Purpose: The purpose of this section is to record observations about the games and simulations from sites listed below. As I interacted with these simulations I recorded the following types of observations:
Screenshots/Images or videos of the simulations or games
Personalreactions: Gizmos has powerful technology tools for ecosystem, science & math learning. I found the simulations interesting and they aligned with the science standards listed and they included a lot of statistical math that is useful in environmental science learning. The coral reef simulation was particularly interesting with fish swimming around. This simulation allows users to virtually enter an ecosystem and manipulate numbers to create change within the systems and then view and analyse data created when changes take place. In the coral reef simulation there was a forward ahead simulation where the user could see what happens years into the future if a certain fish or plant species population decreases. Pollution can be investigated and temperature changes can be altered to see effects in data. Charts and graphs make this a tool I would use in my classroom.
Ease of use: I found the simulations easy to use and interesting. There was not too much going on and sensory overload was not an issue. Buttons were easy to locate. Instruction would be needed to inform students of the uses for the statistical math data created in the tables in the simulation, as there was not an abundant direction regarding uses for data and how to interpret some information.
Educational value: This simulation has high level value in a high school introductory course for biology or ecology with statistics evaluations.There are student worksheets and handouts that are well created and users have created additional handouts and activities to accompany the simulations. Age appropriateness: Appropriate for grades 6-12, not just high school.
Applicability toceramics/art: The visuals in the simulations provide basic forms and shapes for ceramics or art products based on biology or ecosystem study. The information presented can be easily formulated into visuals that can be added to ceramics works in glaze or decals and the information presented through the simulations can be analyzed to form ideas and understandings about ecosystems and biology concepts and statistics that can be transferred to ceramics or art forms.
Personal reactions: EdHeads has some games that are more like simulations that are scenario driven and watched by the user. They are animated. For example, in the Nano Entrepreneurship simulation above, the animated characters discuss their business idea and explain the science concept behind the nano technology they want to create and market. It provided a lot of information about how nano technologies work and the business side of it was the focus, but also the real-life decision making and planning was provided. However, the DNA game or simulation filled with good DNA information and visuals.
Ease of use: Easy to use and follow, but tough to watch and a little fake in places with they way the characters talked and reacted to each other verbally in the Nano technology one, but the DNA one was more realistic.
Educational value: The free "games" I reviewed had some goo d information and problem solving situations that were presented. I wonder if the content improves if the user pays.
Age appropriateness: These are middle to high school age for the ones I watched, although the animations and narration were not the highest artistic quality. Most middle and high school students would benefit from the information presented in most of he simulations, but be uninterested in the manner some of the characters present information.
Applicability to ceramics/art: The information presented in the scenarios can be used and transferred to art and ceramics projects, but there were limited free ones to watch, so I would say the applicability on this one would be low in my courses. I did see the DNA scenario as beneficial for an art/ceramics DNA project or at least to provide concepts on DNA to inform students prior to creating an artwork that dived into DNA.
Personal reactions: I found the simulations in CK-12 to be extremely interesting and informative. I found myself clicking through the scenarios wanting to learn more about each topic. The vast library of topics is engaging and the site is well designed.
Ease of use: The site is easy to navigate and information is easy to search. I found that a few of my searches came up with no matches but with different words or similar ideas I was able to find simulations of temperature changes and states of solid, liquid and gas easily.
Educational value: If I taught chemistry or physics I would make sure my students had access to this site. Within the scenarios are concepts menus that have additional readings, videos, and real-world applications I find have extreme educational value.
Age appropriateness: Middle school and high school. Some could be elementary level for advance or interested students.
Applicability to ceramics/art: For ceramics there is information that can be applied: temperature, chemistry periodic elements used in glazes, basics of gases, solids, and liquids, and molecular theory. With more searching and collaboration with a science teacher I know this site would offer more to connect to ceramics and art.
Personal reactions: PhET has an enormous amount of games and simulations. Most of the ones I tried were more along the lines of games, which I found appealing. One I found was a chemical equation balancing game in which the user can practice balancing chemical equations. The games are simple and provide good practice and feedback for correct and incorrect answers. These are also useful for math application and math learning.
Ease of use: Most games that worked were simple to use but the content knowledge needed prior was high level for some. Some of the games had to be downloaded to work and my internet virus program flagged them as suspicious, so I did not download any of those.
Educational value: For the game I could access, I found them challenging an appropriate for a variety of ages from middle to high school. Content of the games is specific for each game that particular skills and knowledge application is focused.
Age appropriateness: These are middle to high school age for the ones I could access, with some chemistry ones on a higher level (grades 11-12),The animations are simple and clear and can be understood by these ages.
Applicability to ceramics/art: As usual, this is the part I find the most difficult to connect with ceramics. However if the lesson was integrated specifically in a project-based learning style with chemistry or physics, then this site would be useful and applicable for providing basic and advanced information to students that they could transfer to a ceramics project depending on the concepts involved in the ceramics project.
Part 2: Science & Math Resources
Purpose: In this section there are 20+ science Internet resources that could support projects themes in science, arts & ceramics. This section includes ideas for integrating at least 10 of these resources into the Ecosystem Lesson in Part 3and specifically ceramics lessons that integrate technology and science. The standards for these resources are listed in the lesson and here.
Part of the requirements for this assignment were to add Math resources also. Those are in the works as a separate list. I plan to include statistics resources, chemistry & math of glazes, chemistry and physics math of the firing process, kiln heating ramp up calculations for firing schedules, mathematical symmetry resources for creating designs and forms that are symmetrical and/or balanced, calculating clay shrinkage resources, and glaze recipe measurements and math concepts that include conversion of weights and volume, and other math resources that support ceramics learning. Please contact meif you have some great resources I can add to this section of my website.