EDCT 556 Technology, Pedagogy,

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EDCT 556Technology, Pedagogy, Society

• Wk 9
• Tech Innovations, Pt 1
• (Probeware, Wireless, Tablet PC)

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Sample Tech Innovations

• Part I
• Probeware
• PDAs
• Wi-Fi
• Tablets
• Part II
• Learning Objects
• Nanotechnology
• Biotechnology, Biometrics, etc.

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Probeware

• Educational applications of probes, interfaces
  and software used for real-time data acquisition,
  display, and analysis with a computer or
  calculator. AKA Microcomputer Based Labs or MBL.
  When used with a calculator, it is known as
  Calculator Based Labs or CBL.

Probeworks works on Palms and PocketPC handheld
computers as well as MacOS, Windows, and Unix
desktop operating systems. This work all falls
under an umbrella we call CCProbeware
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Probeware

• Provide excellent, highly interactive learning
  experiences that remove much of the drudgery
  often associated with labs, and allow students to
  focus on the underlying science. Students
  immediately see multiple representations of data
  while an experiment is underway. Changes that are
  difficult to understand can be rendered obvious
  when displayed as a graph in real time.
• Measure physical aspects of the world around us
  temperature, light intensity, velocity, air
  pressure, and pH. A transducer is used in the
  device to convert the physical phenomena to an
  electrical current or voltage. The electrical
  signal is then converted to a number by
  electrical circuitry called an analog interface
  and communicated to the computer. The analog
  interface can be a separate piece of equipment in
  between the sensor and the computer or it can be
  built into either the sensor or the computer.

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Probing Outside

• Its important to take outside the fewest
  possible numbers of parts and wires. Any extra
  interfaces or wires are all that more to set up
  on site and tend to get lost.
• A real-time graph is often essential, too, to
  allow students to see their dataset as it is
  collected. Ideally, the probe is part of the
  graphing display device.
• As a practical matter, however, it is probably
  cheaper to have one that simply plugs in and can
  be reused with other computers back in the lab.

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Connection to a Computer

• USB has replaced the old serial interface. Its
  much faster, can be "daisy chained" from one
  device to another, and carries power.
  
• Faster Capture and display sound and the forces
  in collisions, two important areas that are too
  fast for a serial port.
  
• Power Smart probes can be designed that draw off
  power to run their logic. These "smart probes"
  don't need batteries or external power supplies,
  making them ideal for applications requiring
  portability.
• Daisy-chain Many smart probes could be connected
  together and still not use up a single USB port
  on your computer.

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Smart Probes

• A smart sensor can have information about itself
  that it sends to any computer it attaches to
  
• what kind of sensor it I
• how accurate it is
• when it was last calibrated.
• It can also contain its calibration information
  and report its values using physical units like
  degrees, Newtons, or Joules. This would save the
  host computer from converting from the usual "raw
  data" inputs and would also greatly simplify
  classroom management.
• Usually, calibration data are stored on disk and
  are different for each probe. To avoid
  re-calibrating each lab, the sensors need to be
  matched to the computer containing the latest
  calibration data. Not so with a smart probe that
  carries its own calibration.

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DIY Probeware

• Thermocouple is a standard temperature sensor
  consisting of 2 wires of different metals. It
  generates a few tens of microvolts for each
  degree change at the junction between the two
  metals. It can be placed in a flame or used to
  measure very small temperature differences.
  Normally, you would need to amplify the
  thermocouple's voltage before feeding it into a
  computer. Not so with the Probesight interface.
  Just attach the 2 wires to the input and you have
  a probe. The wire costs only pennies, so you can
  afford to make many sensors.
• Sensors for temperature, light, force, pressure,
  voltage, and much more can be made this way. The
  most complex might involve a resistor and the
  sensor. The question is whether teachers and
  students will want to undertake probe
  construction as part of math and science lessons
  that involve sensors. Probesight hopes to make it
  as easy as possible by providing video
  construction tips and building smart software

