Last semester in our Science Methods course, Dr. Murray introduced us to an app which we were asked to become familiar with and to use it for our own science experiments. That is the app that I am going to be discussing here for this Show and Tell post, so some of you reading this may already know about this app and will be reminded of better days when we were driving remote control cars in the hallways instead of worrying about deadlines. Apologies about that.
The app I am referring to is called "Google Science Journal", and as the name suggests it can be an extremely useful tool for the science classroom. What is so special about this app other than being free is that it takes advantage of sensors already in the smartphone, and allows you to use that technology to do your own science experiments. It is also really quite easy to record your own thoughts and to make notes right on top of the charts and graphs that can be created, and options for adding or taking photos right on the app also exist.
I think that this is just great, since it is using existing technology to give students the chance to figure out scientific answers for questions they may have. Students can be tasked with coming up with their own scientific experiments like we were asked to do with RC cars in Science Methods, or they can just be using the app to complete the experiments that have been designed for them. Obviously being created by a company such as Google, I have no doubt that the app itself will only continue to be updated and to get even better, and will likely include more features and more sensor options in the future. There are a few suggested activities included in the program, but the beauty in an app like this is that there is just so much potential for what it could actually be used for. I don't know for sure what I would do exactly with an app like this, but it is one that needs to be remembered for the future.
Google Science Journal
https://youtu.be/9m1h9AVXuf4- B
As you mentioned, I am reminded of better days... haha! I agree entirely, it is such a powerful tool that, if mastered, could open up endless possibilities in a science classroom. Google is truly an amazing company and I am excited to see how they will continue to positively influence education into the future. Thanks for sharing!
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