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These resources have been reviewed and selected by STEM Learning’s team of education specialists for factual accuracy and relevance to teaching STEM subjects in UK schools.
Wireless sensors
Purpose: The use of sensors to measure variables in practical science activities has long been linked to the use of data loggers. This is no longer the case. Free software apps on mobile devices can link directly to one or more wireless enabled sensors. This significantly reduces cost and complexity, whilst avoiding the need for trailing cables around apparatus. Whilst this is a recent development, there is already a significant range of sensors available. There are many benefits to using sensors for taking measurements – they are usually very precise, they require little skill in reading scales, and can often reduce the time taken for an investigation very significantly. More importantly, the collected data can instantly be displayed graphically, allowing students to focus on the effect of changing a variable in an experiment, rather than them being occupied by data recording and graph drawing.
Teaching approach: The approach taken will depend on the investigation being conducted. As an example, consider the classic investigation of producing a cooling curve for stearic acid. Usually a liquid filled thermometer would be placed into a test tube of molten stearic acid, a stop clock started and the temperature would be recorded at regular intervals as the stearic acid cooled. Once it is frozen, data collection stops and a graph drawn of the data collected. Using a wireless sensor, a link would be established between the sensor and graphing software (this may be Bluetooth or via wi-fi) and then the thermometer placed in the liquid stearic acid. The data collection would be started via the software, and a graph of the changing temperature drawn on the screen. Students would be able to focus on the shape of the emerging graph, particularly at the point a solid first formed, rather than monitoring time intervals and recording temperatures. Using wi-fi rather than Bluetooth allows multiple devices to share the same data, which in this case may be preferable as only one set of apparatus is needed for the class. In other situations, it may be important for each group or individual to manipulate their own apparatus, depending on the intended outcomes of the activity.
Preparation: Each wireless sensor manufacturer produces a unique app for data collection, which would need to be installed on student’s mobile devices. All wireless sensors are self-powered and will therefore need to be charged (usually via a USB cable) before use. If using multiple wireless sensors in a class, each user will need to be able to recognise the identification code for their specific sensor when linking it to data collection software. Some preliminary teaching on the use of software analysis tools may be needed for some investigations.
A number of organisations produce wireless sensors. This link is a review of a number of different wireless sensors produced by Pasco.
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