PDA systems make chemistry vivid in middle schools
 |
| Photo By Barbara Kokkalis - From left, Kelly O’Neil, seventh grade teacher Roosevelt teacher Ken Darcy and Briana Alston use a mini-puter during a lab test. |
By Patrick Justin Fahey, Staff Writer
WEST ORANGE, NJ - This story is the second in a series exploring the use of cutting-edge technology in West Orange public schools.
When was the last time you enjoyed a chemistry class? If you ask the seventh-graders at Roosevelt school, you might be surprised by the answer.
“It’s really, really fun!” said Roosevelt student Allison Ferdinando.
The reason kids are enjoying chemistry is because of their new PDAs. The Dell Axim is a rechargeable handheld unit, with 64 megabytes of memory. Additional memory can be added with a small card. Each unit costs about $250. Seventh- and eighth-graders in the district have 25 units allocated to each of their science labs. It can “beam,” or wirelessly transfer, information between teacher and students.
Among applications which are included are Microsoft Word and Excel; wireless Internet access, including the appropriate filters; Sketchy, an application in which children can create an animated movie, such as the process of the beating heart; and an application known as e-chem, used in chemistry classes. E-chem allows students to build molecules in 3-D.
“You can see molecules in different angles. It’s fun — you can build molecules and collect data. It’s great to use in the classroom. I learn more when I’m having fun” Allison said.
Classmate Eduardo Preciado agreed. “It’s cool, I think it’s fun. It’s better than drawing it. You can rotate it to see how it actually is. Paper is flat, so you can’t see the whole thing.”
Ken Darcy, Roosevelt science teacher, thinks it’s a great tool. “With the PDA, kids can visualize space in molecules. Drawing is only two dimensional — this is 3-D. The kids can rotate the molecule and see the back of it, too. It also makes math easier. Equations become more real on the PDA, they can relate it directly to the picture. Sometimes, it’s difficult to do that with equations on the board.
Darcy explained that the system keeps learning fresh for students. “Chemistry taught from the board can be very dry. It’s easier for kids to learn because they’ve been using things like gameboys for years. Some are more familiar with computers than they are with pen and paper.”
In addition, “probes,” which look like rods, can be attached to the unit. The probes can be put into beakers containing a solution and automatically, the temperature and other data is transferred directly onto the PDA. That information can then be manipulated in spread sheets. Probes were recently put into local ponds, measuring the acidity of the water. The data was automatically downloaded from the probe to the PDA. There’s also an application called “cooties.”
“A teacher can simulate a virus, including an incubation period,” explained Filipe Santiago, the district’s distance learning coordinator and educational technology trainer. “He can then beam it to a student. If the incubation period is three minutes, that’s how long it will take to show up on the PDA. However, because the student may have already beamed the application to someone before the incubation period is up, others may already have been infected. It helps them understand how infectious diseases are spread.”
“It’s all about collaboration,” Santiago said. “Handhelds allow students to collect, manipulate, and share information.” Santiago is responsible for the program. He tested the PDAs, created a pilot program, and finally instituted the program. “Kids really benefit from visual reinforcement. It’s part of our ‘building classrooms without walls’ program. We’re trying to figure out how to best enhance learning. These things weren’t purchased on a whim. The pilot program began last year in the eighth grade. This year, it was expanded to the seventh grade, and next year will be the sixth grade, which will be the starting point for children to begin using PDAs,” Santiago explained.
“We’re like the immigrants of technology and the kids are the next generation. Kids figure these things out, they think differently. It’s a big change from our grandparents who sat watching 12:00 blinking on the VCR for 30 years,” said Santiago.
At Liberty school, the handhelds are even used by the physical education teachers.
“We developed applications here for the entire school district,” said gym teacher Bryan Ille. “We also use them for our lesson plans. Myself and Mike Wenson create the lesson plans and beam them to the other teachers. That way we’re all on the same page. We don’t mind putting in the extra time; we think it’s important to bring technology to schools.”
“We can take attendance, organize data, and do grades on here.” Ille said. “When kids lose enough points, pop-up alerts are triggered telling the teacher it’s time for a warning notice.”
The consensus seems to be that the PDAs have helped both students and teachers and enhanced the learning experience.
According to Darcy, “PDAs open up a whole other door.”
