How would you like to take your students to the Galapagos Islands or Costa Rica for a study on ecosystems, speciation, or the rainforests? How about a trip to NASA to watch the latest Space Shuttle launch? Have you ever dreamed of taking your science students on a trip to the Museum of Natural History, to the Smithsonian Institute, or to Disney’s Wild Kingdom? Location, lack of money, and time take away the ability for schools to take their students on field trips. New technologies allow students to explore the world without leaving the traditional classroom, and allow virtual students to do the same.
Watch the news story about virtual science field trips posted on Science Daily.
See: http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2005/1011-virtual_reality_field_trips.htm
If you do a Google search for Virtual Field Trips, you will find all sorts of sites of field trips. Here are just two I found:
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/vft.htm
http://www.virtual-field-trips.com/
Virtual field trips can use real actors visiting real places, and may be supplemented with animations, movies, and games. The students are given opportunities to learn new words and explore new environments, and if based on existing books, give students more incentive to read. Using virtual field trips also increases visual literacy, which is defined as the ability to discriminate and interpret visual actions, objects, and other images, while gaining meaning from them. The use of visuals in instructional design is almost mandatory in our culture of increasing visual orientation. When designing curriculum and delivery systems, the way students learn and the styles with which they learn must be considered. The proliferation of the new technologies available to the general public as well as students makes me wonder whether our traditional modes of instruction are keeping pace with the rapid evolution of technology. Why not use virtual field trips, especially when the alternative may be out-of-date textbooks and videos?
Another related story discusses the use of virtual labs.
See http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2007/0809-virtual_lab.htm
The story reviews a virtual reality website from the University of Virginia. Often small budget experiments and textbooks don’t allow science teachers to get their point across to the students. With a virtual reality experiment, students get to see what the words mean. Visual learners are given the chance to see concepts of science and understand them better. Virtual reality experiments can show things to students that are usually unseen, such as magnetic fields, electricity, and atomic structure.
Find the UVa website at: http://www.virlab.virginia.edu/VL/contents.htm
Friday, April 18, 2008
The Virtual School vs. the Physical School
Now that I have been a “student” in the virtual school studying sixth grade science, I thought it would be an interesting exercise to compare their curriculum with that of my own physical school. I spent the morning browsing through our school’s curriculum map for sixth grade, focusing on the first unit. The material covered includes lab skills, lab safety, science tools, the metric system, and the steps of the scientific method. The virtual school’s first module (as described in an earlier blog) covers an introduction, safety, scientific processes, the scientific method, what is science, and what is a scientist.
Here is one of the activities our students do in sixth grade that introduces the scientific method (please forgive the formatting-conversion to blog):
Name: _______________________
Subject: __________ Section: ____
Date: ________________________
The Steps of the Scientific Method
Matching: Laboratory activities and experiments involve the use of the scientific method. Listed in the left column are the names of the parts of the method. The right column contains definitions. Next to the word in the left column, write the letter of the definition that best matches.
_______Hypothesis A. Observations, measurements and
calculations made during an experiment
_______Experiment B. A question that leads to the
development of an experiment
_______Conclusion C. A prediction of the outcome of an
experiment based on the research
_______Problem D. A step-by-step procedure to test a
hypothesis
_______Analysis E. Gathering information about the topic
_______Recommendations
F. The part of the method in which the hypothesis is either
accepted or rejected
_______Research G. a discussion of the results and a
comparison to find out what was
discovered from the experiment
_______Data H. An evaluation of the process to see what changes could be made if the experiment were to be
repeated
A closer look at the method: Read the following sentences and then answer the questions.
1. A scientist is walking by the ocean and notices that fresh water from the roof of a building is hanging in icicles but the sea water that is in pools near the shoreline is not frozen. The scientist wonders why.
2. The scientist goes to the library and reads a number of articles about the physical properties of solutions and the composition of sea water.
3. After considering this information the scientist writes the following in the logbook: “If there is salt present in water, then the freezing point of the water will be lowered.”
4. The scientist goes back to the laboratory and does the following:
a. Fills each of two beakers with 1 Liter of fresh water
b. Dissolves 35 grams of table salt in one of the beakers
c. Places both beakers in a refrigerator whose temperature is -1oC
d. Leaves the beakers in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
5. After 24 hours the scientist examines both beakers and finds the fresh water to be frozen and the salt water is still liquid. The scientist records this in the logbook.
6. The scientist writes in the logbook: “It appears as if the salt water freezes at a lower temperature than the fresh water. Therefore, I suggest that the reason sea water freezes at a lower temperature is that sea water contains dissolved salts while fresh water does not.”
7. The scientist continues: “I accept the hypothesis that salt lowers the freezing point of water, because the fresh water froze at 0oC and the salt water did not.”
8. Finally the scientist suggests that the experiment could be repeated using actually sea water and comparing it to the salt water that has the same density to see if they freeze at the same temperatures.
Questions:
A. Which statement describes a recommendation? __________
B. Which statement refers to research? __________
C. Which sentence contains a hypothesis? __________
D. Which statement describes an experiment? __________
E. Which statement forms a conclusion? __________
F. Which statement discusses an analysis? __________
G. In which statement is the problem defined? __________
H. Which statement involves the recording of data? __________
I will not publish at this site the copywritten material from the virtual school, but I will say that the introductions to the scientific method by both schools are similar and comparable. The virtual school sends the student to websites to read about the scientific method, and then asks similar questions to those above in an assessment that is submitted to the virtual school teacher. The student is free to explore other pages of the website, as well as other various links.
After looking at the virtual school sixth grade science curriculum for the past two months and comparing it to my own school’s sixth grade science curriculum, I feel confident that the two are comparable. Both sets of curriculum are interesting, engaging, and age-appropriate. The content is current, up-to-date, and makes science fun and relevant for the students. The sixth graders at my school are able to interact with each other on a daily basis in groups for labs, activities, and discussions. Doing labs in science is very important to me; so is student interaction. Virtual students can do labs in their school and do have opportunities to interact with their peers, but just in a different way. I have written about the pros and cons of doing online labs and doing labs at home with school-supplied or home-supplied materials. Virtual students at the school I have been studying do get to do labs at home, so this requirement has been met in my mind. Students also have the chance to interact with each other during Elluminate! sessions, and in special activities, such as the Virtual Recess (see March 18). Obviously, there are tremendous social differences between a virtual school and a physical school. Students, parents, and teachers have found ways to accommodate these differences with other social activities. While virtual schooling will not work for every student, there certainly seems to be a place for these schools in our educational society.
Here is one of the activities our students do in sixth grade that introduces the scientific method (please forgive the formatting-conversion to blog):
Name: _______________________
Subject: __________ Section: ____
Date: ________________________
The Steps of the Scientific Method
Matching: Laboratory activities and experiments involve the use of the scientific method. Listed in the left column are the names of the parts of the method. The right column contains definitions. Next to the word in the left column, write the letter of the definition that best matches.
_______Hypothesis A. Observations, measurements and
calculations made during an experiment
_______Experiment B. A question that leads to the
development of an experiment
_______Conclusion C. A prediction of the outcome of an
experiment based on the research
_______Problem D. A step-by-step procedure to test a
hypothesis
_______Analysis E. Gathering information about the topic
_______Recommendations
F. The part of the method in which the hypothesis is either
accepted or rejected
_______Research G. a discussion of the results and a
comparison to find out what was
discovered from the experiment
_______Data H. An evaluation of the process to see what changes could be made if the experiment were to be
repeated
A closer look at the method: Read the following sentences and then answer the questions.
1. A scientist is walking by the ocean and notices that fresh water from the roof of a building is hanging in icicles but the sea water that is in pools near the shoreline is not frozen. The scientist wonders why.
2. The scientist goes to the library and reads a number of articles about the physical properties of solutions and the composition of sea water.
3. After considering this information the scientist writes the following in the logbook: “If there is salt present in water, then the freezing point of the water will be lowered.”
4. The scientist goes back to the laboratory and does the following:
a. Fills each of two beakers with 1 Liter of fresh water
b. Dissolves 35 grams of table salt in one of the beakers
c. Places both beakers in a refrigerator whose temperature is -1oC
d. Leaves the beakers in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
5. After 24 hours the scientist examines both beakers and finds the fresh water to be frozen and the salt water is still liquid. The scientist records this in the logbook.
6. The scientist writes in the logbook: “It appears as if the salt water freezes at a lower temperature than the fresh water. Therefore, I suggest that the reason sea water freezes at a lower temperature is that sea water contains dissolved salts while fresh water does not.”
7. The scientist continues: “I accept the hypothesis that salt lowers the freezing point of water, because the fresh water froze at 0oC and the salt water did not.”
8. Finally the scientist suggests that the experiment could be repeated using actually sea water and comparing it to the salt water that has the same density to see if they freeze at the same temperatures.
Questions:
A. Which statement describes a recommendation? __________
B. Which statement refers to research? __________
C. Which sentence contains a hypothesis? __________
D. Which statement describes an experiment? __________
E. Which statement forms a conclusion? __________
F. Which statement discusses an analysis? __________
G. In which statement is the problem defined? __________
H. Which statement involves the recording of data? __________
I will not publish at this site the copywritten material from the virtual school, but I will say that the introductions to the scientific method by both schools are similar and comparable. The virtual school sends the student to websites to read about the scientific method, and then asks similar questions to those above in an assessment that is submitted to the virtual school teacher. The student is free to explore other pages of the website, as well as other various links.
After looking at the virtual school sixth grade science curriculum for the past two months and comparing it to my own school’s sixth grade science curriculum, I feel confident that the two are comparable. Both sets of curriculum are interesting, engaging, and age-appropriate. The content is current, up-to-date, and makes science fun and relevant for the students. The sixth graders at my school are able to interact with each other on a daily basis in groups for labs, activities, and discussions. Doing labs in science is very important to me; so is student interaction. Virtual students can do labs in their school and do have opportunities to interact with their peers, but just in a different way. I have written about the pros and cons of doing online labs and doing labs at home with school-supplied or home-supplied materials. Virtual students at the school I have been studying do get to do labs at home, so this requirement has been met in my mind. Students also have the chance to interact with each other during Elluminate! sessions, and in special activities, such as the Virtual Recess (see March 18). Obviously, there are tremendous social differences between a virtual school and a physical school. Students, parents, and teachers have found ways to accommodate these differences with other social activities. While virtual schooling will not work for every student, there certainly seems to be a place for these schools in our educational society.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Real People Doing Real Science
Here is a novel approach to online virtual labs. A scientist recreates an actual experiment that he or she is involved in and makes it available for student use online. The scientist provides background information on a topic, an explanation of their observations, and how they set up their experiment. The student can read the original research paper, do the experiment, collect the data, and analyze and submit the data, all online. The laboratories I found in the following website are probably suitable for high school or college courses, but I can envision an adaptation of the format for middle school or even late elementary school. I will describe such an adaptation at the end of this submission.
Go to http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072437316/student_view0/online_labs.html
to view the virtual lab entry port. There are over 30 virtual labs available, under the titles “Real People Doing Real Science”. I have chosen one of the labs to describe in greater detail. This lab teams students up with Louise Guillette of the University of Florida, who is studying the effects of pollutants on the development of male and female alligators. To see the summary of his study, go to:
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0072437316/120060/florida_alligators54.pdf
The main menu has 6 buttons to linking the student to these areas for exploration: Explore the Issue Being Investigated
Gain an Overview of the Experiment
Read the Original Research Paper
Meet the Investigator
Run a Virtual Experiment Exploring the Original Paper
Readings and Additional Resources
If you click on the button to run the virtual experiment, here’s what happens. You are given a question with observations to be used in forming a hypothesis. The student clicks on the 6 numbered buttons to read the observations. Then a button appears directing students to form a hypothesis, which is given to the student. The student then goes to “set up experiment”. Here the student moves the cursor under the names of 7 of Florida’s lakes and clicks the lake. A E/A (estrogen/androgen) ratio dot for female alligators appears on the graph for each lake. The student selects the analyze button, and a bar graph is drawn. The student repeats the steps for male alligators. The final step allows students to draw conclusions from the analysis of the data. There are 5 conclusions presented; the student chooses the best conclusion, and submits to the website for assessment.
