“Beyond the Laboratory Walls” - HP Grant Overview

This project will provide the undergraduate students and faculty in Chatham’s College for Women with technology-rich, project-based learning experiences in science courses to increase student engagement.  Students who are given increased opportunities to be hands-on and work directly with technology develop a greater confidence for innovation and scientific exploration. This project aims to encourage and increase women’s interest in continuing their studies in the sciences and moving on to related professions. Using the mobile

computing technology for field studies, web quests, and accessing cutting-edge scientific research will expand the learning environment beyond the confines of the classroom.  Classroom technology can move beyond PowerPoint presentations and streaming video to live conferencing with working scientists and access to scientific databases. Learning will become more project-oriented with students assuming a more active role. The faculty will become co-investigators and can collaborate with small groups of students working on similar projects.

With our current capabilities, some faculty have used the “inking” technology as a way to work with static maps and documents in a more interactive way, with students using different colors in shared tablet sessions. To take this interaction to the next level, we plan to utilize DyKnow (Dynamic Knowledge Transfer, LLC) with the Tablet PCs which has not been feasible currently due to the slow wireless connection on campus. However, with the HP Procurve Wireless Access Point for a classroom set of Tablet PCs, we should be able to successfully use “inking” capabilities on the instructors Tablet PC which is visible in real-time on the student Tablet PCs through the DyKnow software. Furthermore, the instructor can choose to project various students “inking” on all the classroom set of Tablet PCs simultaneously by using DyKnow.

We have begun to integrate interactive and mobile computing technology in many of the science courses. With the additional resources received through this grant, we are able to more fully utilize mobile computing, the onscreen “inking” capability, and technology-based field work. With additional Tablet PCs and sensory attachments, the technology can be taken to the field for on-site data gathering and analysis.  For all courses, the philosophy is that learning by doing is much more effective than learning by watching. With additional resources, students can work in small groups and use the technology first-hand rather than watching a demonstration. Hands-on,

problem-based inquiry and experimentation will be emphasized throughout.  For more details about the course redesigns, click on the following courses: Aquatic Biology, Global Environmental Challenges, Physics, Exploring Our Physical Universe, Intro to GIS

This project will also enhance our pre-college Young Women in Science Summer Program by introducing young women to the integration and implementation of technology in science.  This phase of the project will be implemented in the summer of 2009.

Contacts:

PI:  Dr. Christy Heid, Associate Professor of Education and Science, Course: Physics

Co-PI:   Dr. Barbara Biglan, Assistant Professor of Education, Course: Exploring Our Physical Universe

Co-PI:  Mr. David Goldberg, Assistant Professor, Landscape Architecture, Course: Intro to GIS

Co-PI:  Dr. Mary Kostalos, Professor of Biology, Course: Aquatic Biology

Co-PI:  Ms. Mary Whitney, Program Specialist - Rachel Carson Institute, Course: Global Environmental Challenges

Our requirements:

Create a public webpage that describes the project

• Title, abstract, contacts

• Project rationale (why this project was chosen; what educational issues it is meant to address)

• Implementation (changes in pedagogy; use of technology)

• Impact (on teaching and learning)

• Brief video vignettes and/or photos that explain the context and impact