Posted by David Wetzel
When we teach science and math we are helping our students develop a framework for understanding the world in which they live. When their framework only consists of canned knowledge contained within textbooks, we are not preparing them for the 21st Century world outside the textbook.
Bringing digital media into the classroom moves teaching beyond the textbook and makes connections to the world in which our students actually live. When presented digital media within the contexts of problem solving or project based learning situations, our students will view how the information within their textbooks actually applies to them.
Online Tools: Digital Media Resources
Incorporating the right digital media is one the most effective means for engaging students’ and helping them understand a difficult concept or improve their long-term retention of knowledge.
So what online tools provide digital media needed to engage our students in problem solving and problem based learning situations in science and math?
- The Futures Channel – produces and distributes free high quality multimedia content which teachers can use to enliven curriculum and engage their students in real life experiences. The videos produced by The Futures Channel help students answer the age-old question, “When am I ever going to use this?”
- Flickr – is a photo-sharing site which provides free access to thousands of digital images. Examples of images which can be used in science and math include: Marine Life and Geometry. You can also build your own collection for use with students. You can have students submit digital images of specific concepts or take your own and post them on Flickr for student use. You can also create a collection from the resources on the site. An additional advantage of using this service is that you can limit access to classroom collections to avoid potential problems with student and the web.
- Teacher Tube – provides digital videos and photos organized on tags and channels – High School, Middle School, Elementary, Science, and Math. They are downloadable and you can use the entire video or just clips from a video for a lesson or activity.
Digital Media Resources: Student and Teacher Created
The following are some of the digital media resources you can use with your students – both online and in the classroom.
- Vimeo – allows you and your students to post videos created in or outside the classroom related to science and math content.
- VoiceThread - allows you and your students to add audio, video, and text as part of conversations concerning science or math content.
- Apple iMovie - plug in virtually any digital camcorder and iMovie starts importing your video for editing and presentation.
- Animoto - provides an array of tools for creating videos in your classroom.
- Podcasting – student or teacher created podcasts provide a good digital medium for student expression of concepts, projects, and related themes.
Teaching Strategies
To encourage students to become active viewers of the media you share during problem solving or problem based learning situations, try the following strategies.
- Show a short video clip and ask them “What can you do with this?” For example – try this 16 oz timer video to make connections with problem solving and critical thinking in science and math.
- Show students a digital image related to a specific concept and ask them to consider whether the image has been manipulated in any manner – fosters critical thinking.
- Stop videos at key points to encourage more discussion.
These strategies build students’ digital media-literacy skills, along with their understanding of the science and math content.
Digital Media follows the old adage “A picture is worth a thousand words!” when it comes to science and math. The use of visuals is ideal for helping students construct background knowledge for developing a better understanding of science and math concepts.
Posted by David Wetzel
Have you ever wanted to create short “how to” video for your students to use for homework, remembering facts, and solving math problems.
How often have your students stated, “I could not complete the homework assignment, because I could not remember the steps and no one could help me.”
Well the answer is to create a screencast or video for posting on your class wiki or blog for students to view at home or anywhere else they have web access.
An Online Tool: Screencasting Made Easy
Jing is an alluringly addictive little piece of freeware that allows you to make screencasts (as well as screenshots) of whatever is appearing on your computer screen.
It is an excellent Web 2.0 tool for teaching using short five-minute-or-less “how to” videos in science or math. It is also compatible with PC and Macs.
To watch a screencast, you or your students only need a viewer capable of showing the appropriate file format. This normally means using Windows Media Player, QuickTime, or Flash.
Screencasts can be streamed over the Internet or downloaded and watched later.
Another option is to save screencasts on a digital portable device with video capability, such as a video capable iPod, MP3 Player, or smart phone (often referred to a videocasts).
Science and Math: Ideas for Use
Using Jing to create screencasts which can be used in science or math to:
- present a standalone lesson or class orientations.
- clarify complex concepts using images, videos, and audio.
- capture brainstorming ideas of entire class or groups.
- post lecture notes, concept maps, or math procedural steps on class wiki or blog.
- support rote learning of facts or “skill and drill” applications.
- create a video clip of you, or a guest speaker, talking while displaying PowerPoint slides or other visuals.
- create a how-to video for math project, science project, or laboratory investigation.
- create a lab safety video.
Educational Value: Teaching Strategies and Techniques
This educational technology tool is useful for teaching:
- content in a more engaging manner for students, rather than reading written instructions and viewing photos or illustrations.
- due to ease in sharing information in an intuitive and effective way.
- by easily publishing and distributing information via blogs, wikis, and social media services which opens the door to greater collaboration among students.
- difficult concepts which cannot be explained easily through words alone.
- different learning styles.
Creating a Screencast
Launch the program, whose icon (the Jing “sun”) will then lurk at the edge of your screen until you are ready for Jing action.
