Content Tech: Generating and Testing Hypotheses

Content Tech
Ideas for Technology Use in the Classroom

In an ongoing look at the book, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, the next strategy is generating and testing hypotheses. Technology advances including probeware, interactive simulations, and spreadsheets, allow classroom time to be devote classroom time to interpreting data, rather than collecting data.

In the science classroom, digital microscopes and digital sensors allow students to easily capture information and focus on analysis. Even without having such resources, the authors make the point that the Internet itself is a huge data collection tool for any curriculum. For example, a social studies class could collect data from the U.S. Census Bureau and import it into Excel to create charts regarding population shifts. Math students could use the NASA FlyByMath site to work on distance-rate-time problems. ELA students who paste their writing into Wordle get a unique visual representation of their work. Online simulations at Explore Learning allow science and math students to test many different concepts.

The array of tools available through software, hardware and the Internet provide great opportunites for generating and testing hypotheses. Just for fun – here is a Wordle using the words in this post – enjoy!

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