Life and Physical Science:
Online Lab Instrument Access

Why:

"[Project ExCEL] came about because we knew that there were high powered tools that scientists use and have access to on a regular basis that are not available in schools. Those tools could be very useful in helping students really understand what scientists do and empowering the students to work as scientists."

(Connie Hargrave: Associate Professor at Iowa State University)



Case Quick Reference

Subject: Science
Grade Level: K-12
Type: Extend Learning
Number of students: N/A
Setting: Online
Time Line: N/A

Assessment
Teacher made

Technologies Used
Internet-based Scanning
Electronic Microscope
Chat room

Organization
A university outreach program provides K-12 students with access to an Internet-based Scanning Electronic Microscope (SEM) which facilitates student examination of real-world phenomena like the structure of physical materials and minute biological characteristics of animals.

Science labs provide students with authentic experiences to initiate inquiry-based learning and develop scientific thinking. Unfortunately, schools often lack the resources and funding to provide equipment and materials students need to conduct meaningful lab activities. Thus, many students are deprived of educational experiences that promote active learning and create a deep understanding of scientific concepts.

Project ExCEL, an outreach program of the Iowa State University Materials Science and Engineering Department and the Curriculum and Instruction Department funded by the National Science Foundation, provides schools with a creative solution to this problem. Through Project ExCEL K-12 students have access to an Internet-based Scanning Electronic Microscope (SEM). Students control the WebSEM (which is located in the Materials Science & Engineering building at ISU) from computers in their local schools. The WebSEM allows students to study inert materials and biological specimens at a much higher magnification and resolution level than is possible using optical microscopes typically found in classrooms. The WebSEM also provides students an opportunity to operate a state-of-the-art technology tool that is currently used in top research and industry laboratories around the world. This allows students to engage in activities that support the kinds of authentic scientific research processes recommended by the National Science Education Standards.
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WHAT:

Students saw an intimate view of the insect that could not have been seen through an optical microscope in the classroom. They saw the raw structure of an insect and began to question that structure's use. It gave the students a basic look at a real phenomenon of nature and caused them to question what it was and for what it was used. This is the basis of the scientific method and provides a "hook" to catch the interest of the student."

(High School Teacher)1

The WebSEM facilitates student examination of real-world phenomena like the structure of physical materials and minute biological characteristics of animals. According to the National Science Education Standards, examination of real phenomena gives students' an experience that promotes the development of authentic question asking and research skills that are conducive to scientific investigations. For example, to come to understand that multi-cellular organisms like insects have a variety of structures and systems that perform specialized functions, students may collect several insect specimens and send them to ExCEL project lab technicians. Lab technicians must sometimes coat non-metallic samples with a very thin layer of gold to prepare them for use with the SEM. Samples are then placed in the WebSEM at a time scheduled by the classroom teacher. Students have full control of the WebSEM from their classroom computers. They can examine various biological structures —like the different eating mechanisms of various insects. Through this process students recognize that different insects have different eating structures which prompts them to raise questions about how different structures function, and draw inferences about the foods a certain insect might eat, and from that, infer the types of activities in which a particular insect might engage.

 

Besides providing students with increased magnification and resolution levels compared to optical microscopes they might have in their classrooms, the WebSEM can perform elemental analyses of materials. That is, the WebSEM produces a spectrum of the various elements which make up the specimen. For example, students can investigate the relationship between the color of gemstones and their chemical composition (A prepared sample of gemstones is available through Project ExCEL). As students view the gemstones through the microscope, they can also view the elemental composition of that particular gemstone. The elemental analysis provides a breakdown of the specific elements contained in the gemstone, revealing the general silicone and oxygen composition and the impurities that are reason for the gems having different colors. Students can then hypothesize about the makeup of gemstones and the effects of impurities on their color.

Project ExCEL and the WebSEM provide an ExCELlent opportunity for students to actively construct knowledge of scientific process and procedures during authentic laboratory activities. Access to this sophisticated equipment permits teachers to conduct science labs with high power technology that would normally be impossible for these students to access. This project helps students in K-12 classrooms participate in the inquiry-based science learning, which, are at the heart of the National Science Education Standards.
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HOW?

