Students come to a Physics class with many preconceptions. To address this, I run my class through inquiry lab investigations. Students come up with variables for a situation, graph it, pull an equation out of the graph, then define what they learned in words.
I teach at an inner-city high school.
My students are both culturally and ethnically diverse. Many take the bus to school and a majority get free or reduced lunch. The students that take my class are driven to go to college or to push themselves to excel academically. They enjoy hands on activities that get them out of their seat and working with their peers.
My Project
Next year, my class will be taught though the lens known as modeling. Traditionally students are lectured at and expected to absorb the information like a sponge. In a modeling classroom, the students use inquiry based labs and group discussions to challenge their preconceptions and work on understanding the why behind the facts. This leads to better understanding and critical thinking skills.
My school does not have laptops or iPads. This Microsoft Surface 3 Tablet will be the first piece of technology the students will have access to. I will be using it like an interactive whiteboard were students solve problems and manipulate digital demos and labs. The students will use be using probe-ware to accurately measure velocity, acceleration, and forces then download it to the tablet to investigate relationships between variables.
This device will have a huge impact on my teaching and my students learning.
It is a cheap alternative to the $6,000 smart boards that are being added to many classes and it is much more versatile. I currently do not have a device that can be used to analyze student data and provide graphical analysis for the students.
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