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A year a!er its release, SPARKvue continues to receive recognition from industry members and educators as it revolutionizes the way science is taught in classrooms around the world. In addition to the 2009 Tech&Learning Award of Excellence, SPARKvue can now add 2010 CODiE Award Winner and 2010 Worlddidac Award for Excellence to its growing list of accolades. SPARKvue enables teachers and students to create science learning environments for real-time measurement, data visualization and analysis that students can use wherever science happens, inside or outside of the classroom. At the 2010 So!ware & Information Industry Association’s 25th CODiE Awards dinner, SPARKvue walked away with top honors in two categories: Best Education Solution for Mobile or Hand-held Device and Best Education Use of a Technology Device. Winning products are selected from a pool of nominees that undergo rigorous review by analysts, journalists and other

selected judges with subject matter expertise, and are then peer-reviewed by SIIA member companies who cast the "nal votes in each category. #is year over 458 nominations were submitted by 250 companies.“#e CODiE Awards continue to recognize those companies providing the best new technology products and services across a broad array of industries,” said SIIA President Ken Wasch. “Winners are a proli"c testament to the power of technology to deliver innovative solutions to businesses and consumers.”#e Worlddidac Award is another great honor for SPARKvue as it is the most recognized international prize in the education sector. It is presented every two years to innovative and pedagogically valuable products showing the highest potential to improve learning and teaching. #e Worlddidac Award selection process includes a review by two separate juries consisting of teachers and experts in the

education technology industry. Criteria include pedagogic value, design quality, ease of use, innovation, and performance to cost ratio. “#is recognition of excellence, with its rigorous selection process, is a real honor,” said Wayne Grant, Ph.D., chief education o$cer at PASCO. “since its introduction, SPARKvue has seen a strong adoption and earned accolades from educators around the world. #ese awards reinforce for educators everywhere the contribution that SPARKvue and PASCO solutions are making to improve science education.”

AND THE AWARD GOES TO...SPARKvue continues to win recognition from educators, industry experts

What’s inside for me?

• Road Warrior talks about presenting

at APSIs | p. 2

• Achieving STEM success with “at

risk” students | p. 3

• MatchGraph App | p. 4

• Lab Activity Tips | p. 6-7

• Oil Spill Simulation | p. 8

• Countries transforming science

teaching and learning | p. 10-11

• PASCO workshops coming to a

town near you | p. 12

More info at www.pasco.com/sparkvue

is recognition of

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As school budgets across the country continue to feel the impact of the economic downturn, opportunities for teachers to network and take part in professional development activities o!en become scarce. To counter-act this, PASCO Life Sciences Education Manager Nassim Lewis and her colleagues are working hard to establish the newest a$liate of the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT), the CalABT. #is new and growing California organization is the only association for life science teachers in the state. #e CalABT goal is to improve the teaching of biological sciences in California schools through the exchange of information and ideas among its members. “In a time of shrinking resources, we knew it was really important for teachers across the state to know that we can all come together, share best practices, and continue to raise the bar for both teaching and learning life sciences in California schools,” said Lewis. “We hope that with the establishment of this association, teachers can feel that they have a support system in place as they try to create a more inquiry-based learning environment and push for greater student achievement.”

#rough this exchange, the members of CalABT will provide professional growth and development opportunities for California biology teachers, enhancing their e%ectiveness in the classroom and increasing their exposure to the appropriate use of technology at all grade levels.Members strive to support the goals and objectives of the NABT through a grassroots e%ort to address the issues that a%ect biological education. #ey also organize state and local activities to help keep teachers up-to-date in their knowledge of the biological sciences. For more information about becoming a member of CalABT, contact Nassim Lewis (nassimlewis@gmail.com) or John Fedors (jfedors@wavecable.com). CalABT meetings are held every 6-8 weeks in Northern California but are accessible via web conference around the state. Membership is open to all California life science teachers.

Creating a Community for Collaborationmembers of CalABT will provide

California biology teachers, enhancing

exposure to the appropriate use of technology at all grade levels.