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Wi-Fi Probeware

• Important development for many reasons. Imagine
  students doing environmental measurements in
  study plot. Each group of students could
  instantly see all the data collected by all
  groups. Trends could be spotted in the field,
  theories formulated, further investigations
  undertaken
• Wi-fi will also bring better educational
  software. Theres now vendor reluctance to
  develop educational software for handhelds. The
  installed base is small and the hardware might
  change

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Wi-Fi Probeware

• But Internet access uses standards. Software
  developed for these standards will run on all
  handhelds as well as regular desktop and portable
  computers. This is a larger market that will not
  vanish with hardware changes!
• There will soon be inexpensive, very low power,
  wireless chips that can communicate with each
  other over short distances. Even if moved, they
  establish a network that can send data from any
  node to any other. The nodes might be wireless
  sensors and the data could be shared directly
  between sensors. The data might be used in the
  field or sent back to the classroom.

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Curriculum Suggestions

• CO2
• monitor respiration output of bugs
• determine the effect of temperature on solubility
  of gas in soda pop
  
• observe respiration of sugars by yeast
• detect level of carbon dioxide in your breath
• study the effect of temperature on respiration
• monitor cell respiration of germinating seeds
• determine the metabolic rate of enzymes
• compare amount of carbon dioxide exhaled before
  and after exercise
  
• study the effect of temperature on crickets
• monitor carbon dioxide intake of plants in a
  closed terrarium

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Curriculum Suggestions

• Conductivity
• rank the conductivity of salt solutions
• discover the amount of diffusion through
  membranes
  
• determine the amount of salts in your local
  watershed studies
  
• map mixing zones in estuaries
• study properties of electrolytic and
  non-electrolytic solutions
  
• determine the effect of concentration on
  conductivity of solutions
  
• find the end point of a reaction between an acid
  and base
  
• test salt content of soups and other edible
  solutions
  
• test salinization of soils from different
  locations and levels
  
• observe the freezing points of varying salt
  solutions

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Curriculum Suggestions

• Dissolved O2
• determine the amount of dissolved oxygen in an
  aquarium
  
• monitor amount of dissolved oxygen in your local
  watershed
  
• study aerobic respiration of yeast
• measure biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
• study the interdependence of aquatic plants and
  animals
  
• study the photosynthetic cycle in a local pond
  throughout a day or season
  
• study how temperature influences amount of
  dissolved oxygen
  
• measure the respiration rate of different aquatic
  organisms
  
• study how riffles and glides influence amount of
  dissolved oxygen in local streams
  
• study the effect of dissolved oxygen on an
  ecosystem when pollutants are added

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Curriculum Suggestions

• Force
• design your own weight scale
• study impulse and momentum during a collision
• add force vectors
• determine coefficients of friction
• study buoyancy
• measure applied forces on a breaking bridge
• study first class levers
• demonstrate Newtons Second and Third Laws
• study the motion of a pendulum
• determine the mechanical advantage of a pulley

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Curriculum Suggestions

• Magnetic Detector
• investigate field strength of permanent magnets
• determine the Earths magnetic field
• study magnetic fields around a current-carrying
  wire
  
• study the relationship between number of wraps to
  magnetic field strength of an electromagnet
  
• map magnetic fields around a magnet
• measure magnetic field at the opening of a
  solenoid
  
• study the forces between paired magnets
• rank the strength of magnets from different
  materials
  
• mapping magnetic strength over distance
• measure low frequency electromagnetic radiation
  near high power wires

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Curriculum Suggestions

• pH
• determine the endpoint of an acid-base titration
  
  
• monitor photosynthetic rate of an aquarium
• create your own pH scale using household items
• monitor acid rain in your area
• test for acid levels in your local watershed
• determine the dissociation constant for an acid
• study the buffering of streams and lakes
• relate light to pH in an aquatic ecosystem
• measure the effect of acids and bases on organic
  substances
  
• determine the concentration of phosphoric acid in
  colas

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Curriculum Suggestions

• Pressure
• study the relationship between pressure and
  volume of gases
  
• find the vapor pressure of liquids
• study the relationship between pressure and
  temperature of gases
  
• determine pressure differences by altitude
• measure transpiration rate of plants under
  different conditions
  
