Tool #9: Incorporating Classroom-Based Devices as Tools for Learning

Tool #9: Incorporating Classroom-Based Devices as Tools for Learning

1. Technology enhances the learning process by allowing the student to access a variety of resources outside of the classroom and is also a tool to engage the learner in the daily objective. 
2. We need to hold students accountable  to ensure that the students are on task and accomplishing the objective.  Technology, when not used properly, may distract the students from achieving the objective.  The students need to produce evidence of accomplishing the objective through completion of worksheets, presentations, short descriptions, exit tickets, etc. 
3. Two websites that I found to be useful are:  "Natural Selection Game" – students evaluate animals’ adaptations in response to environmental changes.  The goal is to get your population to live a million years.  Students evaluate animals’ adaptations in response to environmental changes.  The goal is to get your population to live a million years. http://science.discovery.com/interactives/literacy/darwin/darwin.html This activity leads into the natural selection activity “Tiger Stripes”, where students create fictional animals with adaptations suited to their environments, followed by an environmental change.  Another website is "Interactive body" http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/interactives/3djigsaw_02/index.shtml?skeleton Each group will review systems of the body using this website, followed by a quiz.VirtualCell Animations 
4. The Virtual Cell Animations app includes an animation, still images, narrative, and content quiz. Students can view animations and complete the quizzes for accountability.
   TED.com Students can view talks at home and comment and discuss in a blog format or during class the next day. Ex. James Watson (discovered DNA)
   Labtimer - fun way to keep track of time during experiments
5. The IPads can also be used as timers and for videoing experiments. The camera on an iphone can be held up to a microscope eyepiece and video may be taken that way also. I haven't tried it yet with the IPad.