Impact of data loggers on science teaching and learning

Impact of data loggers on science teaching and learning M. Le Boniec, À. Gras-Velázquez & A. Joyce

Publisher

European Schoolnet (EUN Partnership AISBL) Rue de Trèves 61 • B-1040 Brussels • Belgium www.eun.org • [email protected]

Authors

Marie Le Boniec, Àgueda Gras-Velázquez

Editors

Alexa Joyce

Design /DTP

Hofi Studio

Picture credits

Fourier Systems Ltd, EUN Partnership AISBL, Florence Deneuve, Yucel Tuzun, Dreamstime.com

ISBN

This book is published under the terms and conditions of the Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC-BY-ND 2.0)

Impact of data loggers on science teaching and learning M. Le Boniec, À. Gras-Velázquez & A. Joyce

Contents Introduction............................................................ 5 Tackling the decline of students in sciences ........................ 5 Assessing the use of 21st century techniques in the classroom ...... 6 Structure of the report ................................................... 7 The research protocol ............................................ 9 Objectives of the pilot ................................................... 9 Research methodology ................................................ 10 Selection of pilot schools.............................................. 11 Learning resources: the science experiments ...................... 11 Selection of experiments ........................................... 11 Content of experiments ............................................. 11 Learning tools: data loggers and sensors ........................... 15 Teacher training ......................................................... 17 Overall results ...................................................... 18 The schools ............................................................. 18 Results from pupils ..................................................... 20 Overall pupil results and impact per country ..................... 22 Effect of activities according to the number of probes used ... 26 Effect of activities according to the age of pupils ................ 28 Effect of activities according to gender ........................... 31

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Impact of data loggers on science teaching and learning

Teachers’ perceptions ................................................. 33 Overall results ........................................................ 34 Effect on pupils’ motivation ........................................ 35 Pupils’ autonomous learning ....................................... 35 Technical assessment .............................................. 36 Expectations and actual outcomes vis-à-vis teachers .......... 37

Conclusions ........................................................ 39 Main findings ............................................................ 39 Recommendations on science education ........................... 40 Recommendations for future similar studies ....................... 41 Acknowledgements .................................................... 42 List of Figures ...................................................... 45 List of Tables........................................................ 46 List of Images ...................................................... 47 References .......................................................... 48 Annexes .............................................................. 50 Annex 1 – School contact questionnaire ............................ 50 Annex 2 – Teachers questionnaires .................................. 52 Annex 2.1. Pre-pilot questionnaires ............................... 52 Annex 2.2. Post-pilot questionnaires .............................. 55 Annex 3 – Pupils’ questionnaires ..................................... 60 Annex 3.1. Pre-pilot questionnaires ................................60 Annex 3.1. Post-pilot questionnaires .............................. 61

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Introduction Tackling the decline of students in sciences High quality education systems that enable young people to develop key competences (e.g. mathematical, scientific and technological skills, the ability to learn how to learn, being creative and active citizens) are a major determinant of current and future economic and social wellbeing. Of these, competence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is increasingly seen as a fundamental policy objective, as it plays a key role in developing adequate Research and Development (R&D) capacity in Europe, and therefore in ensuring economic and productivity growth. By 2020, it is predicted that there will be around 50 million medium and high-skilled jobs in Europe (European Table of Industrialists, 2009), which will also require an increase in the number of young people opting for a career in science and technology. However, recent European studies have shown that there was a lack of interest from young people towards scientific subjects at school and at university and insufficient graduates and students in STEM (European Commission, Science education now, 2007). In several EU countries the number of young people opting for science studies is declining and there is already a shortage of scientists and engineers in the labour market. Moreover, the ageing population will exacerbate the problem. The Mathematics, Science and Technology Education report (European Table of Industrialists, 2009) highlighted the existing negative trends in the supply of human resources in Maths, Science and Technology (MST). Both current demographic trends and the too-low number of students undertaking studies in sciences explain this tendency (see Figure 1). FIGURE 1: Supply development indicator,

indicating trends in the supply of human resources in MST (combined indicator from national case studies). Source: ERT Societal change working group (2009)

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This wide disaffection with sciences among young people (McCormarck, 2010) is not only a human resource issue but a challenge for citizenship. In today’s society, all students and not only future scientists - need to be educated to be critical consumers of scientific knowledge: “improving the public’s ability to engage with such socio-scientific issues requires, therefore, not only a knowledge of the content of science but also a knowledge of ‘how science works’” (Osborne, Dillon, 2008). Young people’s motivation is of major importance in the decision to study science and consequently in the choice of a career in this field. Schoolchildren’s views of science are formed at a very early age (usually at primary school level) and these can have a positive or negative impact on attitudes to science and technology (Osborne, Dillon, 2008). Therefore, schools, teachers and the education system clearly have an important role to play here in fostering a positive attitude to science (Gras-Velázquez, Joyce, Debry, 2009).

Assessing the use of 21st century techniques in the classroom The emergence of digital technologies in everyday life in recent decades has changed the ways teachers interact with students in the classroom (Flick, Bell, 2000) and requires teachers and schools to be prepared to educate the so called “digital natives”. Previous research has shown that computer-based technologies are potentially effective instructional tools that provide support for pupils’ active engagement and understanding of concepts, collaborative learning, frequent and immediate feedback on data and realworld contextualisation (Roschelle et al., 2000). Equipping schools with digital tools for science classes may have a significant impact in terms of transforming teaching and learning practices and also trigger new learning behaviours and interest among pupils. With the support of Fourier Systems and Acer, nine pilot schools from the Acer-European Schoolnet’s Educational Netbook Pilot, a cluster of European schools which are already fully equipped with netbooks, were further equipped with data logger devices and sensors. The pilot activities took place in the six countries covered by the Educational Netbook Pilot: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and Turkey. The goal of this pilot was to analyse the impact of the use of digital equipment on the intrinsic motivation of teachers to teach and pupils to learn.

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The pedagogical approach used was based on one-to-one computing in education in hands-on activities. One-to-one computing refers to “the current trend where low-cost computer devices, ranging from mobiles and handhelds to laptops or netbooks, have gained ground in educational contexts. 1:1 indicates the ratio of items per user, i.e. one netbook per learner” (Balanskat, Garoia, 2010).Typically, these devices are connected to the Internet and are owned by the learner, which means that they are also used outside of typical school environments, potentially blurring the borders of formal and informal learning (Pedro, 2010). By “hands-on” science education, we mean a method promoting practical teaching as a means to “motivate and engage students while concretizing science concepts” (Minner, Jurist Levy, Century, 2010). Hands-on learning is not simply about manipulating things; it allows students to directly observe and understand science by engaging them “in in-depth investigations with objects, materials, phenomena, and ideas and drawing meaning and understanding from those experiences. A hands-on approach requires students to become active participants instead of passive learners who listen to lectures or watch films. Laboratory and field activities are traditional methods of giving students hands-on experiences” (Haury, Rillero, 1994). As hands-on science classes are usually organised in groups of two pupils, the pilot activities were based on a one-to-two model, where two pupils worked together on the same devices. This could allow for peer motivation among pupils, who often see science and science careers as isolated activities, nourished by the image of scientists working in laboratories and having limited interaction with others (Kearney, Gras-Velazquez, Joyce, 2009).

Structure of the report In this report, we assess and analyse the impact of the integration of data loggers and sensors in the science pilot classes on the motivation and interest of pupils and teachers to learn and teach sciences. In the report we first describe the research objectives and methodology used and then present the overall results and highlight the main findings. We also formulate recommendations on science education and for future investigations on the topic.

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1

The research protocol

The project was coordinated by European Schoolnet and supported by Fourier and Acer. It was part of the European Schoolnet-Acer educational pilot,1 a cluster of schools in Europe already fully equipped with netbooks. The European Schoolnet-Acer Educational Netbook pilot was interested in exploring how the introduction of netbooks and 1:1 pedagogy in schools could change the processes involved in teaching and learning. The pilot described here aimed to analyse the impact of using digital tools in science lessons on science teaching and learning, and potentially to enhance science education and interest for science in schools.

