Tech+Reviews

** Review Completed by Sarah Bauhs **
 * Tech Review #1 – Animoto **

** Visuals are so important to help students learn about abstract concepts in science. For example, students can witness matter changing from one state to another, but have difficulty comprehending why this occurs because they cannot witness what happens at the particle level of matter. Also, scientific processes are basically stories. They have plots, characters, and often a climax! Therefore, the Animoto tech review that I did was very helpful for me. I did this tech review in order to learn about a program that would help me to create professional looking digital stories that I can use to incorporate images and story telling while teaching scientific phenomena. **

** Tech Review #2 – Dabbleboard ** ** Review Completed by Sarah Bauhs ** ** Mind mapping is an important skill for all students, and especially for visual learners. In my science class, students are constantly analyzing how concepts are connected, and diagramming scientific processes. Therefore, I completed a tech review on the online whiteboard program, Dabbleboard. I investigated multiple online mind mapping sites, and found this one to match my needs the best. This program allows students to draw, enter text, and import pictures, which are all components of mind mapping. After completing this tech review, I immediately began using this program in my classroom. Students have been drawing or importing pictures, labeling them, and connecting them to labs, personal experiences, or important vocabulary words from previous chemistry units. **



** Tech Review #3 – Web Quest Design Process ** ** Review Completed by Rachael Kretschmar **

** While completing the unit on webquests, I often found pre-made webquests that were good, but did not quite match my needs. I was not sure how to go about modifying them, or making them my own. Rachael’s tech review was very helpful in answering my questions about creating my own webquest or modifying others. I was able to use the website that she referred to to learn about topics appropriate for webquests, webquest design, resources, and evaluation. Because of her review, I was able to create my own webquest for my lesson plan design that week. **

** Tech Review #4 – VolunteerMatch ** ** Review Completed by Sarah Bauhs **

** For the service-learning unit, I completed my tech review on the organization, VolunteerMatch. I was hopeful that this review would be as helpful to others as it was for me. I found the site very useful for finding service learning opportunities for my students in a variety of settings in our local community. Next year, I would like to create a project where students find their own volunteer opportunity using VolunteerMatch, and tie the service that they’d like to perform into our science curriculum. This organization’s site provides a very user-friendly way to accomplish this. **

** Tech Review #5 – PhET Interactive Simulations ** ** Review Completed by Sarah Bauhs ** ** Site found by Aaron **** Schnegelberger **

** What could be better than a site with quality educational simulations at your fingertips, specific to the subject area that you teach? PhET organization has created multiple educational simulations that encompass all major aspects of good educational games or simulations: it requires learners to constantly make decisions, they receive feedback, there is a theme, and the simulations are appropriately matched to grade levels, ensuring the problem-learner link. Using this site, I have found a simulation for nearly EVERY science unit that I teach in chemistry and earth science. **