Product Reviews
SPARK Science Learning System
By Ben Smith and Jared Mader
Consumers in today's ed tech market—and in the computing industry as a whole—have begun to expect devices to be increasingly mobile and portable without sacrificing functionality or computing power.
Pasco Scientific is aware of this shift. Its SPARK Science Learning System is a new interface box that greatly extends the capabilities of the company's portable GLX model. The SPARK combines the same great scientific probeware and data-collection software that Pasco produces for its PC market with built-in, inquiry-based lessons that drive critical thinking and problem solving.
The product name is an acronym for sense, perceive, analyze, reflect, and know. SPARK encompasses this mantra, which guided its developers when they set out to create an all-in-one product that hits home with science teachers of many grade levels. For an educator looking for an ultra-compact and portable solution to data collection, the SPARK’s rugged rubberized body and protected inputs provide a durable exoskeleton. It also makes use of the same blue PASPORT sensors available from Pasco, so schools that have already invested in those sensors can continue to use them.
Features and Design
Right after startup, the unit begins to display data collected from connected probes. Its setup is intuitive, and navigating the data collection interface through the touch screen is a snap. The unit will automatically recognize any attached sensor and offer display options. The graphical interface is a high-resolution screen with excellent brightness and color that is easy to view in any light. What makes the data collection interface so impressive are the real-time adjustments users can make to the axes and experiment length while the unit is collecting data. This is as simple as a tap and drag, allowing the user to extend axes and adjust scales easily. We did not find options to adjust axes and graphs quickly in any menus or dialog windows, but PASCO has made it simple to drag axes to the desired range without the use of menus.
Data Collection and Analysis
Once you collect data, you can capture and store graphs and tables for use in traditional lab reporting mediums. The SPARK also allows for student annotations on the graphs, tables, and an integrated notebook. You can use the notebook to export all of the experiment elements into a lab report format and then transfer the report to other programs.
The SPARK software comes with all the analysis tools needed for even the most complex of laboratory investigations. Those familiar with Data-Studio software will find the program and the tools very similar. Even without prior experience, we found that our kindergarten and third grade students were able to set up a motion activity or a science fair experiment using the magnetic field sensor with very little help.
Inquiry and Investigation
One advantage the SPARK's interface box has when compared to others is its option to use or create full-featured and content-rich investigations or explorations from within the unit. The product comes preloaded with more than 60 laboratory investigations covering every area of science and grade level, all with a careful instructional design in mind. Each of the explorations we examined introduced the activity with thoughtful questioning to promote critical thinking. Some of the sections even had a place for students to type their responses into a journal. When there was no way to enter responses, the questions served as class or lab group discussions. Some of the experiments began with interactive simulations that asked students to predict anticipated changes in a system, based on prior knowledge, and then the SPARKlab simulator demonstrated the actual results as an overlay on the prediction. The design of the software allows the SPARK to be an all-in-one solution for completing a lab from introduction to conclusion.
The experimentation began by clearly detailing the process for setting up the experiment. It gave concise direction about which probes to acquire and when to plug them into the unit. The graphics that accompanied the labs were well designed and appropriate to the context of the experiment. The pictures detailed the equipment’s setup. Teachers can even add their own pages to match the exact content standards and curricula for their specific teaching assignment and share the labs with other units via a USB drive.
Final Product
At the end of the experiment, students must relate their findings to the responses that they entered at the beginning of the experiment. They can enter their responses directly into the SPARK, send the content to the journal, and then export the final contents of the journal to their computer or printer. The unit has a USB port to allow for easy transfer via a flashdrive. They can also import the content of the journal as an image file for further editing and review through Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Inspiration, webpage editors, or Web 2.0 tools (Wikispaces, Edublogs).
Recommendations
The SPARK costs $329 per unit and comes with a temperature and voltage sensor. Additional sensors typically cost more than $60 each.
Our ultimate goal for an interface such as the SPARK would be for it to serve as a one-stop shop for all of the experimental design tools associated with the investigation process. Features we would love to see included are a built-in video cam for capturing actual experimental footage and a built-in microphone for recording student comments, observations, and analysis.
From beginning to end, students are engaged, challenged, and interactive as they work with the SPARK. The unit guides yet asks students to make predictions, test those predictions, and then draw conclusions from those experiences. This is exactly what we would expect from our students in the science classroom, and the SPARK allows us to carry out that lesson design in the lab. If you are looking for a data collection package for your district, we recommend you consider the Pasco SPARK.
Pasco
$329
www.pasco.com
Ben Smith has been a physics teacher at Red Lion Area High School for 20 years. He and Mader are the science curriculum specialists for L&L. Smith also serves on ISTE's board of directors.
Jared Mader is the director of technology at Red Lion Area Senior High School in Red Lion, Pennsylvania. He has been a chemistry teacher for 10 years.
Copyright © 2009, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int'l), iste@iste.org, www.iste.org. All rights reserved.
November 2009 | Learning & Leading with Technology
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