ALEKS—Artificial Intelligence for Learning & Assessment

Courses in elementary, middle school, high school, college prep, and college mathematics are offered by the Web-based ALEKS (Assessment and Learning Knowledge Spaces) program. The system features individually-targeted instruction correlated to Common Core and state standards. Using ALEKS, students work at their own level, a level determined by ALEKS artificially intelligent assessment techniques. The system selects questions based on students’ previous answers and then presents topics students are ready to learn. ALEKS assesses progress periodically to make sure students are mastering and retaining content. To find out more about ALEKS courses and assessment, take an ALEKS tour or sign up for a free trial.

Shake the Proteins

Simply shake and tilt an iPad to learn about proteins that break down sugar in cells. Sugar Shake includes a free version with eleven levels and an interactive menu. The app helps older students understand how chemical reactions work at the molecular level. All they have to do to get points is to set off a chemical reaction. Fun.   

Free from Vernier for Science Teachers

Vernier offers a series of free hands-on science workshops for elementary, middle school, and high school teachers throughout the summer and fall. In the sessions, teachers learn about data collection technology and how to integrate the data collected into science experiments. Throughout the sessions, teachers will have the opportunity to work with Vernier’s LabQuest2 technology.

This summer, free five-hour workshops will be held at the College of Staten Island, CUNY. A session on July 24^th will be for elementary and middle school science teachers, while one on July 25^th will focus on helping teachers in middle school, high school, and college. Participants will receive training, a training manual, and a light meal.

The fall semester free four-hour data-collection workshops for middle and high school teachers begin September 10^th in Dallas, and are scheduled for a number of other cities through November. Also available from the company are a series of videos that include experiments and product demonstrations, free training at conferences, and a number of for-pay workshops and training sessions.

Looking for Mathematics & Science eTexts for iPads?

If you are watching for etexts at the App Store, you’ll find that more are being added every day, especially for high school science and mathematics. Both Pearson and McGraw-Hill, for example, have national editions of their biology books ready for download at $14.99 each. The books include traditional text content, interactive experiences, reading support, and options for encouraging student learning. There are also etexts for chemistry, physics, astronomy, environmental science, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, geometry, trigonometry, calculus, etc.  If you’d like to browse a list of texts available at the App Store, click the link above and you’ll find those that are ready for download by clicking on “See all textbooks in the iBook store.” For many of the books, you can download sample chapters.

Khan Academy Free Resources

The Khan Academy, a non-profit organization, offers its learning resources free to everyone. It has over 300 videos available on topics such as K-12 math, biology, chemistry, physics, finance, and history. These educational videos are approximately ten minutes in length and are, as the Academy says, “digestible chunks”. Students can use  Khan Academy resources to learn on their own at their own pace. It also features a reporting system on student progress.

Lab Books Integrate with Science Data Collections

Vernier has announced the publishing of a new lab book: Investigating Biology through Inquiry. The lab book uses inquiry to assist teacher and students with AP biology and International Baccalaureate courses, and with the new AP inquiry requirements. It includes a CD with word processing files that teachers can edit. The book will be out in March 2012 and costs $48.  If you’d like more information on this lab book, check the Vernier site.

Romance, Weight Loss, Intrigue—Science Books

I was sent a review copy of The Manga Guide to Biochemistry. When it arrived in my office, there were mixed reactions to it, because it was obviously like a comic book—a 250 plus page comic book. Just a look at the cover turned the traditionalist educators off, but others said it looked like fun, not a textbook. It doesn’t look like any textbook I’ve ever seen, but if it can turn students on to science, I’m all for it. Information about the book says that it can be used as a textbook or supplementary source. Students involved in a traditional study of biochemistry might like to have this book at home to help them better understand concepts. Teachers could certainly use it for enrichment, review of topics covered, etc. The book teaches by creating a story in which science is needed to solve problems. In Biochemistry, the problem is a high school girl’s weight loss. Topics covered include what happens inside the body, photosynthesis and respiration, biochemistry in everyday lives, enzymes as key to chemical reaction, and molecular biology and nucleic acids. In addition to biochemistry, Manga offers guides to calculus, electricity, relativity, the universe, molecular biology, databases, linear algebra, physics, and statistics. Prices range from $19.95-$24.95. Digital downloads are available if printed copies are purchased. It’s worth taking a look at these books, because they are unique and interesting. Although I’m not a teenager, I thought I that would like to spend some time learning from them as well. Scientific Computing calls the Manga Guides, “Stimulus for the next generation of scientists,” and an article in the American Journal of Physics recommends the physics guide for all teachers of introductory physics.