Spring CUE 2019 Conference

Description
Experience how technology and hands-on materials can blend seamlessly to support learning. In this session, participants will take a basic biology topic, photosynthesis, and get hands-on by making algae beads that they can take with them. At the same time, they will see how Carolina Biological Supply Company has brought together a range of digital resources that enhance and extend the lesson.

The role technology plays in education is to enhance traditional lessons, and only to replace them when they can offer something truly superior. Using a sample biology lesson, we will demonstrate how technology can be used to enhance and extend a lab lesson.

Blended learning offers many benefits over traditional teaching methods. Engaging students through multiple channels affords the opportunity for all students to interact with the material in a way that supports their best learning. Supplementing traditional learning modes with video and interactive content provides additional modalities with which students can engage.

Trouble can arise when content does not well support the objectives of the primary lesson. Teachers also face challenges of making sure content is still available year after year. Carolina’s enhanced lab kits come with curated digital resources that complement and support the lab lesson. They also come with all the materials needed for success!

Despite how fundamental photosynthesis is to life on earth, the process is complex and has many facets, and the prior knowledge necessary to understand it may vary from classroom to classroom and student to student. In this session, participants will use traditional materials supplemented by video tutorials to learn to make algae beads and set them up for an experiment. Then we will demonstrate resources that we have developed to ensure students have the appropriate background knowledge to understand their results. Resources can be used as a primary lesson or as assignments assigned to help students review concepts.


Session Standard
The lesson modeled in this session build towards the following NGSS standards:
Science and Engineering Practices: Developing and Using Models
Disciplinary Core Ideas: LSC.C Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms
Crosscutting Concepts: Energy and Matter


Learning Outcome #1
Participants will be able to integrate digital lessons with a hands-on science lab using Carolina Science Online.


Learning Outcome #2
Be able to make algae beads and use them to perform a scientific experiment.