Posted by David Wetzel
Opening Minds with a New Set of Keys
The use of web based technology is growing by leaps and bounds every day. These online tools are the new set of keys for opening your students’ minds. The vast resources on the Internet are making the use traditional methods of teaching and learning obsolete in countless ways.
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Principles and Standards of School Mathematics (2000) states it quite well (also applicable to teaching and learning science):
- “some math becomes more important because technology requires it”
- “some math becomes less important because technology replaces it”
- “ some math becomes possible because technology allows it”
The use of these web based technology set of keys have the capacity to enhance lessons and engage students in new exciting ways of learning.
Web 2.0 Tools which Support Learning Science and Math
Web 2.0 is recognized as the second generation of the Internet. One of the most noticeable transformations with this second generation is the movement away from static web pages, lifeless purveyors of information, into dynamic and shareable content.
This transformation offers students the ability to spend more time using critical thinking skills to explore math and science concepts. The following are representative online tools which comprise the new set of keys to support teaching and learning in science and math.
Interactive Manipulatives – when you use interactive manipulatives with your students, they have the opportunity to learn the underlying ideas of science and math through modeling and computer simulation. The following are two examples of free online interactive manipulatives.
- FOSS Web – this is a collection of interactive manipulatives which students can use to explore science concepts and ideas. The site is a compliment for FOSS Science kits. This web site is designed for grades K – 8.
Surveys and Polls – these Web 2.0 tools offer the ability for students to conduct surveys and polls with other students, teachers, and others outside the confine of your classroom or school. The advantage with these online tools is the elimination of time needed for printing, distributing, and collecting a survey or poll instrument.
With less time and resources spent on preparing surveys or polls, students spend more time analyzing and drawing conclusions from their data. The following are two free online tools:
- Obsurvey – offers the ability to create surveys or polls without limitations on number of users, responses, and questions. You or your students can embed a survey or poll in a class or student blog for ease of viewing by potential responders.
- Google Forms – offer the ability to create surveys or polls. Just like Obsurvey there are no limits and responses can be readily transformed in to graphs.
Presentations – there are several Web 2.0 tools for you to use for lesson presentations and for your students use during present data collection techniques, findings, and conclusions for problem solving assignments and project based learning activities. The following are two examples of free online presentation tools.
- Google Presentations – offers the capability to import PowerPoint presentations or create your own. This tool also offers the ability to publish or embed presentations in any website or blog.
- Glogster – offers students the capability to create interactive posters to share project findings and collaborate on class projects. An interactive poster is ideal for use with interactive white boards during student presentations.
Concept Mapping – processing ideas and thoughts related to science and math topics is crucial for helping students develop a more thorough understanding of concepts. The following are two examples of free online concept mapping tools.
- Mind42 – offers simultaneous collaboration for in-class brainstorming sessions and student collaboration outside of class. No installation is required and it is accessible from anywhere or any computer platform. Students can create colorful interactive mind maps using colors, images, links, and a variety of text styles.
- Wise Mapping – uses diagrams to represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items linked to and arranged around a central key word or idea. You or your students can use it to generate, visualize, structure and classify ideas, organization of thoughts, developing problem solving strategies, and decision making.
These are just a sample of available Web 2.0 resources as a new set of keys for opening students’ minds in science and math. Please feel free to add your favorites online tools in the comment section.
Posted by David Wetzel
Often we search for meaningful ways to integrate digital technology in project based learning activities given to our students. We also would like our students to develop a thorough understanding of the concepts underlying the work – after all this is the purpose of the project.
Giving students the opportunity to complete and present their project through a digital lens has one great advantage – student engagement. This in turn causes students to develop a more in depth understanding of concepts.
Digital Storytelling: Strategies and Techniques
Digital stories typically contain a mixture of digital images, text, recorded audio narration, video clips and/or music. These stories can vary in length; however, optimum length is between four and eight minutes.
For student success with digital storytelling and communicating the findings of their project based learning activity, they often need specific guidelines. This ensures the project’s goals and objectives do not become lost in digital process. For example:
Watershed Project Guidelines (MS/HS)
Research and gather data relating to our local watershed using the following methods:
- Interview local residents.
- Visit local and regional historical societies to review primary historical records.
- Interview local or regional natural resource agency representatives.
- Collect water sample and compare water quality data with historical data.
- Take digital images and/or digital movies of local watershed features.
- Always be safe. Contrary to what you may see on TV, no cool or humorous shot is worth getting injured.
Using the data collected from interviews, historical records, and water quality data:
- Create a script of human’s impact on the watershed over the past 100 years, which will be used to narrate the digital story.
- Use your images and/or videos to support research findings.