Objectives of the pilot The objective of the research was to assess the impact of the use of data loggers and sensors in science classes and whether such practice introduced changes in the teachers’ teaching processes and attitudes and on pupils’ learning attitudes, interest and motivation. Our examination focused on the following points: • What could be the impact on teacher’s confidence and teaching methods? Did the use of sensors facilitate the teaching of sciences? • Did the introduction of these new tools have an impact on the motivation and interest of young pupils in the science and technology fields and did new learning behaviours emerge (peer learning, autonomous learning, learning at their own pace and speed)? • Did the data loggers and sensors make the students integrate science concepts and methods more efficiently, and did it have an impact on their choice of studies and their perception of scientific jobs? • What were the obstacles or limitations encountered by the participants during the implementation?

1 The European-Schoolnet – ACER educational Pilot is interested in exploring how the introduction of netbooks and one-to-one pedagogy in schools could change the processes involved in teaching and learning. It involves 240 schools from six European countries. See more information at: http://www.netbooks.eun.org

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Research methodology The methodology used was based on a methodology developed in the INSPIRE research study (Gras-Velázquez, Joyce, Kirsch et al., 2009). To allow comparison between countries and cultural backgrounds, schools from six countries participated in the study, including one or two schools per country when possible. Anonymous surveys for teachers and pupils were conducted before and after the pilot activities. The objective was to assess the change in interest and behaviour towards science after the introduction of data loggers in the classes. Data on the way science classes were perceived by teachers and pupils were collected through the use of several online questionnaires: • Before any activities started, so as to analyse the initial situation on the use of ICT: the expectations of teachers as well as the level of interest and motivation of pupils towards sciences; • After the activities were completed, to analyse the impact on motivation to teach science and on the pupils’ interest, attitudes and skills, from teachers’ and pupils’ points of view Five questionnaires were submitted to the participants, providing data on: • Schools: main characteristics of the school and the pupils and use of ICT. See Annex 1. • Teachers: expectations vis-à-vis sensors, perception of science teaching, of the use of digital tools and ICT for science teaching, of the impact of the use of data loggers and sensors on themselves and on the pupils. See Annexes 2.1 and 2.2. • Pupils: perception of science and perceived impact of the use of sensors on their interest for science learning (interest, motivation, understanding and ability to integrate science concepts), willingness to study sciences or envisage a scientific career. See Annexes 3.1. and 3.2. The forms were available in the six languages of the pilot (English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Turkish) for the teachers and the pupils, to ensure a perfect understanding of the questions and avoid introduction of bias in the results.

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Selection of pilot schools Nine schools from six countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom) were selected to be part of the pilot. In total, the pilot study involved about 200 pupils and 30 teachers. The pilot schools were part of the European Schoolnet-Acer Educational Netbook pilot. Selection of schools was done in two steps. A first selection was made on the basis of the pedagogical plan of the netbook pilot school as well as on the number of science classes involved in the netbook pilot and on age of pupils. This pilot sought to include different age groups to enable comparisons and larger analysis. The second selection step was made through the launch of a call among these schools. The final selection aimed to guarantee balanced presence of age groups, subjects and countries in the pilot.

Learning resources: the science experiments To allow comparison, a limited set of activities was chosen – eight experiments were proposed – but it still allowed a certain flexibility on the activities: two or three experiments per subject. Teachers had to choose the most appropriate ones for their lessons. A technical guide on experiments translated into all project languages was made available to the teachers.

Selection of experiments Before the project started, sixteen basic experiments in chemistry, physics and biology were selected for their relevance to the European science curriculum, as this is an important factor for integration into classroom activities (Flick, Bell, 2000). A survey submitted to the twenty-two candidate schools enabled us to identify the experiments most relevant for their lessons and age groups and most likely to be integrated into science lessons by the participating teachers. In each subjects, experiments relevant for more than 45% of teachers (and up to 80%) were selected.

Content of experiments There were two experiments selected for biology classes: the greenhouse effect and effect of ventilation on heart rate; three for chemistry: freezing and melting of water; endothermic reaction (reaction of citric acid solution with baking soda), acid rain; and three for physics: measurements (finding the spring constant), converting potential and kinetic energy; position and velocity measurements. Table 1 describes the content and duration of the activities.

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TABLE 1: Description of the pilot activities

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Title

Learning Objectives

Description of activities

Duration Material (sensor)

The Greenhouse Effect

Identification and analysis of the greenhouse effect

This experiment aims to create the conditions of the greenhouse effect and analyse it by comparing with a control case. It also links the experiment to current environmental issues as well as daily life. In this experiment, the students find out what happens when sun rays are trapped in a closed transparent container. They will do so by measuring the temperature both inside and outside a container that is placed in a sunny location.

45’

2 temperature sensors

Effect of ventilation on heart rate

Investigation of the effects of hyperventilation and hypoventilation on the heart rate

Hyperventilation (or over-breathing) is the state of breathing faster and/or deeper than necessary, thereby reducing the carbon dioxide concentration of the blood below normal. Hyperventilation can be achieved by a period of rapid breathing by the test subject. Hypoventilation (also known as respiratory depression) occurs when there is a decrease in ventilation without a decrease in oxygen consumption or carbon dioxide production by the body. Usually, hypoventilation is caused by disease but it can be simulated by a person by holding his breath for a period of time. A side effect of hypoventilation is reduction of the heart rate. In this experiment the students will hold their breath and measure the changes in their heart rate. They can also measure their pulse rate and compare the rate at rest to the rate after jogging.

45’

1 heart rate sensor


Title

Learning Objectives



Freezing and Investigation of melting of water the freezing and melting temperatures of water

Freezing is the process of matter turning from the liquid state into the solid state. Melting is the process of solids turning into the liquid state. This occurs at the so-called freezing or melting temperature points respectively. In this experiment, pupils investigate the freezing and melting temperatures of water according to obtained graphs and compare them with one another.

90’

2 temperature sensors

Endothermic reaction Reaction of Citric Acid Solution with Baking Soda

Study and explain endothermic reaction

An endothermic process is a chemical reaction in which heat is absorbed. When we perform an endothermic reaction in a flask, it initially cools. Later, heat from the surroundings flows into the flask until temperature balance is established. In this experiment pupils will follow temperature changes occurring during the reaction between citric acid solution and baking soda. The students will follow temperature changes occurring during the reaction.

45’

1 temperature sensor

Acid rain

Study and explain the acid rain phenomenon

Acid Rain is rain, snow or fog that is polluted by acid in the atmosphere and which, when it falls, damages the environment. Acid rain is measured using a scale called pH. The lower a substance’s pH, the more acidic it is. Pure water has a pH of 7.0. Normal rain is slightly acidic because Carbon Dioxide dissolves into it resulting in a pH of about 5.5. The students will compare the acidity of rainwater to the acidity of tap and distilled water.

45’

1 pH sensor

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14

Title

Learning Objectives



Force Measurements - Finding the spring constant

Study Hooke’s Law

When we apply a force to a spring, it stretches. The spring’s extension is proportional to the applied force: F = kx (where F is the applied force, x is the spring’s extension and k is the spring constant) This law is known as Hooke’s Law. It enables us to use the spring to measure force. In this experiment pupils will use a force sensor and a distance sensor to calibrate a spring for use as a dynamometer (force meter). In this experiment, the force and distance sensors are used to calibrate a spring dynamometer.

45’

1 force sensor and 1 distance sensor

Converting Potential energy Kinetic Energy

Investigate conversion of potential energy into kinetic ener

Imagine standing at the top of a mountain ready to ski down its slope. Because of your height on the mountain, you have a lot of potential energy. As you ski down the side of the mountain, your speed increases creating kinetic energy, but as you lose height, you lose potential energy. Where does your potential energy go? How is your kinetic energy formed? The students will measure the conversion of potential energy into kinetic energy and vice versa

45’

1 photogate sensor

Position and velocity measurements

Study velocity and speed

Motion is best described by a position versus time graph. From this graph the velocity graph can be derived. In this experiment pupils will use the distance sensor to monitor the motion of a ball.

45’

1 distance sensor


Learning tools: data loggers and sensors The schools were provided with tool sets including a data logger and six sensors, allowing measurements of temperature, heart rate, pH, forces and distances. A data logger is an electronic device that records data over time either from a built-in instrument or sensor or via external instruments and sensors. A sensor is a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into a signal that can be read by an observer or by an instrument such as data logger connected to a computer.

Data logger used: USB link There are several types of data loggers which can be used in different educational contexts (inside or outside the classroom). The data logger used for the pilot activities was a USB Link, allowing to make computerized experiments in the classroom and to plug from one to four sensors into the computer at the same time.

