This project (2018-1-SE01-KA201-039098) has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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TITLE
Science Journal - Google
LEARNING OBJECT
Investigating illumination in a learning space: this investigation is based on a teaching pack from California Academy of Sciences at https://www.calacademy.org/educators/lesson-plans/an-illumination-investigation

It could be used after students have stu
NAME OF AUTHOR(S)
Google
NAME OF PRODUCER
DATE OF PRODUCTION
2014
TYPE OF PRODUCT
Mobile Apps, Downloadable material
SUBJECT TAUGHT
Chemistry, Natural Science, Biology, Physics
LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE
Medium
TARGET GROUP AGE
14 – 16 years old
TUTORIAL SUPPORT
Yes
DESCRIPTION
Science Journal is an app that should provide innovative teaching and learning scenarios. Of course the drawback is that students will have to have access to suitable devices to access the app. Science Journal transforms a mobile device into a pocket-size science tool that encourages students to explore their world. As they conduct eye-opening experiments, they’ll record observations and make new, exciting discoveries.
Teachers could use the app to enhance existing lesson plans, use Science Journal with activities and assignments already prepared, and access other activities that will engage and excite students. From oscillating chemical reactions to using brightness to estimate the distance of a star, there are a range of seventy activities to fit different curricula.
The authors of the activities include:
• California Academy of Sciences
• Exploratorium
• Maker Camp
• New York Hall of Science
• Science Buddies
• Tech Museum
• Playful Learning Lab
The activities are timed, with duration from 30 minutes or less to about 1 hour.
Each activity is linked to a Lesson plan and directions for the location of the activity, e.g. Classroom friendly, Outdoors friendly, Do at home.
COMMENTS
The app allows students to:
Document science experiments - Students can measure their experiment results, take quality photos, and jot down important notes.
Access on multiple platforms - Science Journal is a free app, and is fully compatible with Android, iOS and most Chromebooks.
Record observations – Students can use device sensors to measure light, sound and movement. They can also compare results and set triggers to tell the app when to record.

Teachers can add external sensors – that they already have or plan to buy from trusted vendors like Vernier, allowing students to conduct even more experiments that includes building a weather station or testing body conductivity. Popular sensors include: light, conductivity, temperature, force, gas, heart rate, respiration, radiation, pressure, magnetism.

There is a Help Centre and a Forum on the website.
INNOVATIVE WAY OF USING THE DIGITAL TOOL
There are numerous suggestions for innovative ways to use the tool but the exercise on light sensing and light level determination provides a way to collect significant amounts of data from a class exercise and then utilise it as needed for the subsequent lessons.
For example, this could be data collection for a mathematics module rather than just limiting to science or engineering. In the maths class it would allow generation of averages, comparisons, percentages and computations involving cost, energy use and so on.
TEACHERS’ COMMENT
Excellent tool although it does depend on the access to the technology.
The suggestion for use in Maths to relate numeracy to real-life issues would work well with the principles of the Project Maths course in Ireland.