The Buzz : Case Studies

Case Study: An Interview with Rachel Love, Science Teacher, Virginia

Rachel Love is a science teacher at Western Albemarle High School who, as a teacher in a very first year, shows that Gizmos are as helpful to the newbie teacher as they are for a teacher with years of experience.

Actually, in Rachel's case, the term new is somewhat of an understatement: Rachel was in her first few weeks of student teaching at Western Liberal HS when her coordinating instructor had an emergency and Rachel was needed to to assume the full role of teacher.

Additionally, Rachel is a recipient of a 2005 Knowles Foundation Science Teaching Fellowship.

Let's learn more about how Rachel uses the Gizmos in her teaching by asking her a few questions.

How did you first hear about ExploreLearning?

Through my graduate program at UVA [The University of Virginia].

What were your first impressions of the site and Gizmo when you signed up? What keeps you using ExploreLearning?

The Gizmos allow my students to be more actively engaged with what I’m teaching, something that is especially important with my lower level classes.

What Gizmo did you have the most success (and/or fun and/or satisfaction) teaching with?

The Element Builder. It's fantastic!

What was it about this Gizmo that made the lesson successful?

The Element Builder gizmo allows the students to see for themselves what happens with the addition/subtraction of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

I wanted the students to DO something rather than listening to me talk for a 90 minute block. I presented the material on atoms and the differences between them, then distributed laptop computers to each of the students and asked them to build several atoms, beginning with hydrogen.[At first] the material was overwhelming [for the students], but when they actually started playing with the Gizmo, the lights started to come on and, by the end, I think they understood the essential information about ions, isotopes, and atoms.

We had also been discussing isotopes (carbon-12 versus carbon-14, etc); this gave us a chance to see what made something an isotope, what happens to the actual element when it decays and how to make it more stable. After this, they became very interested in radioactive decay and other things dealing with nuclear chemistry, so I plan use the Half-life Laboratory Gizmo to demonstrate this next time.

How did you use the Gizmo in class? (For example, Did students work individually on computers? In pairs? Did you use the Gizmo as a demo for the whole class? Did you assign the Gizmo as homework?)

I demonstrated how to use the Gizmo, then had the students work individually to complete a worksheet that I had made. We finished by using the Gizmo in class and went over the questions, referring back to the Gizmo on the projector as needed.

[Download Rachel's worksheet in PDF or Word format]

If you've used other technology and/or teaching methods to cover this same math or science concept, did you find the that the Gizmo helped you cover the topic more quickly/easily, less quickly/easily, or about the same? Explain.

This is my first teaching experience (I'm a student teacher), so I've never taught this before. However, I have highly recommended this particular Gizmo to all of the other student teachers in chemistry from UVA. Several have used it and have also said how beneficial it was.

How did the students respond to the Gizmo?

They really liked it — in fact, the next time we had class, they specifically asked if we were going to do another one.

Describe the technology setup in which you used Gizmos. (E.g., Networked classroom? How many computers? Laptops? Cart? Projector? Interactive whiteboard?)

I'm able to check out a laptop cart with enough laptops for each student to have his own. The school has a wireless server, so the students are able to log on and use them individually; I demonstrate the Gizmos with a projector. We are supposed to be receiving interactive whiteboard within the next couple of weeks or so, and I anticipate using it to demonstrate in the future.

Thanks for taking time out of what must be a very hectic first year of teaching to answer our questions.

Case Study: An Interview with Janet Kingsolver, Science Teacher, Oklahoma City

Janet Kingsolver teaches middle school science in the Oklahoma Public School District, and although she's only been using ExploreLearning Gizmos for a couple of months, she's finding the Gizmos helpful in helping students visualize science concepts. Janet's students like the Gizmos so much she writes, "My biggest problem is keeping [my students] from exploring the other gizmos I've put into their class [page]."

Let's learn more about how Janet uses the Gizmos in her teaching by asking her a few questions.

How did you first hear about ExploreLearning?

My sister won the program at a conference and gave it to me.

What were your first impressions of the site and Gizmo when you signed up? What keeps you using ExploreLearning?