Creating a Community for Collaboration

Road Warrior Teacher travels to conferences to share time-saving tips with AP* teachers

!e following story comes from Kelcey Burris, A PASCO user from Vancouver, WA. Kelcey has been teaching for over 10 years and currently teaches AP* Biology at Union High School.For both the new AP* teacher and the seasoned veteran, AP* Summer Institutes (APSIs), workshops and the annual conference are a great opportunities to talk about what the new school year will hold for AP* students. I have attended quite a few APSIs over the years as a participant. #is summer however, I had the opportunity to be on the other side of the podium and actually present AP* biology labs at APSIs in the Midwest and at the College Board AP® National Conference in Washington, D.C.At each of the APSIs I attended, I showed new AP* biology teachers the impact that probeware can have in his or her classroom. By actively comparing the probeware version to its traditional counterpart, we saw the bene"ts of integrating technology into traditional AP* biology “cookbook labs”. In the APSIs, we conducted probeware versions of the Enzyme Catalysis Lab and the Cellular Respiration Lab. #e teachers were amazed at the speed, e$ciency, and accuracy

that the technology provides. #is became particularly evident during the Enzyme Catalysis Lab. #e teachers experienced how e$ciently the lab can be executed with just a SPARK Science Learning System (PS-2008), an Oxygen Gas

Sensor (PS-2126A), a sampling bottle, yeast solution, and hydrogen peroxide. #ey were amazed at how much easier it is to do the probeware version of the lab compared to the dreaded titrations of the traditional version.#e "nal series of workshops I led were part of the College Board AP* National Conference in Washington, D.C. #e buzz with every biology teacher at the conference was the highly anticipated release of the re-designed AP* biology curriculum. At the College Board sessions, I learned that ”guided inquiry leading into student-designed inquiry” is a theme associated with the redesign of the AP* biology labs. I was pleased to hear this because my presentation at the conference focused on using technology to increase student success by using inquiry in AP* and Pre-AP* science. By using a Carolina™ SPARKlab™ (PS-2864) measuring reaction time, I was able to show

participants how probeware naturally lends itself to this very concept of ”guided inquiry leading into student-designed inquiry”. #e participants were amazed at the potential that probeware technology presents in being able to lead students into inquiry-based labs.

Sensor (PS-2126A), a sampling bottle, yeast solution, and hydrogen peroxide. amazed at how much easier it is to do the probeware version of the lab compared to the dreaded titrations of the traditional version.#of the Conference in Washington, D.C. with every biology teacher at the conference was the highly anticipated release of the re-designed AP* biology curriculum. At the College Board sessions, I learned that ”guided inquiry leading into student-designed inquiry” is a theme associated with the redesign of the AP* biology labs. I was pleased to hear this because my presentation at the conference focused on using technology to increase student success by using inquiry in AP* and Pre-AP* science. By using a Carolina™ SPARKlab™ (PS-2864) measuring reaction time, I was able to show

participants how probeware naturally lends itself to this very

*AP is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

PASCO makes cellular

respiration easy.

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Jesse Zuniga teaches physics and chemistry in a predominately poor, Hispanic community in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley, where there are a signi"cant number of “at risk” students. Zuniga, however, doesn’t focus on the statistics. He challenges all of his students with rigorous curriculum and analysis supported by PASCO’s science solutions. Each year students must pass the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills test (TEKS). “Before I integrated PASCO technology into my classes, the pass percentage for my classes was between 70-90 percent,” he said. #at percentage was not enough to satisfy this dedicated teacher.“I stick to teaching science the way it should be taught,” he said. “If I challenge kids mentally and help them develop analytical skills, they will pass the test.”

A large part of helping students develop analytical skills comes through his use of PASCO technology, which, Zuniga said, “makes data collection faster and more accurate than manual collection and let’s students spend more time on higher order thinking skills needed to analyze and synthesize data.” he said.“Students like the color, interactive touch screen (of the SPARK Science Learning System),” he said. “It’s compact, mobile and very user friendly. Students respond to SPARK because it feels as comfortable and familiar as a cellphone or an Apple iPod touch. #is alone creates a di%erent level of excitement when doing experiments. #ey are more energized.”

Zuniga said SPARK and Xplorer GLX have taken the tedium out of data collection and analysis, and made the use of traditional graphing and the

time-consuming use of meter sticks, stop watches and ticker timer tape a thing of the past. It used to take a week to do the lecture, the experiment, the plotting and the analysis. Now he can introduce a topic, show students a graph of what it looks like and let them experiment—all in one period.“A!er I cover a theory, such as Newton’s Law of static friction, students can see it and experience it on the SPARK or GLX immediately. Now when they come to class there is always the expectation of ‘what’s going to be di%erent today?’ #ey are more engaged in learning.” “Since I started using PASCO technology, students in three out of the "ve sections I teach gained 100% mastery,” he said. “#e passing score for TEKS is 2100. My students are passing with scores much higher than that.”