Temperature (sensor DT029)

IMAGE 1: USB data

logger connected to a laptop and a sensor

The temperature sensor measures temperature between -25°C and 110°C. It can be used as a thermometer for experiments in chemistry, physics, biology, earth science and environmental science and is mostly suitable for water and other chemical solution temperature measurements. IMAGE 2:

Heart rate (sensor DT155A) The heart rate sensor monitors the light level transmitted through the vascular tissue of the fingertip and the corresponding variations in light intensities that occur as the blood volume changes in the tissue. It has two ranges: waveform and beats per minute. The heart rate sensor measures heart rate between 0 and 200 bpm (beats per minute).

Temperature sensor

IMAGE 3:

Heart rate sensor

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pH sensor (sensor DT016A)

IMAGE 4: pH sensor

The pH sensor measures the entire range of 0-14 pH and is used for various experiments in Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Science. The pH sensor consists of an adaptor and a pH electrode and is equipped with an automatic temperature compensation system.

Force (sensor DT 272) The force sensor measures pushing and pulling forces and has two ranges: ±10N or ±50N. It can be mounted on a ring stand or dynamics cart, or used as a replacement for a hand-held spring scale. The force sensor can be used for physics experiments. IMAGE 5: Force sensor

Distance (sensor DT020-1)

IMAGE 6:

The distance sensor measures the distance between the sensor and an object in the range of 0.2 to 10 m. The sensor can sample data at up to 50 times per second and is used for motion and movement experiments. It is supplied with a mounting rod and can be used for physics experiments.

Distance sensor

Photogate (sensor DT137) This sensor is used to measure the time it takes for an object to pass between its arms. It is used for several experiments in physics and physical science classes. IMAGE 7:

Photogate sensor

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Teacher training To present the project protocol and train the teachers in the use of data loggers and sensors, a two-day training session for teachers was organised and attended by representative teachers from the participating schools. The training session made the participating teachers very enthusiastic about the project: “We really appreciated the training given; it was involving and inspiring, as well as the work made for us throughout the project” (teacher, Italy). “The workshop was very useful and it was one of the best I have ever attended,” said a teacher from Turkey.

IMAGE 8: Teachers working on the

greenhouse effect experiment during the training in January 2011 in Brussels

The teachers who participated in the training then trained their school colleagues in the use of data loggers and sensors.

IMAGE 9: Teacher making force

measurements during the training in January 2011 in Brussels

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2

Overall results

The schools Nine schools from six different countries started the Fourier pilot study: one from the United Kingdom (a special needs school), one from Italy and Spain, and two from France, Germany and Turkey. As seen in Table 2, while all the Italian teachers taking part in the pilot study completed the questionnaires, only four Italian students completed their respective questionnaires. We have kept the quantitative data provided by these teachers but the four entries from their students have not been taken into account in the general analysis as they had no significance when compared with the 25 plus entries from each of the other countries. Likewise, because of local organisational issues, no questionnaires were completed by the Spanish teachers and only one by a Spanish student. Therefore, while the teachers’ results take into account the participating schools in the UK, Germany, Turkey, France and Italy, the students’ results are only from the schools in the first four countries. Additionally, one of the Turkish schools did not supply the responses from students but provided one unique answer to each question, the average of each teacher’s pupils’ responses (in Table 2, school 5), so this data has not been used in the quantitative analysis either. This was caused by a misunderstanding about the data to be collected. Future similar studies should make sure all participants understand what is at stake as regards the survey and that pupils are familiar with online surveys.

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TABLE 3: Schools participating in the project, level of education, number of teachers included in the

project, teachers who filled in their pre and post questionnaire, students who filled in the pre and post-questionnaire, previous experience of pupils in working with ICT based tools in science subjects and indication of which tools. The schools numbers correspond to: 1: St Luke’s, 2: Johann-BeckmannGymnasium, 3: Lycée Alfred Kastler, 4: Istituto Superiore Carlo Dell’Acqua, 5: Beyhan Senyuva Primary School, 6: Istanbul uskudar lises, 7: IESO Tomas Breton, 8: Saint Leon IX, 9: HRS Papenteich Country

UK

DE

FR

IT

TR1

TR2

ES

FR

DE

School number

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Primary (6-12)

X

Secondary (13+) TR2 15+

X

Special Needs Education (SNE)

x

Teachers in project

Total

X

X X2

X

2

6

1

1

1

30

2

1

2

0

1

0

15

2

2

0

2

0

0

1

11

85

20

0

1

29

0

29

0

189

36

52

25

4

1

21

1

30

28

198

yes

yes

yes

no

yes

yes

-

-

-

-

Office software and Internet

yes

yes

yes

-

-

yes

-

-

-

-

Simulations (Virtual Learning Environment)

yes

-

yes

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Computerized measurements tools in the laboratory

yes

-

yes

-

yes

-

-

-

-

-

X

X

X

4

6

4

5

Teachers (pre)

1

4

4

Teachers (post)

1

3

Pupils (pre)

25

Pupils (post) Previous experience with ICT tools in science classes

X

Experience in use of:

As expected, most schools had experience with using ICT tools, and a third of them even in Virtual Learning Environment and sensors. In next studies, it would be interesting to include schools with less experience in the use of ICT.

2 Secondary school with pupils aged 15+

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Results from pupils Almost 200 pupils completed the questionnaires (see Table 3 for exact number of students who completed the pre and post-questionnaire, including country split). As can be seen, we had approximately 50% of boys and girls in our pilot schools (Figure 2 for the gender split in the pre-questionnaire and Figure 3 for the post-questionnaire). With almost 200 students participating in the study, the results presented in this report can be considered reliable indicative results. On the other hand, results per country and gender must be considered starting hypotheses for future larger scale studies.

TABLE 3: Total number of pupils who completed

the pre and post questionnaires, including country split.

Before

20

Pre-questionnaire

Post-questionnaire

UK

25

36

FR

49

55

DE

85

80

TR

29

21

Total

188

192


FIGURE 2: Number and gender of pupils who

completed the questionnaires before the activities started. The dark bars represent boys and the light bars girls.

FIGURE 2: Number and gender of pupils who completed the questionnaires after the activities ended. The bars with the dark borders represent boys and the bars with the light borders girls.

In Figure 4 and Figure 5 we show the ages of the pupils, at the time the pre- and postquestionnaires were completed. From Figure 5 it can be seen that the pupils could be divided into two age groups: below and above age 14 respectively.

FIGURE 4: Age of pupils who completed the

questionnaires before the activities started. Red = UK; Green = France; Purple = Germany; Orange = Turkey; Pink= All students.

FIGURE 5: Age of pupils who completed the questionnaires after the activities ended. Red = UK; Green = France; Purple = Germany; Orange = Turkey; Pink = All students.

To have an idea of the impact of the use of the data loggers on the students, it was necessary to know the students’ opinion on their own interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences before the activities started. In Figure 6 we see how for more than 75% of pupils, their understanding of sciences can be enhanced through hands-on activities, and the surveys shows pupils are very positive about the use of ICT (more than 70% say they like the use of ICT in general).

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FIGURE 6: Pupils’ self-assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences before the activities started. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all” respectively. The statements were: 1-I am very interested in and motivated for chemistry, physics or biology; 2-It is easy for me to understand and learn chemistry, physics or biology; 3-The science lessons are organised in such a way that it is easy to integrate and to remember what I am learning; 4-I do not like the use of ICT in general; 5-The science lessons make the link between chemistry, physics or biology and my everyday life; 6-I can easily study chemistry, physics or biology by myself at my own pace and speed; 7-I know how to use certain scientific methods in the class lessons; 8-I know how to use certain scientific methods in laboratory; 9-The science lessons help me to evaluate critically the use of data and scientific methods; 10The laboratory activities help me to evaluate critically the use of data and scientific methods; 11-The science lessons stimulate debate with my fellow pupils about scientific issues (and societal issues, such as ecology, related to them); 12-The science lessons improve the relations and the cooperation between the pupils in the classroom; 13-The science lessons make it easier for me to understand the work of scientists and researchers; 14-The science lessons help me clarify the choice of my profession for later life; 15-Hands-on activities contribute to a better understanding of science concepts.