I have a former elementary science student (class of 02) who is a seasoned biologist, environmentalist, and digital photographer. He, along with a videographer and a doctoral student in plant ecophysiology from UCB, have received a grant from National Geographic to go to Costa Rica this summer to study the plants and animals of the cloud canopy. They are researching the effects of possible global warming on the organisms that live in the cloud canopies of the rainforests. My student approached me earlier this school year to see if I would act as his educational consultant on the project. The team hopes to produce video downloads or DVD’s for students in elementary schools to learn about this delicate ecosystem. I hope to work with them to design the content in such a way to create virtual labs for student use. I would like to tailor the curriculum to the late elementary/middle school levels, and design virtual labs in a similar fashion to the one described above.
If you would like to see some of my student’s amazing and incredible photographs of the wildlife of the everglades and the birds of Australia, visit his website at:
www.drewfulton.com
He has an unfinished link for “Canopy in the Clouds”. Visit in the fall of ’08 after the project is completed.
Go to http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072437316/student_view0/online_labs.html
to view the virtual lab entry port. There are over 30 virtual labs available, under the titles “Real People Doing Real Science”. I have chosen one of the labs to describe in greater detail. This lab teams students up with Louise Guillette of the University of Florida, who is studying the effects of pollutants on the development of male and female alligators. To see the summary of his study, go to:
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0072437316/120060/florida_alligators54.pdf
The main menu has 6 buttons to linking the student to these areas for exploration: Explore the Issue Being Investigated
Gain an Overview of the Experiment
Read the Original Research Paper
Meet the Investigator
Run a Virtual Experiment Exploring the Original Paper
Readings and Additional Resources
If you click on the button to run the virtual experiment, here’s what happens. You are given a question with observations to be used in forming a hypothesis. The student clicks on the 6 numbered buttons to read the observations. Then a button appears directing students to form a hypothesis, which is given to the student. The student then goes to “set up experiment”. Here the student moves the cursor under the names of 7 of Florida’s lakes and clicks the lake. A E/A (estrogen/androgen) ratio dot for female alligators appears on the graph for each lake. The student selects the analyze button, and a bar graph is drawn. The student repeats the steps for male alligators. The final step allows students to draw conclusions from the analysis of the data. There are 5 conclusions presented; the student chooses the best conclusion, and submits to the website for assessment.
I have a former elementary science student (class of 02) who is a seasoned biologist, environmentalist, and digital photographer. He, along with a videographer and a doctoral student in plant ecophysiology from UCB, have received a grant from National Geographic to go to Costa Rica this summer to study the plants and animals of the cloud canopy. They are researching the effects of possible global warming on the organisms that live in the cloud canopies of the rainforests. My student approached me earlier this school year to see if I would act as his educational consultant on the project. The team hopes to produce video downloads or DVD’s for students in elementary schools to learn about this delicate ecosystem. I hope to work with them to design the content in such a way to create virtual labs for student use. I would like to tailor the curriculum to the late elementary/middle school levels, and design virtual labs in a similar fashion to the one described above.
If you would like to see some of my student’s amazing and incredible photographs of the wildlife of the everglades and the birds of Australia, visit his website at:
www.drewfulton.com
He has an unfinished link for “Canopy in the Clouds”. Visit in the fall of ’08 after the project is completed.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Useful Websites for the Virtual Science Classroom
One thing I have learned from working with the virtual school is that are an infinite number of websites available that can complement science lessons. Sometimes the most difficult challenge is finding them, organizing them, and utilizing them. I have already written about the virtual labs, this portion is dedicated to a review of some of the other websites I have found that could be used by a virtual science classroom. I chose to review Earth Science websites, as I am sharing this page with two of my colleagues as well.
Geology Labs Online
http://www.sciencecourseware.org/eecindex.php
This website allows the user to study virtual rivers, dating, and earthquakes, setting up locations and data. Global warming and earthquake labs are also available.
Mineralogy Database
http://webmineral.com/
This mineral database contains 4,442 individual mineral species descriptions with links and a comprehensive image library.
Largest Mineral Database
http://www.mindat.org/
This database is the largest mineral database and mineralogical reference website on the internet. This site contains worldwide data on minerals, mineral collecting, mineral localities and other mineralogical information.
High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment
http://marsoweb.nas.nasa.gov/HiRISE/
The HiRISE Online Image Viewer allows on-line users to select HiRISE imaged sites off a global map of Mars and "zoom in" and pan on the HiRISE image to see the surface of Mars as we've never seen it before.
University of California Museum of Paleontology
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/index.php
The UCMP website contains thousands of pages of content about the history of life on Earth.
The Geo-Time Machine
http://www.vrac.iastate.edu/~charding/GTM/GTM.html
The Geo-Time-Machine (GTM) is a 3D computer-graphics learning tool that helps you understand relative geologic time.
Web Geologic Time Machine
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/help/timeform.html
Here you can journey through the history of the Earth, with stops at particular points in time to examine the fossil record and stratigraphy.
The Universe-Animation and Video
http://bcs.whfreeman.com/universe6e/pages/bcs-main.asp?s=00110&n=01000&i=01110.03&v=category&o=0200001000&ns=0&uid=0&rau=0
The animations and videos are designed to enhance the understanding of the astronomy concepts presented in Universe.
Kid Wind Project
http://www.kidwind.org/materials.html
This guide is designed to help a beginner, or an expert, explore wind energy science through a wide a variety of engaging activities and materials.
Learn About Volcanoes
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Outreach/AboutVolcanoes/framework.html
This website addresses frequently asked questions about volcanoes.
USGS and Science Education
http://education.usgs.gov/
The U.S. Geological Survey provides scientific information intended to help educate the public about natural resources, natural hazards, geospatial data, and issues that affect our quality of life. Discover selected online resources, including lessons, data, maps, and more, to support teaching, learning, education (K-12), and university-level inquiry and research.
Water Environment Federation
http://www.wef.org/AboutWater/ForEducators/CurriculumMaterials/
Designed for use by teachers, non-formal educators, and water quality professionals, The Water Sourcebook series covers today's most important water environment topics.
Energy Kid's Page
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/index.html
A website full of energy facts, energy fun and games, energy classroom activities, and energy links.
Planet Science
http://www.planet-science.com/home.html
Free online science resource cite for students, teachers, and parents.
Soil Science Basics
http://soil.gsfc.nasa.gov/basics.htm
Website that introduces soil, soil chemistry, soil physics, and soil microbiology.
The Encyclopedia of Earth
http://www.eoearth.org/
A website devoted to "everything on earth" written by experts in various fields.
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
http://noaa.gov
This is my favorite website, especially for tracking hurricanes.
These websites would be useful in studies of earth science, and related topics. In most cases, the websites would be suitable for elementary, middle, and high school virtual (or other) science courses. I intentionally left out websites I felt were more suitable for the college level science courses.
Geology Labs Online
http://www.sciencecourseware.org/eecindex.php
This website allows the user to study virtual rivers, dating, and earthquakes, setting up locations and data. Global warming and earthquake labs are also available.
Mineralogy Database
http://webmineral.com/
This mineral database contains 4,442 individual mineral species descriptions with links and a comprehensive image library.
Largest Mineral Database
http://www.mindat.org/
This database is the largest mineral database and mineralogical reference website on the internet. This site contains worldwide data on minerals, mineral collecting, mineral localities and other mineralogical information.
High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment
http://marsoweb.nas.nasa.gov/HiRISE/
The HiRISE Online Image Viewer allows on-line users to select HiRISE imaged sites off a global map of Mars and "zoom in" and pan on the HiRISE image to see the surface of Mars as we've never seen it before.
University of California Museum of Paleontology
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/index.php
The UCMP website contains thousands of pages of content about the history of life on Earth.
The Geo-Time Machine
http://www.vrac.iastate.edu/~charding/GTM/GTM.html
The Geo-Time-Machine (GTM) is a 3D computer-graphics learning tool that helps you understand relative geologic time.
Web Geologic Time Machine
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/help/timeform.html
Here you can journey through the history of the Earth, with stops at particular points in time to examine the fossil record and stratigraphy.
The Universe-Animation and Video
http://bcs.whfreeman.com/universe6e/pages/bcs-main.asp?s=00110&n=01000&i=01110.03&v=category&o=0200001000&ns=0&uid=0&rau=0
The animations and videos are designed to enhance the understanding of the astronomy concepts presented in Universe.
Kid Wind Project
http://www.kidwind.org/materials.html
This guide is designed to help a beginner, or an expert, explore wind energy science through a wide a variety of engaging activities and materials.
Learn About Volcanoes
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Outreach/AboutVolcanoes/framework.html
This website addresses frequently asked questions about volcanoes.
USGS and Science Education
http://education.usgs.gov/
The U.S. Geological Survey provides scientific information intended to help educate the public about natural resources, natural hazards, geospatial data, and issues that affect our quality of life. Discover selected online resources, including lessons, data, maps, and more, to support teaching, learning, education (K-12), and university-level inquiry and research.
Water Environment Federation
http://www.wef.org/AboutWater/ForEducators/CurriculumMaterials/
Designed for use by teachers, non-formal educators, and water quality professionals, The Water Sourcebook series covers today's most important water environment topics.
Energy Kid's Page
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/index.html
A website full of energy facts, energy fun and games, energy classroom activities, and energy links.
Planet Science
http://www.planet-science.com/home.html
Free online science resource cite for students, teachers, and parents.
Soil Science Basics
http://soil.gsfc.nasa.gov/basics.htm
Website that introduces soil, soil chemistry, soil physics, and soil microbiology.
The Encyclopedia of Earth
http://www.eoearth.org/
A website devoted to "everything on earth" written by experts in various fields.
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
http://noaa.gov
This is my favorite website, especially for tracking hurricanes.
These websites would be useful in studies of earth science, and related topics. In most cases, the websites would be suitable for elementary, middle, and high school virtual (or other) science courses. I intentionally left out websites I felt were more suitable for the college level science courses.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
My First Online Science Module
I have completed my first module of sixth grade science, an introduction to the course, to science, and to the scientific method. During the process, I got to simulate being the student, read the lessons contained in 9 documents, completed and submitted the assignments. Most of the documents included a portion known as “extreme upload”, which further detailed the lesson. For example, in the lesson on the scientific method, the extreme upload included a Wikipedia link to website that gave the steps of the scientific method, and links to a website from a school in Illinois that gave a great deal of attention to what the scientific method is all about. Please see:
http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/ScienceInternet/ScientificMethod.html
The lesson also directed the student to learn about some “extreme” inventions, such as roller blades, mountain bikes, safety helmets, etc. and linked each to interesting websites to learn about these inventions. As a student, I was asked to pick one item and do some research on it from the website. The entire process went smoothly, and all of the links worked correctly. Several of the lessons had corresponding documents to upload as assessments to be graded by the teacher. Students learned how to open the “ex-File” document, how to name it and save it as a RTF file, how to fill it out, and how to upload it. The directions given to the students for completing assessments were clear and easy to follow.
One assignment caught my interest. The students were asked “What is a scientist?” They were asked to describe a scientist, and then were asked to fill out an informative table that organized information gathered from researching three different inventors or scientists. The students were directed to three excellent websites of inventors: Women Inventors A-Z, Black Inventors A-Z, and Famous Hispanic Inventors A-Z. I was very happy to see students learning about science and diversity during this lesson. The table was easy to fill out, and should not cause any students difficulties.