During a recent visit to the Central Park Zoo in New York City, PASCO employees showed students, media, analysts and guests how to enable the Intel-powered convertible classmate PC designed to become a mobile discovery science learning environment within which students can launch authentic scienti"c investigations using SPARKvue.A science activity from PASCO gave students the opportunity to examine the climate in New York City, consider how it a%ected habitat, and discover how characteristics of local birds made them better suited to that habitat. Using SPARKvue and a PASPORT® Weather Sensor, students measured climate conditions in the zoo's Tropical Zone. By exploring di%erences in the characteristics of birds that resulted from the climate's e%ects on habitat, students were able to see for themselves why climate change matters. #ey learned how climate a%ects the physical and behavioral adaptations that enable animals to survive in a particular environment. As a result, they could see how important it is to understand how

even small changes can signi"cantly impact an animal’s living environment.

Guiding students to STEM successTechnology, analysis and rigorous curriculum help teacher guide

“at risk” students to success in science

Weather ForecastStudents Learn About Climate Change

During Zoo Field Trip

Nominative determinism applied to chemical elements

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PAGE 4

NEW APP!MatchGraph for

the iPhone 4

Develops

Understanding of

Math and Science

Concepts

MatchGraph is an engaging and fun way for children and adults alike to develop their understanding of math and science concepts-- and PASCO’s now has a MatchGraph app available for the iPhone 4. Taking advantage of the iPhone 4’s built-in gyroscope for six-axis motion sensing, users can rotate their phone to produce a graph that matches a target graph on the screen. Users have up to 10 seconds to complete a challenge, and the game o%ers four di%erent challenges with di%ering di$culty levels. Fun and games aside, MatchGraph also has an educational bene"t. Users learn how to analyze and interpret graphs and develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between rotational position and time, improving their scores in the process. MatchGraph requires the iPhone 4 and iOS 4. It can be downloaded for $.99 at the App Store.

Bridge building is easy with PASCO’s Structure Systems. Use the High School Physics Structures Set (ME-7000) for fun and instructive student competitions. See which group can build the catapult that launches the farthest, the rubber-band car that travels the fastest, or the ramp that launches a car closest to a target. Or study more traditional physics concepts. Create a teeter-toter to investigate torque or bring a classic textbook diagram to life by investigation the frictional force on a ladder that is leaning against a wall. One way to save money and maximize equipment in the classroom is to have one or two sets of Load Cells and Ampli"ers (PS-2206) and use them to create testing stations. Rather than equip every group of students with sensors, you can have them build their structures and then bring the individual designs to a designated area to use the Load Cells and Ampli"er for data collection. Once their force data is recorded, it can be analyzed with SPARKvue (PS-2400) so!ware.

German physicist Georg Simon Ohm practicing yoga

Bridging the Funding GapSupporting hands-on learning with tightening school budgets

Featured experiment!Are you looking for a new lab activity for your class this fall? Visit www.pasco.com/newsletter/experiments to see a list of experiments covering all the essential physics topics. Each of the FREE activities comes with a lab summary, experiment set up and procedures. Download one of them or all of them now, for FREE!

Visit www.pasco.com/structures to learn more.

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Bird DropHow dangerous is a frozen turkey? Learn more about the damage your !anksgiving bird can do if it doesn’t make it safely to the roasting pan.Have you ever thought about what would happen if a frozen turkey fell out of your hands as you removed it from the freezer? Would your toes be a casualty if they were caught in the cross"re? Could it cause the untimely death of a pet who was in the wrong place at the wrong time? #is subject was raised on the Discovery Channel’s show, Mythbusters, and it prompted PASCO employees Brian Perone and Robert Morrison to try to quantify it. #eir "rst step was to recruit a subject for the experiment. A!er purchasing a 78 N turkey (17.5 lbs), they dropped it onto PASCO’s Force Platform (PS-2141) which can sample at 2000Hz. Robert dropped the turkey from a height which simulated an accidental drop from the freezer section of a refrigerator. Using an Xplorer GLX (PS-2002) to record the data, they discovered that the 78 N turkey exerted a maximum force of 4667 N. #at’s over 1000 lbs of force, and more than enough to crush anything with the misfortune of being between it and the kitchen &oor.