OVERALL PUPIL RESULTS AND IMPACT PER COUNTRY In Figure 7 to Figure 10, we have split the pupils’ attitudes before the use of the data loggers in class, by country (Germany, France, Turkey and UK respectively). Comparing them we see the perception of sciences is more positive among French and Turkish pupils than in the case of the German and British pupils. The lower interest shown among British pupils could be explained by the fact that the pupils are special needs pupils and that they are usually educated through arts rather than initiated into science, and therefore do not have strong expectations towards it. It appears that for Turkish pupils hands-on and laboratory

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activities are much more motivating than in the other countries. This is consistent with the findings of the ROSE study (Schreiner, Sjøberg, 2004), a comparative study of students’ views of science and science education, showing that in non-EU countries, including Turkey, pupils shows a higher interest for sciences. This could explain the enthusiasm of Turkish pupils compared to France, Germany and the UK.

FIGURE 7: German pupils’ assessment of their

FIGURE 8: French pupils’ assessment of their

interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences by themselves before the activities started. The numbers correspond to the statements in Figure 6. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively.

interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences by themselves before the activities started. The numbers correspond to the statements in Figure 6. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively.

After the class activities, pupils were asked about their perception of their own motivation and interest in science lessons, their perception of their own skills and attitudes towards sciences and their interest for future scientific studies and careers. The results of this questionnaire can be found in Figure 11. By comparing Figure 11 with Figure 6, we can see a slight increase in the pupils’ interest for science after the use of sensors. In most questions, over 60% of the pupils answered positively, with an average of 61% positive replies compared to the 56% of the pre-questionnaire. The most positive result can be found in the pupils’ understanding of ICT, which increases from less than 25% positive results to 60%. On the other hand, it is regrettable to note that the students tend not to

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FIGURE 9: Turkish pupils’ assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences by themselves before the activities started. The numbers correspond to the statements in Figure 6. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively.

FIGURE 10: British pupils’ assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences by themselves before the activities started. The numbers correspond to the statements in Figure 6. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively.

say that an increase in motivation in their science classes thanks to the use of the sensors will affect their choice of future profession. This was also noticed in the ROSE study (Schreiner, C., and Sjøberg, S., 2004), where a clear gap existed between the proportion of students affirming they liked science and the proportion stating they would like to become a scientist. This could be explained by the persistent negative stereotypes pupils have of scientists and researchers in most European countries. As the difference in initial opinion between the four countries was rather large, it is important also to compare the change in perceived motivation by country. We therefore split the results from Figure 11 into Figure 12 (German pupils), Figure 13 (French pupils), Figure 14 (Turkish pupils) and Figure 15 (British pupils). In the German and French cases (comparing Figure 12 with Figure 7 in the first case and Figure 13 with Figure 8 in the second), we see that there has not been much positive effect from using the data loggers in the classes. This result is similar to those found with the use of learning resources (simulations, animations, etc) by Gras-Velázquez, Joyce, Kirsch et al. (2009), where the students from Germany and Austria, who are more used to the use of technology and advanced tools in science classes, felt the effects of introducing more of them less strongly than their Spanish or Lithuanian counterparts, who were seeing them almost for the first time.

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FIGURE 11: Pupils’ self-assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences after the

activities ended. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively. Full statements: “The use of the sensors in science lessons...” 1-Stimulated my interest and motivation for chemistry, physics or biology; 2-Made it easier for me to understand and learn chemistry, physics or biology; 3-Made it possible, for me, to integrate better and to remember what I was learning; 4-Made it easier to understand the use of ICT in general; 5-Made it easier for me to link chemistry, physics or biology more closely to my everyday life; 6-Made it easier to study by myself and at my own pace and speed; 7&8-Developed my ability to use scientific methods; 9&10-Helped me evaluate critically the use of data and scientific methods; 11-Stimulated debate with my fellow pupils about scientific issues (and societal issues such as ecology, related to them); 12Improved the relations and the cooperation between the pupils in the classroom; 13-Made it easier for me to understand the work of scientists and researchers; 14-Helped me clarify the choice of my profession for later life. In the case of Turkey, the students appeared very positive after the activities but they were also the most enthusiastic initially (see Figure 14 and Figure 9). Nevertheless there is a significant increase in the number of pupils who felt these new activities made it easier for them to understand and learn chemistry, physics or biology, and ICT in general and even link chemistry, physics or biology more closely to their everyday life. Finally, the most positive result comes from the pupils from the UK, where from an average of 48% positive attitudes, after the activities up to 98% of them felt they understood and remembered science better, could link it with everyday life and felt more confident about critically evaluating scientific data or their ability to use scientific methods. Following the results already discussed regarding Germany and France, we expected the UK to be similar. However, it has been shown that young people from the four English-speaking

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FIGURE 12: German pupils’ assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences by themselves after the activities ended. The numbers correspond to the same statements as in Figure 11. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively.

FIGURE 13: French pupils’ assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences by themselves after the activities ended. The numbers correspond to the same statements as in Figure 11. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively.

FIGURE 14: Turkish pupils’ assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences by themselves after the activities ended. The numbers correspond to the same statements as in Figure 11. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively.

FIGURE 15: British pupils’ assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences by themselves after the activities ended. The numbers correspond to the same statements as in Figure 11. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively.


countries of the ROSE study are more positive towards science than in other parts of Europe. Nevertheless, in a future study it would be important to confirm this positive effect from the UK students on mainstream school pupils and carry out a comparison with students from eastern countries, who have up to now had fewer opportunities to use new technologies in their classes than their western counterparts.

EFFECT OF ACTIVITIES ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF PROBES USED In addition to the initial conditions affecting the post-activities opinions of the students, another factor to take into account is the number of probes the different schools used. As we show in Table 4, the pupils from the UK used significantly more than their German counterparts, which could explain the difference in impact. On the other hand, the French students used twice the number of probes and had the same lukewarm opinions after the activities. TABLE 4: Average number of probes used per country.

Country

Average number of probes used

UK

3.3

FR

2.6

DE

1.1

TR

1.8

All

2.0

If we remove the country variable and look only at the number of probes used, we can study the impact on the students depending on whether they used one, two, three or four probes (Figure 16, Figure 17, Figure 18 and Figure 19, respectively).

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FIGURE 16: Self-assessment of pupils who used one probe during the project on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. The numbers correspond to the same statements as in Figure 11. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all” respectively.

FIGURE 17: Self-assessment of pupils who used two probes during the project on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. The numbers correspond to the same statements as in Figure 11. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all” respectively.

FIGURE 18: Self assessment of pupils who used three probes during the project on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. The numbers correspond to the same statements as in Figure 11. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively.

FIGURE 19: Self assessment of pupils who used

four probes during the project on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. The numbers correspond to the same statements as in Figure 11. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively.


Figure 16 to Figure 19 clearly show how the more pupils used different probes, the more the impact on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences is positive. This is reasonable as using a tool once can appear to be an out-of-context activity while the repeated use would have more chances of getting the message across.

EFFECT OF ACTIVITIES ACCORDING TO THE AGE OF PUPILS In addition, as we saw with Figure 5, the students could be divided between those under and those over the age of 14. Again, regardless of nationality, we looked at the post-activities views depending, this time, on the pupils’ ages (see Figure 20 for the under-14 and Figure 21 for the over-14s). Again, while the results per country were rather inconclusive, as we saw with the probes, there is a clear correspondence between age and the perceived impact of using the probes. The results in Figure 20 and Figure 21 clearly show that the younger the pupils are, the more positive is the impact on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. As we did not have students of each age group in all countries, the age dependence could be biased by the nationality (and therefore difference in attitude) of the pupils. For example, the UK pupils were both most positive and all belonging to the younger group (see Figure 5 and Figure 15), while the majority of German pupils were both older and had more negative views (Figure 5 and Figure 12), rendering the resulting image: younger equates to more positive and older to less positive. To make sure the motivation-age dependency is not a result of this nationality bias, we checked the effect of the use of the probes depending on age in the case of the two countries where we had students in both groups, namely France and Germany. In Figure 22 and Figure 23, we show the questionnaire results of the French pupils under and over 14 respectively and in Figure 24 and Figure 25, the same for the German pupils. By comparing the black and dark grey bars with the light grey and white bars, it is immediately clear that in the German case the older the students are, the less effect the use of probes has on their motivation. To facilitate comparison, we provide the average percentage of positive attitudes in each of the four cases in Table 5. As can be seen, in the French case the views appear to remain constant, while there is a clear decrease with age in the German case. On the other hand, when looking at the age peaks in the two age groups (see Figure 5) the French students

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FIGURE 20: Self assessment of pupils under 14 on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. The numbers correspond to the same statements as in Figure 11. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively.