The final assessment prior to a module test was a summary chart. Students filled in the topic of each of 8 of the lessons, and wrote down in their own words 3 concepts they learned in each lesson. If students did not know how to change font size or text box sizes, this project may give them a little trouble. There is a test on the module, but I did not have access to it.
The entire first module provided an excellent introduction to the online learning environment, to science, scientists, and the scientific method. The computer procedures were clearly stated, the pages were easy to navigate through, the document uploads were quick and efficient, and websites all worked. As stated before, I might add a laboratory for the students to complete at home. I believe a student completing this module through a virtual school would receive information comparable to what they would learn in a traditional classroom.
http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/ScienceInternet/ScientificMethod.html
The lesson also directed the student to learn about some “extreme” inventions, such as roller blades, mountain bikes, safety helmets, etc. and linked each to interesting websites to learn about these inventions. As a student, I was asked to pick one item and do some research on it from the website. The entire process went smoothly, and all of the links worked correctly. Several of the lessons had corresponding documents to upload as assessments to be graded by the teacher. Students learned how to open the “ex-File” document, how to name it and save it as a RTF file, how to fill it out, and how to upload it. The directions given to the students for completing assessments were clear and easy to follow.
One assignment caught my interest. The students were asked “What is a scientist?” They were asked to describe a scientist, and then were asked to fill out an informative table that organized information gathered from researching three different inventors or scientists. The students were directed to three excellent websites of inventors: Women Inventors A-Z, Black Inventors A-Z, and Famous Hispanic Inventors A-Z. I was very happy to see students learning about science and diversity during this lesson. The table was easy to fill out, and should not cause any students difficulties.
The final assessment prior to a module test was a summary chart. Students filled in the topic of each of 8 of the lessons, and wrote down in their own words 3 concepts they learned in each lesson. If students did not know how to change font size or text box sizes, this project may give them a little trouble. There is a test on the module, but I did not have access to it.
The entire first module provided an excellent introduction to the online learning environment, to science, scientists, and the scientific method. The computer procedures were clearly stated, the pages were easy to navigate through, the document uploads were quick and efficient, and websites all worked. As stated before, I might add a laboratory for the students to complete at home. I believe a student completing this module through a virtual school would receive information comparable to what they would learn in a traditional classroom.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
A Tremendous Resource
I was reading a chapter written by two of our university professors on virtual science classrooms. This chapter is from a book on the use of technology in secondary science classrooms.
Reference: Dana, T. & Ferdig, R.E. (2008). The virtual science classroom. In R. Bell, J. Gess-Newsome, & J. Luft (Eds.), Technology in the Secondary Science Classroom (pp. 83-90). Arlington, VA: National Science Teachers Association Press.
In the chapter, the authors mention Merlot, which stands for Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching. Merlot is “a leading edge, user-centered, searchable collection of peer reviewed and selected higher education online learning materials”. You can find Merlot at
http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm
Some of my fellow students have been finding it difficult to find quality information regarding online and virtual education in their content areas. I would recommend that you visit Merlot for some great resources. For example, the collection includes learning materials on the following broad subjects: Art, business, education, humanities, mathematics, statistics, science and technology, and social science. For example, in the science and technology section, I found many excellent sites for online and virtual science education. For example, the Virtual Chemistry Lab is a place where students can perform virtual chemistry experiments. In one lab, students collect pH and concentration data on unknown acids to identify them. There is a place to submit the answer, and the website checks the answer and supplies feedback to the student. Another interesting website is the eSkeletons Project, which is a simulation site where bones can be viewed, and species compared. A third virtual location is Neuroscience for Kids. This is a site where students and teachers can do experiments, activities, and games that teach about the nervous system. These are just three of thousands of interesting sites that relate to science.
Merlot also sponsors the Journal of Online Teaching and Learning (see http://jolt.merlot.org/). JOLT is “a peer-reviewed, online publication addressing the scholarly use of multimedia resources in education”. Topics may include learning theory, use of multimedia, online learning, teaching initiatives, use of technology in online education, etc. Today I found an excellent position paper on technology-enhanced science education, with included a digital resource library of valuable IT resources for use in science education. Please see:
http://socr.ucla.edu/htmls/SOCR_Recognitions.html
You can become a member of Merlot by going to the main webpage listed at the top of this article and creating your own member account. Membership would allow you to submit publications and share advice and expertise about education with expert colleagues. I recommend that you spend some time investigating Merlot for your subject area.
Reference: Dana, T. & Ferdig, R.E. (2008). The virtual science classroom. In R. Bell, J. Gess-Newsome, & J. Luft (Eds.), Technology in the Secondary Science Classroom (pp. 83-90). Arlington, VA: National Science Teachers Association Press.
In the chapter, the authors mention Merlot, which stands for Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching. Merlot is “a leading edge, user-centered, searchable collection of peer reviewed and selected higher education online learning materials”. You can find Merlot at
http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm
Some of my fellow students have been finding it difficult to find quality information regarding online and virtual education in their content areas. I would recommend that you visit Merlot for some great resources. For example, the collection includes learning materials on the following broad subjects: Art, business, education, humanities, mathematics, statistics, science and technology, and social science. For example, in the science and technology section, I found many excellent sites for online and virtual science education. For example, the Virtual Chemistry Lab is a place where students can perform virtual chemistry experiments. In one lab, students collect pH and concentration data on unknown acids to identify them. There is a place to submit the answer, and the website checks the answer and supplies feedback to the student. Another interesting website is the eSkeletons Project, which is a simulation site where bones can be viewed, and species compared. A third virtual location is Neuroscience for Kids. This is a site where students and teachers can do experiments, activities, and games that teach about the nervous system. These are just three of thousands of interesting sites that relate to science.
Merlot also sponsors the Journal of Online Teaching and Learning (see http://jolt.merlot.org/). JOLT is “a peer-reviewed, online publication addressing the scholarly use of multimedia resources in education”. Topics may include learning theory, use of multimedia, online learning, teaching initiatives, use of technology in online education, etc. Today I found an excellent position paper on technology-enhanced science education, with included a digital resource library of valuable IT resources for use in science education. Please see:
http://socr.ucla.edu/htmls/SOCR_Recognitions.html
You can become a member of Merlot by going to the main webpage listed at the top of this article and creating your own member account. Membership would allow you to submit publications and share advice and expertise about education with expert colleagues. I recommend that you spend some time investigating Merlot for your subject area.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Help! I’m Back in Middle School!
I am now “officially” taking a sixth grade science course through a virtual school. What an interesting experience, and certainly much better than I remember my sixth grade science being. I also teach two different sixth grade science lab courses (separate from the students’ regular sixth grade science courses), so I am familiar with the age group and the standard curriculum.
The course is themed around Extreme Games (not the real name) and is divided into 8 modules, designed to be completed in one school year. I have begun the first module which is the introductory module. In this module, a student receives information on their yearly agenda, chooses their pace (regular or accelerated-finish in one semester), and their level (standard or advanced-shows up as advanced on final transcript). This is also where the parents receive, sign, and fax in the safety contract, assuring the school that all at-home laboratories will be properly supervised.
Students are introduced to scientific processes, inferences and observations, the scientific method, what is science and what is a scientist. I have completed most of the assignments for module 1. Some of the assignments are graded instantly, such as questions that have multiple choice answers. The student clicks on the answer and submits the page. Some assignments require short answers, which the teacher has to grade. I can access my own grade book at any time, and track my progress. Some assignments can be corrected and resubmitted.
Here are some of my thoughts regarding my first experiences as a sixth grade on-line science student. First, I thought the experience was fun, easy, and worked well. The theme of the course is age-appropriate and not old-fashioned or out of date. The lessons covered in this unit were comparable to the sixth grade lessons we use at my school. The level seems appropriate and the content reflective of current sixth grade state science standards (The Nature of Science). If I were a sixth grader, I might have felt a little intimidated submitting my first assignment (I remember feeling intimidated submitting my first paper online in graduate school). I think the student would quickly become comfortable with the format, finding it easy to use. The web pages are clean, easy to read, and easy to follow. I would recommend that a student use high speed internet over dial up for the virtual school.
There are two recommendations I have for this module. Since the students are not meeting face to face with the teacher or their peers, they do not have the opportunity to discuss the concepts learned in the module. Perhaps there is or could be an online session where the students and teachers can IM discussions with each other. I would also recommend the students try an experiment at home that applies the use of the scientific method (if there is one, I did not find it). Here is an experiment our sixth grade science students do in class that could easily be done at home (please forgive the formatting-it was copied and pasted from a curriculum map attachment):
Name______________________________ Class____________ Section_______ Date________
THE GREAT PAPER TOWEL RACE
Determine Group Roles: Place a checkmark beside your role.
_____ Leader- Direct the sequence of steps for the lab; make sure everyone in the group is participating, keep the group on task.
_____ Supplier- Get all the supplies/materials for the lab; clean up after lab
_____ Recorder- Act as a scribe for your group
_____ Quiet captain-Keep your group’s volume down
_____ EVERYONE- Conduct the experiment, record data, and help one another
Problem: Is there a difference in the wet strength of various brands of paper towels?
Research: Questions to consider: What brand of paper towels do you use at home? What kind of paper towel commercials have you seen?
Hypothesis: Which paper towel brand will be the strongest? (If… then…)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Experiment:
Materials: Three different brands of paper towels, large paper clips, masking tape, scissors, droppers, water, washers of equal weight
Procedures:
1. Tape one end of each paper towel strip to the edge of a table.
2. Place a piece of masking tape at the bottom of each paper towel strip.
3. Bend a large paper clip into a hook and poke it through the masking tape at the bottom of each paper towel strip.
4. Lift the strip and hold it parallel to the floor as you place 10 drops of water on the center of the strip.
5. Allow the strip to hang from the table and place a washer on the hook.
6. Continue adding washers until the strip breaks.
7. Record the number of washers that the strip supported BEFORE breaking at the wet area.
8. Repeat this process until you have done this for each paper towel strip.
9. Repeat the entire process for scientific results.
Data:
Paper Towel Brand # of Washers
(Trial 1) # of Washers
(Trial 2) Average # of Washers
(there should be a table here)
Analysis: (answer with complete sentences)
1. What brand of paper towels held the most amount of washers? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What brand of paper towels held the least amount of washers?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What was the average number of washers supported by ALL the brands of paper towels? _____________________________________________________
Conclusion: (answer with complete sentences)
1. Do you accept or reject your hypothesis? Why? ________________________ ________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Evaluation: (answer with complete sentences)
1. Why do you think this lab required you to conduct two trials for each brand of paper towel? _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What are some factors that could have altered the results of your experiment?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. If you were repeating this experiment, what changes would you make?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
In conclusion, I found my first experiences in the virtual science classroom to be very engaging, interesting, and fun. I am looking forward to continuing my role as a sixth grade science student.
The course is themed around Extreme Games (not the real name) and is divided into 8 modules, designed to be completed in one school year. I have begun the first module which is the introductory module. In this module, a student receives information on their yearly agenda, chooses their pace (regular or accelerated-finish in one semester), and their level (standard or advanced-shows up as advanced on final transcript). This is also where the parents receive, sign, and fax in the safety contract, assuring the school that all at-home laboratories will be properly supervised.
Students are introduced to scientific processes, inferences and observations, the scientific method, what is science and what is a scientist. I have completed most of the assignments for module 1. Some of the assignments are graded instantly, such as questions that have multiple choice answers. The student clicks on the answer and submits the page. Some assignments require short answers, which the teacher has to grade. I can access my own grade book at any time, and track my progress. Some assignments can be corrected and resubmitted.