It was fairly easy to get into, and the Gizmos were interesting. I keep using it because my students get excited about them each time they use them. I see my students studying relationship between things in concepts and getting excited about finding them. I also like the integration of the data tables and graphs into the changes of information in the concepts.

How are you using ExploreLearning? What features do you like the most? Have you used ExploreLearning and/or Gizmos in ways you hadn't anticipated?

When I begin a study of a concept I introduce it in class with as much foundation as I can using models, visuals and words. Then we go to the lab to work on a Gizmo. I ask the students to follow the Exploration Guides to certain points. Then I ask them to use the Gizmo to change things and look for patterns in changes. We then go back to the EG for more details.

I like the graphics and the ability to move objects to change things. I like the correlations shown between changes, numbers, and on the graphs.

I didn't think I would have the kids explore relationships as much as I do.

What Gizmo did you have the most success (and/or fun and/or satisfaction) teaching with?

Density, Ideal Gas Laws, and Element Builder. Each one had their own "specialness," .

What was it about these Gizmos that made the lesson successful?

Density was good to actually show how size/mass/density are related. The students who had not been able to see this before were amazed at how they saw it working. The ranking of the objects was the most fun for them.

The Ideal Gas Laws really showed the differences between Boyle's and Charles' Laws. The kids liked changing the pressures and watching the graphs change. They were very impressed by the straight and curved lines of the graphs and said they finally understood direct and inverse relationships from watching the graphs being built.

The Element Builder has been fun as I watch the kids try to find how changing protons, neutrons and electrons changes the periodic table. We had discussed before going to the Gizmo how the electron dot diagrams had been built, trying to see a pattern. They are now beginning to see how that pattern fits with the groups on the periodic table. Also the radioactivity and charges of the ions is becoming clearer as they experiment with adding electrons.

How did you find and choose these Gizmos for use in your class?

As I studied the text book I was to use this year, I paired it with all the Gizmos available at the time. As I tried different ones, I could see how they might be integrated into the lesson plans I was making. I saw that density, gas laws and periodic tables might be a challenge to my students and chose those to help with it. And they have

How did you use the Gizmos in class? (For example, Did students work individually on computers? In pairs? Did you use the Gizmo as a demo for the whole class? Did you assign the Gizmo as homework?)

We go to a lab to work on the Gizmos. Most of the students are working individually, though some end up working together, and almost all are discussing with someone else about their findings as they work. I monitor their work, asking questions, putting some ideas from one student out to others, pushing them on to other possibilities, and keeping them working in an orderly manner through the Exploration Guide.

After the Gizmo is finished we go back to class and review the findings, ask more questions and discuss possible answers based on what we have found in the Gizmos.

Did you make use of the Exploration Guide that accompanied the Gizmo? If so, how? If not, why?

I didn't use it for the first lab (Density). I had them put it on the screen with the graphics and follow it precisely, answering each question on another sheet of paper for the 2nd lab (Ideal Gas Laws). I printed the Guide on paper for them for the Element Builder lab. They were to write answers on the paper, and relationships they found on empty space around the guide.

[Note: For additional tips on using the EG in class, see Teaching with Gizmos - Part 2, Using the Exploration Guide and Assessment Questions.]

Did you make use of the Assessment Questions that accompanied the Gizmo? If not, why?

They have answered only the questions from the Ideal Gas Laws Gizmo because we didn't have time for the Density lab, and haven't finished the Element builder yet. The ones they did do were challenging yet they were able to do them. The students were quite proud of themselves for being able to answer them, and explain to me why the answers were what they were.

If you’ve used other technology and/or teaching methods to cover this same math or science concept, did you find the that the Gizmo helped you cover the topic more quickly/easily, less quickly/easily, or about the same? Explain.

I haven't taught these things in 15 years. When I was I was only able to simulate density with water and clay balls - it took forever and didn't work a lot. The Ideal Gas Laws were simulated with role plays of people under pressure. That worked only for kids who were thinking pretty abstractly. The periodic table was taught by just looking at the parts and moving on. Nothing about relationships between the atoms/parts of atoms and the table.