Quick TipsUsing PASCO’s

Motion Sensors

PASCO’s Motion Sensors (PS-2103A and CI-6742A) have come a long way from the original Sonic Ranger! Motion Sensors remain one of the most popular introductory sensors because of their ease of use and good, clean data. PASCO Motion Sensors use false target rejection technology-- preventing spikes or other discontinuities in your data. Use them to measure the motion of a bouncing ball, a person or a dynamics cart! Here are some tips to help you along the way:• #e green LED on the front of the

sensor functions as a Target Indicator. When the sensor is on, the LED &ashes. Each click from the sensor indicates if the target is in range.

• If the sensor is on a table or your PAStrack, aim the motion sensor slightly up to avoid detecting the table or track.• Use the Short Range (cart) setting to measure distance up to 2 meters from the sensor.• Use the Long Range (person) setting to measure distance up to 8 meters from the sensor.• When measuring a moving person, such as in the Match Graph activity, have the subject hold a &at, rigid object such as a

textbook or a 3-ring binder. #is provides a surface for the ultrasonic pulse to bounce o%, ensuring accurate measurement. Interesting fact: #e gold disk of the motion sensor is the same device which was the hallmark of Polaroid cameras. #e Polaroid 6500 range range "nder was used to focus the camera lens. #e same device is used on PASCO Motion Sensors to plot position vs. time graphs to help students develop a better understanding of kinematics.

To see a video of this experiment, visit

www.pasco.com/newsletter/turkeydrop

VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 1 FALL/WINTER

!PAGE 6

Hands-On, Minds-On Science: Tips from PASCO’sProfessional Development and Curriculum ExpertsAll of the following activities are available for free on the SPARK Science Learning

System and with a purchase of a SPARKvue license.

Elementary School Activity: Melting and Boiling How do you teach elementary students about the phases of matter? Use phase changes already familiar to them! #ink about ice melting. Ask your students, what happens when ice is heated? What does melting ice look like? At what temperature does water change from a solid to a liquid? #ink about water coming to a boil. What happens to the water when it is heated on the stove? What does boiling water look like? At what temperature does it change from a liquid to a gas?

Activity:• Students "rst predict the temperature responses of melting ice and

boiling water.• Next, students measure the change in temperature of a melting ice

cube in a baker.• Students then observe as a teacher measures the temperature of water as it boils on a hot plate.• With these measurements, students graph temperature vs. time and discuss how matter changes phase.

Chemistry Activity: Intermolecular ForcesIf chemical bonds hold atoms together to form molecules, what holds the molecules together to form solids and liquids? In this activity students will compare the evaporation rate of "ve di%erent alcohols to determine how length of a molecule and the shape of a molecule a%ect the strength with which molecules are held together.

Activity:•Students "rst predict the rate of evaporation for "ve di%erent alcohols.•To measure the change in temperature as alcohol evaporates, students dip the Stainless Steel Temperature Probe into each of the "ve samples.

• Students calculate and compare the change in temperature and rate of evaporation for each sample.• A!er examining the chemical structure of each alcohol, students should discuss how the shape of the molecule a%ects

evaporation.

QUICK TIP!Tips on using PASCO’s Stainless Steel Temperature Sensor (PS-2125 & PS-2153)• #e sensing element is at the tip of the stainless steel probe. Ensure that the tip is completely immersed and that the

liquid has been su$ciently agitated to get an accurate temperature measurement.• Consider using a stir bar and stir plate to reduce temperature &uctuations.

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PAGE 7

Earth Science Activity: Soil pHDid you know that soil has a pH that can be measured? Soil that supports plant growth is porous, does not contain too much salt, and has a pH in the neutral zone (6 to 7.5). How healthy is your soil? How does soil pH impact the plants it supports? In this activity students will compare the pH of three di%erent soil samples.

Activity:•Students collect three soil samples from di%erent locations. If possible, "nd soils that di%er in appearance, composition and in the types of plants growing nearby. Record "eld notes for each sample with descriptions of the location.•Upon returning to the lab, students crush each soil sample into as "ne a dust as possible, adding water to each sample. #e samples must be mixed thoroughly

and should then sit for approximately "ve minutes.• Next, the students should measure the pH of each diluted soil sample.• A!er completing all 3 measurements, students should discuss the implications of soil pH for the sample sites.