Here are some of my thoughts regarding my first experiences as a sixth grade on-line science student. First, I thought the experience was fun, easy, and worked well. The theme of the course is age-appropriate and not old-fashioned or out of date. The lessons covered in this unit were comparable to the sixth grade lessons we use at my school. The level seems appropriate and the content reflective of current sixth grade state science standards (The Nature of Science). If I were a sixth grader, I might have felt a little intimidated submitting my first assignment (I remember feeling intimidated submitting my first paper online in graduate school). I think the student would quickly become comfortable with the format, finding it easy to use. The web pages are clean, easy to read, and easy to follow. I would recommend that a student use high speed internet over dial up for the virtual school.
There are two recommendations I have for this module. Since the students are not meeting face to face with the teacher or their peers, they do not have the opportunity to discuss the concepts learned in the module. Perhaps there is or could be an online session where the students and teachers can IM discussions with each other. I would also recommend the students try an experiment at home that applies the use of the scientific method (if there is one, I did not find it). Here is an experiment our sixth grade science students do in class that could easily be done at home (please forgive the formatting-it was copied and pasted from a curriculum map attachment):
Name______________________________ Class____________ Section_______ Date________
THE GREAT PAPER TOWEL RACE
Determine Group Roles: Place a checkmark beside your role.
_____ Leader- Direct the sequence of steps for the lab; make sure everyone in the group is participating, keep the group on task.
_____ Supplier- Get all the supplies/materials for the lab; clean up after lab
_____ Recorder- Act as a scribe for your group
_____ Quiet captain-Keep your group’s volume down
_____ EVERYONE- Conduct the experiment, record data, and help one another
Problem: Is there a difference in the wet strength of various brands of paper towels?
Research: Questions to consider: What brand of paper towels do you use at home? What kind of paper towel commercials have you seen?
Hypothesis: Which paper towel brand will be the strongest? (If… then…)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Experiment:
Materials: Three different brands of paper towels, large paper clips, masking tape, scissors, droppers, water, washers of equal weight
Procedures:
1. Tape one end of each paper towel strip to the edge of a table.
2. Place a piece of masking tape at the bottom of each paper towel strip.
3. Bend a large paper clip into a hook and poke it through the masking tape at the bottom of each paper towel strip.
4. Lift the strip and hold it parallel to the floor as you place 10 drops of water on the center of the strip.
5. Allow the strip to hang from the table and place a washer on the hook.
6. Continue adding washers until the strip breaks.
7. Record the number of washers that the strip supported BEFORE breaking at the wet area.
8. Repeat this process until you have done this for each paper towel strip.
9. Repeat the entire process for scientific results.
Data:
Paper Towel Brand # of Washers
(Trial 1) # of Washers
(Trial 2) Average # of Washers
(there should be a table here)
Analysis: (answer with complete sentences)
1. What brand of paper towels held the most amount of washers? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What brand of paper towels held the least amount of washers?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What was the average number of washers supported by ALL the brands of paper towels? _____________________________________________________
Conclusion: (answer with complete sentences)
1. Do you accept or reject your hypothesis? Why? ________________________ ________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Evaluation: (answer with complete sentences)
1. Why do you think this lab required you to conduct two trials for each brand of paper towel? _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What are some factors that could have altered the results of your experiment?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. If you were repeating this experiment, what changes would you make?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
In conclusion, I found my first experiences in the virtual science classroom to be very engaging, interesting, and fun. I am looking forward to continuing my role as a sixth grade science student.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
How About a Hybrid?
I have been doing a lot of thinking, reading, and talking with folks about the feasibility of using virtual labs in a high-end course such as Advanced Placement Biology. As documented before, the College Board had ruled that AP students must have guided hands-on (not virtual) laboratory experiences. This ruling has since been rescinded, as new developments in online learning may merit AP endorsements.
What do educational professionals think? I had the chance yesterday to talk with two such people: A current AP Biology private school teacher, and the science curriculum coordinator for the virtual school I am studying. These conversations have given me a pretty clear view of the issue. The AP Biology teacher is a 16-year veteran of the course, who runs her course in a traditional AP fashion. Her students conduct all 12 required AP Bio labs, in additional to other added labs. She reports that one of the four essays on the AP exam is usually about one of the 12 labs, and that most of the other labs are directly referred to in the exam (therefore the labs are IMPORTANT). When I asked her if she felt there was a place for virtual labs or simulations in an AP course, her answer surprised me. She said that she would use virtual labs for special circumstances (such as a student being absent on lab days). She also stated that if a lab was particularly difficult and if she had time, she would like to have students run through the virtual experience prior to doing the real thing; it could also be used as a lab practical. She did say that she feels strongly that students learn more and better by running the actual lab rather than a simulation.
How about the virtual school? My conversation with the school’s science curriculum coordinator was eye-opening. First, he told me that the College Board will NOT approve a 100% virtual lab for AP Bio. His school DOES have College Board approval, and to the best of his knowledge, always has. The way they received this approval was by forming a HYBRID of sorts between virtual labs and actual labs. As the curriculum for the school was created, the designers looked the AP Bio manual from the College Board. They decided that the safer labs could be done in the student’s home with school-supplied materials and parent-supplied supervision. For labs with dangerous or hazardous materials, the students are provided with virtual simulations. The school provides each student with a textbook (they currently use Campbell Biology text, ? edition) which comes with a CD of all of the simulations. This is a first-year college biology text that most high school AP Bio courses use. The school also uses subscription sites that show the simulations (the school does not use the SmartScience subscription I described in an earlier blog).
Right now, the school only offers AP Biology; they do not offer AP Chemistry, Environmental Science, or Physics. The school has one AP Biology teacher, who services close to 200 students each year. The curriculum coordinator reports that the students are expected to take the AP Biology exam in May; most of the students do take the exam. The student signs up for the exam through College Board and takes the exam at their neighborhood high school. The coordinator happily reported that their student’s scores are above the state average.
So, my final answer is this: If the AP Biology course is taught in a traditional school, do all of the labs physically, and supplement them with simulations and virtual labs. If a high school does not offer AP Biology for whatever reason, then they should be able to and allowed to take it through a virtual school. The virtual school should make every attempt to allow students to do as much of the lab work physically at home with school-supplied lab materials; the rest should be done online. The students should take the AP exam at the end of the year. This HYBRID model is working with the virtual school I am studying.
What do educational professionals think? I had the chance yesterday to talk with two such people: A current AP Biology private school teacher, and the science curriculum coordinator for the virtual school I am studying. These conversations have given me a pretty clear view of the issue. The AP Biology teacher is a 16-year veteran of the course, who runs her course in a traditional AP fashion. Her students conduct all 12 required AP Bio labs, in additional to other added labs. She reports that one of the four essays on the AP exam is usually about one of the 12 labs, and that most of the other labs are directly referred to in the exam (therefore the labs are IMPORTANT). When I asked her if she felt there was a place for virtual labs or simulations in an AP course, her answer surprised me. She said that she would use virtual labs for special circumstances (such as a student being absent on lab days). She also stated that if a lab was particularly difficult and if she had time, she would like to have students run through the virtual experience prior to doing the real thing; it could also be used as a lab practical. She did say that she feels strongly that students learn more and better by running the actual lab rather than a simulation.
How about the virtual school? My conversation with the school’s science curriculum coordinator was eye-opening. First, he told me that the College Board will NOT approve a 100% virtual lab for AP Bio. His school DOES have College Board approval, and to the best of his knowledge, always has. The way they received this approval was by forming a HYBRID of sorts between virtual labs and actual labs. As the curriculum for the school was created, the designers looked the AP Bio manual from the College Board. They decided that the safer labs could be done in the student’s home with school-supplied materials and parent-supplied supervision. For labs with dangerous or hazardous materials, the students are provided with virtual simulations. The school provides each student with a textbook (they currently use Campbell Biology text, ? edition) which comes with a CD of all of the simulations. This is a first-year college biology text that most high school AP Bio courses use. The school also uses subscription sites that show the simulations (the school does not use the SmartScience subscription I described in an earlier blog).
Right now, the school only offers AP Biology; they do not offer AP Chemistry, Environmental Science, or Physics. The school has one AP Biology teacher, who services close to 200 students each year. The curriculum coordinator reports that the students are expected to take the AP Biology exam in May; most of the students do take the exam. The student signs up for the exam through College Board and takes the exam at their neighborhood high school. The coordinator happily reported that their student’s scores are above the state average.
So, my final answer is this: If the AP Biology course is taught in a traditional school, do all of the labs physically, and supplement them with simulations and virtual labs. If a high school does not offer AP Biology for whatever reason, then they should be able to and allowed to take it through a virtual school. The virtual school should make every attempt to allow students to do as much of the lab work physically at home with school-supplied lab materials; the rest should be done online. The students should take the AP exam at the end of the year. This HYBRID model is working with the virtual school I am studying.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Limitations of Virtual Science Laboratories
To be fair, while considering the positive attributes of virtual science laboratories, one must also consider the limitations of virtual science laboratories as well. The NSTA states that the laboratory experience is so integral to the nature of science that it must be included in every science program. Inquiry-based laboratory investigations at every level should be at the core of the science program and should be woven into every lesson and concept strand. To view the NSTA position statement on the role of the laboratory in the science program, please see the link for the NSTA at:
http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/laboratory.aspx
The first limitation is that there are some labs completed in science that cannot be replicated online or on a CD-rom. In my science class today, my students dissected a 12” squid. I have paper versions of the dissection that the students may use for directions and guidance. I also have a CD-rom called BioLab Invertebrate which contains external and internal anatomies of the squid. But there is nothing quite like the smell of fresh bait squid or even of squid soaked in formaldehyde. I will say that the BioLab products are the best out there, in my opinion. Besides the BioLab Invertebrate program (virtual dissection of the earthworm, starfish, crayfish, and squid), there are also BioLab virtual dissections of the frog, the fish, the pig, and the cat. These are animals typically dissected in middle school and high school science classes. These products may be ordered from Carolina Math & Science, at http://www.carolina.com/. Any computer-based learning method will sacrifice the visual, olfactory, and kinesthetic aspects of a traditional laboratory, and thus give up some learning opportunities.
Another related limitation is that by using virtual labs instead of hands-on labs, students will not get the experience handling equipment, measuring devices, glassware, etc. Here is another example. Yesterday, I had the chance to watch Forensic Science students (11th and 12th grade) learn how to perform a gel electrophoresis lab. The directions were very detailed, and the instructor walked the students carefully through the lab. There were several steps that were tricky, requiring precision accuracy. While these steps can be practiced virtually using the University of Utah’s website detailed in a previous blog (see link at http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/biotech/index.cfm),
I can see the tremendous value in having the students physically perform the laboratory.
That leads to another limitation, which is mentioned in the NY Times article already referenced in this blog: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/20/education/20online.html?_r=2&ref=science&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
The College Board feels that some professors who admit virtual school A.P. science students into their programs never having used real equipment. And remember, if a student passed an A.P. exam, they would enter into a second semester or second year college science course, having already received credit for the introductory course covered by the A.P. course. Would these students be at a disadvantage behind peers who have already mastered lab skills required for upper division science courses, especially if they were science majors?
Another limitation falls under the category of assessment. How do you evaluate a lab with no equipment? How do you accredit courses using labs with no equipment? It may also be expensive and time-consuming to develop a virtual lab that includes all possible variables in the lab. A situation may come up where students desire a parameter for their lab that has not been included in the computer programming.