FIGURE 21: Self assessment of pupils over 14 on

their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. The numbers correspond to the same statements as in Figure 11. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively.

are younger in both cases than the German pupils, with French pupils being 12 and 15 on average, while the German pupils are 13 and 16, which could explain why the drop cannot be seen in the case of the French schools. Nevertheless, overall, this age dependency would need to be confirmed with a larger number of students.

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TABLE 5: Average positive answers from the post-pilot questionnaire by the pupils of the French and German schools.

Country

Average positive answers < 14

> 14

FR

54%

54%

DE

66%

36%

EFFECT OF ACTIVITIES ACCORDING TO GENDER Another aspect to look into is the effects depending on gender. In view of the problems of getting women into science, it is interesting also to see the differences by gender in the effect of using the probes. In Figure 26 we show the girls’ self-assessment of the impact of using the data loggers, and in Figure 27 that of their male counterparts. Unfortunately, once again the use of ICT appears to have a greater effect on males than females (GrasVelázquez, Joyce, Debry, 2009). It would be interesting to analyse the factors that make the probes more appealing to the male pupils than to the female pupils.

FIGURE 22: Self assessment of French pupils under 14 on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. The numbers correspond to the same statements as in Figure 11. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively.

FIGURE 23: Self assessment of French pupils over 14 on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. The numbers correspond to the same statements as in Figure 11. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively.

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Also, it is to be noted that there is growing gender difference, with girls, especially in the richest countries, being more negative (or sceptical, ambivalent) about sciences than boys (Schreiner, and Sjøberg, 2010).

FIGURE 28: Self assessment of girls under 14 on

FIGURE 29: Self assessment of girls over 14 on



We can also examine the gender impact depending on the age of the pupils, albeit reducing the reliability of the results (as we have even less data per group). In Figure 28 and Figure 29 we have girls younger and older than 14, respectively, and in Figure 30 and Figure 31 the same age split for boys. From this split it can also be seen that the decrease with age in the effect of using the probes in class does not depend on the gender of the pupils.

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FIGURE 30: Self assessment of boys under 14 on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. The numbers correspond to the same statements as in Figure 11. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively.

FIGURE 31: Self assessment of boys over 14 on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. The numbers correspond to the same statements as in Figure 11. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of pupils who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively.

Teachers’ perceptions Of the 30 teachers who carried out the activities with the data loggers, 15 completed the initial questionnaires. As seen in Figure 32, the main criterion used for selecting a data logger was that it was connected with a topic of their curriculum. Teachers’ selection criteria seem to be the same as with every resource (Gras-Velázquez, Joyce, Kirsch et al. (2009), or activity that they decide to integrate into their lessons: it must be clearly connected to their prescribed curriculum. The combination of science with ICT or the use of using a hands-on approach was only relevant for half of the teachers. Once they have decided on the tool, however, they will rarely use it as it comes out of the box. Just as every presenter adapts slides to their own style, teachers adapt the resources to their teaching habits. The Fourier teachers for example, to be able to integrate the sensors into their lessons, adapted the vocabulary used to the age groups. Some of the teachers used the tools more broadly than planned during the pilot especially with different age groups: “All the pupils who have used the sensors so far were 11-13 years old. I am going to extend and repeat the

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work with some of the older pupils as it has been so successful” (UK). Some teachers also widened the pedagogical objectives and activities around experiments.

OVERALL RESULTS The teachers’ assessment of the impact of the use of sensors on the pupils’ interest and motivation as well as on their skills can be found in Figure 33 and Figure 34, respectively. It is highly positive to see that over 60% of the teachers found that the use of the data loggers stimulated debate among their pupils, made their pupils link science more easily with everyday life or better understand the research activities carried out in laboratories (Figure 33). FIGURE 33: Teachers’ assessment of

the impact of the use of sensors in their classes on pupils’ motivations and interest after the project. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of teachers who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of teachers who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively. Note: 1 - Stimulate debate with fellow pupils about scientific issues (and societal issues related to them); 2 Teach pupils to evaluate critically the use of data and scientific methods; 3 - Develop pupils’ ability to use scientific methods; 4 - Facilitate more autonomous learning for pupils at their own pace and speed, 5 - Make pupils link science more easily and more closely with everyday life; 6 - Increase pupils’ understanding and

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use of ICT in general; 7 - Make the pupils better understand the research activities carried out in laboratories; 8 - Integrate better and longer the knowledge and skills acquired by the pupils; 9 - Facilitate pupils’ understanding and learning of sciences; 10 - Stimulate the interest and motivation of the pupils for science.

EFFECT ON PUPILS’ MOTIVATION Even better, over 80% of the teachers found that the activities developed the pupils’ ability to use scientific methods and stimulated their interest and motivation for science: “Generally speaking, our students are not highly motivated, their learning styles vary a lot and levels of performance may rise only if some “hands-on” experience is introduced along with theory and frontal lessons” (Italy). For the Italian teachers who participated in the pilot, it seemed that “learning by doing” was the best teaching practice to carry out with their students. They stated that in their educational context, lab practices, sharing experiences, netbook teaching project and 1:1 pedagogies became essential and that the supply of such technology was creating big expectations in both students (and their parents) and teachers involved. The pilot also had a positive impact on pupils’ confidence with ICT: “We have really enjoyed using the sensors with our pupils. They have become much more confident in the use of ICT in science lessons and [the school is] now extending the project with other pupils in the school” (UK).

PUPILS’ AUTONOMOUS LEARNING It is also positive to note that the teachers felt that the use of sensors allowed learning for pupils at their own pace and speed, which would allow for better education in classes where there are more advanced students alongside students who require more time to grasp difficult concepts. This autonomous learning is not contradictory to the team work which the sensors also encourage (as seen in Figure 34). According to the teachers: “the pupils have worked very well together, supporting and helping each other. They have used the equipment well and achieved some good results” (UK). It seems that, while the sensors supported autonomous learning and therefore personal development at the pupil’s learning speed, they also enhanced teamwork and networking, which are a key element in science research nowadays (Halford B., 2008). In France, a teacher also reported that some pupils took the sensors home or outside to

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continue the investigations outside school time. The possibility of using sensors outside the classroom and in various environments increased pupils’ curiosity and autonomy to make scientific measurements: “The pupils worked autonomously and kept their data. They were able to take the sensors home or outside to continue the investigations outside school.”

TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT For some teachers, the main issues arising from the use of the tool was technical. Some found the sensors technically difficult to use and encountered connection problems, which obliged them to re-do some measurements (France). For future pilots, it is recommended to hold a longer training meeting, so that the technical issues that might arise in the class can be addressed in advance, and to involve more teachers in the initial training. However, other teachers having tried the software said that they were impressed by the simple handling and the good results. A German teacher stated that “the experiments worked really well in class. Once pupils have learned how to use the software, they have no problems in using the sensors.” A UK teacher also told us: “The sensors worked really well and the pupils have responded well. They like the investigations and have learned a lot from them.” FIGURE 34: Teachers’ assessment of the impact of the use of sensors in their classes on pupils’ skills after the project. The black and dark grey bars represent the percentage of teachers who replied “Very much” and “Yes” respectively. The light grey and white bars represent the percentage of teachers who replied “No” and “Not at all”, respectively. Note: 1 - Acquiring/ learning updated methods of research in science; 2 - Learning to learn skills; 3 - Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship; 4 - Networking skills with other pupils; 5 - ICT skills to carry out tests/experiments; 6 - Presentation skills by working with MS PowerPoint or making presentations on the scientific issues; 7 - Teamwork, team-building skills; 8 - Communication skills/debating skills; 9 - Acquiring scientific vocabulary; 10 - Language skills to express scientific problems; 11 - Creativity and innovation; 12 - Motivation and interest for sciences

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EXPECTATIONS AND ACTUAL OUTCOMES VIS-À-VIS TEACHERS The analysis of the data shows that for most teachers’ expectations regarding the pilot impact were met or even exceeded. In particular, teachers declared that the actual impact of the use of data loggers was higher than expected because the latter: • Gave more possibilities for science projects • Facilitated more autonomous learning by pupils • Linked science easily with everyday life • Facilitated the teaching of science • Increased the interest and motivation for teaching The major outcomes of the integration of sensors in the classroom for teachers lie in the pedagogical innovation and activities made possible with ICT measurement tools. Autonomous learning by pupils and the ability of pupils to use scientific methods also facilitated the teaching of sciences and stimulated pupils’ interest in learning sciences. However, the use of data loggers had a lower effect than expected on the confidence and motivation of teachers themselves. Of course, these results would be interesting to confirm with a larger sample of teachers, but from their responses on continuing the use of sensors, as seen in Figure 35, over 90% seemed more than satisfied with the use and impact of the data loggers in their classes and would like to continue to use sensors in the class. FIGURE 35: Final evaluation from teachers – Interest in continuing working with sensors.