How did the students respond to the Gizmo?

They love them. They are challenged by them. The enjoy the manipulation and relationships they can see easily.

How effective was the Gizmo for struggling students? For gifted-and-talented students? For "typical" students?

I have mostly gifted students with a few typical students. The gifted ones are challenged and love it. The typical students find the basic concepts are made clear thru the Gizmos.

Describe the technology setup in which you used Gizmos. (E.g., Networked classroom? How many computers? Laptops? Cart? Projector? Interactive whiteboard?)

We have a computer lab with enough computers for each student to have their own. I may have access to a white board with them soon.

Tell us a bit about the school where you teach:

Classen School of Advanced Studies is a specialty school for 6th grade thru 12 th grades. We have students working in the IB (International Baccalaureate) program and in the VPA (Visual and Performing Arts) program. All students must apply to attend with test scores, portfolios, auditions, etc. They choose a 'major' when they enter and generally follow thru with that major to graduation.

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions , Janet. It's especially gratifying for us to hear how much the Gizmos are making your job as a teacher easier.

Case Study: Anne M. Gill, Math Teacher, Alabama

Anne M. Gill teaches math at St. Paul's Episcopal School and has had great success at integrating ExploreLearning's Gizmos into her classroom teaching to the point where she says, "I now do not start a lesson without checking Explorelearning to see what gizmos they have on the topic!"

Let's learn more about how Anne uses the Gizmos in her teaching by asking her a few questions.

What Gizmo did you have the most success (and/or fun and/or satisfaction) teaching with?

Linear Programming – Activity A.

What was it about this Gizmo that made the lesson successful?

When you graph a feasible region by hand, it is not possible to plug in every value to the objective function. The kids do not have the ability to prove the theorem that states the maximum/minimum will occur at the vertices of the feasible region. This [Linear Programming – Activity A] Gizmo allows the students to move the points around to see that the maximum/minimum will occur at the vertices.

Without the Gizmo, students must take this on faith which I do not believe is an effective teaching practice.

How did you use the Gizmo in class? (For example, Did students work individually on computers? In pairs? Did you use the Gizmo as a demo for the whole class? Did you assign the Gizmo as homework?)

The students worked individually on their own computers. I also used my computer and a projector to show the class. Before showing the gizmo, I worked a linear programming problem on the board. When it came time to find the maximum/minimum, I introduced the class to the gizmo. I had the students work through a variation of the exploration guide provided for homework.

[Download Anne's modified Exploration Guide in PDF or Word format]

If you’ve used other technology and/or teaching methods to cover this same math or science concept, did you find the that the Gizmo helped you cover the topic more quickly/easily, less quickly/easily, or about the same? Explain.

I have not used other technology to cover this material. I have taught Linear Programming without the Gizmo, and I have found that students can repeat the process to solve a problem — But [without the Gizmo] they do not understand why it works. The Gizmo helped with understanding.

How did the students respond to the Gizmo?

My students always respond well to the gizmos. I get a lot of "a-ha" moments when using this and other gizmos.

Describe the technology setup in which you used Gizmos. (E.g., Networked classroom? How many computers? Laptops? Cart? Projector? Interactive whiteboard?)

My classroom is on a wireless network. Each student has their own laptop, and I also run the Gizmo on my computer that is connected to a projector.

Thanks for your time and insight, Anne. It's great to hear how you're using the Linear Programming to help students really understand the concept rather than the students just rotely following the method to arrive at the correct answer.

No problem. I now do not start a lesson without checking Explorelearning to see what Gizmos you have on the topic!

Case Study: An Interview with Julie Eglite, Science Teacher

Julie Eglite, a science teacher at Deerfield High School in Deerfield, IL is an enthusiastic teacher/user of our ExploreLearning's Gizmos. In order to better understand her feelings about Gizmos as well as learn some ways she's incorporating Gizmos into her teaching, we asked Julie a series of questions.

What Gizmo did you have the most success (and/or fun and/or satisfaction) teaching with?

The Solubility and Temperature Gizmo has been a real winner for us.

