Review for:Discover Biology: Cell Structure & Compartments

posted: on November 4, 2007 at 12:11PM

Biology

I utilized the resource while teaching students about cell structure and organelle function.

My goal was to help students understand the the physical and physiologic differences that exist between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Because of the diminutive size of living cells, direct student interaction is limited. Microscope slides are of some value, but using the IWB and a visually-stimulating animation offers a greater opportunity to enrich student understanding of the topic material. Plus, the addition of interactive "drag and drop" quizzing provides an opportunity for informal assessment as well.

Intro or Regular

The resources were incorporated within a powerpoint presentation. Animations complimented a series of text-based notes. Throughout the session, students would take notes about the topic, and then watch (or interact directly) with an animation that was intended to confirm, or buffer, their understanding. By adding an interactive component, I was able to assess their understanding and help them to identify any misconceptions they may have had.

Provides visualization or animation, Provides a virtual lab, Provides practice or tutorial, Provides additional content, Provides assessment opportunity, Increases student engagement and motivation

The animations and tutorials are flexible in design. The formats are easily incorporated into IWB presentation programs. The content is visually-stimulating and helps to maintain and foster student engagement. The opportunity for direct student involvement (drag and drop quizzing) gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their newly-acquired knowledge in a creative and fun way.

If only several students are actually interacting with the IWB there is an opportunity for other students to be disengaged with the activity. Teachers tend to be focused on what is happening at the IWB and may lose focus on what is happening in the rest of the room. Careful planning and modeling can help to reduce these negative effects. For example, by telling students at their seats to help the student at the IWB, they may feel more a part of the exercise. By giving everyone a "job" during interactive instruction, effective classroom management is easily achieved.