Biology Activity: Membrane PermeabilityDo your students have a di$cult time grasping the concept that membranes are semi-permeable? Do they know that the membrane that separates the inside of a cell from the extracellular environment is known as the cell or plasma membrane? #is simple activity enables students to explore the these concepts by modeling the permeability of the cell membrane. Using a pH sensor students will determine the permeability of the membrane to various molecules and ions. Students will observe for themselves that not all materials are able to pass through the membrane.

Activity:• Students measure the change in pH in water when a

dialysis tubing bag (representing a cell membrane) "lled with either a strong acid or strong base is immersed in the water.

• Students also observe the permeability of a membrane to starch molecules, by detecting the presence or absence of a color change that occurs if starch comes into contact with iodine.

QUICK TIP!Tips on using PASCO’s pH Sensor (PS-2102)• Rinse out any storage solution prior to use and be certain the bulb-shaped glass membrane is entirely immersed in

your solution.• Leave the storage bottle cap on the electrode to prevent loss. Simply push it up the electrode out of the way.• Calibrate your pH sensor prior to the experiment with pH 4 and pH 7 standard solutions (use PASCO’s Bu%er

Solution Kit SC-2321).

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PAGE 8

Simulating an Oil SpillWorkshop helps teachers and students calculate the impactAs the people of the Gulf Region of the US continue to deal with the impact of the oil spill, experts continue to speculate on the long-term impact on the environment and the economy. Even before this accident occurred, the Paci"c Education Institute (PEI) in Olympia Washington was working with local high school teachers to better understand exactly how these types of oil spills can impact their own region, and to discuss what the best methods are to limit the damage and impact of just such an accident. In April, PEI and PASCO developed a unique workshop opportunity for local high school teachers to "rst simulate an oil spill, then design and implement an oil spill protection plan. Attendees were "rst led through the simulation where an oil tanker crashed, spilling 13,000 barrels of crude oil into the ocean. Workshop participants served as emergency response team in the simulation, dedicated to protecting local animal populations and habitats. Using My World GIS, the participants were able to analyze the spill’s a%ect on the areas surrounding the harbor

where the spill was simulated to occur. In addition to protecting wildlife, the emergency response team also used a series of detailed road and river maps to determine how to best mobilize equipment and resources for protection and remediation. A!er implementing their oil protection plan, workshop participants took a "eld trip to a local waterway to learn more about the ecosystem and its importance to the local community. With help from local representatives dedicated to protecting the harbor area, teachers sought to extend their understanding of the environmental impact of their simulated oil spill. Working in small groups, the teachers used their SPARK Science Learning Systems (PS-2008) to collect data. Using the Water Quality Sensor (PS-2169) they measured pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature and conductivity, and with the GPS Position Sensor (PS-2175) they were also able to collect GPS data. With this data in hand, the group returned to lab to import the data into My World GIS to identify trends in water

quality data and discuss these changes as the creek ran from the lake to the

coast (the location of the spill). With the Gulf spill continuing to have an impact on an increasing number of people in the US, PEI’s model is one that can help teachers make the tragedy into a teachable moment, engaging students in investigations that both teach them about science, and help them understand the day-to-day impact the spill is having on everyone and everything in the Gulf Region.

We know that our students will be graduating into a world where renewable sources of energy are much more central than they are today. To connect them with that world, the SPARKlab activities in the Horizon Renewable Energy SPARKlab CD (PS-2857) help to develop an understanding of renewable energy. Use the 8 SPARKlabs to teach students about renewable energy created from solar, wind and hydrogen fuel cells. #is activity raises the question of how to best “catch the wind”-- to convert wind into power (pictured on the le!).Students will experiment with pitch, the length and the number of blades. In this activity, students vary the number of blades to determine whether more is better-- are six blades better than three?#e data displays clearly illustrate that, although six blades did indeed generate more voltage, the di%erence was nowhere near double as one would expect. #ere seems to be a diminishing return.#e Horizon Renewable Energy Kit (SE-7238) perfectly complements the Horizon Renewable Energy SPARKlab activities. #e kit includes a wind turbine, 9 long curved blades (3 sets of di%erent curvatures), 3 long &at blades, 6 &at blades, reversible Fuel Cell module, Gas/Water storage module, small motor with propeller, 1 W Solar Cell, AA battery pack and 2 pairs of banana plug cables.