While it is true that virtual science laboratories have several limitations, the positive attributes meet the requirements set forth by such associations as the NSTA, and are viable alternatives to traditional school labs. Please share any thoughts you have here.
http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/laboratory.aspx
The first limitation is that there are some labs completed in science that cannot be replicated online or on a CD-rom. In my science class today, my students dissected a 12” squid. I have paper versions of the dissection that the students may use for directions and guidance. I also have a CD-rom called BioLab Invertebrate which contains external and internal anatomies of the squid. But there is nothing quite like the smell of fresh bait squid or even of squid soaked in formaldehyde. I will say that the BioLab products are the best out there, in my opinion. Besides the BioLab Invertebrate program (virtual dissection of the earthworm, starfish, crayfish, and squid), there are also BioLab virtual dissections of the frog, the fish, the pig, and the cat. These are animals typically dissected in middle school and high school science classes. These products may be ordered from Carolina Math & Science, at http://www.carolina.com/. Any computer-based learning method will sacrifice the visual, olfactory, and kinesthetic aspects of a traditional laboratory, and thus give up some learning opportunities.
Another related limitation is that by using virtual labs instead of hands-on labs, students will not get the experience handling equipment, measuring devices, glassware, etc. Here is another example. Yesterday, I had the chance to watch Forensic Science students (11th and 12th grade) learn how to perform a gel electrophoresis lab. The directions were very detailed, and the instructor walked the students carefully through the lab. There were several steps that were tricky, requiring precision accuracy. While these steps can be practiced virtually using the University of Utah’s website detailed in a previous blog (see link at http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/biotech/index.cfm),
I can see the tremendous value in having the students physically perform the laboratory.
That leads to another limitation, which is mentioned in the NY Times article already referenced in this blog: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/20/education/20online.html?_r=2&ref=science&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
The College Board feels that some professors who admit virtual school A.P. science students into their programs never having used real equipment. And remember, if a student passed an A.P. exam, they would enter into a second semester or second year college science course, having already received credit for the introductory course covered by the A.P. course. Would these students be at a disadvantage behind peers who have already mastered lab skills required for upper division science courses, especially if they were science majors?
Another limitation falls under the category of assessment. How do you evaluate a lab with no equipment? How do you accredit courses using labs with no equipment? It may also be expensive and time-consuming to develop a virtual lab that includes all possible variables in the lab. A situation may come up where students desire a parameter for their lab that has not been included in the computer programming.
While it is true that virtual science laboratories have several limitations, the positive attributes meet the requirements set forth by such associations as the NSTA, and are viable alternatives to traditional school labs. Please share any thoughts you have here.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Virtual Science Labs-College Review
At the elementary school and middle school level, it appears that the most common forms of online laboratories are simulations and at-home labs, as described in earlier blog posts. As I have been searching through various web sites, I have found several applications of virtual laboratories and simulations at the advanced high school level and college level. Here are some examples.
Brigham Young University offers a distance-education degree program that features a simulated chemistry lab known as the Virtual ChemLab, which allows students to conduct chemistry experiments from the safety of their homes, submitting lab reports online. Some college officials feel that the online labs are advanced enough to earn the student college credit. These courses may be suitable for non-science majors, and for science majors to practice on equipment that their university may not have. You can read more about other virtual labs being developed at other universities such as the University of Colorado at Denver, UNC at Greensboro, and University of Texas Medical Branch in the 1/31/03 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education Information Technology at http://chronicle.com/free/v49/i21/21a03001.htm.
Virtual laboratories to teach science and engineering principles have been developed for use at Northwestern University and Oxford University. The courses are designed to allow students to focus on fundamentals of basic science and engineering, allowing students to design, analyze, and test artifacts in a simulated environment. See the project summary at http://www.qrg.northwestern.edu/projects/NSF/avl.htm.
Johns Hopkins University offers an introduction to engineering course that uses an interactive virtual laboratory setting. Some of the experiments offered are in logic circuits, diffusion processes, robotic arm control, bridge design, sound propagation and heat conduction. Please read about the experiments at http://www.jhu.edu/virtlab/virtlab.html.
The University of Virginia hosts the UVa Virtual Lab, which was discussed in an earlier blog (see Virtual Science Labs, March 21, 2008). Once you enter the virtual lab, you choose from a floor plan which individual lab you want to enter. I visited the E & M (electricity and magnetism) lab. Here you can investigate such devices as a Van de Graaf generator (and listen to a podcast), a pith ball ping pong, and learn about other topics related to electricity and magnetism. While these programs are interactive, I would not classify them as actual labs, but rather as demonstrations. You can find the link to the UVa Virtual Lab at http://virlab.virginia.edu/VL/home.htm.
The University of Utah Genetic Science Learning Center offers three excellent interactive biotechniques labs, were the user can learn and practice basic techniques for use by molecular biologists. The labs are DNA extraction, gel electrophoresis, and DNA microarray. The gel electrophoresis technique is used in the high school AP Biology course. This is the best online lab/simulation I have found so far in my research. You can try these out yourself by visiting the link at: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/biotech/index.cfm
Finally, Ohio University hosts the Interactive Science Lab, a virtual lab for middle school students. This lab allows middle school students conduct science experiments online. The experiments include a game with a scoring system to make the students entertained. The two experiments included are the sugar water solubility experiment and the Redi experiment (which disproved the theory of spontaneous generation). Try the labs at http://steam.cs.ohio.edu/interactivescience.html.
Brigham Young University offers a distance-education degree program that features a simulated chemistry lab known as the Virtual ChemLab, which allows students to conduct chemistry experiments from the safety of their homes, submitting lab reports online. Some college officials feel that the online labs are advanced enough to earn the student college credit. These courses may be suitable for non-science majors, and for science majors to practice on equipment that their university may not have. You can read more about other virtual labs being developed at other universities such as the University of Colorado at Denver, UNC at Greensboro, and University of Texas Medical Branch in the 1/31/03 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education Information Technology at http://chronicle.com/free/v49/i21/21a03001.htm.
Virtual laboratories to teach science and engineering principles have been developed for use at Northwestern University and Oxford University. The courses are designed to allow students to focus on fundamentals of basic science and engineering, allowing students to design, analyze, and test artifacts in a simulated environment. See the project summary at http://www.qrg.northwestern.edu/projects/NSF/avl.htm.
Johns Hopkins University offers an introduction to engineering course that uses an interactive virtual laboratory setting. Some of the experiments offered are in logic circuits, diffusion processes, robotic arm control, bridge design, sound propagation and heat conduction. Please read about the experiments at http://www.jhu.edu/virtlab/virtlab.html.
The University of Virginia hosts the UVa Virtual Lab, which was discussed in an earlier blog (see Virtual Science Labs, March 21, 2008). Once you enter the virtual lab, you choose from a floor plan which individual lab you want to enter. I visited the E & M (electricity and magnetism) lab. Here you can investigate such devices as a Van de Graaf generator (and listen to a podcast), a pith ball ping pong, and learn about other topics related to electricity and magnetism. While these programs are interactive, I would not classify them as actual labs, but rather as demonstrations. You can find the link to the UVa Virtual Lab at http://virlab.virginia.edu/VL/home.htm.
The University of Utah Genetic Science Learning Center offers three excellent interactive biotechniques labs, were the user can learn and practice basic techniques for use by molecular biologists. The labs are DNA extraction, gel electrophoresis, and DNA microarray. The gel electrophoresis technique is used in the high school AP Biology course. This is the best online lab/simulation I have found so far in my research. You can try these out yourself by visiting the link at: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/biotech/index.cfm
Finally, Ohio University hosts the Interactive Science Lab, a virtual lab for middle school students. This lab allows middle school students conduct science experiments online. The experiments include a game with a scoring system to make the students entertained. The two experiments included are the sugar water solubility experiment and the Redi experiment (which disproved the theory of spontaneous generation). Try the labs at http://steam.cs.ohio.edu/interactivescience.html.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
What is the NSTA Position?
What is position of the National Science Teachers Association on distance learning and science education? You can read their position statement at:
http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/distancelearning.aspx
They note that "distance learning" is really nothing new, but the mediums in which distance learning can be accomplished has changed dramatically over the past few years, thanks to the infusion of technology into the schools and scientific institutions. The NSTA defines distance education by adopting the U.S. Department of Education's definition, which is " The application of telecommunications and electronic devices which enables students and learners to receive instruction that originates from some distant location. Typically, the learner is given the capacity to interact with the instructor or program directly and given the opportunity to meet with the instructor on a periodic basis."
This definition perfectly describes the virtual school I have been working with, and has been described in detail in previous postings of this blog.
What then is the position the NSTA has on distance learning in science education? They have 7 criteria, which are listed below. Does this virtual school and specifically its science classes meet these criteria? Look for evidences in italics.
INTERACTION: There must be continuous interaction between the teacher and learners, where the teacher continuously monitors and adjusts the learning environment. This would include feedback from the teacher, dialogue between teacher and learner, and dialogue between learners.
The virtual school teacher has frequent phone calls with each student for course discussions, tutoring, oral assessments, and other needs. The teacher also provides online feedback on every assignment submitted. There are forums where students can interact with one another while the teacher supervises.
FLEXIBILITY: Instructional design is flexible for individual students to accommodate for individual differences in learning.
The virtual school is completely designed with flexibility in mind, both in timing of course work and content of delivery and assessments.
MANIPULATIVE EXPERIENCES: Science education must be hands-on and minds-on, safe, and supervised.
The virtual middle school has students perform labs and activities at home with store-bought materials. Parents are required to supervise. The virtual high school has students perform labs and activities at home with school-supplied materials. Parents are required to supervise.
COMPETENCY: Teachers must be qualified and competent to teach specific subjects and grade levels.
Teachers at the virtual school are certified, many nationally certified, and many hold advanced degrees.
A VARIETY OF APPROPRIATE RESOURCES: Learning resources must be varied and appropriate, supplying learners with many supplemental resources that support distance learning.
The virtual school curriculum provides many links, videos, outside readings, and supplemental experiences for the learner.
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY: Technology should be chosen and used for excellent science education. A combination of technologies is needed for teaching and learning within the class, and linking the class with the outside world.
The virtual school uses the Elluminate! to communicate with the students. Here, the teacher can talk with students, supply modules, assignments, and internet links. The students can upload assignments, and get feedback from the instructor.
EVALUATION: Both programs and student learning must be assessed in an ongoing fashion, to ensure the best possible education in science. Both summative and formative assessments should be used to guide continuous improvement of instruction.
The virtual school allows for instant feedback from the teacher during an online discussion. The students have opportunities to upload computer assignments to the teacher, and have the teacher grade them. The teacher conducts oral quizzes over the phone to insure academic integrity. The teacher uses the information gathered from the students to improve science instruction.
In my opinion, the virtual school meets all of the criteria set forth by the NSTA, and has done so in an exemplary fashion. What I would like to see improvement in for the future is the development of more home and online laboratory experiences, making certain that the science is taught in a hands-on and minds-on way.
http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/distancelearning.aspx
They note that "distance learning" is really nothing new, but the mediums in which distance learning can be accomplished has changed dramatically over the past few years, thanks to the infusion of technology into the schools and scientific institutions. The NSTA defines distance education by adopting the U.S. Department of Education's definition, which is " The application of telecommunications and electronic devices which enables students and learners to receive instruction that originates from some distant location. Typically, the learner is given the capacity to interact with the instructor or program directly and given the opportunity to meet with the instructor on a periodic basis."
This definition perfectly describes the virtual school I have been working with, and has been described in detail in previous postings of this blog.
What then is the position the NSTA has on distance learning in science education? They have 7 criteria, which are listed below. Does this virtual school and specifically its science classes meet these criteria? Look for evidences in italics.
INTERACTION: There must be continuous interaction between the teacher and learners, where the teacher continuously monitors and adjusts the learning environment. This would include feedback from the teacher, dialogue between teacher and learner, and dialogue between learners.
The virtual school teacher has frequent phone calls with each student for course discussions, tutoring, oral assessments, and other needs. The teacher also provides online feedback on every assignment submitted. There are forums where students can interact with one another while the teacher supervises.
