Sérgio C. Leal1,2, João P. Leal1,3, Horácio Fernandes4

1 Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, FCUL, Lisboa, Portugal2 Escola Secundária Padre António Vieira, Lisboa, Portugal

3 Unidade de Ciências Químicas e Radiofarmacêuticas, ITN, Sacavém, Portugal4 Departamento de Física, IST, Lisboa, Portugal

E-mail: sergioleal20@gmail.com

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HANDS-ON SCIENCE 2009Ahmedabad, October 2009

Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

Introduction

• Students questions seem to disappear along with time.

• Students show lack of motivation when learning Science.

• The above situation is dependent of:- Classic teaching approach;- Missing contextualization of scientific concepts.

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

Introduction

A study performed in 2006 [1] suggests that experimental work and new technologies are valuable resources to increase motivation of students in science learning.

• The e-lab platform has the above valences.

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

Objectives

Allow teachers' and students' access to a laboratory where is possible to collect data in real time.

• Perform experiments that need expensive material and without concerns with safety precautions.

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

Objectives

e-lab is a platform for science teaching that aims to develop scientific knowledge and motivation on students.

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

Objectives

Physics and Chemistry in Portugal are frequently rejected by students because of the referred difficulty of their curricula [2], however, are important subjects to the construction of students´ scientific literacy knowledge and to theiracademic path in our technological society.

The essential objective of this study is to propose ways to invert the earlier aspects using technologies and experimental work.

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

Physics learning (example)

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Theory

Observation

Measure

equipment

....

Hands-on

Sensors + data-loggers

Simulators

....

Real experiences in virtual environment

e-learning Data share Remote participation ...

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

Description

Actual studies confirm the importance of new technologies and experimental work in scientific subjects using the CTS metodology (like e-lab).

Problem-based learning with experimental work and new technologies places students in contextual learning situations, creating an education of meaning rather than an education of fact collecting.

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

Description

Actually: e-lab is in a preliminary study.

Next step: production of pedagogical materials using new technologies as virtual learning environments, e-learning projects and experiences, computer software education, videos for learning, digital libraries or repositories, and e-portfolios in order to increase students motivation and interest in science, relating the scientific knowledge with everyday life since primary school.

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

Description

Teachers continuous training is always important and necessary, but in e-lab platform case aims to:

- help teachers with e-lab interface;

- help teachers on planning and preparing experimental work;

- motivate teachers and students.

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

Description

At this time the e-lab platform has twinte active experiments and six of them are being explored by teachers in a e-lab workshop:

- determination of gravity value (on Earth);

- pressure change with volume (Boyle-Mariotte law);

- pressure change with depth (hidrostatic law);

- determination of speed of sound;

- launching data (statistics);

- light refraction (Snell-Descartes law).21 -09-09 1 1

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

Workshop

At the end of this workshop teachers are expected to: (i) know how to use the e-lab interface;

(ii) know the experiments that already exist;

(iii) have a global vision on the e-lab internal structure and functioning;

(iv) be able to contribute to the improvement of e-lab interface;

(v) be able to propose others experiments and resources;

(vi) propose and know more scientific resources.21 -09-09 1 2

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

e-lab: remotely controlled laboratory

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AnywhereAnytime

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

e-lab

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Availab

le 24x7

Remotely controlled using Internet

Data in real time n experiments same time

m simultaneous users

Data repository

Evaluation

Linux, MAC, Windows

Server Software “•REC –

Multicast Server”

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

Almost extinct interface

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Options available: Save, Print & Copy, eMail “Waiting control”: users list, auto

play & data share

Audio & video

Results Graphics, Tables

Configuration

Chat & knowledge share

Data repositoryExperimental protocol

Requisites: Any 256 MB RAM JRE 1.4.1 TCP/IP Protocol Stack

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

New interface

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

New interface

1 7

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

New interface

1 8

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

New interface

1 9

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Pedagogical material that promotes students interest in Science

Multimedia support

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- http://www.e-escola.pt

- e-lab platform

- ?

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A exploração do e-lab no ensino

References

[1] Leal, S. C. (2006) A química orgânica no ensino secundário: percepções e propostas. MsC. Thesis. Aveiro: Universidade de Aveiro.

[2] Paiva, J. (2007). O fascínio de ser professor. Lisboa: Texto Editores.

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