What was it about this Gizmo that made the lesson successful?

At the Freshman level, the ability to accurately collect data can often be difficult and counterproductive relative to the concepts that we are guiding them towards. In a solutions unit that we were working on, we were trying to get students to the idea that solubility tends to increase with temperature, but at different rates. We were able to perform a lab in which they used potassium nitrate and sodium chloride to see that the solubility of each of these substances did increase with temperature, but clearly not at the same rate. Now, with the Gizmo, students were able to gather actual numbers, calculate the solubility and create accurate solubility graphs of the two substances. From this, they were able to confirm their findings and trends with numbers as well as compare this to an actual solubility chart of the two substances to prove that the Gizmo was accurate.

Describe the technology setup in which you used Gizmos. (E.g., Networked classroom? How many computers? Laptops? Cart? Projector? Interactive whiteboard?)

[Deerfield High School] is completely wireless, and in our science department, we have 48 laptops that travel on 4 different carts. We also have a number of computer labs throughout our school. We also use a projector in the class to demo each Gizmo prior to students heading to the computers on their own.

How did you use the Gizmo in class? (For example, Did students work individually on computers? In pairs? Did you use the Gizmo as a demo for the whole class? Did you assign the Gizmo as homework?)

Students worked with a partner. We were able to bring in our traveling laptops, and due to the large number of students in the class (44—it is team taught), it would have been too much to have them work individually.

What made teaching with the Gizmo different than teaching without the Gizmo?

[The Gizmo] gave us the ability to collect accurate information and create useful graphs in which students could interpret and analyze data that would lead them to correct conclusions. Often students collect bad data, and therefore they can’t accurately draw conclusions. When that is the case, the lab is not doing its job.

If you’ve used other technology and/or teaching methods to cover this same math or science concept, did you find the that the Gizmo helped you cover the topic more quickly/easily, less quickly/easily, or about the same? Explain.

Again, [The Solubility and Temperature] Gizmo was a supplement to the actual data collection. We could have given students the information, but through the gizmo, although not with lab equipment, they could still gather data, and have ownership of the information. I think it was a helpful addition.

How effective was the Gizmo for struggling students? For gifted-and-talented students? For "typical" students? Please explain.

I really think it helps all students. It is a good visual for them! I believe this Gizmo, and others like it really benefit struggling students in a way that they are free of lab issues. Often my lower level students have a difficult time in a lab setting and using the equipment. Although I don’t want to completely take that experience away from them, taking out the element of lab set up and use helps them get to the end result more easily.

In your opinion, did you feel that students understood the topic better as a result of using Gizmos? Explain with specific /detailed examples, if possible.

I think yes for some students, as they didn’t have to worry about inaccurate results. This also allowed the teachers to move around the room and check to see if they were using the Gizmo correctly, and correct any mistakes with calculating solubility, as all of the students should be getting the exact same numbers. It is also nice in the sense that students can work in pairs instead of groups of four. I believe that really helps some student’s focus and concentrate better. Also working on the computer keeps students fully engaged the entire time.

Did you create any additional materials to enhance the Gizmo lesson? (Worksheet, quiz?) If so, what? Would you be willing to share these materials with other EL users?

Yes, we used the orignial Exploration Guide [for the Solubility and Temperature Gizmo] as a template and modified it according to what we wanted our students to do with it. I will attach a copy of this for you.

[Download Julie's modified Exploration Guide in PDF or Word format]

Great! Sounds like you are having a lot of fun and success teaching with Gizmos. Thanks so much for your time.

You're welcome. I'm looking forward to continued dialogue!

Case Study: Gizmos Help Interpret Real-Life Math Concepts

Honora Rainville, a mathematics teacher at Abington High School in Abington MA, uses ExploreLearning Gizmos in all her classes. Rainville appreciates how Gizmos give her students an opportunity to explore challenging math topics from a visual perspective and also likes how the Assessment Questions accompanying the Gizmos provide for student accountability.