Wind turbine with three blades at low wind speed-- our control.

Wind turbine with six blades at low wind speed-- double the blades for just a 24% boost in voltage output

Expanding Horizons: Renewable Energy

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!PAGE 9

Holbrook travel is the premier provider of "eld-based professional development activities for science educators and students. Participants have an opportunity to travel to a variety of science-rich environments to collect data and participate in active research. !is summer, Korey Champe, PASCO’s Earth and Environmental Science Education Manager, had the opportunity to travel with a group of educators participating in a Holbrook program to Costa Rica. !e following is an account of his trip.To help Holbrook sta% "nd the most e%ective way to infuse PASCO’s SPARKscience technology into the “Technology in Global Field Studies Partnership”, I had the unique opportunity to travel to Costa Rica and see the many places where, soon, students and teachers will be able to use our solutions to have a great learning experience in one of the most rich environments in the world.

Our technology integration began in San Jose, Costa Rica, as we assigned a SPARK Science Learning System (PS-2008) and Weather Sensor (PS-2154A) to everyone in the group. With the technology in hand, the data collection began right away. During the drive from San Jose to Tortugeuro, people measured the change in pressure as we ascended then descended the central mountain

chain of Costa Rica and others measured the weather at each location to identify the various life zones within Costa Rica. Another interesting measurement we made involved exploration of “noise pollution” along a major national highway. Our guide, Paulo, pointed out that on the roads we were taking there were o!en large, loud trucks traveling and that many of the animals had been impacted because of the disruption to their habitat. We measured the sound of a passing truck and we were shocked to "nd it registered at about 100db (approximately equal to a jackhammer at 1 meter distance)! It was an interesting experience to relate pollution that can’t be seen to the impact on the tropical forest environment. In Tortuguero we had an opportunity to visit a local school and learn more about their rural education system. While the school has little to no access to technology, the students

felt immediate comfort using the SPARKs and sensors we brought to their school. We introduced our water quality project and prepared for taking samples the next day. We also discussed an inquiry project with everyone breaking into groups to study variance in vegetation caused by three di%erent environmental variables—properties of soil, types and level of light, and dependence of temperature and relative humidity. #e next day we sampled water quality in a number of locations along the canals paralleling the beach. We attempted to sample water where we would be able to "nd signi"cant di%erences in the water quality. Everyone believed the water at the main city dock would be the most polluted, and our predictions were correct. Overall, the water quality results surprised us—we had expected the water to be more polluted than it was. Our next stop was in Arenal, the most active volcano in Costa Rica. At our hotel, we collected water samples from the hotel’s hot spring pools. #e hotel has posted signs showing the characteristics of the “hot springs”, so we were very interested in seeing how our results compared. Our test substantiated their claims—though we were surprised to see the high pH and wondered why the dissolved carbon dioxide, nitrogen and sulfur gasses associated with volcanoes did not produce acidic conditions. Our answer came the next day when we discovered the water was not truly from hot springs, but actually just “hot water” that was the result of runo% over the hot rocks at the base of the volcano. A!er a great presentation from a volcanologist from San Jose about the geology and volcanism of Costa Rica, we had the rare opportunity to go on a hike up close to the ancient ash and lava &ows at the base of the volcano. As we ascended to the seismological station, the volcano treated us to an eruption which quickly brought our expedition to an end. On our last day, we spent some time re&ecting on all of the data we collected with our PASCO equipment over the course of the trip. #e weather data was quite interesting and it gave us time to tie the many environments of our trip together. At each of the locations we collected 24 hours of weather data to compare the di%erent environments. I was amazed at the number of interesting discussions that arose from looking at the di%erences/similarities in temperature and relative humidity. One of the greatest observations we made was regarding the fragility of the Rain Forest and how a relatively “isothermal” environment is impacted much more by temperature changes (global warming) than the mid latitude environments. Beginning in January, Holbrook will use PASCO solutions to take teachers and students on learning excursions similar to the one Korey participated in this summer. For more information contact Sandy Doss at sdoss@holbrooktravel.com or by phone from within the United States at (800) 451-7111.

