digitally. Students use internet explorer to research data and studies in order to form hypotheses. Students use Microsoft photo story to create narrated still-life films depicting a violent storm. Students use PowerPoint to create presentations on various content specific objectives, and to share their data analysis and conclusions.
One of the coolest ways we shared information this year is by using the district’s network. Students use shared drive access to log in to integrated science folder, open the PowerPoint for the day’s lesson and supplemental activities for the day’s lesson. This allows me to differentiate the lesson (example: students open the “color” of lesson they are assigned to), and also allows them to go back to slides they didn’t understand or didn’t have a chance to finish taking notes on. It allows the advanced kids to go ahead of the pack, and begin honors or advanced level assignment while others are still completely lesson. Finally, it allows students who were absent to easily obtain missed information by logging in, viewing power point, and opening supplemental resources.
At our school, we also had promethean boards in every classroom. I sued the promethean board for at least one part of every lesson. It goes beyond just a regular projection screen and it allows students to manipulate content on the screen. I see the time-and-hide function to set clear expectations for do now, and exit questions. I use the timing, calculator, visor, zoom, highlight, pic-in-pic, tools to supplement lesson. I used the board to allow students to solve multi-step equations in front of class. Using promethean boards allow me to save notes, student work, data, that was handwritten from class to class, day to day, and year to year.
I also had access to a document camera daily. I used the document camera to show student work and anchor papers and have students correct/revise other students lab reports, data, homework, do nows, pop, and other assignments. I used the document camera to demo labs or how to use various tools (spring scale, electric scales, atomic modeling kits, triple beam balances, how to culture yeast, etc). I also used the video feature to have students share with class, and other period’s findings or procedures for the day’s lesson. I used the snapshot feature to take pictures of lab apparatus and upload these pictures to the computers or to the lab directions so they can easily set up the lab.
One of the former teachers at my school wrote a grant to obtain highly precise scientific probeware devices called Novas. The Novas are essentially a miniature lap top with a variety of tools that can be attached to take measurements. Students can manipulate the speed of dependent variable measurements frequency from once an hour to 100 times per second. The sensitivity of these devices is incredible. We used the Nova probe ware devices in order to accurately and precisely collect enormous amounts of data instantaneously. Students can attach up to 4 devices at the same time, so it allows them to have multiple trials going at once, thus cutting down on the uncontrolled variables when students must repeat trials subsequently. The devices we used this year are CO2, Dissolved O2, temperature, pH, conductivity, voltage, water testing, and soil moisture. Students attached selected measurement device based on their dependent variable. The Nova’s can be adjusted to record data and various time intervals, and can display data in a variety of forms. Additionally, data is stored in the Nova and students can easily retrieve their saved data, or compare their data to other classmates who used the same Nova in other classes. Students can upload this data to the shared drive, class website, or Google docs and share with other students. This was incredible because it allowed students to figure out the group average during experiments and compare that to their own results. Students became better at self-critiquing when they are able to see the results of others.
During science there are times when a student needs to do extended writing. Teaching them to be succinct writers is extremely important, and it is equally important that they are critical in their analysis and creative in their arguments. Usually, it is really difficult to encourage students to write. Having them type on the laptops does make the process more engaging, but I think that using blogs would increase this motivation even more. Having a blog allows the students to individualize their content; something that is really important to teenagers. I could have them write reactions to class activities on their blog and I could go in and respond to their blog entries and they could respond to each others. Further, it allows them to access it anytime, anywhere. It would be a really powerful tool to use vertically. Meaning, students could begin their blog freshman year, and add entries throughout each year culminating with a graduation blog. Alderman describes the importance of creating social context and an environment in which students feel a sense of belonging. By having an on-going blog throughout high school I think that would provide belongingness and community. Teachers and peers could give out rewards for creative content and students could respond to each other blogs. I am very excited to begin using blogs in the classroom. I think using blogs will add to the internet-sharing of documents and data that my students are already engaged in. On our class website, students download instructions for the lab, preform the lab, then upload their results. They can also get access old ppt notes, get copies of homewor assignements, send messages to each other and me, and read importatn announcements.
You can check out our class website here:
http://physical-science.manual.schoolfusion.us/modules/groups/integrated_home.phtml?gid=1505059&sessionid=aa4f272b7a563a549f4982bb6bc199de
