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Computer-based measurements in distance education of in-service teachers. Karla Ho lá, Václav Koubek, Miroslav Šedivý, Soňa Bendíková, Vincent Cigánik,Marián Danišovič Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics Bratislava, Comenius University. Introduction
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Computer-based measurements in distance education of in-service teachers Karla Holá, Václav Koubek, Miroslav Šedivý, Soňa Bendíková, Vincent Cigánik,Marián Danišovič Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics Bratislava, Comenius University
Introduction • In the period from March to June 2003, a distant course on the usage of computers in physics’ laboratory was held by the Department of Physics Education. • Duration of the course – 12 weeks • Topic – Coach 5 experiments and data processing, computer modelling and data video measurements • Participants – a small group of voluntary secondary-school teachers from various regions of Slovakia. Some of them already had prior experience with Coach before the course started. • Tools for the distance communication - commonly available at any university or, without any special costs for performing the course. • Follow up - continuation with the same group, • - a new group of in-service teachers • Support of nationalprojects • Aim • To develop methods and find tools for distance instructing of computer-based measurements, dynamical computer modelling and video clip analysis
Objectives • Participants after taking active part in DE should be able to: • communicate by e-mail and a videoconferencing system with the training centre • carry out computer-based measurements with interface and selected sensors • be familiar with the basics of dynamical modelling • analyse video clips depicting real-life physical situations and perform video measurements on them • use spreadsheets for data processing • use graphs for communication of physical information together with graphical analytical tools such as derivative, integral • build their own new activities, make up physical tasks by means of Coach 5 software • create electronic presentations with images and video clips inserted directly in slides • publish their experience at a web site, participate in building web database of physical experiments • implement new methods into physics education
Structure of the distance course in computer assisted secondary physics education • initial presence meeting • lending of the necessary Coach hardware • basic instruction in hardware and software usage • fundamentals of electronic communication • severaldistance lessons • measurement and data processing – 5; • dynamical modelling – 3 • data video measurements - 2 mainly carried outasynchronously butwere supplemented with synchronous meetings on demand for consultation at the agreed time and date • evaluation of the course in an on-line survey • presence final meeting • presentation of a measurement, model or a video measurement made on their own • discussion of their experience with Coach usage at schools • bringing back of the experimental set.
Communication tools All the selected tools were computer-based technologies.
Types of resources and methods of their deliveriveng Texts and assignments organised by • Supporting materials • Two CD-ROMs: “Chapters on Didactics of Physics” and “Experiments and Models in computer-based laboratory” • Activities (Coach files offered to students with detailed procedure instructions) • Web materials (to be gradually produced)
Texts with selected topics on Coach functionsand tools with video notes included (Data export from a Table)
NetMeeting • NetMeeting provides powerful conferencing and collaboration functions in a complete, integrated package for the Internet or intranet. • Possibilities and Advantages • Cost effective – free software to download or already included in Windows package • Point-to-point audio and video conferencing • Multipoint data conferencing using tools • Whiteboard • Chat(and Whisper- secret message) • File transfer (sending assignments,results) • Program sharing (of a single program) • Remote desktop sharing • Disadvantages and Deficiencies • Group audio/video conferences are not possible • Windows application only • Technical equipment required for audio/video digital conferencing – sound card, microphone, speakers, video camera (video capture card)
Screenshot of desktop sharing with remote control in NetMeeting
Moodle • Moodle is a software package for producing internet-based courses and web sites. • Possibilities and Advantages • Free as Open Source software • More than 28 language versions; every user can choose the language for Moodle interface. • Students create their own login accounts. Email addresses are verified by confirmation. • Course formats - weekor topiclessons or discussion-focussed social format • Course activities of the following type - Forums, Journals, Quizzes, Resources,Choices, Surveys, Assignments, Web links • Teacher´s opportunity of tracking activity of each student on one page • System of deadlines of assignments • Grading with exporting into text and/or excel files • Teacher-student feedback, e-mail notification of it • Building of a database of questions, multiple-choice questions with either single or multiple answer • Attachment of a file (up to 2MB) • Voluntary or compulsory subscription to discussion forums
Moodle Disadvantages and Deficiencies • Administration of courses is a bit clumsy, no finished courses are stated and a course contents could be more transparent • Compatibleness with standard electronic courses is not granted • Accessibility of discussion contribution to every participant, it cannot be chosen by a student to whom to address a topic or a reply • No Help in navigation for course participants • Grades are not stated in percents of the total course credits • When compared to News board, planning calendar for personal and public events is missing • The possibility of open survey is missing (only some standard surveys with set of prepared questions are at one’s disposal) • The environment is still under construction • Weak student–student interaction (they are not motivated by results of the others) • No platform for ideas sharing with attached documentation
Screenshot of Moodle course – „Computer based experiments, models and video measurements in Coach“ – Week schedule
Screenshot of Moodle course – „Computer based experiments, models and video measurements in Coach“ Quiz - Survey on users’ experience.
Screenshot of Moodle course – „Computer based experiments, models and video measurements in Coach“ Quiz – Final test
VNC viewer(Virtual Network Computing) • A remote display system which enables to view a computing 'desktop' environment from anywhere on the Internet • Possibilities and Advantages • It is small and simple, no installation needed • Platform-independent( e.g. Windows, Linux) • Sharable from multiple points by several persons to view, use and control. • Free to use (under GNU General Public License). • Disadvantages and Deficiencies • Caution: total computer sharing of multiple users, not only program sharing.
VRVS • VRVS is a web oriented system for videoconferencing and collaborative work over IP networks. • Possibilities and Advantages • Various conferencing rooms, which are booked in advance • Integrated system combining various communication tools: chat, audio and video conferencing, desktop sharing (VNC) • Can be used with various platforms (e.g. Windows, Linux, Mac, Solaris) • Video conferences are accesible from multiple points connected to a global net of reflectors. • Many ways to share documentation – During Room reservation, one can attach URL links of the documentation. During the meeting, there wiil be a list of icons pointing out the documents. Possibility of „synchronized web browsing“ in chat window. • Disadvantages and Deficiencies • System requires net connection fast enough so that all its tools can function well
References • NetMeeting http://www.microsoft.com/windows/netmeeting/ • Moodle http://moodle.org/doc/, http://www.gnu.org/directory/education/adult/moodle.html • VNC http://www.uk.research.att.com/vnc/ • Pišút, J., Koubek, V., Innovation of teacher training in physics and maths, TEMPUS AC_JEP 13101-98 , http://www.ddp.fmph.uniba.sk/tempus/temp001.html, http://www.ddp.fmph.uniba.sk/tempus/fyz_vzd.html • http://www.ddp.fmph.uniba.sk/~koubek/Granty/Granty.htm • Coach http://www.cma.science.uva.nl/english/index.html • Infovek http://www.infovek.sk/konferencia/2000/prispevky/filozofia.html • Distance course „Computer based experiments, models and video measurements in Coach“organised in Moodle: http://fyzikus.fmph.uniba.sk/moodle/