Thing 21: Emerging Technologies

1. Visiting First Steps Sites

The blog post I chose was called Google Earth = GOOD! and it was found at the following
link: http://bobsprankle.com/bitbybit_wordpress/. This post talks about how students can use
Google Earth to learn both about their local communities as well as any other area in the world.
This article was great because it talked about how learning the program does not involve sitting
in a chair for hours and listening to boring lectures. Rather, the program is learned best by the
students progressing from step to step. Such a method of instruction keeps kids much more
engaged in what is happening on the computer screen.
The use of Google Earth could easily be incorporated into any 9
th
-12
th
grade science
classroom. For example, I may assign student a project where they needed to retrieve 3D images
of certain ecosystems such as a bog or sand dunes. Using Google Earth, students could easily
find these images by searching for the Alma College Ecological Station or the Sleeping Bear
Dunes. Overall, the best practice method for using this application is anything that has to do with
obtaining high-quality images of a location not just clip art from the Internet. Furthermore, this
application satisfies the Redefinition level of the SAMR model because the content students
would be able to gather would allow them to create things such as documentaries. Images of
locations such as Whitefish Point, MI, would help students discuss the migration patterns of
some bird species.

2. Summarizing the 5 Emerging Technology Tools
a. Arduino: I really liked the concept of the Arduino because it puts some pretty
powerful computing and data collecting abilities into the hands of students at a
fairly low price. This little gadget would be create in a science classroom because
it would provide students with an accurate, in-time data collection system.
Thinking back to my days in high school, projects were not always as fun as they
could have been because we often had to guestimate data points due to faulty
equipment. Physically, this device would provide students with the ability to get
hands-on technological experience before going off to college. Virtually, it would
help students improve their data-collecting skills using computation programs.
b. Makey Makey: The Makey Makey computer chip is a simple yet powerful way
for students to input information into computer programs. As seen in the video,
this gadget can turn pretty much anything into a computer keyboard. This system
could impact students physically by providing them with a recording system they
could easily use in the field. In Biology, it becomes very tedious carrying heavy
equipment into the woods to collect data. Using this software would help
eliminate this problem. Virtually, this product has the same result. Students will
be able to collect data in a simpler, more personalized way. Instead of having to
deal with an entire key board, their control panel will now be only a handful of
buttons.
c. Raspberry Pi: This incredibly small computer serves the purpose of educating
students on how the programming behind computers allows them to operate.
Nonetheless, the capabilities of this little device stem far beyond the reaches of
the computer science class. The programming aspect of this device puts a lot of
power into the hands of students because they can determine what the device will
be used for and what its capabilities will be. Virtually, this device will help kids
become more educated on how computers work. Today, too many people take
technology for granted without understanding how it actually works. With this
device, students will become more enlightened on a subject they will not
necessarily learn otherwise. After all, doesnt education serve the purpose of
educating students in more than just one subject area?
d. Oculus: Of the several gaming devices discussed in the fourth video, the one that
was the most applicable to the classroom was the Oculus virtual reality goggles.
This device would be useful in a science classroom because it would provide
students with an up-close-and-personal view of biomes throughout the world and
even in the universe. Imagine learning about the ecosystem of the Great Lakes.
Instead of just seeing pictures of the lakes in textbooks, students could go scuba
diving and see how shipwrecks become artificial habitats for the organisms living
under the surface. Virtually, the images kids see could inspire them to go see the
real versions of what they are witnessing for real.
e. 3D Printing: A 3D printer creates limitless possibilities for a high school
classroom. The world is always seen in 3D, why should projects and lectures be
any different? The use of a 3D printer in a Biology classroom would allow student
to create incredibly realistic habitat models with relative ease. I could assign
projects that would require groups to pick a certain kind of habitat and construct
the one they chose. This would be incredibly easy with a 3D printer. When
students see such items in 3D, the realistic picture will help them understand the
content better. This would especially be true for visual learners. Instead of just
seeing snapshots or listening to descriptions of the rainforest, a 3D model
presented before them would allow these students to actually see the levels of the
forest and how they interact with each other.

Out of all the products introduced during this topic, the one that I would choose first to
incorporate into my classroom would be the Arduino. Understanding how to accurately and
quickly collect real-time data is a crucial skill in the field of science. Using the Arduino would
allow students to accomplish this mission. For example, a popular experiment among science
teachers is to determine in what level of light intensity to plants grow best. Very often, the
magnitude of this intensity is only measured as high, medium, or low. With the use of the
Arduino, the intensity of the light could be quantitatively classified and divided into more than
three categories. Conducting the experiment in such a manner would lead to the collection of
much more accurate results. Furthermore, the compact size and relatively low cost of the item
would grant students the opportunity to take the device home and conduct their own independent
study projects. The possibility of this would be absolutely awesome because science is all about
kids formulating and investigating their own questions.
One of the most interesting technological advances not discussed on the web page is the
development of microscopic circuits. I first discovered the existence of such items when I was on
a family trip to Texas. These incredibly small, yet efficient circuits will help revolutionize the
computing powers of everyday devices. By their size alone, many more circuits can be placed
into an electronic device. Their number along with the materials they are made out of will allow
the devices to run a lot faster and much more efficiently. This could help students by providing
them with devices that are very sensitive to touch. Imagine controlling a robot with an iPad.
Instead of a delay occurring when the screen is touched, the robot reacts to a command the
instant it is programmed into the iPads system.

3. The concept of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is not that extreme in the second
decade of the 21
st
century. This is the case because students are coming into even the
lowest elementary levels as technology natives. Here are the pros and cons of
implementing this policy:
a. Pros:
i. Students are using devices they already comfortable using
ii. The devices can be taken home each night without the school being held
responsible
iii. The cost of supplying students with the devices falls on the parents not
the school
iv. Students can work on their projects outside of school
v. Students have access to classroom resources/discussions if the devices are
Internet/Wi-Fi capable
b. Cons:
i. Personal applications may become distractions during class
ii. Students may lose the device the replacement costs fall on the family
iii. Not all families can afford providing their kids with iPads or iPhones
iv. There is the potential students cannot be forced to download
applications/conduct projects on a device that is their own
Overall, I believe the BYOD concept is valid and should be adopted in school
districts where a majority of the student population possesses devices capable of carrying
out the necessary functions. The technological skills of todays children are very well
developed by the time they reach the 6
th
grade. Why not take advantage of this
knowledge to teach them something worthwhile? Students already know how to
download and use applications on their iPads. As a Biology teacher, I could use this skill
set to the academic advantage of these students. For example, I may have my entire class
download the application Molecules to their iPads or iPhones. Using this application,
students could learn a lot more about DNA and proteins on their own at home just by
seeing the 3D shapes of the molecules.