Hover over the sun and select the crosshairs, so you can set your screen capture dimensions.
Select the video icon in the toolbar that appears under your capture zone.
After the 3-second countdown, now you’re recording! Move your cursor, type, click, etc. Your video can be up to 5 minutes long.
To stop the recording, click the rectangular stop button on the toolbar.
Once you are done, you can view your video. You can save a copy (it’s in Flash) or better yet, “share it” to Screencast.com (it’s free) so you can send a link for viewing. You can determine who can and cannot view your screencasts.
Your video can also be embedded or a link provided within a wiki or blog.
Other Considerations
Other points to think about when creating a screen cast:
- You have the option to record audio along with your video.
- You can upload images from Flickr or other sources for integration in a video.
- You can also upload PowerPoint slides for conversion into a video.
Other Free Online Screencasting Tool Options
- CamStudio – an open source PC program for capturing your on-screen video and audio as AVI files.
- Copernicus – is for Macs and focuses heavily on making quick and speedy films. Program does not offer audio support.
- ScreenToaster – is compatible with PCs and Macs and used for capturing videos of onscreen action, tutorials, how-to’s, lectures and more.
A screencast will bring a new dynamic process to your science or math class. Students are more engaged in the learning process and they have access to information presented in class 24 hours a day.
No longer will students be able to complain they could not remember the steps or procedures, because they are posted on the class wiki or blog. They can also download these videos to their iPods, MP3 Players, or smart phone.
Posted by David Wetzel
Wikis are the most popular Web 2.0 tool being used in science and math classrooms. Based on a survey of readers – 45 percent use them to support their teaching and student learning.
A Wiki is appealing, encourages participation, supports collaboration, and promotes interaction by students who love to use technology.
By the way – this includes most students today!
The following are a collection of ideas and strategies for using Wikis in your classroom!
Both Science and Math Classrooms
Specific pages within a Wiki may include:
Study Guides – these are created by you or assigned to groups of students. Examples include study guides for chapters, units, or semester exams.
Podcasts – like everything dealing with education technology in the classroom there are always tips and tricks to ensure success – this includes Podcasting!
WebQuests – an inquiry-oriented online lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web.
Projects – both a collection of resources for students and an online tool for facilitating completion of project based learning activities. This includes teacher created and online project resources such as the National Math Trail and Global Water Sampling Project.
Tips for Students – this includes are variety of ways for helping students, such as tips for:
- creating and uploading a podcast.
- using and uploading Google Docs.
- using WallWisher.
- uploading images.
- creating links to pages within the Wiki or external resources on the web.
- frequently asked questions regarding classroom and homework procedures.
Careers – a selection of teacher or student interviews of people currently employed in careers related to science or math. This may include written statements from professionals who are given the same set of questions to answer, along with online links to career resources.
Math Classrooms
Specific pages within a Math Wiki may include:
Calculus – a collection of problem solving exercises for students to collaboration in solving.
Algebra – a collection of problems for students practice such as inequalities, linear equations, quadratic formula, or graphing.
Graphing Calculator – tips and tricks for using graphing calculators. Also may include a links to an online graphing calculator.
Real World Math – a page for students to write about and/or provide examples of places where they actually used math outside the classroom.
Class Notes – a collection of step-by-step procedures used in class to solve math problems such as multiplying fractions, geometry, algebra, trigonometry, or calculus.
Science Classrooms
Specific pages within a Science Wiki may include:
Glossary – a collection of scientific terms with illustrations and definitions added by students using Flickr and other non-copyright resources. This may also include online links to detailed information.
Taxonomy – classification of a variety of organisms by kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species.
Experimental Design – procedures and steps for following the experimental design process such as defining independent variable, dependent variable, control variables, or developing experimental questions.
Discrepant Events – sample videos or procedures for students to follow when completing discrepant events, which allow students to witness scientific events with unexpected outcomes.
Field Observations – sample procedures for collecting water data at local streams, weather observation data, wildlife observation data, or collecting plant data.
Concept Descriptions – a written or pictorial description of scientific processes such as earthquakes, water cycle, friction, pollination, ozone depletion, light, rock cycle, physical and chemical properties, force, and photosynthesis.
Chemistry Equations – procedures and practice for learning how to balance chemical equations. This may also provide links to web resources for student help.
Physics – a list of formulas and equations, along with step by step-by-step procedures for solving. This may also provide links to web resources for student help.
The time is right as you close out this school year and have the summer to build a dynamic Wiki in preparation for next year or make changes to your current class Wiki to include these and other ideas. Your students will benefit from the integration of this Web 2.0 tool in your classroom, as they develop a greater understanding of math or science.
Additional Resources
Using Wikis in Math Class
Using Wikis in Science Class