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Conclusions Main findings Almost 200 pupils, aged 12 to 17, from six schools in Germany, France, Turkey and the United Kingdom and 30 teachers from eight schools in Germany, France, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Italy provided feedback on the use of data loggers in class and their impact on their learning and motivation. Overall results found on the impact on the pupils: • The use of data loggers increased the students’ understanding of the use of ICT in general, and in particular helped them evaluate critically the use of data and scientific methods and develop their ability to use scientific methods. It made it easier for them to link chemistry, physics or biology more closely to their everyday life. • The pilot also allowed more autonomous learning by students, and improved the relations and cooperation among the pupils in the classroom. • The effects were significantly important with the pupils from the United Kingdom whose interest and motivation doubled, while in the case of the Turkish pupils the increase was slightly less, but only because they were already highly motivated. • German and French pupils’ views on the impact of the data loggers were less clear. This could be caused by a number of factors like age, number of probes used and/or greater familiarity with the equipment. • The impact of the data loggers on the pupils was clearly directly dependent on the number of times they were used in their classes, while their effect appears to decrease with the student’s age. • Unfortunately, there still seems to be a gender bias, with a greater impact on boys than girls, which grows with the age of the pupils.

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As for the teachers, provided the data loggers and materials correspond to topics included in their national science curricula, they consider they positively influence the interest, motivation and skills of their pupils, and are very willing to continue to use sensors in their classes.

Recommendations on science education Recommendation 1 – Address the gender issue at an early age As was shown in the study, interest for science tend to be similar for girls and boys before age 14, but then it appears that there is a decrease in girls’ interest and motivation for science. Therefore, the gender gap must be tackled at an early stage, starting in primary school, so that girls can develop a curiosity and solid knowledge in science before the age of 14. This needs to rely on innovative pedagogical approaches but it should also mobilise the other key educational actors such as careers advisers and even parents, as prejudice against women working in science is an issue throughout the school world. Recommendation 2 – Integrate hands-on and digital-based activities at primary school We also noted that the interest in science was already starting to decrease after age 14, for both girls and boys. As the use of ICT tools and hands-on activities have proved to be efficient factors in raising pupils’ interest, it is recommended to address this negative trend by integrating more hands-on and digital-based sciences activities in primary school. At the societal level, it is also important to fight against the popular image of scientists working in isolated environments which discourages young people from studying STEM subjects further. Recommendation 3 – Upscale the use of digital tools in the classroom Young people currently studying in primary and secondary schools belong to the so called “digital native” generation, being well equipped with mobile phones and computers at home and having access to many learning resources online, which teach them autonomous learning. However, only a few schools integrated digital tools into their daily lessons, creating a gap between the two dimensions of pupils’ lives: inside and outside of the school. The study showed that for more than 75% of pupils, their understanding of sciences could be enhanced thanks to the use of digital hands-on activities. There is a need for innovative and interdisciplinary teaching methods making the most of available tools and giving pupils the means to play an active role in their learning. Pre- and in-service teachers should be trained in the use of these methods and the latest technology advances.

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As Anthony Tomei, Director of the Nuffield Foundation, puts it, “the challenge, therefore, is to re-imagine science education: to consider how it can be made fit for the modern world and how it can meet the needs of all students” (Osborne, Dillon, 2008).

Recommendations for future similar studies Recommendation 1 – Scale up the study to confirm the pilot results In order to confirm the pilot results, it is crucial to study the impact of the use of digital tools in science classes during a broader and longer initiative to ensure scientific reliability of data and results analysis. Such a study should include different types of schools (special education needs and mainstream schools), age groups, background and countries. It would also be good to have schools with different level of experience of ICT tools. Recommendation 2 – Analyse further the impact on pupils The persistence and pervasive aspect should also be analysed further by studying longterm activities and effects months and years after the activities. We also need to consider the pupils’ ability to reply in a reliable way, depending on their age and level. The experience with ICT and the school infrastructure is also an interesting aspect to analyse, and criteria such as pupil marks before and after the activities could be taken into account. Recommendation 3 – Analyse further the impact on teachers The age, gender and education of teachers seem to be an important aspect to explore in the next study, as well as school infrastructure and resources such as presence or absence of laboratory technician assistants. Also, membership of a network or the fact that a teacher has taken part in training could be favourable for long-term use, but once again, this should be analysed deeper in a longer study.

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Acknoledgements European Schoolnet thanks all the participating teachers for their involvement, curiosity and willingness to integrate innovative methods through digital tools in their classroom. Their motivation has been inspiring and rewarding for European Schoolnet, and the effective impact that teachers’ activities have had on pupils is very encouraging vis-à-vis the integration of ICT tools in school and the realisation of 21st century education. The research pilot has been coordinated by European Schoolnet with financial and technical support from Fourier Systems and Acer. All the pilot and research activities have been developed under a common understanding and agreement regarding the European Schoolnet ethical charter of behaviour. In particular, European Schoolnet has ensured its independence of views and approach taken in the pilot and therefore the objectivity of the results produced.

About European Schoolnet European Schoolnet (EUN) (www.europeanscholnet.com) is a network of 30 Ministries of Education in Europe and beyond. EUN was created 15 years ago to bring innovation in teaching and learning to its key stakeholders: Ministries of Education, schools, teachers and researchers. European Schoolnet’s activities are divided among three areas of work: Policy, research and innovation; Schools services; and Learning resource exchange and interoperability. About Fourier Fourier Systems (www.fourier-sys.com) is committed to improving student achievement and providing students with tools and skills that are critical for educational success in the 21st Century. Fourier sells customised solutions for learning environments in over 50 countries and produces more than 100 quality products. Fourier has three times won the Worlddidac award, the most recognised international prize in the education sector for innovative and pedagogically valuable products that improve teaching and learning.

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About ACER Since its founding in 1976, Acer has achieved the goal of breaking the barriers between people and technology. Globally, Acer ranks No. 2 for total PCs and notebooks. A profitable and sustainable Channel Business Model is instrumental to the company’s continuing growth, while its multi-brand approach effectively integrates Acer, Gateway, Packard Bell and eMachines brands in worldwide markets. Acer strives to design environmentally friendly products and establish a green supply chain through collaboration with suppliers. Acer is proud to be a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Movement, including the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and the London 2012 Olympic Games. The Acer Group employs 7,000 people worldwide. 2009 revenues reached US$17.9 billion. See www.acer-group.com for more information. About inGenious inGenious is a major initiative to establish the European Coordinating Body in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, resulting from a strategic partnership between the European Round Table of Industrialists and European Schoolnet. This partnership brings together leading European companies and Ministries of Education, to increase young people’s interest in science education and careers and thus address the future skills gap. inGenious will increase the links between science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) education in schools and future careers, by involving up to 1,000 classrooms throughout Europe. See www.ingenious-science.eu for more information.