Exploring Costa Rica as a Scientist

Teachers explore Costa Rica as

scientists using the SPARK Science

Learning System (PS-2008).

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!PAGE 10

Andy Spoone, a former physics and general science teacher now working as PASCO’s International Technical Specialist, works with teachers around the world to help them integrate 21st century solutions into their lab activities. While he o!en conducts training sessions at schools using PASCO equipment, his most recent round of trainings were conducted from his kitchen table.“When we "rst talked about doing online trainings, I was worried that teachers wouldn’t be as engaged, and that we wouldn’t have full participation,” said Spoone. “But a!er my very "rst online training I was able to see that the teachers are eager and ready for this, and they are excited that we have found a way to bring so many teachers together so they can share in this experience.”#e training Spoone is referring to is the latest o%ering from PASCO for international educators. #e sessions were "rst developed in response to requests from teachers in Kazakhstan a!er a large project to revitalize science education was implemented across the country. Teachers were eager to learn more about how the PASCO solutions they purchased could be used in speci"c lab activities, but with thousands of teachers around the country seeking

training, a cost e%ective method had to be used to meet the needs of the entire teaching community. #rough the use of Elluminate’s online collaboration tools, Spoone hosted 14 training sessions starting at 8:30pm in California which is 9:30am local time for Kazakh teachers—allowing them to participate in training activities during their normal school day. #e 1-2 hour training sessions guided teachers at an average of 180 locations around Kazakhstan through the process of integrating PASCO technology into lab activities for physics, chemistry and biology with sequential translation from English to Russian and Kazakh to serve the language needs of all the teachers.“With the chat feature in the vClass, teachers could interject and ask a question, and I could clarify what I was doing and why I was doing it as we went along—the same way you would if you were conducting a live training. But in this case, I was able to include over 400 teachers in the single training session and make sure they all had the same content and experience.”#is web-based model has worked well, and plans are underway to o%er similar sessions to teachers in other countries around the world.

Online Training From Around the World

Coming to AmericaTeachers and students travel from Peru to the US for training

#ough Arequipa is the 2nd largest city in Peru, many parts of the city still have limited access to electricity and the local unemployment rates are high. #e regional government believes boosting student achievement in science is the only way to prepare their students for a knowledge-based economy, and to o%er them the option of a brighter future.

Bionet S.A., PASCO’s selling partner in Peru, and PASCO partnered closely with government o$cials to create a plan that would work for Arequipa. From the start, the

partnership was developed to ensure technology that was easy to use and e%ective in the classroom was properly integrated into the classroom. “It was important for all of us that the technology be a transparent part of the science-learning experience for students,” said Humberto Medina, PASCO’s Latin America Region Manager. “We wanted students to be able to use the SPARK Science Learning System and our sensors to understand scienti"c phenomena, not so that they could understand how to push a button and take a measurement.”To help facilitate this, teachers and students received extensive training in Peru from Bionet S.A. employees—content experts who had a deep understanding of the Arequipa science standards.

One key component of the plan was to train not just teachers, but students as well. #e idea was that then each class would have a number of “super-users” who could ensure that all students would be able to use the technology with ease. #e success of the project has hinged on the partnership—educators, students, Bionet S.A. and PASCO working together to develop a plan and implement it at each school. And the success has been great. #e initial 2 schools in the partnership showed such a dramatic improvement in standardized test scores that 10 additional schools joined the pilot, with 6 more planning to join by the end of 2010. Whereas science lessons in the past revolved around lectures and textbooks, now students are using sensor-based technology regularly, and the students are actually excited about science. To help increase student excitement, local o$cials pushed for the 2nd round of training to take place in California.Since the request required travel for 5 teachers and 15 students, it came as a surprise to Bionet S.A. and PASCO. “In a conference call, the President of Arquipa explained to us that it was important for the students and teachers to see that, through education, they could have exciting opportunities,” said Medina. “#e hope is that, by achieving more in science, they will one day be a part of the global economy and will have better job opportunities available to them.”#e successful training concluded in July, though the experience will likely stay with the students for a lifetime. As the success of the initial pilot continues, the pilot group continues to grow, with 6-7 additional schools expecting to join the technology integration project next year.

Teacher/student

training.

