Education

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Please Flip Switch for Help

January 27, 2013 in Education, Technology | No comments

While traveling over the holiday break, we stopped at a new gas station that had a peculiar feature in the bathroom.

Most public restrooms have a sign that says “Please notify employee if this bathroom needs servicing.” Of course, that isn’t always convenient, and is sometimes embarrassing. This discreet switch can eliminate all of that.

Imagine if we could duplicate this concept in the classroom. Consider that many kids don’t ask for help because they are afraid of peer judgement – so remove this barrier and students could summon their teacher without ever raising a hand. We don’t even need to install elaborate wiring in the classroom, as students could easily use their smartphones, tablets or laptops to accomplish this.

Go ahead – play with it.

September 16, 2012 in Education, Technology | No comments

While in school one day, I caught my son playing with a document camera. I was amazed by his adventurous curiosity; he had no fear playing with the ELMO – trying to figure out what it can do and how it works.

To me, there is no better professional development in learning new technology than to simply get your hands on it and see how it works.

That’s my advice as a technology integrator - go ahead and play with it. Figure it out. See what it can do.

After that, we’ll see what else we can do with it and how it can transform your teaching.

Tags: For the Classroom, Professional Development, Technology

Where are the Apple Projectors with AirPlay?

February 17, 2012 in Education, Technology | No comments

I’ve been playing around with mirroring content on my iPad2 to my classroom LCD projector (with an Apple TV connected).

But now I’m becoming greedy. I also want my MacBook Air to mirror its desktop content as well. Why didn’t Apple support AirPlay for Mac OS X when it was released last summer? That would simply be too convenient to connect a computer to a projector, eliminating the need for 25+ feet of plenum-rated cables running through our classroom ceilings.

Coming this summer, it looks as if I might get my wish. Mac’s next OS upgrade – OS X Mountain Lion – will feature AirPlay support.

Now that this dream will become a reality, I am still not completely satisfied. Why can’t we get LCD Projectors with AirPlay support?

Tags: airplay, apple, For the Classroom, ipad, lcd, mac, teaching, Technology

Gmail Scribbles for Math and Science

February 13, 2012 in Education, Technology | No comments

When the first iPad debuted on the scene, a math teacher asked me if there was any way that students could easily sketch math problems within an email message or chat. Of course, there are some ways – but they require a few steps to get there.

But in December, Google unveiled Scribbles for Gmail, allowing users to add drawings to their electronic messages. I instantly thought of how Google has provided an easy interface for things that can be sketched more easily than typed – like math and science problems.

Here’s how it works:

In the compose view, users click on the scribble button to open the drawing window:

The drawing is limited to the touchscreen sensitivity of the device, but is quite easy to use. Images are inserted as .png attachments.

At the moment, this feature is only available in Gmail for the mobile web browser and the Gmail app for iOS.

Scribbles is a compelling reason for school districts to allow student access of Gmail or even setup Google Apps for Education. But I am excited to think about the future of Scribbles in other products; imagine a sketch tool built-in to Moodle, Edmodo or other similar educational products.

Build it, and watch the math and science teachers flock to it.

Tags: Communication, e-mail, Google, mobile

iPad2 as Wireless Document Camera

February 1, 2012 in Education, Technology | 6 comments

After using the iPad2 and the Apple TV to mirror iPad content through my LCD projector, I realized that this setup can be used as a wireless document camera by using the built-in camera app on the iPad2.

The Setup:

First of all, I setup a ‘stand’ for the iPad, so that it could project anything underneath it. Being a science teacher, I have access to plenty of lab stands and clamps (I actually wrapped the two metal rods in electrical tape to protect the iPad2 from scratches).

I gently rested the iPad2 on the stand, being careful to center the camera on the lab table below, and secured it with a large rubber-band.

I found that I needed a wide stand so that students could fit their whiteboards underneath without difficulty.

This system is also flexible, as it is wireless. I can carry it back to the lab and showcase individual student work to help direct a laboratory investigation. Taking a picture, I was even able to annotate over a photo by importing it through an app like the Educreactions Interactive Whiteboard app.

Tags: apple, At School, demos, document camera, For the Classroom, Videos

Mirroring iPad2 with LCD Projector

December 3, 2011 in Education, Technology | No comments

Tags: apple, At School, For the Classroom, ipad, Videos

Teaching with Television

November 29, 2011 in Education, Technology | No comments

A recent Phi Delta Kappan article caught my eye about using TV in the classroom: Teaching with television: New evidence supports an old medium, by Deborah L. Linebarger.

In the article, Linebarger cites research affirming that TV can be used effectively in the classroom – especially where it supplements, rather than supplants, good instruction.

There are some obvious benefits in having videos that enhance a lesson. I recently was watching Fabric of the Cosmos – a four-hour series on PBS featuring Brian Greene. The third episode (Quantum Leap) showcases the weirdness of the quantum world. In just 20 engaging minutes, Greene is able to beautifully illustrate concepts that I could never replicate in class (and it’s free online too).

But Linebarger also reveals a reluctancy that teachers might have in using TV:

Those who choose to air video content in the classroom risk being called lazy, if not accussed of educational malpractice.

This brings to mind the movie Bad Teacher, where Cameron Diaz exhausts her supply of “education-like” movies so she doesn’t have to prepare a lesson. While this hyperbole is funny, it speaks to the fear that some educators might have in letting TV do the teaching for them.

