Wicked Problem Project: Part B - Application of TPACK

  A big problem with my Chemistry class is that I do not have the laboratory materials or the safety materials to do hands-on labs. I have tried United Streaming videos and the small videos that acompany the textbooks. They have not grabbed my students attention. Hands-on and visualization has been proven to help with understanding.
   So far with my ipad investigation, I am amazed at the graphics. I have never had a computer that is so clear and so life like. I will be able to have my smaller Chemistry class surround the iPad for viewing. However, I am hoping the images will be just as amazing through the projector.
  The atom and how it bonds is the main feature of chemistry. If the apps on the iPad bring the atom to life, if then the students can draw on the computer or with paper and pencil their understanding of how and why atoms bond, my chemistry teaching is a success. I want them to visualize the atom streaming over to another atom across the periodic table to bond. I want them to understand and visualize why some bonds are stronger than others. Can they draw a carbon atom and make single, double and triple bonds with other atoms? Why does it make those certain bonds with different periodic groups? Why are some bonds stronger than others?
  I have so much more to learn about implementing TPACK into this project through the iPad. I am so excited about sharing these features with you. There are so many Chemistry apps available. Now I must find the ones that bring it altogether.

Group Leadership Project - Brainstorm

After many days of communication going nowhere, Jennifer and I got together Saturday with the blessing of Catie, who lives in Poland. Thank goodness for cell phone texting and regular calls. With Angel going in and out Saturday, I was able to give Jennifer the Adobe Connect URL and we hooked up.

Catie gave us many good ideas. Jennifer and I explored the five suggestions while web conferencing and decided on Toondoo. It is a site that creates cartoons. Jennifer and I had not explored this site and are excited about investigating it. Below is two jing copies of our web conference. There was a third but I accidently erased it.

 C:\Users\Dilly\Pictures\2012-02-12_1600.swf
C:\Users\Dilly\Pictures\2012-02-12_1554.swf

The advantages of the web conference is you get a glimpse of the other members' personalities. It was nice to go through all five suggestions and look at their possibilities. We could discuss which sites would work better for us, which ones were new and exciting. I liked the interaction was immediate and visible.

The disadvantage is that we can't work directly together. It is also hard to get everyone online at the same time. We are trying to meet with Catie and hopefully Scott Wednesday  between 3:00-3:10. This will provide a time, hopefully, the whole group can get together.

PART A - Description of Need or Opportunity

Need

Science is built on concepts and theories. The definition of science, according to dictionary.com is:

1.)  a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and     showing the operation of general laws: the mathematical sciences.

2.)  systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation.

3.)  any of the branches of natural or physical science.

4.)  systematized knowledge in general.

5.)  knowledge, as of facts or principles; knowledge gained by systematic study.

I teach science to alternative high school students in a former elementary building. It is not equipped with lab tables or a securely locked cabinet in a locked room to store many science materials. I have 6 different classes of 45 minute length. It is hard to get materials around for a demonstration, let alone a lab for these students. I have tried using computers in the library but often time there is not enough computers for all or enough time by the time the students truly get to the desired website effectively and efficiently. As a result, students lack experimentation and observation skills needed to comprehend many science concepts.

I have tried videos, text-based virtual labs and youtube demonstrations. However, many of these lack the attention grabbing content of a hands-on lab. I am looking for technology that is more interactive, more realistic.

The Plan

My goal is to use the 3D graphics of the iPad to bring science to life for my students. I spend countless hours explaining the scientific method and how it works. What is a hypothesis, a theory, a conclusion? There are so many realistic apps out there that will allow my students to apply the scientific method and hopefully come up with their own hypotheses. (Apps in Education http://appsineducation.blogspot.com/p/science-ipad-apps.html)  These apps will simulate the hands-on experience they are missing, increase their learning and improve their thinking skills. Interactive learning takes basic book learning beyond the basic memorization and identification. It makes it real.

My chemistry class has not seen many of the elements of the periodic table beyond copper and aluminum. There are many Periodic Table of Element free apps, relatively cheap apps ($0.99 - 2.99) to expensive apps ($14.99) that offer different views of these elements and how they occur, what they look like and how they bond. Experiments that use chemicals that are not practical in our school classroom.

Biology could see cells divide and replicate in 3D. A Biology Glossary app brings biological terms to life. There are DNA and dissection apps to improve students' understanding. Flat diagrams have not impressed my students.

Physics is one I have to research more. I did find a Physics Review app that has reference tables and descriptions and examples of formulas.

I am a firm believer that if the teacher shows excitement toward a subject that that excitement rubs off on the teacher. I am so excited to research iPad use in my science classroom and enhance my students' learning and critical thinking. This will lead to higher scores on tests and ultimately the MEAP tests. Maybe, just maybe, one of my students' future will be in science or engineering.

Resources

Jorgensen, Amy (2011, May) What is the Importance of Using Science Equipment to Teach Science. (from http://ehow.com.info_10023675_importance-using-science-equipment-teach-science/...)

Hu, Winnie (2011, May) Math That Moves: Schools Embrace the iPad. More Schools Embrace the iPad as a Learning Tool - NYTimes.com.

Brown, Alan S. & Brown, Linda LaVine. What Are Science & Math Test Scores Really Telling U.S.?

First Video Bio

Here is my first video bio. http://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/clVwewyKs

Funny Thing Happened with Technology

I renamed the file in netfiles. Here is the URL:

https://netfiles.msu.edu/?path=/afs/msu/user/g/i/gibbshar/web/funnything

A Funny Thing Happened With Technology

Here is my Funny Thing Happened with Technology clip. It is also funny how one day anything you try with technology doesn't work and the next day it works so easily. I have never understood how this happens. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

https://netfiles.msu.edu/?path=/afs/msu/user/g/i/gibbshar/web/Funny%20thing

A Funny Thing Happened with Technology

   This lesson has been challenging for me. I have worked on a desktop and a wireless laptop to finish this Audacity lab. I hope this works.