GSS has two types of computer/technology aspects:
- students can read the materials on computer display,
and
- some investigations involve using computer software,
Interpreting Digital Images.
1. For reading GSS books
a. For in-class reading, show the reading material
with a single classroom computer with large screen
display (such as LCD projector) and have all the students
read that display. This has a number of advantages
such as needing only one computer, option of students
reading the material aloud, or having immediate discussions
of certain questions that might come up. You can have
students silently read a page with the assignment
to pick a sentence or two that contains a key idea
that is especially interesting to them. Then have
volunteers read their chosen sentences and explain
why it is of special interest to them.
b. For reading as homework, you need to find out
how many students are able to use a computer at home
for doing homework. For those students that have computers
at home you can have students take the book home on
CD-ROM or access the non-printing file from the GSS
website (part of the Digital Library for Earth Systems
Education). Students who do not have use of computers
at home will need either hard copy books or printouts
of the specific pages that are the reading assignments.
GSS books are in Combined Online
and Hardcopy Design (COHD) style for easy of reading
both online and in paper.
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2. For investigations using software
a. Reserve a computer lab and depending on the number
of computers available, have one student per computer
or pairs/groups of students share computers.
b. Use a single classroom computer with large screen
display. Have students take turns doing the "driving"
with the whole class watching and discussing results.
c. If most students have access to computers at home,
assign the investigations as homework and loan CD-ROMs
to the students to install the software on their home
computers.
d. Use a combination of any of the above approaches.
For example, use strategy (b) for introducing the
investigation and then (a) or (c) for student work. |
