TPACK and Tech Savvy Article

I had fun using the Logger Pro application to implement technology into a science lesson for a first grade classroom.  The content that we used in our lesson was based upon Standard 3 Objective 2 Indicator A from the science section of the first grade core curriculum.  This indicator focuses on the students being able to identify water as a solid and liquid which we had them do. We first had a class discussion on the fact that water could be a solid, liquid, or gas.  We had them discuss in small groups which cups represented each stage.  This was the content knowledge used in the lesson.

We also used technology knowledge as we taught the students how to use the Logger Pro application.  They were able to be much more engaged in the lesson as they were able to use this technology to measure the temperatures of the various stages of water.

We also used pedagogical knowledge as we taught the students using whole class discussion, experimentation, and small group discussion with guided conversations from the teachers.  These activities helped the students to learn the content being taught from many ways.  The technology helped the students to contextualize their learning of water as a solid, liquid, and gas.  Making the learning meaningful to the student, in my opinion, is one of the best pedagogical techniques to acquire as a teacher.  I believe that we used the TPACK concept in our lesson.  

Tech Savvy Article

In our first grade class, we have recently been trying to incorporate more technology into our lessons. We used the Logger Pro application to teach Standard 3 Objective 2 Indicator a, which reads, "Observe and measure characteristics of water as a solid and liquid." This application uses temperature probes to measure the different stages of water.

To use the Logger Pro application, we first need to download it onto any standard computer. You must also purchase the temperature probes. The temperature probes connect to the computers and the resulting temperature comes up on the screen. These temperatures can be charted and compared. They can also be taken in Celsius, Kelvin, and Fahrenheit. For our purposes, when working with first graders, we kept it very simple. We did not use the charts and worked only in the Fahrenheit measurement.

For our experiment, we first directed the children to place the probes in each water cup and observe the temperature that came up on the computer screen.  Examples of both using the probes and seeing the results on the screen are shown below.  They measured ice, room temperature water, and boiling water and compared their results. We then had a class discussion on water as a solid, liquid, and gas. After this discussion, we split the class into small groups and had them discuss what stage they believed each cup they measured represented. As the teachers, we moved around to each group and had them find similarities between their temperature observations. We then guided them to realize that water becomes ice, a solid, at 32 degrees Fahrenheit or less. They should also realize that the water began to boil forming steam, a gas, at 212 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.


    Measuring the room temperature water with temperature probe!

        Measuring the boiling water with the temperature probe!

              Measuring the ice with the temperature probe!

The Logger Pro application enhanced this experiment because it was more engaging for the students as every student was able to find their own temperature measurements. By using the temperature probes, it simplified the task for the students. They were able to find an accurate measurement without having to read a non-digital thermometer. Using technology and science the students were able to contextualize their learning of water as solid and a liquid. We highly recommend using the Logger Pro application in your science lessons.

        Room temperature reading on the computer screen!

Temperature for the ice on the Logger Pro screen!

TPACK and Science Technologies

I like the concept of TPACK in the classroom. I have been focusing a lot on integrating both pedagogical and content knowledge into the classroom in some of my other classes, especially my TESOL classes. I have not ever put much thought into technological knowledge until this class but I can see its importance. I did not have any of the technologies we explored in class when I was in elementary school. Wow! I'm getting old! I can see how helpful they would be especially to certain learners. One pedagogical fact is that all students need hands on experiences and these technologies definitely help with that fact. It helps to make the assignments more meaningful to the children, another pedagogical concept to help them learn the content material in a fun way. I love the idea of using pedagogy, technology, and content in the lessons I give to my students and I am excited to learn more about the technologies available.

I really liked learning about the stellarium application. In physical science, we had to observe the moon at the same exact time at the same place every night. It was very time consuming and frustrating. The stellarium application would have made this project much easier and more efficient. I see how this application could be used for many similar assignments with my elementary students.

RSS and Web 2.0

When I first heard the terms Web 2.0 and RSS feeds in this class, I thought that we may have not been speaking English anymore.  Not only do I know the definition of these terms now, but I also know how to successfully use these programs to an extent.  

I learned that RSS feeds can be very helpful as they end up saving you a lot of time.  Instead of going to numerous different sites to learn new information, I can just go to one site such as my blog and see on my blog the updated information on other sites that I would want to check.  The new information is brought to me so I don't have to constantly be checking the sites to see if there is any updated information.  I could see how this would be very helpful to teachers.  They could have creative new lesson plans or history facts of the day sent directly to their blogs without them having to do the research to find this information. 

Web 2.0 is also an interesting concept.  I already used Web 2.0 without knowing.  I see how it would be very helpful to your students to be able to interact with you in a very fast and efficient way over the internet such as through a blog.  I remember having very limited communication with my teachers growing up and at times I wished I had more.  I believe this is a great way to stay in contact with the kids and can also be very helpful to those digital learners in my future classroom.  

Technology Background

I do not have a very strong technology background. I remember having a computer when I was six years old. My first memories on the computer included playing some mousetrap and skiing game. I then remember when I got my first CDROM that taugt me the alphabet. My favorite game was MathBlasters.

My first memory of using a computer in school was when I would play Oregon Trail in the third grade. I first remember using the Internet to research topics in the fifth grade. We had five or six computers in the back of the classroom that we would take turns using. I took a keyboarding class in sixth grade and learned that I had a skill for typing pretty quickly. I then took a technology class in the seventh grade where I learned that I had almost no skills regarding Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and PowerPoint. I learned a lot in that class. I did not have to use these programs very often except for an occasional PowerPoint presentation throughout the next few years. Unfortunately, my knowledge from that seventh grade technology class soon began to fade.

I got my first website, a Xanga site, when I was fifteen years old. I have since moved up to a MySpace and Facebook site. I now use technology often in college to write papers and research topics. That's about all I feel comfortable with when it comes to technology. The Exercise Science class last semester helped me to learn more about Macs but I still do not feel very comfortable with them. I hope to learn a lot more about technology and how I can use it in my future classroom!