Five ways teaching science with probeware promotes 3D learning

This blog post originally appeared on Vernier's blog and is republished with permission.

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Are you looking for effective ways to integrate? three dimensional learning in your science classroom? Our most recent technical report, Exploring the Data: A Comprehensive Review of Research on Probeware and Three-Dimensional Teachingexplores the latest research highlighting how sample products supports active, student-driven learning.

Probeware can play a critical role in creating opportunities for students to make sense of phenomena in the ways intended by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and standards aligned with A Framework for Science Education from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Here are five ways testing software like Vernier sensors support the 3D learning framework.

1. Encourage active learning through research

Probeware provides a hands-on, interactive way for students to interact with scientific concepts. By using these tools, students can actively conduct research, collect data, and observe results, making abstract concepts more concrete and understandable.

The impact of probeware on student motivation and interest, particularly in scientific subjects that are often perceived as “Difficult, boring and abstract.“,” is significant. One study showed that high school students' interest and motivation in physics increased significantly with the introduction of testing software in physics classes, and similar trends have been reported in vocational schools as well as primary and secondary classes.

2. Facilitate real-time data collection

Probeware allows for real-time data collection, and the immediacy helps students make direct connections between the phenomena they observe and the data they collect. When students see data in real time and can manipulate variables and observe the results, it demystifies the topic and improves their understanding.

Many educators Those who use Vernier testing software in their classroom have noticed deeper engagement and understanding when students view an event and collect data simultaneously compared to just reading a table of measurements in a textbook.

3. Improve understanding through visualization

Support software, such as Vernier graph analysis^®, includes visualization tools that help students analyze and interpret data. Graphs, charts, and other visual representations of data can make complex concepts more accessible and easier to understand.

In the research, probeware was used along with software applications that graph and analyze data. Have been found to effectively improve students' ability to create and understand graphs.

With the ability to make accurate and precise measurements, students can explore phenomena that would not otherwise be easily observable in the classroom. Probeware allows students to study processes that occur too quickly to be observed with the naked eye, too slow to be observed during a single class period, or processes that occur in remote geographic areas, such as using data collection and analysis. to model. basin activity.

In another studyResearchers examined the impact of using mobile devices to collect data with fourth grade students learning about flower parts and the process of pollination and fertilization in the field, a topic many students traditionally struggle with according to existing literature. Findings revealed that using mobile devices to collect data outdoors improved students' conceptual understanding more than using traditional means of data collection, such as note-taking and drawing. Incorporating probeware not only improves conceptual understanding, but fosters a sense of curiosity and encourages deeper exploration of scientific phenomena.

5. Support the development of scientific skills

Using probeware helps students develop important scientific skills, such as hypothesis testing, data analysis, and critical thinking. It provides students with rich opportunities for computational thinking in constructing explanations of observed phenomena.

For example, using the Inspection Curriculum and another Internet of Things (IOT) Sensor Systems, students can investigate real-world problems through contextualized investigations. Using CO data₂ and light sensors in their classroom, students hypothesize why CO₂ Levels rise in your classroom to potentially unhealthy levels. They explore factors such as the number of students and staff present during readings and discrepancies in light levels in different classrooms. This process leads students to question and explain the phenomena they observe using systems models and computational thinking.

This type of research aligns well with the Structure's emphasis on process skills and understanding of the nature of scientific research. Probeware supports these skills by adding precision and promoting students' investigation of natural phenomena.