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List of figures FIGURE 1: FIGURE 2: FIGURE 3: FIGURE 4: FIGURE 5: FIGURE 6: FIGURE 7: FIGURE 8: FIGURE 9: FIGURE 10: FIGURE 11: FIGURE 12: FIGURE 13: FIGURE 14: FIGURE 15: FIGURE 16: FIGURE 17: FIGURE 18: FIGURE 19:

Supply development indicator, indicating trends in the supply of human resources in MST. ......................7 Number and gender of pupils who completed the questionnaires before the activities started.................19 Number and gender of pupils who completed the questionnaires after the activities ended.....................19 Age of pupils who completed the questionnaires before the activities started.........................................19 Age of pupils who completed the questionnaires after the activities ended. ...........................................19 Pupils’ self-assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences before the activities started. .....................................................................................20 German pupils’ self-assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences before the activities started. .....................................................................21 French pupils’ self-assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences before the activities started. .....................................................................21 Turkish pupils’ self-assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences before the activities started. .....................................................................22 British pupils’ self-assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences before the activities started. .....................................................................22 Pupils’ self-assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences after the activities ended. ........................................................................23 German pupils’ self-assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences after the activities ended. .........................................................................24 French pupils’ self-assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences after the activities ended. .........................................................................24 Turkish pupils’ self-assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences after the activities ended. .........................................................................25 British pupils’ self-assessment of their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences after the activities ended. .........................................................................25 Self-assessment of pupils who used one probe during the project on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. .....................................................................26 Self-assessment of pupils who used two probes during the project on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. .....................................................................26 Self-assessment of pupils who used three probes during the project on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. .....................................................................27 Self-assessment of pupils who used four probes during the project on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. .....................................................................27

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FIGURE 20: Self-assessment of pupils under 14 on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences.................28 FIGURE 21: Self-assessment of pupils over 14 on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. ..................28 FIGURE 22: Self-assessment of French pupils under 14 on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences......29 FIGURE 23: Self-assessment of French pupils over 14 on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. .......29 FIGURE 24: Self-assessment of German pupils under 14 on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. ....30 FIGURE 25: Self-assessment of German pupils over 14 on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. .....30 FIGURE 26: Self-assessment of girls on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences after the activities ended............................................................................................................................31 FIGURE 27: Self-assessment of boys on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences after the activities ended......31 FIGURE 28: Self-assessment of girls under 14 on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. ..................32 FIGURE 29: Self-assessment of girls over 14 on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. ....................32 FIGURE 30: Self-assessment of boys under 14 on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. .................33 FIGURE 31: Self-assessment of boys over 14 on their interest, motivation and ability to learn sciences. . ..................33 FIGURE 32: Selection criteria used by the teachers to choose experiments. ............................................................34 FIGURE 33: Teachers’ assessment of the impact of the use of sensors in their classes on pupils’ motivations and interest after the project. ...........................................................................................35 FIGURE 34: Teachers’ assessment of the impact of the use of sensors in their classes on pupils’ skills after the project......37 FIGURE 35: Final evaluation from teachers – Interest in continuing working with sensors. ........................................38

List of tables TABLE 1: TABLE 2:

TABLE 3: TABLE 4: TABLE 5:

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Description of the pilot activities. ........................................................................................................11 Schools participating in the project, level of education, number of teachers included in the project, teachers who filled in their pre and post questionnaire, students who filled in the pre and post-questionnaire, previous experience of pupils in working with ICT based tools in science subjects and indication of which tools. ..................................................................................17 Total number of pupils who completed the pre and post questionnaires, including country split. .............18 Average number of probes used per country. ......................................................................................25 Average positive answers from the post-pilot questionnaire by the pupils of the French and German schools. ....................................................................................................30


List of images IMAGE 1: IMAGE 2: IMAGE 3: IMAGE 4: IMAGE 5: IMAGE 6: IMAGE 7: IMAGE 8: IMAGE 9:

USB data logger connected to a laptop and a sensor .................................................................................15 Temperature sensor .................................................................................................................................15 Heart rate sensor .....................................................................................................................................15 pH sensor................................................................................................................................................16 Force sensor............................................................................................................................................16 Distance sensor .......................................................................................................................................16 Photogate sensor.....................................................................................................................................16 Teachers working on the greenhouse effect experiment during the training in January 2011 in Brussels .....17 Teacher making force measurements .......................................................................................................17

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References Balanskat, A. and Garoia, V. (2010). Netbooks on the rise, European overview of national laptop, and netbook initiatives in schools. Available at: http://resources.eun.org/insight/Netbooks_on_the_rise.pdf [Accessed August 2011] European Table of Industrialists (2009). The Mathematics, Science and Technology Education report, the case for a European Coordination Body. Available at: http://www.ert.be/DOC/09113.pdf [Accessed August 2011] European Commission (2007). Progress towards the Lisbon objectives in education and training – indicators and benchmarks. Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/2010/doc/progress06/report_en.pdf [Accessed August 2011] European Commission (2007). Science Education Now, A Renewed Pedagogy for the Future of Europe. Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/research/science-society/document_library/pdf_06/report-rocard-onscience-education_en.pdf [Accessed August 2011] Flick, L., and Bell, R. (2000). Preparing tomorrow’s science teachers to use technology: Guidelines for Science educators. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education [Online serial], 1(1). Available at: http://www.citejournal.org/vol1/iss1/currentissues/science/article1.htm [Accessed August 2011] Gras-Velázquez, À., Joyce, A. and Debry, M. (2009). White paper: Women and ICT – Why are girls still not attracted to ICT studies and careers? Available at: http://blog.eun.org/insightblog/upload/Women_and_ICT_FINAL.pdf [Accessed September 2011] Gras-Velázquez, À., Joyce, A., Kirsch, M. et al. (2009). Inspire: Challenging the lack of interest in MST among students using LR, Insight report. Available at: http://inspire.eun.org/index.php/Publications [Accessed September 2011] Halford B., Scientific Teamwork, Chemical and Engineering News, October 13, 2008, 86(41), 12. Available at: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/86/i41/8641notw11.html [Accessed September 2011]

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Haury, D. and Rillero, P. (1994). Perspectives of Hands-On Science Teaching, Colombus Available at: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/science/eric/eric-toc.htm#aut [Accessed September 2011] Kearney, C., Gras-Velázquez, À. and Joyce A. (2009). Stimulating teachers’ and students’ engagement in science education through the use of ICT-based tools and involvement in inquirybased European projects. Available at: http://www.stella-science.eu/documents/STELLA_eBook.pdf [Accessed September 2011] McCormarck, A. (2010). The e-Skills Manifesto, A call to arms. Available at: http://files.eun.org/eskillsweek/manifesto/e-skills_manifesto.pdf [Accessed September 2011] Minner, D., Jurist Levy, A. and Century, J. (2010). Inquiry-Based Science Instruction – What is it and does it matter? Journal of Research in Science Teaching 47(4). Osborne, J. and Dillon, J. (2008). Science education in Europe: critical reflections. Available at: http://www.pollen-europa.net/pollen_dev/Images_Editor/Nuffield%20report.pdf [Accessed September 2011] Pedro, F. (2010). Proceedings from International Conference on 1:1 computing in education, Vienna, Austria, 22-24 February 2010: Current practices, international comparative research evidence and policy implications. Draft background paper. Roschelle, J. M., Pea, R. D., Hoadley, C. M., Gordin, D. N., and Means, B. M. (2000). Changing how and what children learn in school with computer-based technology. Children and Computer Technology, 10(2), 76–101. Available at: http://hal.archivesouvertes.fr/docs/00/19/06/10/PDF/A103_Roschelle_etal_01_Packard.pdf [Accessed August 2011] Schreiner, C., and Sjøberg, S. (2004). Sowing the seeds of ROSE – Background, Rationale, Questionnaire Development and Data Collection for ROSE (The Relevance of Science Education), a comparative study of students’ views of science and science education. Available: www.ils.uio.no/forskning/publikasjoner/actadidactica/ [Accessed August 2011] Schreiner, C., and Sjøberg, S. (2010). The ROSE project – Overview and key findings. Available at: http://folk.uio.no/sveinsj/ROSE-overview_Sjoberg_Schreiner_2010.pdf [Accessed September 2011]

49

Annexes Annex 1 – School contact questionnaire General information about the school and the teachers and classes involved

Name of the school Level + characteristics of the school • Pre-school education (3- 6 yrs) • Primary Education (6-12 yrs) • Secondary school • Vocational Training • Special Needs Education (SEN) • Mixed school • All girls school • All boys school Other, please specify Main teacher contact - name Main teacher contact - E-mail Name other teacher involved E-mail

50


Characteristics of classes involved in the project For each level, how many classes / pupils are going to be involved? Please give number of classes and total number of pupils Pre-school Education (3- 6 yrs) Primary Education (6-12 yrs) Secondary education Vocational training Special Needs Education (SEN)

Previous experience of PUPILS in working with ICT based tools in science subjects Yes

No

Comments

No previous experience Some experience Regular experience No previous involvement in science experiments Previous / present involvement in science experiments

In case you answered "some experience" or "regular experience" in the previous question, please precise which of the following was used • • • •

