LAB OF TOMORROW project: A constructionist approach in science teaching through emerging technologies

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LAB OF TOMORROW project A constructionist
approach in science teaching through emerging
technologies
IST-2000-25076

• M. Apostolakis,
• Ellinogermaniki Agogi
• EUN School Networks conference
• 14th 16th February 2003

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The Lab of Tomorrow project

• The framework
• The consortium
• The Description
• Classroom activities
• Human centered design
• Evaluation scheme
• Conclusions

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The framework
To improve the quality and accessibility of
learning at primary and secondary school level
through embedded IST, in particular addressing
knowledge and skills required by future citizens
of the Information Society

• Main Objective of the School of Tomorrow Action
  Line

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The Lab of Tomorrow Consortium

• ICCS / NTUA, Coordinator, Greece
• UNIV. OF BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom
• COREP, Italy
• ANCO SA, Greece
• UNIV. OF DORTMUND, Germany
• ELLINOGERMANIKI AGOGI SA, Greece
• 4 EUROPEAN HIGH SCHOOLS, Germany, Austria, Italy

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Projects Objectives

• connection between everyday life and science
  lessons using new educational tools and learning
  environments
• development of a pedagogical framework that will
  allow successful application of the emerging
  technology in everyday learning
• enhancement of a constructionist approach in
  science teaching
• equal and parallel development of pedagogical and
  technological innovations
• development of a concrete evaluation scheme of
  educational and technological aspects

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Projects description
Lab of tomorrow project proposes the
introduction of an innovation into everyday
teaching

• Wearable computers and intelligent sensors will
  be used to guide students through the learning
  process in science.
• Fundamental physical laws in engineering and
  physics can be addressed through everyday-life
  activities and the analysis of the data that will
  be collected by some intelligent artifacts.
• Students will be able to graphically view all
  physical quantities under study using a Software
  Interface.

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Kick life into the classroom
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The implementation scheme for the Lab of Tomorrow
project.
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Classroom activitiesTest Run (3 months)Final
Run A (4 months)Final Run B (4 months)in each
of these cycles of the school-centred work less
and less guidance is needed
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Final Run (Phase A)

• During this phase students and teachers will
  follow the constructed lesson plans, by using the
  already developed tools. The main purpose of this
  phase is to get both students and teachers
  familiarized with the new approach and the new
  tools and prepared them for the final and most
  important cycle of the school-centred work
• Feedback - Improvements to the tools

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Final Run (Phase B)

• During the last phase students and teachers will
  be able to study any aspect they consider
  important by using the tools and the Axions.
  Additionally, at this stage students will have
  the opportunity to propose new wearable sensors
  and ergonomic solutions, providing thus their
  input in the co-design of the toys and wearables.

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Human Centred Design - Axions
SensvestInitial concept
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Distribution of load
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Bench Model
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SensVest 1.0
Sensors, Displays and Processor laid out on
shirt on desk
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Wearing SensVest 1.0
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• Smart clothing able to record
• body acceleration
• arm acceleration
• body temperature
• heart pulse rate
• leg acceleration

SensVest 1.1
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Axion BallCompass, accelerometer and GPS in a
ball
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Axion Ball
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Teachers training
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Test Run
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Test Run Video
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Lesson Plans

• adapted to national curricula
• simple experimental activities

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Evaluation of the didactic approach

• The evaluation of the proposed didactic approach
• will be performed on three aspects
• evaluation of students learning,
• evaluation of the underlying pedagogical
• framework and
• ethnographic evaluation.

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Evaluation procedure

• Development of the research plan
• Test design
• Measurements (Test Run)
• On field observations (Test Run)
• Measurements (final run)
• On field observations (final run)
• Statistical analysis
• Evaluation report

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Evaluation schedule (Final Run)
Experimental Group
Control Group
pre-test
TIMSS II
ICT
0. month
Phase A
4. month
Additional Tests
Video Documentation
Phase B
post-test
8. month
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Conclusions

• The presented pedagogical concepts govern the
  scientific research in the fields of Pedagogy and
  Educational Technology. This research is in
  principle necessary to be performed in a large
  multinational community for science advance and
  broad benefits. The developed tools are results
  of collaboration of complementary expertise in
  the fields of technology, communications, basic
  research, educational software development,
  education, science teaching and pedagogical
  psychology.

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Lab of Tomorrow

• www.laboftomorrow.org
• The project is being carried out in the framework
  of the IST programme of the European Commission