Coordinating people, ideas, materials, and the science classroom environment are difficult and ongoing tasks. Project ExCEL and the WebSEM provide access to powerful authentic scientific tools and extensive support for using them in K-12 classrooms. Educators who want to use WebSEM must first contact project administrators Scott Chumbley or Amy Chumbley to schedule a time to use WebSEM with his or her class and arrange for sample preparation. Schedule times are flexible and teacher needs can usually be accommodated. In fact, Amy has even operated the SEM during evenings to accommodate a school in Adelaide, Australia where it is 9:00 the next morning.

The WebSEM web site ( www.mse.iastate.edu/excel ) contains detailed instructions for teachers to help them get their classroom computers ready for a WebSEM session. WebSEM developers have tried to keep a fairly low level of hardware and network requirements because classroom computers tend to be limited in performance and bandwidth available to schools can create network access problems. Software requirements and downloads are available on the WebSEM web site.

WebSEM sessions begin when the teacher logs on to the Project ExCEL web site from their classroom computer. A window opens on the computer screen that allows users to view what is currently mounted on the WebSEM. Students can move the stage of the microscope using their classroom computers by pointing and clicking with the mouse or by typing in the coordinates for specific locations on the sample provided in advance by the lab technicians. This allows them to examine different parts of the specimen. For closer inspection, students can change the magnification and focus the image as desired. There is also a measurement feature which allows accurate measurement of any part of the image.

Successful online learning requires support for both students and teachers. Classroom support is provided during the WebSEM session through a chat room in which students and teachers can ask the WebSEM operator questions to clarify what they are seeing. To communicate with lab technicians during the session a "chat box" at the top of the screen is available for receiving messages —and one at the bottom of the screen allows students to enter messages for the lab technicians. Further, teacher support is provided through expert-developed online lesson plans (see examples) for WebSEM activities, and tutorials of how a SEM activity works for elementary, high school and college students.

Samples come from many sources. Students may collect and send in their own samples or teachers may choose from a sample library at Iowa State University. Teachers may design activities and collect, or have students collect, samples from the natural surroundings. In addition, many elementary teachers find students are interested in sending in everyday objects like pencil lead, erasers or paper clips. The Project ExCEL library includes insects, human tissues, food, bacteria, crystals, and gemstones. An important factor to keep in mind is that the samples must be completely dry and that the surface of the object must be appropriate. The image is created from electrons reflected off the surface of the sample (not from light passing through the sample —as is the case with an optical microscope).

Project ExCEL helps science teachers create active authentic laboratory-based learning environments for their students. It helps schools overcome some of the barriers that have eroded many science education programs by providing students and teachers with easy and free access to expensive equipment which supports inquiry-based science in laboratory settings. Flexibility and classroom support make Project ExCEL a powerful online learning tool for teachers and students.

Footnotes:
1. Thakkar, B. Carragher, Carroll, L., Conway, C., Grosser, B., Kisseberth, N., Potter, C.S., Robinson, J., Sinn-Hanton, J., Stone, D., and Weber, D. (2000). Formative Evaluation of Bugscope: A Sustainable World Wide Laboratory for K-12. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA.

Thanks to Connie Hargrave,   Iowa State University Department of Curriculum and Instruction, and Iowa State University Materials Science and Engineering Department.

This case developed by:
Dale Niederhauser, Ph. D. and Denise Lindstrom, M. S.
Center for Technology in Learning and Teaching
Iowa State University

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Case Studies
Web Links:
Project ExCEL: http://www.mse.iastate.edu/excel/
Iowa State University Materials Science and Engineering Department: http://mse.iastate.edu/
Iowa State University: http://www.iastate.edu
National Science Foundation: http://www.nsf.gov/
National Science Education Standards: http://books.nap.edu/html/nses/3.html
WebSEM tutorials: http://www.mse.iastate.edu/microscopy/choice.html
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A project funded by Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust
Partners: Iowa Public Television, Iowa Department of Education,
Iowa State University - Department of Curriculum and Instruction - Center for Technology in Learning and Teaching - Department of Chemistry,
University of Virginia - Curry Schools of Education - Center for Technology and Teacher Education,
Ottumwa Community Schools, Wartburg College

'Good Practice to Inform Iowa Learning Online' case studies were developed by the Center for Teachnology in Learning and Teaching at
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Last updated: January 2005