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#e Sultanate of Oman in the southeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula is sparing no expense in supporting science education with technology. #e government’s goal is to prepare students to compete in all aspects of scienti"c investigation, keep pace with global scienti"c progress and contribute to the scienti"c community worldwide.Oman’s vision for the development and advancement of science comes directly from its highest authority—His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. With wholehearted support for this initiative, the country’s Minister of Education began to acquire state-of-the-art equipment, so!ware, electronic sensors and other materials in 2006. #ey also implemented a learning process that allows students to explore concepts and develop skills using a variety of innovative techniques. In particular, new technologies, such as PASCO scienti"c’s hands-on, inquiry-based data collection solutions, are enabling students to discover aspects of science that in the past were more di$cult or cumbersome for students to explore. “Our goal is to continue to implement technologies that will give students the best experience and make science concepts clear and concise,” said M. Ahmed Dhugaishi, Deputy Director for Technology Laboratory section at the Ministry of Education in the capital city of Muscat. “In the initial stage we tried out sensor technology

from two companies. #e systems were distributed to many schools and, based on the feedback, schools found PASCO’s solutions easier to use, more accurate and more cost e%ective.”Recognizing that science education should mirror the real world, #e Ministry of Education provided school science laboratories with advanced, sensor-based data collection tools. PASCO contributed datalogging equipment, training, Arabic so!ware and local support through its partner Mustafa Sultan. To date, sensor-based experiments have been introduced in science labs at 500 secondary schools with a goal to cover all 800 schools over the next few years. #e response has been very positive. “#is generation is more technology driven,” said Khalid Al-Siyabi, senior lab technician at Seeb School in Muscat. “#ey are very interested in using the new technologies. Students are more engaged in learning, which results in a better understanding of scienti"c principles and retention of abstract scienti"c concepts.”Al-Siyabi said it has been very easy to use the technology and to adapt the sensors and the worksheets to suit the curriculum and outcomes. “Using technology from PASCO provides quick, accurate results and allows students to observe the results in a di%erent ways, such as a table or graph,” he said. “Students can observe

the data in many di%erent ways changing the parameters of the experiment.”In an environment where students are encouraged to search for in-depth understanding of scienti"c truth and to demystify myths and illusions, both the Ministry of Education and Mr. Al-Siyabi report that the inclusion of advanced technologies in school laboratories has yielded overwhelmingly positive results. Teachers "nd it easy to teach the concepts and make them clear to students in a short time, and students are both more engaged and showing increased achievement in science. Perhaps even more important, the students have shown an improvement in conceptual understanding, practical reasoning and application of scienti"c concepts. #e use of PASCO digital probeware has resulted in students actively learning, going beyond memorization-- skills that will help them in a knowledge-based economy.Even as it completes its goal to achieve advanced secondary science education, the Ministry of Education is formulating a long-range plan to introduce probeware in all schools. As a result, Oman’s vision leads the Gulf region in preparing students to play an integral role in the knowledge economy and to become productive members of a competitive global workforce.

STEM RevolutionOman creates model for science education and workforce preparation

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Innovative solutions for transforming science education. Only from PASCO.

Join us for a teacher-led workshop to explore techniques and tools designed to inspire students

and improve student achievement in science.

21ST CENTURY SCIENCEEXPLORE DISCOVERY-BASED SCIENCE SOLUTIONS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Unlock student potential. Learn how to bring a discovery-based science lesson into your classroom using probeware. Attend this professional development session to:

Coming this fall cities throughout the U.S.!

Visit www.pasco.com/workshops to find a PASCO workshop near you.

Registration is free! Visit www.pasco.com/workshops to register.

SPARKscience™A 21st Century Discovery-based Science Learning EnvironmentLearn how to integrate technology into your next lesson! You’ll have an opportunity to participate in hands-on activities related to:

• Elementary School Science• Middle School Science

• Biology• Earth and Environmental Science

• Chemistry

• Physics

One attendee will

win a SPARK

Science Learning

System!

PS-2008

Professional DevelopmentReceive a certificate verifying four

hours of professional development

training for attending this workshop!

• Learn more about classroom management when integrating probeware into your lesson

• Discover techniques for technology integration

• Gain tips on how to use an inquiry-based approach to covering standards

• Find out how to transition from guided-inquiry to open-inquiry

• Walk away with specific lab activities to support your science discipline

• Network with other science teachers in your area-- dinner will be provided