• study cellular respiration in peas
• monitor pressure changes during sugar
  fermentation in yeast
  
• effect of temperature on cold-blooded organisms
  in sealed containers
  
• study weather patterns using barometric pressure
  
  
• measure pressure differentiation between the
  inside and outside your house

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Curriculum Suggestions

• Respiration
• compare human respiration patterns while
  exercising and at rest
  
• determine your lung capacity
• observe effects of hyperventilation and
  hypoventilation
  
• observe the effects of re-breathing air on
  respiratory rate
  
• calculate your respiration rate before and after
  exercise
  
• compare respiration during anaerobic and aerobic
  ex.
  
• study respiration patterns during sleep
• investigate respiration rate at different
  altitudes or environmental conditions (humidity
  and temperature)
  
• observe the effect of constricted airways
  (breathing through small straw) on breathing and
  respiration rate
  
• analyze your muscular efficiency while bicycling

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Curriculum Suggestions

• Sonar Ranges
• observe simple harmonic motion
• study the kinematics on a ramp
• find the acceleration due to gravity
• investigate displacement of objects including
  humans
  
• discover the rebound height of a bouncing ball
• study free fall
• display velocity of moving objects
• study periodic motion
• determine your hang time
• find terminal speed of a balloon

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Curriculum Suggestions

• Sound
• find frequency and pitch of different musical
  instruments
  
• measure the speed of sound in air and other gases
  
  
• determine the relationship between speed of sound
  and temp
  
• find the speed of sound in solids
• study your ability to whistle at different
  octaves
  
• measure the intensity of sounds under different
  environmental conditions and locations
  
• determine the length of time you can vocalize a
  sound at a specific level
  
• investigate typical voice patterns
• detect sounds to identify bugs, birds, and
  creatures while they are chewing
  
• determine shifts in frequency spectrum related to
  wear and tear of machinery

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Curriculum Suggestions

• Temperature
• observe the evaporation of various liquids
• study seasonal heating and cooling in ground and
  air
  
• study endothermic and exothermic reactions
• observe cooling curves of liquids
• study the insulating properties of materials
• study the thermoregulation of the human body
• observe the effect of temperature on solubility
  of salts
  
• find the specific heat of objects
• discover the temperature at which bulbs, peepers,
  and seeds appear in the spring
  
• determine energy content of foods

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Curriculum Suggestions

• Voltmeter
• observe the charging and discharging of a
  capacitor
  
• study Ohms Law
• study the decay of batteries during use
• compare voltage drops in series and parallel
  circuits
  
• construct electric field maps
• measure resistance of different materials
• investigate the voltage falling on a solar cell
  throughout a day
  
• compare the voltage output of a diode at
  different temperatures
  
• study the reactivity of different metals in
  batteries
  
• measure the voltage of a home-made fruit battery

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Curriculum Offering Links

• Mobile Inquiry Technology
• Computer as Learning Partner
• Hands-on Data Acquisition the Science of the
  Bicycle (Department of Physics, Kansas State
  University and Institute for Science Education,
  Christian Albrechts University, Germany)
• Force and Acceleration (Concord Consortium)
• ImagiProbe
• Texas Instruments

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Sample Sensor Activities

• Chemistry Burning Candle
• Biology Determining Your HeartRate
• Physics Making Waves
• Earth Science Greenhouse Effect
• In pairs, investigate one of the activities
  above, summarize, and share across the class.

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JASON Academy (Lab Packs)

• Contains a data logger, light, temperature,
  voltage and a pH probe. May be purchased for
  student activities related to the coursework. 
  Additional optional probes are available,
  including a seismometer, hand-held generator, or
  motion sensor.
• Teachers may use the JASON Lab Pack with their
  students to reinforce the science concepts they
  have learned online.
  
• The packs will ensure that teachers and students
  have experience collecting, graphing and
  analyzing data using computers and probeware.

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Exploratorium is Using Wireless Technology in a
Hands-On Science Exhibit
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Exploratoriums Use of Wireless Technology in a
Hands-On Science Exhibit
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Use of PDAs Pocket PCs

• U Sight

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Tablets