Office tools (word, excel, powerpoint) Internet Simulations (Virtual Learning Environment) Computerized measurement tools in the laboratory

51

Annex 2 – teachers questionnaires ANNEX 2.1. PRE-PILOT QUESTIONNAIRES Name school:

Name teacher:

Subject taught:

Chemistry, Physics, Biology, other, please specify

Previous experience in working with ICT based tools in science experiments In ICT In science experiments None Other, please specify I think, as a teacher, that the use of ICT based tools and techniques, and in particular sensors in science teaching might… (Tick from 1 to 4: 1 = not at all /4 = very much) Stimulate the interest and motivation of pupils for learning Chemistry, Physics and Biology Stimulate my interest and motivation for teaching Make my interest, confidence and motivation for teaching increase by using sensors Facilitate for myself the understanding and learning of sciences Facilitate the teaching of sciences by using sensors Make the pupils better understand the tests and experiments to be carried out in laboratories

52

1 Not at all

2

3

4 Very much


Develop pupils ability to use scientific methods Increase the pupils’ understanding and their use of ICT in general Link science more easily and more closely with everyday life Facilitate more autonomous learning of pupils at their own pace and speed Open doors to new activities that cannot be done with the classical measurements tools Enable to create new/additional pedagogical approaches Give me much more possibilities for science projects

FORM 2.1.2. KEY SELECTION CRITERIA OF THE EXPERIMENTS Which experiments will you carry out? (Choose 3 to 6 experiments) 1. Heart as a pump 2. The Greenhouse Effect 3. Freezing and melting of water 4. Endothermic reaction 5. Acid Rain 6. Force Measurements 7. Converting Potential Energy to Kinetic Energy 8. Position and Velocity Measurements

53

What was the criteria used to select the experiments ? The experiment concerns a topic that is part of the normal science curriculum The experiment clearly combines science with ICT technology It is based on an inquiry-based approach It is based on a hands-on science approach It develops a creative learning environment Other How will you will integrate the sensors in your science class / organise the activities?

54


ANNEX 2.2. POST-PILOT QUESTIONNAIRES 2.2.1 Evaluation of the impact on the teachers AFTER the pilot Name of the school:

Name of the teacher:

Number of experiments realised during the science classes: Which experiments did you realise 1. Heart as a pump 2. The Greenhouse Effect 3. Freezing and melting of water 4. Endothermic reaction 5. Acid Rain 6. Force Measurements 7. Converting Potential Energy to Kinetic Energy 8. Position and Velocity Measurements I think, as a teacher, that the use the sensors in science teaching …. (Tick from 1 to 4: 1 = not at all /4 = very much)

1 Not at all

2

3

4 Very much

Stimulated my interest and motivation of pupils for learning science Stimulated my interest and motivation for teaching science Made my interest, confidence and motivation for teaching increase by using sensors Facilitated for myself the understanding and learning of sciences

55

Facilitated the teaching of sciences by using sensors Made the pupils better understand the tests and experiments to be carried in laboratories Developed pupils’ ability to use scientific methods Increased the pupils’ understanding and their use of ICT in general Linked science more easily and more closely with everyday life Facilitated more autonomous learning of pupils at their own pace and speed Open doors to new activities that cannot be done with the classical measurements tools Enable to create new/additional pedagogical approaches Give me much more possibilities for science projects Evaluation of the project Did you receive enough information on the project ? Did your receive enough support from EUN and Fourier ? Would you like to continue using the sensors ? Would you like to use other sensors ? Any additional comment ?

56


2.2.2 Organisation of science classes The pupils worked alone, in pairs, per three etc.

(Just tick the appropriate boxes) Alone Pairs / duo Trios More In a mixture of various forms: alone, in pairs, in trios etc.

2.2.3 Evaluation of the impact on the pupils; opinion of the teachers Name of the school: Number of experiments realised during the science classes: I, as a teacher, found the Learning Objects – as far as the pupils are concerned- to… (Tick from 1 to 4: 1 = not at all / 4 = very much)

1 Not at all

2

3

4 Very much

Stimulate the interest and motivation of the pupils for science Facilitate with the pupils the understanding and learning of sciences Integrate better and longer the knowledge and skills acquired by the pupils Make the pupils better understand the research activities carried in laboratories

57

Increase the pupils’ understanding and their use of ICT in general Make pupils link science more easily and more closely with everyday life Facilitate more autonomous learning for pupils at their own pace and speed Develop pupils ability to use scientific methods Learn pupils evaluate critically the use of data and scientific methods Stimulate debate with fellow pupils about scientific issues (and societal issues related to them)

2.2.4. Impact on skills and attitudes of pupils; opinion of teachers I, as a teacher, think that the use of the sensors had an impact on the following key skills or attitudes of the pupils

Name of the school: Number of experiments realised during the science classes: Skills, attitudes (Tick from 1 to 4: 1 = not at all / 4 = very much) Motivation and interest for sciences Creativity and innovation Languages skills to express scientific problems Acquiring scientific vocabulary Communication skills / debating skills Team-work, team-building skills

58

1 Not at all

2

3

4 Very much


Presentation skills by working with PPP or making presentations on the scientific issues ICT skills to carry out tests/ experiments Networking skills with other pupils Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship Learning to learn skills Acquiring/ learning updated methods of research in science Comments/remarks/reflections in a text box

59

Annex 3 – pupils’ questionnaires ANNEX 3.1. PRE-PILOT QUESTIONNAIRES Name of the school: Name teacher: Name pupil Age:

Class:

As a pupil, I think that… (Tick from 1 to 4: 1 = not at all /4 = very much) I am very interested in and motivated for chemistry, physics or biology It is easy for me to understand and learn chemistry, physics or biology The science lessons are organized in such a way that it is easy to integrate and to remember what I am learning I do not like the use of ICT in general The science lessons make me visualize the chemistry, physics or biology concepts in my everyday life I can easily study the chemistry, physics or biology by myself at my own pace and speed I know how to use certain scientific methods in the class lessons I know how to use certain scientific methods in laboratory The science lessons help me to evaluate critically the use of data and scientific methods

60

Girl 1 Not at all

Boy 2

3

4 Very much


The laboratory activities help me to evaluate critically the use of data and scientific methods The science lessons stimulate debate with my fellow pupils about scientific issues (and societal issues, such as ecology, related to them) The science lessons improve the relations and the cooperation between the pupils in the classroom The science lessons make it easier for me to understand the work of scientists and researchers The science lessons help me clarify the choice of my profession for later life Hands-on activities contribute to a better understanding of science concepts

ANNEX 3.2. POST-PILOT QUESTIONNAIRES

Name pupil Age:

Class:

Girl

Boy

Number of experiments realised during the school year: Which experiments did you realise

Tick if yes Liked it

Did not like it

1. Heart as a pump 2. The Greenhouse Effect 3. Freezing and melting of water 4. Endothermic reaction 5. Acid Rain 6. Force Measurements

61

7. Converting Potential Energy to Kinetic Energy 8. Position and Velocity Measurements Did you do any other experiments or activities with the sensors (not listed above) The use of the sensors in science lessons … (Tick the appropriate box!) Stimulated my interest and motivation for chemistry, physics or biology Made it easier for me to understand and learn chemistry, physics or biology Made it possible, for me, to integrate better and to remember what I was learning Made it easier to understand the use of ICT in general Made it easier for me to link chemistry, physics or biology more closely to my everyday life Made it easier to study by myself and at my own pace and speed Develop my ability to use scientific methods Helped me evaluate critically the use of data and scientific methods Stimulated debate with my fellow pupils about scientific issues (and societal issues such as ecology, related to them) Improved the relations and the cooperation between the pupils in the classroom Made it easier for me to understand the work of scientists and researchers Helped me clarify the choice of my profession for later life

62

1 Not at all

2

3

4 Very much



Published in October 2011. The pilot project has been funded with the support of Fourier and Acer. The printing of the report has been funded with the support of inGenious - the European Coordinating Body in Maths, Science and Technology. The Coordinating Body in Maths, Science and Technology (Grant agreement Nº 266622) is supported by the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research and Development (FP7). The content is the sole responsibility of the Consortium Members and it does not represent the opinion of the European Union and the European Union is not responsible or liable for any use that might be made of information contained herein.

Impact of data loggers on science teaching and learning

Impact of data loggers on science teaching and learning

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