Presentation for workshop at CONASTA61, the Australian Science Teacher's Association in Canberra, July 2012

1. Digital Toolbox for
Blended Learning
Britt Gow

2. Science and Maths teacher
Hawkesdale P12 College
SW Victoria
Technoscience blog since
2008
Twitter @brittgow
brittgow@gmail.com

3. “A decade ago, a
review of Australian
science
education, revealed
many students were
disappointed with
their high school
science. Today, this
disenchantment
continues, as
evidenced by the
declining number of
students choosing to
study science in
senior secondary
school.” Prof. S. Cory

4. Created online with “Create-A-Graph”
http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/index.asp

5. “If our kids are going to live longer than us, they need to
have a passion for learning to sustain them. Not content
knowledge, but learning to learn. One eighth of the 21st
century is gone already – get cracking with 21st century
learning” Stephen Heppell

8. Today’s learner’s are:
• Multi-taskers
• Digitally literate
• Mobile and connected 24/7
• Experiential and Social
• Visual / spatial learners with
• Fast response times & short attention spans

9. • The Power to Engage
• Students use technology already
• It's not going to go away...it will only grow
• Professional development
• Employers want their workers to use internet tools

11. “Teaching is an art form not
a delivery system.”
“A tool is only as powerful
as the creativity of the
person who uses it.”
“A cupboard full of
instruments does not
produce music – a suitcase
of web tools does not lead
to creativity on it’s own.”
Sir Ken Robinson

13. I get overwhelmed by all the choices –
there are so many different web2.0 tools
and informative resources to use!
Try a social bookmarking site:

14. How can I get to know my students better
at the beginning of the school year?
Try using Survey Monkey or
Google Docs to create a
student survey about their
strengths, interests and concerns.

15. How can I introduce a new
topic with web2.0 tools?
You can use Flickr and PowerPoint to
create slideshow of interesting images
around your topic.

17. How can I connect with
experts using web2.0 tools?
Use Skype or Blackboard Collaborate to
participate in presentations, ask
questions and connect with scientists.

18. We use Skype and Blackboard Collaborate to
connect with our Scientist in Schools
partner, Melissa Toifl, from CSIRO Land and
Water Technologies, in Highett and Clayton.

19. Peter Barnett, Geologist
from Hot Rocks Ltd.
Connecting with experts in the field increases motivation
and engagement by allowing students to ask questions and
actively participate in presentations.

20. Participation in web conferences with ActWild,
facilitated by the Melbourne Zoo, develops student
knowledge and empathy for our wildlife.

21. Students collect data
about tree growth to
upload to the
Smithsonian Institute
website, where
scientists use the data
for climate change
research.

22. In 2011 and 2012 I have used
Blackboard Collaborate to teach
Unit 3 and 4 VCE Environmental
Science to students from
different schools around the
state. We connected for 90
minutes each week
synchronously and used my
blog, email and Facebook
asynchronously.
We have met at Ecolinc, Bacchus
Marsh in term 1 and at
EcoBeach Apollo Bay YHA during
term 3 holidays.

23. How can I find out what my students
already know about a topic?
Try creating a group word cloud using
Google Docs and Wordle or Tagxedo.

26. How can you encourage students to
connect different concepts or show their
understanding of how ideas are related?
Inspiration (edustar), Bubbl.us (online) and
Freemind (download) are free digital mind
mapping tools that are easy to use and
display on blogs.

29. How can mobile devices be used effectively to
enhance science learning?
Use mobile phones to scan QR codes, take
pictures or record data during excursions
and trips outside into the school garden.

30. Students can create their own webpage in a wiki and
use the URL to create a QR (quick response) code that
directs the user to the information in their webpage.

32. How can you encourage students to work together,
collaborate on projects and share their results?
Google Docs and Wikispaces are free tools
that allow students to work together online.

33. International Energy Challenge
150 students, five schools, three
countries and 12 energy sources.
http://energychallenge.wikispaces.com/

34. How can students describe experiments or work
together to explain the results of investigations?
Voicethread is a simply wonderful way
to use images with audio and text.

35. My students have difficulty remembering
definitions of scientific terms – how can I help?
Quizlet and Flashcards db are online tools where
students can create digital Flashcards, which can
be used online or printed out. There is a similar
app for iPods and iPads called Flashcardlet.

37. How can I help my students
revise effectively for tests?
Quiz Revolution (formerly My Studiyo) is a free tool for
creating online multiple choice quizzes. It is simple for
students to create their own quizzes and send a link by
email to their friends and teacher or embed the quiz into
a blog. Quizlet is similar.

39. How can students demonstrate their
understanding of a topic?
Ask students to create a digital story
using
Animoto, Slideshare, Photostory, Win
dows Movie Maker or iMovie.

40. Your students can enter the 60 second science
competition by explaining a scientific concept.
http://www.60secondscience.net/

41. How can students ask questions or
give you feedback about lessons?
Use student, teacher or class blogs to
connect, communicate, collaborate and
learn collectively.

42. How can I find out what students
learnt during a lesson or what they
may not have understood?
Wallwisher can be used as an exit slip – a
short, low-stakes, assessment task. A
prompted (or unprompted) written
reflection that is posted online.

43. • What did you learn about cells today?
• How could you get a magnification of x400?
• What is the difference between a light
microscope and a stereo microscope?

44. REFERENCES
Prof. Suzanne Cory’s National Press Club Address
on 28th September, 2011
http://theconversation.edu.au/science-maths-
and-the-future-of-australia-3577
Survey by STA and Academy of Science at
http://www.fasts.org/images/News2010/science
%20literacy%20report%20final%20270710.pdf
(04/10/2011)
Teaching the 21st Century Learner at
http://depd.wisc.edu/series/06_4168.pdf