FLEXIBILITY: Instructional design is flexible for individual students to accommodate for individual differences in learning.
The virtual school is completely designed with flexibility in mind, both in timing of course work and content of delivery and assessments.
MANIPULATIVE EXPERIENCES: Science education must be hands-on and minds-on, safe, and supervised.
The virtual middle school has students perform labs and activities at home with store-bought materials. Parents are required to supervise. The virtual high school has students perform labs and activities at home with school-supplied materials. Parents are required to supervise.
COMPETENCY: Teachers must be qualified and competent to teach specific subjects and grade levels.
Teachers at the virtual school are certified, many nationally certified, and many hold advanced degrees.
A VARIETY OF APPROPRIATE RESOURCES: Learning resources must be varied and appropriate, supplying learners with many supplemental resources that support distance learning.
The virtual school curriculum provides many links, videos, outside readings, and supplemental experiences for the learner.
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY: Technology should be chosen and used for excellent science education. A combination of technologies is needed for teaching and learning within the class, and linking the class with the outside world.
The virtual school uses the Elluminate! to communicate with the students. Here, the teacher can talk with students, supply modules, assignments, and internet links. The students can upload assignments, and get feedback from the instructor.
EVALUATION: Both programs and student learning must be assessed in an ongoing fashion, to ensure the best possible education in science. Both summative and formative assessments should be used to guide continuous improvement of instruction.
The virtual school allows for instant feedback from the teacher during an online discussion. The students have opportunities to upload computer assignments to the teacher, and have the teacher grade them. The teacher conducts oral quizzes over the phone to insure academic integrity. The teacher uses the information gathered from the students to improve science instruction.
In my opinion, the virtual school meets all of the criteria set forth by the NSTA, and has done so in an exemplary fashion. What I would like to see improvement in for the future is the development of more home and online laboratory experiences, making certain that the science is taught in a hands-on and minds-on way.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Positive Attributes of Virtual Science Laboratories
Virtual science labs are popping up everywhere online. It appears that there are several types of labs. There are interactive sites for elementary and middle school science. A few of these were documented in my earlier blog (see Virtual Science Labs, Friday 3/21/08). In some of these sites, students can move objects around with their mouse, collect and analyze data, and draw conclusions (such as the Weight and Mass lab from explorelearning.com). The virtual school I am working with has several of these laboratories.
For example, in the sixth grade science course, students learn about density in a virtual lab. The student has a virtual object of a given shape. The student picks up the object with the mouse and places it on a virtual scale. This gives the student the mass of the object. The student then puts the object in a virtual graduated cylinder filled part way with virtual water. The student finds the volume based on the displacement of water. The student is to calculate density by dividing mass by volume. Next, the student is asked to predict if the object will sink or float in a pail of water. The student will look at density to aid in the prediction (density < 1 =" float;"> 1 = sink). Finally, the student will put the virtual object in a virtual pail of water to test the prediction. Throughout the process, there are also questions the student can answer to receive a self-check, and instant feedback.
Wouldn’t it be better to do this lab with real objects, scales, and graduated cylinders? There are many opinions on this matter. In the article “The Virtual Lab Experiment”, Dan Carnevale discusses the positive attributes of virtual labs. His article is written from the college perspective, but I believe the arguments hold true for high school and middle school science. Here is a summary of some of the positive attributes of virtual labs:
1. Students can conduct experiments from the safety of their homes
2. Dangerous chemicals are not used
3. The student has some flexibility to experiment on their own rather than follow strict and rigid rules
4. Students have time to experiment freely
5. Students can experiment with any combination of items without danger to themselves
6. Real lab supplies and equipment are costly
7. Some schools do not have budget for costly items
8. Virtual labs may be adequate for students who need a science course but are not planning on studying science in college
9. Students may be given more variables in a virtual lab than in a real lab
Article from the January 31, 2003 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education Information Technology (http://chronicle.com/free/v49/i21/21a03001.htm).
Another angle on the virtual lab is to combine a virtual experiment with an experiment conducted at home using inexpensive, store-bought materials. The same sixth grade science course offers labs such as these as well. For example, in a laboratory on mitosis, a student works with a parent or guardian and cuts an onion, stains it, and looks at it up close with a magnifying glass. The student should at least see little dots on the onion, which would be the nuclei of the cells. The student then goes online and gets feedback photos of onions, onion cells, nuclei, and cells undergoing mitosis. There are written comments and picture downloads the student can get from their instructors. The student answers questions online about the onion, phases of mitosis, and other similar information. The teacher in turn provides feedback to the student.
Just a note about these online labs at the middle school level: The virtual school requires that all physical labs are supervised by an adult. Prior to performing a lab, the parent must sign and fax in a lab safety and adult consent form.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Virtual Science Labs
How would students complete science laboratories in a virtual school? The students that attend the virtual school I am studying complete their labs in the way I described earlier in this blog (see How the Science Class Works, Friday 3/14/08). Middle School students do labs at home with their own supplies, under parental supervision. High School students get their lab supplies sent from the school. These labs are all actual labs using real equipment and supplies. What kinds of labs are available that are virtual?
I went online to find some services available to teachers and schools that offer online laboratories. The first website I found was called ExploreLearning, which offers interactive math and science simulations. They offer online science activities for grades 3-5 and 6-8. The link is http://www.explorelearning.com/
For grades 3-5, ExploreLearning offers lessons called "Gizmos" in the areas of Radiation, Weight and Mass, Summer and Winter, Germination, and Ants on a Slant (Inclined Plane). I decided to investigate the Weight and Mass unit. See http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?methold=cResource,dspDetail&ResourceID=653
This website gives more of the details of the activities. Students use a balance to measure mass and a spring scale to measure the weight of objects. The program converts the masses and weights on Earth to the same on Mars, Jupiter, and the Moon, for comparison. The website lists the learning objectives, the vocabulary, and the National Science Education Standards covered by the unit.
Another website I looked at was called the Schlumberger Science Lab, offering experiments and projects to do at home or in the classroom. Some of the virtual experiments offered are: Design Your Own Universe, Galileo Drops the Ball, Friction Explorer, Viscosity Explorer, Doppler Train, Earthquake Epicenters, and Geologic History of the Earth. The website also offers more science lab projects about air and space, earth science, electricity and magnetism, and properties of liquids. The link is http://www.seed.slb.com/en/scictr/lab/index_virtual.htm. It looks like these labs would be suitable for middle school and possibly high school students.
The University of Virginia hosts a virtual lab that appears to offer high-end laboratories for college students. The link is http://virlab.virginia.edu/VL/home.htm
When I navigated through some of this website, I found interesting demos and graphics of DNA, scanning tunneling microscopes, nanotubes, and buckyballs, but did not find a way to enter the actual virtual lab. I will keep investigating this website.
Finally, back to the issue of AP labs and College Board approval. From what I can tell, the College Board has adopted lab criteria to determine if lab experiences in science courses qualify to use the AP designation. The National Research Council published these criteria as goals for laboratory experiences. The criteria are:
1. Understanding the complexity and ambiguity of empirical work
2. Developing scientific reasoning
3. Understanding the nature of science
4. Enhancing a mastery of subject matter
5. Developing practical skills
6. Cultivating interest in science and interest in learning science
7. Developing teamwork abilities
I found these criteria at a website that sells AP labs licenses. The company is called Smart Science, and is can be found at this link: http://www.smartscience.net/SmartScience/SmartScienceAPBioLabs.html
This link is for teaching the AP Biology course, the site also offers labs for chemistry and physics. I am the most familiar with the requirements for AP Bio, as I have taught it in the past. There are 12 required labs that are covered in a year of AP Bio, and these labs may be included on the AP exam. Upon looking at the website, it appears that all 12 of the labs are included. Unfortunately the demo did not give me too much insight into how the laboratory works, nor did the website give pricing for their product.
I have mixed opinions about the feasibility of using virtual labs in science courses. If a student can do the lab physically at home with either home equipment or school-supplied equipment, then the lab would most likely meet the educational goals it was designed for. Would a student be able to achieve the same goals if the lab was done entirely on the internet, and no equipment was touched? I think it would depend on what the goals were. It would be difficult for a student to learn how to replicate difficult lab procedures while watching someone do it online. On the other hand, if the goal was to teach someone how to collect and analyze data, and draw conclusions from that data, I don't see why they couldn't do this in an online setting. What do you think?
I went online to find some services available to teachers and schools that offer online laboratories. The first website I found was called ExploreLearning, which offers interactive math and science simulations. They offer online science activities for grades 3-5 and 6-8. The link is http://www.explorelearning.com/
For grades 3-5, ExploreLearning offers lessons called "Gizmos" in the areas of Radiation, Weight and Mass, Summer and Winter, Germination, and Ants on a Slant (Inclined Plane). I decided to investigate the Weight and Mass unit. See http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?methold=cResource,dspDetail&ResourceID=653
This website gives more of the details of the activities. Students use a balance to measure mass and a spring scale to measure the weight of objects. The program converts the masses and weights on Earth to the same on Mars, Jupiter, and the Moon, for comparison. The website lists the learning objectives, the vocabulary, and the National Science Education Standards covered by the unit.
Another website I looked at was called the Schlumberger Science Lab, offering experiments and projects to do at home or in the classroom. Some of the virtual experiments offered are: Design Your Own Universe, Galileo Drops the Ball, Friction Explorer, Viscosity Explorer, Doppler Train, Earthquake Epicenters, and Geologic History of the Earth. The website also offers more science lab projects about air and space, earth science, electricity and magnetism, and properties of liquids. The link is http://www.seed.slb.com/en/scictr/lab/index_virtual.htm. It looks like these labs would be suitable for middle school and possibly high school students.
The University of Virginia hosts a virtual lab that appears to offer high-end laboratories for college students. The link is http://virlab.virginia.edu/VL/home.htm
When I navigated through some of this website, I found interesting demos and graphics of DNA, scanning tunneling microscopes, nanotubes, and buckyballs, but did not find a way to enter the actual virtual lab. I will keep investigating this website.
Finally, back to the issue of AP labs and College Board approval. From what I can tell, the College Board has adopted lab criteria to determine if lab experiences in science courses qualify to use the AP designation. The National Research Council published these criteria as goals for laboratory experiences. The criteria are:
1. Understanding the complexity and ambiguity of empirical work
2. Developing scientific reasoning
3. Understanding the nature of science
4. Enhancing a mastery of subject matter
5. Developing practical skills
6. Cultivating interest in science and interest in learning science
7. Developing teamwork abilities
I found these criteria at a website that sells AP labs licenses. The company is called Smart Science, and is can be found at this link: http://www.smartscience.net/SmartScience/SmartScienceAPBioLabs.html
This link is for teaching the AP Biology course, the site also offers labs for chemistry and physics. I am the most familiar with the requirements for AP Bio, as I have taught it in the past. There are 12 required labs that are covered in a year of AP Bio, and these labs may be included on the AP exam. Upon looking at the website, it appears that all 12 of the labs are included. Unfortunately the demo did not give me too much insight into how the laboratory works, nor did the website give pricing for their product.
I have mixed opinions about the feasibility of using virtual labs in science courses. If a student can do the lab physically at home with either home equipment or school-supplied equipment, then the lab would most likely meet the educational goals it was designed for. Would a student be able to achieve the same goals if the lab was done entirely on the internet, and no equipment was touched? I think it would depend on what the goals were. It would be difficult for a student to learn how to replicate difficult lab procedures while watching someone do it online. On the other hand, if the goal was to teach someone how to collect and analyze data, and draw conclusions from that data, I don't see why they couldn't do this in an online setting. What do you think?