“ The interactive approach of the Gizmos really helped the students grasp the concepts. When I teach I like to touch varied learning styles and I think ExploreLearning helps to connect those aspects of teaching and learning. ” – Honora Rainville

In the Computer Lab with an LCD Projector and Screen

Rainville had success using Modeling Linear Systems - Activity A with her high school geometry students.

“ I find it very important to be able to relate slope and y-intercept to real life concepts rather than just the mechanics of writing and graphing equations. [The students] also needed to ‘see’ what I had been talking about when I taught the solution of systems of equations, rather than just hearing the mantra ‘the solution of a system of equations represents the point where the two lines intersect. ”

After using the Modeling Linear Systems Gizmo to introduce the concept via her LCD projector, Rainville then had the students work individually at their own computer in the lab. Discussion among students was encouraged.

Rainville's approach is supported by the research that finds that students learn effectively and efficiently when new concepts are first introduced directly to them, and they are allowed to then explore and practice applying the concepts on their own.

“ The Modeling Linear Systems Gizmo, both Activity A and B, gave the students a good opportunity to see the relevance of slope and y-intercept of a graph to speed and starting points as well as actually seeing the point of intersection as being the solution to the system of equations. In this case, it was where the cat caught the mouse. It was fun! ”

Gizmo Exploration Guides and Assessment Questions: Mindful Student Interaction

After allowing her Geometry students to "play" with the Gizmo and familiarize themselves with its workings, Rainville turned to the Exploration Guide that accompanies the Modeling Linear Systems Gizmo to better focus their interaction with the Gizmo.

“ I always have the students do the Exploration Guide before doing the assessment questions. I found that otherwise many of them missed a lot of what the gizmo had to offer. ”

Thumbnail above of a typical Assessment Results screen.

Additionally, Rainville incorporates the Gizmos' Exploration Guides and Assessment Questions into homework assignments:

“ … when giving Gizmos for homework, the students had to pass in a copy of answers for the Exploration Guide and also submit their answers to the Assessment Questions for me to view. They knew they would see some of these things on tests, as well. ”

And to make it that much easier for students to see mathematical concepts from the Gizmo represented on a test, Rainville made use of the screen capture feature built in to all Gizmos.

“ I also used a screen capture to put two questions on the test of this topic. I really liked that! [The screen capture feature] gave me the opportunity to really assess what the students had learned from the Gizmo. ”

Using Gizmos with Different Kinds of Students

At Abington High School, Rainville has found that Gizmos are equally effective with struggling students as they are with advanced students.

Making use of her high school’s computer lab, Rainville had success using several of the integer-based Gizmos with a class of low ability pre-algebra students.

After introducing the Gizmos with the projector, Rainville and her co-teacher in the math lab worked individually with students using the integer-based Gizmos. The students, previously struggling to understand the abstract concepts first encountered in pre-algebra, found the hands on approach helpful to understanding.

For example, when studying the adding and subtraction of integers, the pre-algebra students use the Gizmos to manipulate the sliders and see a real-time number-line representation of their of the the addition or subtraction. the results of their actions as each of the multiple representations updates in real-time.

“ I found it interesting that some of the students who did not do well in the classroom setting (be it lecture or hands on activities), did well with the Gizmos. That is why I try to bring in varied teaching activities so I can grab as many kids as possible. ”

Likewise, Rainville's more advanced students in her upper level Pre-Calculus course found the Gizmos helpful.

Gizmos provide teachers with a ready-made path for harnessing the power of visual imagery in instruction. (Stock photo)

Rainville expects her more mathematically advanced Pre-Calculus students to "be able to grasp abstract concepts," and "emphasized that the gizmos were meant to give them an alternate approach to topics … and to have some fun [with the new] topics."

“ The interactive approach of the gizmos really helped the students grasp the concepts. ”

Resources

• The Modeling Linear Systems - Activity A Gizmo
• The Modeling Linear Systems - Activity B Gizmo
• Site Tour: A Teacher's View
• Why Gizmos Work: Research Evidence
• Using the Gizmo Screen-Capture Feature
• Sign Up for a 30-Day Free Trial

Do you have a Gizmo success story? Let us know: support@explorelearning.com