Welcome to the Information Technology in Science Instruction ITSI

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• Welcome to the Information Technology in Science
  Instruction (ITSI)
• Project
• http//itsi.concord.org

ITSI material is based upon work supported by
the National Science Foundation under Grant No.
ESI-0624718
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The Concord Consortium
The Concord Consortium is a nonprofit educational
research and development organization based in
Concord, Massachusetts. We create interactive
materials that exploit the power of information
technologies. Our primary goal in all our work is
digital equity improving learning opportunities
for all students.
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The Concord Consortium

• Modeling Tools
• Enabling students to interact with the
  unobservable
• Online Learning
• Democratizing education with anytime, anywhere
  learning
• Probeware
• Developing new tools for data collection and
  analysis
• Handhelds
• Moving closer to the promise of ubiquitous
  computing
• Sustainable Development
• Confronting global issues with decision-making
  tools
• Assessment Research
• Improving methods for measuring deep learning in
  science

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ITEST
Information Technology Experiences for Students
and Teachers (ITEST) was established by the
National Science Foundation in direct response
to the concern about shortages of information
technology workers in the United States.
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ITEST Projects
Youth-based projects offer year-round IT
enrichment experiences for middle and high
school students. Comprehensive projects are for
students and teachers that provide teacher
professional development in IT concepts, skills,
applications, and pedagogical strategies that
promote investigation and inquiry.
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Comprehensive ITEST
The goal of this three-year, comprehensive ITEST
project is to prepare diverse middle and high
school students for careers in IT by engaging
them in designing inquiry-based science
activities that use computational models and
real-time data acquisition and analysis.
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Teacher Professional Development

• ITSI trains the trainers and assists local course
  leaders. ITSI provides 126 hours of lab-based,
  credit-bearing activities for 90 teachers and
  full support for classroom implementation.
• 2-week (8 days) summer workshop (2007)
• 1-week (4 days) summer workshop (2008)
• Two face-to-face Saturday meetings during the
  2007-2008 school year
• Two five-week online courses during the 2007-2008
  school year

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Why ITSI?
There is a recognized need to increase the
number and diversity of students entering
careers in the information technologies.
This problem is national in scale and is
particularly acute in urban and rural
communities serving low- income minorities.
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ITSI Sites
ITSI is collaborating with the following sites
across the United States Boston, MA Plymouth,
MA Olathe, KS Desert Sands, CA
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Online Portal

• Using an online portal, teachers can set up
  classes with links to activities and view student
  reports, which contain their saved data.

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Students Run Activities Online
Students login and see the activities teachers
have selected for them.
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Subject Areas
ITSI has created over 100 activities for teachers
and their students. Activities are available for
students in the following subject areas.
Earth Science Life Science Physical
Science Biology Chemistry Physics
Middle School
High School
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Inquiry throughModels and Probes
Models Computer models can simulate situations
that are hard to see (molecular motion) or hard
to understand (complex systems). They allow
students to study and manipulate phenomena that
are otherwise inaccessible. Students can also
modify the models and experiment with different
rules and starting conditions. They learn
programming and technology skills and science
content at the same time. Probes Using sensors
attached to real-time graphs, students can do
real experiments and take vivid and compelling
measurements. This encourages active engagement
in science and exploration of the natural world.
Students also learn the technology underlying the
sensors and how they collect and display
information.
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Inquiry with Probes
Do It Yourself (DIY) Probe Kit Build simple,
inexpensive circuits that measure more than 14
different parameters.
Commercial Probes Collect temperature, voltage,
light, relative humidity, motion, pressure, and
force data.
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Inquiry with Models
Molecular Workbench See the world at the atomic
scale and conduct hands-on experiments with
atoms and molecules.
NetLogo Change variables, such as albedo and
incoming infrared to measure the impact of global
warming. Or consider the impact of sheep
population on wolf population.
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Inquiry with More Models
Physics Education Technology (PhET) Construct
and test online circuits.
BioLogica Change dragon genes to learn about
genetics and hereditary traits.
Seismic Eruption Measure earthquakes across the
globe with data from USGS.
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Inquiry throughModels and Probes
Click on an image above to view a screen capture
video.
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Web-based Activity Development

• Teachers can easily create a new activity or
  customize an existing activity in a Web-based
  template.
• ITSI allows for the integration of a challenge
  or discovery question with instructions, data
  collection, and analysis, along with student
  input in the form of typed or drawn responses to
  questions.

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Customize Activities

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VideoPapers
Teachers are required to use at least two ITSI
activities with their students, videotape one
lesson, and create a multimedia VideoPaper
reflecting on their experience.
http//vpb.concord.org
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Information Technology in Science Instruction

• Contacts
• Principal Investigator - Bob Tinker
  (bob_at_concord.org)
• Project Director - Carolyn Staudt
  (carolyn_at_concord.org)
• External Evaluator - Sig Abeles
  (siga9738_at_sbcglobal.net )

http//itsi.concord.org
ITSI material is based upon work supported by
the National Science Foundation under Grant No.
ESI-0624718