Thursday, March 20, 2008
The Virtual School and Science Instruction
The virtual school I am working with is in transition this week, so I thought I would visit their website and find out some general information about the school and specific information about their science programs. The school's main mission is to personalize instruction for all enrolled students, allowing them to be in school at the time and place of their choosing, and at the path and pace that best suits their needs. The student has the choice as to how they learn and how they can show what they have learned. The school aims to be flexible, dynamic, and engaging, and prefers to integrate the students' subjects rather than teach everything in an isolated fashion. The students, parents, teachers, and community all share responsibility in each students' education.
This school is an established leader in virtual schooling, and uses what they call the e-learning model. Here are some links for samples of e-learning services (not necessarily used by this particular virtual school):
http://www.aventalearning.com/index.html
http://www.concord.org/courses/cc_e-learning_model.html
The school offers several paths for science studies. In the middle school, there are 3 courses available, each at the standard and advanced level. The courses are Comprehensive Science 1 (for 6th grade), Comprehensive Science 2 (for 7th grade), and Comprehensive Science 3 (for 8th grace). The students have more options available at the high school level. They can take Biology 1, Chemistry 1, Earth and Space Science, Physics, Marine Science, and Advanced Placement Biology. The school makes a point that their science curriculum is on a redevelopment cycle to respond to state standard changes, and College Board criteria for AP courses (see NY Times article referenced earlier in this blog-http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/20/education/20online.html?_r=2&ref=science&oref=slogin&oref=slogin). In 2006, the College Board, who oversees all Advanced Placement courses, stated that "Online science courses can only be labeled 'A.P.' if the online provider" can ensure "that students have a guided, hands-on (not virtual) laboratory experience." Later that year, after an outcry by online schools, the board issued an apology, stating that there may be new developments in online learning, possibly meriting endorsements. It looks like this issue is still under debate.
The virtual school also offers a unique opportunity for their science students...a science fair. The school states that they are dedicated to promoting a real life scientific atmosphere in a virtual world, so it offers students the chance to achieve higher learning through competitive science projects. They had 5 categories for science projects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics & Engineering, Earth Sciences, and Health. 19 students participated in this year's fair. Each student wrote up their entire project, from title, hypothesis, research question, materials, procedure, results, data, conclusion, applications, etc. in a slide format. I was able to look at each students' slide show and was impressed by several of the projects. I felt that the student work was similar in quality and caliber to "live" projects I have viewed at school and county science fairs. I would like to get more information on how the projects were mentored by teachers as well as outside scientists, and how the projects were judged.
As teaching science in a virtual world is still a new notion for me, I have not obtained enough data and information to form an opinion on its' effectiveness yet. I see many pros and cons, and will be discussing these in my next few posts. Please feel free to add any comments, links, questions, or general information to my blog.
This school is an established leader in virtual schooling, and uses what they call the e-learning model. Here are some links for samples of e-learning services (not necessarily used by this particular virtual school):
http://www.aventalearning.com/index.html
http://www.concord.org/courses/cc_e-learning_model.html
The school offers several paths for science studies. In the middle school, there are 3 courses available, each at the standard and advanced level. The courses are Comprehensive Science 1 (for 6th grade), Comprehensive Science 2 (for 7th grade), and Comprehensive Science 3 (for 8th grace). The students have more options available at the high school level. They can take Biology 1, Chemistry 1, Earth and Space Science, Physics, Marine Science, and Advanced Placement Biology. The school makes a point that their science curriculum is on a redevelopment cycle to respond to state standard changes, and College Board criteria for AP courses (see NY Times article referenced earlier in this blog-http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/20/education/20online.html?_r=2&ref=science&oref=slogin&oref=slogin). In 2006, the College Board, who oversees all Advanced Placement courses, stated that "Online science courses can only be labeled 'A.P.' if the online provider" can ensure "that students have a guided, hands-on (not virtual) laboratory experience." Later that year, after an outcry by online schools, the board issued an apology, stating that there may be new developments in online learning, possibly meriting endorsements. It looks like this issue is still under debate.
The virtual school also offers a unique opportunity for their science students...a science fair. The school states that they are dedicated to promoting a real life scientific atmosphere in a virtual world, so it offers students the chance to achieve higher learning through competitive science projects. They had 5 categories for science projects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics & Engineering, Earth Sciences, and Health. 19 students participated in this year's fair. Each student wrote up their entire project, from title, hypothesis, research question, materials, procedure, results, data, conclusion, applications, etc. in a slide format. I was able to look at each students' slide show and was impressed by several of the projects. I felt that the student work was similar in quality and caliber to "live" projects I have viewed at school and county science fairs. I would like to get more information on how the projects were mentored by teachers as well as outside scientists, and how the projects were judged.
As teaching science in a virtual world is still a new notion for me, I have not obtained enough data and information to form an opinion on its' effectiveness yet. I see many pros and cons, and will be discussing these in my next few posts. Please feel free to add any comments, links, questions, or general information to my blog.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Virtual Recess
What an interesting experience I had on Friday. I was able to participate in a sixth grade "virtual recess" with my science teacher host and several sixth graders. How can kids have recess in the virtual world? My host teacher and I logged into her Elluminate! virtual office beforehand, and we discussed what the students would do. She had several games form them to play together online, under her supervision. The games were: Hangman, Concentration, Tic Tac Toe, Connect the Dots, and Build a Picture.
There were several reasons for conducting a virtual recess. The teacher felt the students would come to the recess sessions to learn, and to become more familiar and less scared of the Elluminate! program. She also wanted them to have a chance to interact with each other. She is able to control who could use the whiteboard feature, and when they could use it. They were also able to IM each other as the recess continued. If the students wanted to use the microphone feature, they had to ask the teacher to turn it on. In this way, she was able to keep the recess orderly and under control.
As the six students logged in, she welcomed each by name, and introduced them to me, a visiting graduate student. She reminded the students how to use the tools, such as the select button, erase, pen, highlighter, text, shape, and draw line buttons. The first game was Hangman, with Albert Einstein ready to take on the noose. Her theme was March Madness, and covered the words with green tiles. (For the first time, I realized that the game "Wheel of Fortune" was loosely based on the kid's game Hangman!) She invited each student by name to guess a letter. When someone had a guess for the full answer, they could IM it to her. They played another round with Scooby Doo.
The second game was Concentration, with the theme being Great Women in History. Students were invited to select two tiles each and search for matches. The teacher kept score, and announced the winner after all of the matches were found. The third game was Tic Tac Toe. She paired the six students up by twos, assigned one as X and one as O, and had the X's go first. All six students could see what was going on in each game. They switched places, and played a 2nd round. There was one winner and five cat's games.
The next game was Connect the Dots. This went rather slow, as each student connected 2 dots, looked for squares, and initialed the completed squares. After about 10 minutes, she called the game, counted the squares, and declared the winner. The students were then told that Recess was over (she had to grade papers). They did not get to do Build a Picture. The entire Recess session took about an hour to complete. After the students logged out, we had a chance to talk. She told me about the control features and rationale behind the virtual recess (which I outlined earlier in this post). It was a interesting experience for me, and the students as well.
Here are some of my observations. First, the students loved playing with each other online with the virtual recess. I would say that sixth grade is the perfect age for such an activity. Knowing they were playing with real people was exciting for the students. They seemed excited to know a visitor (me) was observing as well. They liked IM-ing each other, and used the standard abbreviations (LOL, etc.). They also liked using the pen tool, as I observed during Tic Tac Toe and Connect the Dots (they refrained from scribbling too much). The games went a little slow, but the students seemed to stay engaged. The teacher had a good feel for when the students became bored with a game, and moved on to the next game in a timely fashion. Overall, the virtual recess seemed to be a pleasant experience for the students.
I would recommend that the virtual school look for some other educational interactive online games the students could play during virtual recess. I found a few websites that offer such games:
http://www.funbrain.com/
http://funschool.kaboose.com/
http://www.lethsd.ab.ca/mmh/games/top100.htm
http://homeschooling.about.com/od/games/Games_Online_Educational_Games.htm
http://www.primarygames.com/
http://www.gamequarium.com/
http://www.theproblemsite.com/games.asp
http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/
Please feel free to add other links as well.
There were several reasons for conducting a virtual recess. The teacher felt the students would come to the recess sessions to learn, and to become more familiar and less scared of the Elluminate! program. She also wanted them to have a chance to interact with each other. She is able to control who could use the whiteboard feature, and when they could use it. They were also able to IM each other as the recess continued. If the students wanted to use the microphone feature, they had to ask the teacher to turn it on. In this way, she was able to keep the recess orderly and under control.
As the six students logged in, she welcomed each by name, and introduced them to me, a visiting graduate student. She reminded the students how to use the tools, such as the select button, erase, pen, highlighter, text, shape, and draw line buttons. The first game was Hangman, with Albert Einstein ready to take on the noose. Her theme was March Madness, and covered the words with green tiles. (For the first time, I realized that the game "Wheel of Fortune" was loosely based on the kid's game Hangman!) She invited each student by name to guess a letter. When someone had a guess for the full answer, they could IM it to her. They played another round with Scooby Doo.
The second game was Concentration, with the theme being Great Women in History. Students were invited to select two tiles each and search for matches. The teacher kept score, and announced the winner after all of the matches were found. The third game was Tic Tac Toe. She paired the six students up by twos, assigned one as X and one as O, and had the X's go first. All six students could see what was going on in each game. They switched places, and played a 2nd round. There was one winner and five cat's games.
The next game was Connect the Dots. This went rather slow, as each student connected 2 dots, looked for squares, and initialed the completed squares. After about 10 minutes, she called the game, counted the squares, and declared the winner. The students were then told that Recess was over (she had to grade papers). They did not get to do Build a Picture. The entire Recess session took about an hour to complete. After the students logged out, we had a chance to talk. She told me about the control features and rationale behind the virtual recess (which I outlined earlier in this post). It was a interesting experience for me, and the students as well.
Here are some of my observations. First, the students loved playing with each other online with the virtual recess. I would say that sixth grade is the perfect age for such an activity. Knowing they were playing with real people was exciting for the students. They seemed excited to know a visitor (me) was observing as well. They liked IM-ing each other, and used the standard abbreviations (LOL, etc.). They also liked using the pen tool, as I observed during Tic Tac Toe and Connect the Dots (they refrained from scribbling too much). The games went a little slow, but the students seemed to stay engaged. The teacher had a good feel for when the students became bored with a game, and moved on to the next game in a timely fashion. Overall, the virtual recess seemed to be a pleasant experience for the students.
I would recommend that the virtual school look for some other educational interactive online games the students could play during virtual recess. I found a few websites that offer such games:
http://www.funbrain.com/
http://funschool.kaboose.com/
http://www.lethsd.ab.ca/mmh/games/top100.htm
http://homeschooling.about.com/od/games/Games_Online_Educational_Games.htm
http://www.primarygames.com/
http://www.gamequarium.com/
http://www.theproblemsite.com/games.asp
http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/
Please feel free to add other links as well.
Friday, March 14, 2008
How the Science Class Works
There are many features available on the science teacher's virtual office. The first thing I noticed on the web site was an area called "course information". It included the following items: Teacher Contact; Education Orientation; Teaching; Getting Started; Pace; Contact-Drop Policy; Standards; Materials List; Student Resources; Integrity; Calendar; Modify Contact; Task Sheet; Surveys; New Surveys. My host teacher explained each of these features to me.
The science course is divided into modules similar to a textbook. There is an agenda for the student that includes an assignment sheet, points for each assignment, and time to complete each assignment. There is a course navigation section that includes the "extreme agenda", which provides the student with the background information in science on that module; there is an upload section that includes content, resources, and assignments. If a student is in an advanced course, there are additional assignments to complete.
