Science Simulations ... what fun!!

Animations and Simulations – Tool 4

I chose to investigate some Science interactive learning objects / simulations for Tool 4.

The first one I explored was the Science Quest app by Jacaranda on iPad

This app contains interactive activities that support the topics covered in the Jacaranda eBook Science Quest.  This textbook is commonly used in Australian schools, as it is in line with the new Australian Curriculum for Science.  The app is free and follows the chapters of the text book, making it very user friendly.  I downloaded the Year 8 and Year 10 Science Quest apps, as these are the classes I will have on EPL 1.  Some of the interactive activities included constructing DNA, timed quizzes on chemical reactions, an online board game on how to care for the environment,  rating the rock formations from oldest to most recent, and a digestive system jigsaw. 

I used a PMI tool to analyse this app:

Plus	Minus	Interesting / Implications
Clear, easy to read instructions for each activity.	Specifically designed to complement Science Quest text book, so may not be easily used if class isn’t using this text.	May engage more students in junior science through the fun, interactive activities.
Free	Requires students to have iPad, iPhone or iPod and access to internet to download app.	When used within a larger learning context, the activities I looked could support a range of remembering, understanding and applying skills (as classified by Blooms Revised Taxonomy).  The activities did not appear to lend themselves to the use of higher order thinking skills such as analyse, evaluate or create.  Other activities would need to be used in the learning context to ensure students could practice and demonstrate these higher order thinking skills.
In line with chapters of the Science Quest textbook, so very easy to link with textbook.
Activities directly relate to Australian Curriculum (as textbook written in line with Curriculum)
Fun!
Made intangible concepts in science able to be seen and “played with”
Can be used to supplement in-class learning, or as a revision tool (and can be used at a time that suits the student as the app is always available).

 

Knowing that the school I am doing my first EPL at uses the Science Quest textbooks for Science in years 8-10, I will definitely consider including the interactive app into my teaching (assuming the activities were in line with the content and pedagogical outcomes of the unit/class being taught).  Many of the activities would be suitable to do in a group setting, so even if not all students had iPads/iPhones/iPods, there may be enough for a few groups to be formed in the class (and assuming the school permits the use of mobile/tablet technology in the classroom).  As mentioned in the PMI table, the app activities  I explored would probably only support the lower order thinking skills of remembering, understanding and applying.  However, the app would be a fun and engaging way for students to consolidate or apply their learning in class.   

 

The next science simulator program I investigated was Explore Learning Gizmos.  Similarly to the Science Quest app, this program followed the Australian Curriculum for Science. 

Again, I used a PMI tool to analyse this program:

Plus	Minus	Interesting / Implications
Student exploration sheet and vocabulary sheet included in each gizmo for free version.	Free version (not registered for 30 day free trial) only gives you 5 mins per gizmo per day.	May engage more students in junior science through the fun, interactive activities.
Free 30 day trial	Requires students to have computer and access to internet to use gizmos.	When used within a larger learning context, the gizmos I looked at could support a range of remembering, understanding, applying, analysing, evaluating and creating thinking skills (as classified by Blooms Revised Taxonomy) – the full spectrum of thinking skills.
Student exploration and vocabulary sheet have options to download as pdf or word doc.  Word version allows teacher to make specific to his/her class.	The cost may be a minus, however, it is unknown as there is no cost information on the website, only a contact to obtain price from a company representative.	Awesome learning tool, but because I am not sure how much it costs, the implications may be that if it’s too expensive, it won’t be easy to access (as can only buy a school subscription, not individual teacher subscription).
Activities directly relate to Australian Curriculum (as gizmos created in line with Curriculum)
Fun!
Made intangible concepts in science able to be seen and “played with”
Can copy pictures (graphs / maps etc) or the whole screen from a gizmo into a Word or Powerpoint document.  This allows the teacher to use information from the gizmos to personalise the student exploration sheets or use in class presentations etc.
Can export raw data from tables in gizmos to Excel.  Allows students to use data to create other graphs or do further analysis on the data.
Tool tips when hovering over each icon/button assists the user to navigate around the gizmo easily.
Allows students to carry out science experiments from the beginning to export the data collected for further analysis.
Learning objectives and vocabulary is outlined clearly on each gizmo.
Registered free (and paid) version includes assessment questions for each gizmo.
Can be used to supplement in-class learning, or as a revision tool (and can be used at a time that suits the student as the website is always available).

 

This was by far my most favourite science simulator learning tool.  It was extremely professional, and because it was developed in line with the Australian Curriculum for Science, it could easily be used “as is” in the classroom (but also is flexible in that the student exploration and vocab sheets can be adapted as required).  As mentioned above, the acitivies in this program can support pedagogy and content knowledge that requires higher order thinking skills such as creating, evaluating and analysing.  This would also be enhanced if students completed the gizmos as a group, as the studetns could negotiate, question and comment on the path they are going to take to solve the problem at hand (for example, create an electrical circuit).  

I think the only downfall with this program may be the price.  Because the price was not listed on the website (you have to speak with a rep), I have the feeling it will be very expensive.  I did have a quick look further online and found this general price list on a wiki not authored by ExploreLearning (so I cannot be sure of the accuracy or validity of the information).  However, if this general price list is anything to go by, it does seem quite expensive, ranging from a teacher (and his/her students) subscription of $674 for 12 months, through to a Science department 12 month subscription for a minimum of $1995.  Yikes! Schools seem to constantly struggle to find extra funds, so I could imagine it would be quite difficult to obtain a department level subscription when there are more pertinent competing priorities. If this is the true cost of subscription, it's not a very useful tool because it’s access will be restricted significantly to the more financially advantageous schools and teachers.

PS  Sorry again for the LARGE gaps between tables .... I am not sure how to fix this (and it only happens with tables in some posts, so I'm not even reliably getting it wrong!).