Curriculum Design Principles for Using Probeware in a Project-Based Learning Setting: Learning Science in Context

Abstract

While probeware has been available to educators since 1982, an extremely small number of teachers has integrated it into their curriculum. This is largely due to the fact that probe-related activities require a change in teaching style on the part of the teacher as well as learning style on the part of the student. Probe-related activities promote inquiry and require teachers and students to constantly reinvent activities based on relevant field-based contexts. While Science Learning in Context (SLiC) had the luxury of working with innovative and flexible research sites to develop classroom support materials, we also wanted to impact the larger audience of the traditional classroom. In order to do this, the software had to be easy to use.