Teachers have several ways to supply feedback to students. They can make phone calls, emails, and IM their students for discussions. The student and teacher participate in Elluminate! sessions, whiteboard sessions, and chat groups. When a student submits an assignment, the teacher tries to have it graded and returned within 48 hours (my teacher reported she had 54 assignments to grade at the present time!) The teacher makes monthly calls to the parents, and can submit progress reports. Each student is asked to complete two oral exams each semester that covers the content of the completed modules.
Some comments about the science course. The state has recently updated the science standards, so my host teacher is participating in the realignment process. She is also involved in several new course developments along with a team of teachers.
Do the students and teachers ever get to meet each other? The teacher said that occasionally Barnes and Noble book stores host an open house for virtual school students that live in an area of the state. They also may participate in group field trips to science-related attractions, museums, or centers. These activities are often difficult to coordinate.
I wondered how a student would complete a science lab with an online course. The middle school science students complete labs at home. Each student has to fax in a completed lab contract to the teacher stating the student and parents agree to adhere to lab rules. The student and parents have to supply their own materials. At the high school level, the school will mail the materials to the student for more complicated labs, such as a chemistry lab. The student has to reserve and request the materials. The school will mail the materials to the student's home. The student will complete the lab, submit the lab report to the teacher, and mail the materials back to the school.
These labs are done physically by students. I wonder how a virtual science laboratory would work? The New York Times ran an article posing this very question (please see http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/20/education/20online.html?_r=1&ref=science&oref=slogin). I have used virtual dissections on a computer CD of invertebrates, frogs, and pigs in my own classroom. My students love the simulation. I couple the virtual dissection with the dissection of a real specimen. Over the next several weeks, this is one of the areas of the virtual school I plan on investigating. Can a virtual laboratory really replace the classroom laboratory? How would you navigate AP labs? I asked my host science teacher this question, and she is going to ask the virtual school AP science teachers, and get back with me on it. Look for future blog posts from me on this interesting topic.
The science course is divided into modules similar to a textbook. There is an agenda for the student that includes an assignment sheet, points for each assignment, and time to complete each assignment. There is a course navigation section that includes the "extreme agenda", which provides the student with the background information in science on that module; there is an upload section that includes content, resources, and assignments. If a student is in an advanced course, there are additional assignments to complete.
Teachers have several ways to supply feedback to students. They can make phone calls, emails, and IM their students for discussions. The student and teacher participate in Elluminate! sessions, whiteboard sessions, and chat groups. When a student submits an assignment, the teacher tries to have it graded and returned within 48 hours (my teacher reported she had 54 assignments to grade at the present time!) The teacher makes monthly calls to the parents, and can submit progress reports. Each student is asked to complete two oral exams each semester that covers the content of the completed modules.
Some comments about the science course. The state has recently updated the science standards, so my host teacher is participating in the realignment process. She is also involved in several new course developments along with a team of teachers.
Do the students and teachers ever get to meet each other? The teacher said that occasionally Barnes and Noble book stores host an open house for virtual school students that live in an area of the state. They also may participate in group field trips to science-related attractions, museums, or centers. These activities are often difficult to coordinate.
I wondered how a student would complete a science lab with an online course. The middle school science students complete labs at home. Each student has to fax in a completed lab contract to the teacher stating the student and parents agree to adhere to lab rules. The student and parents have to supply their own materials. At the high school level, the school will mail the materials to the student for more complicated labs, such as a chemistry lab. The student has to reserve and request the materials. The school will mail the materials to the student's home. The student will complete the lab, submit the lab report to the teacher, and mail the materials back to the school.
These labs are done physically by students. I wonder how a virtual science laboratory would work? The New York Times ran an article posing this very question (please see http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/20/education/20online.html?_r=1&ref=science&oref=slogin). I have used virtual dissections on a computer CD of invertebrates, frogs, and pigs in my own classroom. My students love the simulation. I couple the virtual dissection with the dissection of a real specimen. Over the next several weeks, this is one of the areas of the virtual school I plan on investigating. Can a virtual laboratory really replace the classroom laboratory? How would you navigate AP labs? I asked my host science teacher this question, and she is going to ask the virtual school AP science teachers, and get back with me on it. Look for future blog posts from me on this interesting topic.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
The Virtual Office & Laws Regarding Online Learning
I was able to meet with the sixth grade science teacher online in her virtual office and discuss some specifics regarding her virtual school. I was interested in how the curriculum was designed and in the demographics of the school.
The curriculum was designed by an outside company. This company utilized the services of curriculum resource persons, teaching teams, subject specialists, and web designers to create and publish online the school curriculum. All courses, lessons, and assessments were designed by this group. The curriculum is aligned to the state standards. The school also has a global services division who has franchised and marketed their curriculum to other states.
Each teacher has a goal of completing 130 credits in a school year. One student who completes two semesters of sixth grade science would account for one credit. The science teacher said she began with about 200 students for the 07-08 school year. The school stagger-started the students. Many students began their work in May of 07; more entered in October and November. The pacing for the course varies from student to student, but most students try to complete a course according to the traditional pace of 32 weeks for a year course (16 weeks per semester). An accelerated pace would complete the course in 16 weeks. Students are allowed 2 weeks of vacation time per semester. Some students are allowed extended time to complete a course. These students require special permission from the school. The pacing would be designed collectively by school counsellors, teachers, parents, and students, and work off a individualized pace chart.
While the science teacher began the school year with about 200 students, a percentage of students have dropped the course for various reasons. Once a student begins a course, they have a 28 day grace period to drop the course. If a student wishes to drop a course after the 28 days, they would receive a Complete Fail if they have completed over 50% of the coursework, and a Withdraw Fail if they have completed less than 50% of the course. Reasons for dropping a course vary from student to student, but may include moving out of state, enrollment in a public or private school, illness, personal reasons, etc.
Many of the virtual school students are home-schooled, who require online support from qualified teachers as they complete the work required of a middle school and high school curriculum. Some students are completing their MS/HS coursework online because of other circumstances, such as travel, participation in competitive sports, illness, or other personal reasons. Some students have dropped out or been expelled from traditional schools, but desire to graduate from a high school. Whatever the reason, the virtual school provides excellent opportunity for any and every student to be successful at the MS/HS level, provided the student is willing to do the work.
I visted the North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL) at www.nacol.org to investigate other virtual schools. Click on a state to find out about the virtual schools in each state. I went to Georgia, and found some interesting information. Georgia currently has no state laws on the books regarding virtual schools. The state lists 5 virtual schools. Three are private schools, one is affiliated with a university; two are public schools.
Today I read about a ruling in California from late February that basically banned all forms of homeschooling in the state. This includes homeschooling that is coordinated through a public school district, homeschooling that is combined with online schooling, or homeschooling that is administered in a way that does not include full-time face-to-face instruction from a certified teacher. This ruling potentially may have an impact on virtual schools, and should be watched closely. Find the information at the following links:
http://www.thejournal.com/articles/22205
http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/documents/B192878.PDF
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/07/MNJDVF0F1.DTL
The Governor of California and homeschooling advocates are challenging this ruling.
The curriculum was designed by an outside company. This company utilized the services of curriculum resource persons, teaching teams, subject specialists, and web designers to create and publish online the school curriculum. All courses, lessons, and assessments were designed by this group. The curriculum is aligned to the state standards. The school also has a global services division who has franchised and marketed their curriculum to other states.
Each teacher has a goal of completing 130 credits in a school year. One student who completes two semesters of sixth grade science would account for one credit. The science teacher said she began with about 200 students for the 07-08 school year. The school stagger-started the students. Many students began their work in May of 07; more entered in October and November. The pacing for the course varies from student to student, but most students try to complete a course according to the traditional pace of 32 weeks for a year course (16 weeks per semester). An accelerated pace would complete the course in 16 weeks. Students are allowed 2 weeks of vacation time per semester. Some students are allowed extended time to complete a course. These students require special permission from the school. The pacing would be designed collectively by school counsellors, teachers, parents, and students, and work off a individualized pace chart.
While the science teacher began the school year with about 200 students, a percentage of students have dropped the course for various reasons. Once a student begins a course, they have a 28 day grace period to drop the course. If a student wishes to drop a course after the 28 days, they would receive a Complete Fail if they have completed over 50% of the coursework, and a Withdraw Fail if they have completed less than 50% of the course. Reasons for dropping a course vary from student to student, but may include moving out of state, enrollment in a public or private school, illness, personal reasons, etc.
Many of the virtual school students are home-schooled, who require online support from qualified teachers as they complete the work required of a middle school and high school curriculum. Some students are completing their MS/HS coursework online because of other circumstances, such as travel, participation in competitive sports, illness, or other personal reasons. Some students have dropped out or been expelled from traditional schools, but desire to graduate from a high school. Whatever the reason, the virtual school provides excellent opportunity for any and every student to be successful at the MS/HS level, provided the student is willing to do the work.
I visted the North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL) at www.nacol.org to investigate other virtual schools. Click on a state to find out about the virtual schools in each state. I went to Georgia, and found some interesting information. Georgia currently has no state laws on the books regarding virtual schools. The state lists 5 virtual schools. Three are private schools, one is affiliated with a university; two are public schools.
Today I read about a ruling in California from late February that basically banned all forms of homeschooling in the state. This includes homeschooling that is coordinated through a public school district, homeschooling that is combined with online schooling, or homeschooling that is administered in a way that does not include full-time face-to-face instruction from a certified teacher. This ruling potentially may have an impact on virtual schools, and should be watched closely. Find the information at the following links:
http://www.thejournal.com/articles/22205
http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/documents/B192878.PDF
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/07/MNJDVF0F1.DTL
The Governor of California and homeschooling advocates are challenging this ruling.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
A Virtual School
I have the chance to participate in the Virtual School Observations for an education graduate class along with seven of my classmates. This course is taught by one of the university professors and is an online course. Our task will be to observe a virtual school for the next six weeks, and blog about what we see and learn, as well as write a scholarly paper about our experiences.
Last night, we had our kick-off session on hosted on Elluminate! We learned about a virtual school from the director of the school. We also heard from some of the associates and teachers of the school, and our professors from our university. Also in attendance were five undergraduate students from the university.
Many issues regarding the virtual school were discussed. First were the underlying principles and beliefs of the school. The school believes that the student is the driving force behind every decision made by the school. Student confidentiality was discussed; after we receive clearance by school, we will be given access to student information.
Last year, the virtual school had over 700,000 students state-wide. The school is in its tenth year, and serves the sixth through twelfth grades. It is a public institution. The school has about 425 full-time instructors, and over 100 adjunct teachers.
Each student from our class was introduced to one of the virtual school's teachers to serve as our host. I will be working with Ms. Science, a sixth grade science teacher. I teach sixth grade science, as well as third, fourth, and fifth grade science.
Each time I post in the blog, I will add more information I have gathered from the virtual school, from the research on virtual schools, and questions to consider.
Last night, we had our kick-off session on hosted on Elluminate! We learned about a virtual school from the director of the school. We also heard from some of the associates and teachers of the school, and our professors from our university. Also in attendance were five undergraduate students from the university.
Many issues regarding the virtual school were discussed. First were the underlying principles and beliefs of the school. The school believes that the student is the driving force behind every decision made by the school. Student confidentiality was discussed; after we receive clearance by school, we will be given access to student information.
Last year, the virtual school had over 700,000 students state-wide. The school is in its tenth year, and serves the sixth through twelfth grades. It is a public institution. The school has about 425 full-time instructors, and over 100 adjunct teachers.
Each student from our class was introduced to one of the virtual school's teachers to serve as our host. I will be working with Ms. Science, a sixth grade science teacher. I teach sixth grade science, as well as third, fourth, and fifth grade science.
Each time I post in the blog, I will add more information I have gathered from the virtual school, from the research on virtual schools, and questions to consider.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
