Digital Tools to Enhance Science Learning
Digital tools have the potential to make science learning more engaging, accessible, and challenging for all learners. Drawing upon technology and universal design for learning principles, we develop innovative learning resources that support all learners—including adults. Many resources have a special focus on engaging and motivating students who struggle in science class. Interested? Contact June Foster, Bryan Wunar, or Ruth Krumhansl.
Selected Projects:
Enhancing Informal Explorations of Living Phenomena Through Digital Images is developing free, downloadable materials to support informal science educators in engaging youth ages 10–14 in long-term observations of trees, ponds, plants, and more. Contact Bryan Wunar.
Oceans of Data is providing recommendations about how to make large scientific databases more easily usable by high school science classes. Contact June Foster or Ruth Krumhansl.
Possible Worlds is developing game modules that fit into regular science curricula and target science misconceptions, reading difficulties, and motivational issues that hamper science learning and teaching. Contact Cornelia Brunner or Katherine Culp.
TV 411: What’s Cooking? Serving Up Math and Science uses an online cooking show to provide science and math content to adults with low levels of literacy and assists adult educators with teaching science concepts. Contact Alex Quinn.
Universal Design Curriculum Toolkit offers guidelines and an open-source Web-based software system that curriculum developers can use to digitally customize inquiry-based science curricula to incorporate UDL features. Contact Jackie Miller or June Foster.
WebLabs guide students through a series of virtual experiments. Each lab is rated on a scale of difficulty and offers notes and instructions for students and teachers. Contact Kristen Bjork.