So how can teachers use TV (perhaps the term video is more appropriate) effectively to supplement good instruction? Here are some suggestions:

Watch Segments. Many full-length videos are not appropriate for viewing in the standard 50 minute classroom. However, with digital media on DVDs and online, it is easy to watch shorter segments – specifically tailored to your classroom content. Paid services like Safari Montage and Discovery Education Streaming make this even easier, as their videos already are ‘chopped’ up for this purpose.

Use the Remote. When watching longer videos, I think it is important to use the pause button often. Not only does this insert physical breaks for the students, I can take the time to discuss the curricular importance of a scene and use informal assessment techniques to gauge student learning.

Don’t turn down the lights. While it is tempting to turn down the lights while watching content, this is a sure-fire signal for many students to disengage from the lesson. If possible, try to have some lighting on to remind students that watching the video is an active experience.

Stay current. Amassing a collection of videos as permanent features in your curriculum might be enticing, but it can encourage you to stick with outdated and irrelevant content. Take time to preview new content that might replace older content (however, there are times when I specifically use outdated content in science as a way to discuss how science changes).

Above all, make sure to evaluate the purpose of using any video in the classroom. If the video truly enhances learning by supplementing good instruction, then it can be a wonderful educational resource. Linebarger sums it up nicely in her closing remarks:

Television can never replace teachers. But Teachers can use television well, taking advantage of its strengths.

Tags: Discovery Education, For the Classroom, PBS, TV, Videos

Even M&Ms Make Typos

November 18, 2011 in Education | No comments

During an activity to learn how to calculate average atomic mass using M&Ms (similar to this activity), a student group found a mispelled M&M:

M & N

Of course, everyone knew that it WAS an M&M, and that a mistake was made when the candy was made. Nonetheless, I started thinking about when typos matter and when they don’t.

Our district has been implementing a writing initiative, realizing the importance of writing and communication in our students’ futures. Personally, I would have advocated for a “communication initiative” over a writing initiative.

As many educators are seeing “texting” language crop up in assignments, some of the immediate implementations in this initiative have been to make sure that students monitor their writing for spelling errors and common grammatical errors. While these are definitely important components of good writing, are they more important than properly conveying a message in their writing?

Furthermore, if students can use tools to correct their spelling and grammar, then are we wasting valuable classroom time focusing on these skills?

It made me think about a conversation with Dr. Theo Gray about students using Wolfram Alpha (a computational knowledge engine) to solve math and science problems. He mentioned that it is important that students learn the fundamental concepts, but that rote skills become less important if a tool can do them for you.

Should we apply this to spelling and grammar in schools?

Tags: m&ms, texting, typos

How to Make a Fire-Breathing Pumpkin

October 31, 2011 in Education, Science | No comments

For more than a decade, I have made a fire-breathing pumpkin for my chemistry students around Halloween (see footage from 2008). After seeing recent posts about making a Flamethrowing Jack-O’-Lantern, I have decided to share how it’s done. It’s really quite simple, once you have all of the equipment.

Watch the Video:

1. Obtain the Equipment:

pumpkin
candle
carving utensils
rubber tubing/funnel (or turkey baster*)
cork-borer (same size as rubber tubing)
lycopodium powder*

The lycopodium powder is the hardest to obtain (unless you are a science teacher). I ordered mine from Flinn Scientific.

2. Carve the pumpkin and insert the candle

I like carving a large mouth and eyes (remember the flame comes through every hole). I used a bunsen burner to add a little detailing.

3. Bore a hole in the back of the pumpkin

Ideally, this should be a few centimeters above the top of the candle. If it’s too low, then you’ll blow the candle out. Insert the tubing through the hole, and attach the funnel on the end.

4. Add the Lycopodium powder and BLOW!

(*during trick-or-treating tonight, I substituted the hose/funnel for a turkey baster, which worked quite well)

The demo works because Lycopodium powder has a high surface area. When aerosolized, it easily ignites with a flame. This is actually similar to what happens in a grain elevator explosion:

The work there also tends to be dangerous. Farmers take their grain to elevators to be stored, and sometimes processed, before it is marketed or sold. Fine, highly combustible grain particles flow through the buildings as corn and other grain are moved. A spark from equipment or perhaps a cigarette can ignite the dust, sending a pressure wave that detonates the rest of the floating dust in the facility.

Tags: demos, fire, halloween, how-to, pumpkin

I Think My Students Feel More Respected

October 23, 2010 in Education, Technology | No comments

Using Cell Phones in my Classroom

My local newspaper recently interviewed me about cheating and cell phone use in the classroom (read the article). While cheating and scientific integrity are important topics to talk about later, I have been thinking a lot about my new cell phone policy this year.

Overall, I am confident that allowing cell phones in the classroom was the right decision. I encourage students to use their phones appropriately in labs and lessons, and even prompt them to search for answers (they seem to like texting queries to ChaCha most) There is no more hiding (at least much less) their texting shame underneath their desks. While I have had to address using their devices at appropriate times, I haven’t had to confiscate a phone yet.

While the reporter got most of interview correct from what I said, the best quote came from my assistant principal:

We know they’ve got them, so it’s just teaching them to be responsible with them.

And that’s the idea. I trust that my students realize the power of their devices, and that they can make decisions to use them in an appropriate manner.

Most importantly, I think that students feel more respected.

Tags: Appropriate Use, cell phones, Classroom Activities

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