- If you use someone else’s photos or images to supplement your project, an attribution slide must be included at the end of your project. Other people’s photos must be copyright free or public domain images.
- Select and obtain copyright free music if needed (ensure music does not distract or overwhelm presentation of findings) and an attribution slide must be included at the end of your project.
- Be sure to answer your research question in your presentation.
- Ensure all statements of findings and conclusions are supported by data and scientific facts.
- Presentation must have at least 10 images or video clips.
- Presentation must be between 5 and 6 minutes long.
- Project presentation must use (see next section).
Tools for Digital Storytelling Presentation
There are numerous Web 2.0 and computer tools available for project based learning activities. These tools create loads of opportunities for students to develop original project presentations through a digital lens.
The following are example digital tools students can use to tell their project’s story.
- Podcasting – a podcast can be uploaded to a class wiki or blog and viewed using an iPod, MP3 player or computer. A podcast can be projected on an interactive white board for presentation.
- Glogster – students can create an interactive poster to tell the story of their project based learning activity.
- PowerPoint or Keynote – which can be converted into a SlideShare and uploaded to class wiki or blog for sharing with other classes and schools.
- Prezi – allows the integration of videos and images for a presentation. It also offers the ability to zoom in or out and move around a presentation to slide to focus on key points.
- Voice Thread – this Web 2.0 tool not only supports a group’s presentation, it also allows others record comments about their project.
Linking project based learning with digital storytelling is natural. The integration of digital technology motivates students, allows them to easily share their work, and encourages collaborative learning. This in turn helps them develop a more in depth understanding of science and math concepts through a digital lens.
Posted by David Wetzel
How many times have you prepared an updated or new dynamic math or science PowerPoint or Keynote presentation for class and it would not open in school?
Also, how many times has it happened to your students when it’s time to give a class presentation? Now you need to postpone their presentation to another day, disrupting even the best planning.
You or your students do everything right – use compatible software, save it on a jump or flash drive, and it still would not open!
You think, well I will just open an older version of the presentation using Google Docs! You prepare to give your lesson – Bam! Google Docs is acting up or someone made a mistake and now your school is blocking Google Docs today!
When it rains it pours!
Solution: SlideShare
Now there is an alternative to the problems experienced above. How to overcome these problems is by using SlideShare – which is free!
This Web 2.0 tool allows you to upload presentations from PowerPoint, Keynote, OpenOffice, and Google Docs Presentation.
You can also embed these presentations in a class blog or wiki. This offers the ability to open your presentation on the class wiki or blog and give your lesson.
A good feature is the ability to embed appropriate YouTube or Teacher Tube videos within a presentation. This feature is a way of circumventing your school’s website blocking software.
You can even add audio to your presentations, to spice up a presentation and help hold your students’ interest.
You can even upload documents for creating slide presentations. SlideShare accepts documents from MS Word, iWork, Google Docs, PDF, and OpenOffice.
SlideShare also offers a new video feature which allows you to upload and share videos. They strictly enforce video copyright laws.
This Web 2.0 tool is also useful for professional development classes and workshops. You can share your presentations and student work without worrying about software compatibility issues.
Implementation: Strategies for Use in Science or Math Classes
Besides supporting teachers, SlideShare offers the ability for an individual or group of students to open their own account.
After creating a presentation for class, they can upload it to their own blog or class wiki. If these two options are not available, they can e-mail the link to their presentation to themselves or write down the link.
When students are absent, they can view a your presentations on the class blog or wiki. You also have the option to e-mail the link to absent student(s).
In classrooms using the one-to-one computer programs, students can access the SlideShare presentation on their computers and teachers free to roam the classroom ensuring students and following the presentation slides.
Students can use the presentations embedded on blogs or wikis as study guides when preparing for tests.
Uploading: Transferring Files
Several options are offered for uploading presentation or documents files. Examples include:
Firefox Universal FireUploader – offers a free Firefox plug-in for uploading files from your computer using a simple drag & drop interface. You can also edit the file details, set privacy, etc.
SlideShare Ribbon for Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 – is a free plugin for PowerPoint 2007. It lets you use most features of SlideShare from within PowerPoint. You can download and upload files.
This Web 2.0 tool offers the ability to overcome common problems both teachers and students have when giving presentations in class. This tool also provides the ability to eliminate the often used phrase - fear of using technology in the classroom. After spending time preparing a dynamic presentation providing a another level for overcoming technical difficulties are worth the effort.
Also, students are giving another way to prepare their class presentations. Eliminating often heard excuses of forgetting their jump drive at home, they lost their jump drive, or the dog ate it.
Additional Resources
PowerPoint Presentations Beyond Note Taking
Why Use Web 2.0 Tools When Teaching Science and Math?
