PDI Studio 5

This is an example of the outline teachers followed for their professional development sessions.

 

Note: If SD card temp sensors work feel free to play with them and skip other parts of the lesson.

Introduction – 5 Mins

Begin with friendly and attentive greetings and introductions if no everyone knows each other.

Remind teachers that we are interested in the design concept of coupling, in which two items are paired through a design process of experiencing resistance and then making accommodations so that both items end up changing. “Today we will continue to explore coupling “compost computing” with your classrooms.

First we will look at the data you gathered and draw conclusions about the temp overtime of compost. Second, we will brainstorm how this might connect to teachers’ curricular content. Third, we will discuss limitations and barrios to actually using this technology in classrooms. Fourth, we will brainstorm what changes might be made to the temp sensor so that it better fits with the classroom.

Questions –10 min

Have teachers pull up the data they collected using our “Compost Computing” set-up. Have them explain what your typical data collection process was like. What did they include in the compost?

Here you want to answer teachers question about the set up. What didn’t makes sense, what was confusing, what are the tech limitations. Whatever question they have.

Together work to draw out conclusions from the data.

Guided Practice – 20 mins

Pass out poster board and markers divide it into three section.

In the first section you and the teachers answer the question through writing and/or drawing: What curricular connections can Compost computing connect to?

Give 5 mins or less to write/draw. Then share out as a group.

In the second section you and the teachers answer the question through writing and/or drawing: what are the limitations and barriers to implementing this technology?

Give 5 mins or less to write/draw. Then share out as a group.

In the third section you and the teachers answer the question through writing and/or drawing: What changes to this technology need to be made for it to be effective classroom technology?

Give 5 mins or less to write/draw. Then share out as a group.

Activity – 25mins

Introduce a new code to calibrate the temp sensor reading in the code. Open the  attached Arduino file that I sent in the email, there is a line which contains the code “//kelvin += __”. If you remove the two slashes, and change the two underscores to the difference between the Arduino-outputted temperature and the actual temperature (which would have to be measured using a separate thermometer), the output temperature of that particular temperature sensor can be calibrated.

 

Reflection – 5 mins

If time reflect on the experience of the day.