Staff Writer Patrick Justin Fahey can be reached at 973-763-0700, ext. 109, or wochronicle@yahoo.com.
When was the last time you enjoyed a chemistry class? If you ask the seventh-graders at Roosevelt school, you might be surprised by the answer.
“It’s really, really fun!” said Roosevelt student Allison Ferdinando.
The reason kids are enjoying chemistry is because of their new PDAs. The Dell Axim is a rechargeable handheld unit, with 64 megabytes of memory. Additional memory can be added with a small card. Each unit costs about $250. Seventh- and eighth-graders in the district have 25 units allocated to each of their science labs. It can “beam,” or wirelessly transfer, information between teacher and students.
Among applications which are included are Microsoft Word and Excel; wireless Internet access, including the appropriate filters; Sketchy, an application in which children can create an animated movie, such as the process of the beating heart; and an application known as e-chem, used in chemistry classes. E-chem allows students to build molecules in 3-D.
“You can see molecules in different angles. It’s fun — you can build molecules and collect data. It’s great to use in the classroom. I learn more when I’m having fun” Allison said.
Classmate Eduardo Preciado agreed. “It’s cool, I think it’s fun. It’s better than drawing it. You can rotate it to see how it actually is. Paper is flat, so you can’t see the whole thing.”
Ken Darcy, Roosevelt science teacher, thinks it’s a great tool. “With the PDA, kids can visualize space in molecules. Drawing is only two dimensional — this is 3-D. The kids can rotate the molecule and see the back of it, too. It also makes math easier. Equations become more real on the PDA, they can relate it directly to the picture. Sometimes, it’s difficult to do that with equations on the board.
Darcy explained that the system keeps learning fresh for students. “Chemistry taught from the board can be very dry. It’s easier for kids to learn because they’ve been using things like gameboys for years. Some are more familiar with computers than they are with pen and paper.”
In addition, “probes,” which look like rods, can be attached to the unit. The probes can be put into beakers containing a solution and automatically, the temperature and other data is transferred directly onto the PDA. That information can then be manipulated in spread sheets. Probes were recently put into local ponds, measuring the acidity of the water. The data was automatically downloaded from the probe to the PDA. There’s also an application called “cooties.”
“A teacher can simulate a virus, including an incubation period,” explained Filipe Santiago, the district’s distance learning coordinator and educational technology trainer. “He can then beam it to a student. If the incubation period is three minutes, that’s how long it will take to show up on the PDA. However, because the student may have already beamed the application to someone before the incubation period is up, others may already have been infected. It helps them understand how infectious diseases are spread.”
“It’s all about collaboration,” Santiago said. “Handhelds allow students to collect, manipulate, and share information.” Santiago is responsible for the program. He tested the PDAs, created a pilot program, and finally instituted the program. “Kids really benefit from visual reinforcement. It’s part of our ‘building classrooms without walls’ program. We’re trying to figure out how to best enhance learning. These things weren’t purchased on a whim. The pilot program began last year in the eighth grade. This year, it was expanded to the seventh grade, and next year will be the sixth grade, which will be the starting point for children to begin using PDAs,” Santiago explained.
“We’re like the immigrants of technology and the kids are the next generation. Kids figure these things out, they think differently. It’s a big change from our grandparents who sat watching 12:00 blinking on the VCR for 30 years,” said Santiago.
At Liberty school, the handhelds are even used by the physical education teachers.
“We developed applications here for the entire school district,” said gym teacher Bryan Ille. “We also use them for our lesson plans. Myself and Mike Wenson create the lesson plans and beam them to the other teachers. That way we’re all on the same page. We don’t mind putting in the extra time; we think it’s important to bring technology to schools.”
“We can take attendance, organize data, and do grades on here.” Ille said. “When kids lose enough points, pop-up alerts are triggered telling the teacher it’s time for a warning notice.”
The consensus seems to be that the PDAs have helped both students and teachers and enhanced the learning experience.
According to Darcy, “PDAs open up a whole other door.”
Staff Writer Patrick Justin Fahey can be reached at 973-763-0700, ext. 109, or wochronicle@yahoo.com.
 |
 |
|
| On Sunday, West Orange will be a sea of green | Elementary school technology puts district ahead of the curve |
