CloudLab Software for Hands-On Science Learning

Purpose: The project team will fully develop and test CloudLab, a web-based dashboard to present scientific data captured by sensors during experiments. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) emphasize the actual doing of STEM so that students can apply learning to the real world. However, students often have difficulty collecting, measuring, and applying data from inquiry activities to furthering their ideas, skills, and knowledge of STEM. Project Activities: During Phase I in 2017, the team developed a prototype dashboard that presents data from experiments where sensors measured the scientific properties of altitude, speed, and temperature. Researchers worked with three middle school science teachers and 350 students to determine that the prototype operated as intended. Teachers reported that students engaged in productive scientific conversations as they worked on their lab reports using the prototype. Most students reported that they would be interested in completing more science investigations using this method. In Phase II of the project, the team will fully develop the back-end data system to present results, a portal to provide access to user generated, lessons, lab templates, and coding activities across participating classrooms. After development concludes, researchers will conduct a pilot study to assess the feasibility and usability, fidelity of implementation, and the promise of CloudLab for improving student learning. The team will collect data from 30 middle school teachers and students in these classes, with half of the classes randomly assigned to use the CloudLab and the other half to use business as usual laboratory activities to teach the same course content. Researchers will compare pre-and-post scores of student's learning NGSS outcomes associated to the experiments, as well as scores on student motivation to conduct scientific experiments. Product: CloudLab will be a web-based dashboard that presents data captured by sensors on scientific properties such as altitude, speed, and temperature. CloudLab will work with the existing PocketLab sensor, a small wireless device that transmits scientific data using Bluetooth to a smartphone, tablet, or computer. CloudLab will consist of a portal for middle school science students, so that they can record and store data from their individual experiments, analyze, and present findings to classmates and as course assignments. CloudLab will include a portal for teachers to manage lab groups, to aggregate results at the class and individual student level, and to share or find content on lessons, lab templates, and coding activities. CloudLab will be used by students in and out of classrooms to supplement learning of course content aligned to NGSS topics in physics, chemistry, biology, Earth science, engineering, design, and technology.