Educators understand the need for diverse tools when introducing kids to scientific concepts.
As electronics continue to flourish as a means of mechanizing the modern world, many of us don’t have a basic understanding of the principles that govern electricity and how we are able to do so much with it. It is all that much more important for us to teach our children what is happening when we put food in the microwave or trip a circuit breaker.
One of the more exciting developments in education in the last 30 years is the new understanding that there are many kinds of learners. Howard Gardner made waves in education when he published his theory of multiple intelligence, and since then, it is common for teachers and parents to identify children as “visual-spatial” or “verbal” learners, for example.1
With the advent of the Internet and the propagation of mobile technology, we now have the ability to convey information in a way that is effective and entertaining for a variety of learning styles. This is advantageous for subjects like science and math because it can introduce these more complex topics in ways that are accessible, increasing interaction and visualization.2
Educators and developers have come up with some inspiring ways to spark interest in young minds. One example is Circuit Playground, a web TV program that acts out basic concepts and vocabulary with fun graphics and puppets. The Home Science website illustrates all kind of terrific, interactive ways to explore physical science.
To engage slightly older children, MuseMaze’s Circuit Jam delivers an interactive game that makes electronic circuits remarkably approachable. It has over 100 puzzles that gradually introduce circuit basics without getting deep into formulas and equations. While having fun, kids will effortlessly learn about voltage, current, and resistance.
For more sophisticated exploration of how electricity works, the EveryCircuit app by MuseMaze offers a beautiful custom-built simulation engine with a library of components. Building a circuit and understanding the flow of power and how it can be modified is now possible for young and beginner users without the danger of injury. Beautiful animations of voltage waveforms, current flows and capacitor charges respond in real time and an analog control knob adjusts circuit parameters. The app harnesses the touch capability of the latest tablets so users can see how circuits respond to different parameters.
The new generation has inventive new tools to become familiar and hopefully master big ideas in science. By incorporating visual depictions and interactivity, this next-level technology serves to demystify the foundations and captivate the attention of young minds so that they understand not just how to operate modern conveniences, but also how they work on the inside.
The EveryCircuit app is now enabled for Android* tablets powered by Intel® Atom™ processors. For more information about this remarkable app, visit the Google Play* store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.everycircuit.free
References:
[1] http://www.pssc.ttu.edu/techhort/lasrvy/vs_vr.htm
[2] In education's continuing mission of meeting the needs of learners, an apparent shift from the long-standing process of reading, writing, counting, and text memorization skills that may have been appropriate for the medieval clerk, are giving way to skills of analysis and innovation that are considered desirable in today’s modern cultures (West, 1997). http://ejite.isu.edu/Volume1No1/pdfs/stokes.pdf