The use of real-time data capture and display in teaching represents one of the most valuable innovations computers have contributed to education. Sensor technology gives the learner new possibilities to explore and understand the world and to see it represented symbolically in ways that greatly increase comprehension. A quarter-century, international effort to develop and understand sensors has resulted in a rich array of innovative devices, software, and curricula as well as some of the most convincing evidence for the value of computers to improve learning.
Sensors are important because they provide excellent, highly interactive learning experiences that remove much of the drudgery often associated with labs, and allow students to focus on the underlying science. Using sensors, students can immediately see multiple representations of data while an experiment is underway. Changes that are difficult to understand can be rendered almost obvious when displayed as a graph in real time. For instance, Ron Thornton has shown that neither lectures, problem sets, nor conventional labs, singly or in combination, are able to convey crucial mechanics ideas as well as a carefully crafted lab using an ultrasonic motion detector. Similar results have been seen at all levels from third grade through college.
We are now witnessing a resurgence of interest in sensors because of smart probes, sensors used with portable computers, and data loggers. Smart probes do away with the need for an interface box and can be plugged directly into a computer. The best smart probes retain their own calibration and don't even need batteries. This makes them far easier to use and manage in the classroom. Increasingly, probes and sensors are being used with calculators for math and science. The handheld computer also supports sensors. When used with battery-operated probes or smart probes, students can use these portable systems to explore at home, in the field, on the bus, and in museums. Inexpensive data loggers can be used for long-term data collection spanning hours, days, and months. This is excellent for recording slow-changing environmental and climate variables.
Bob Tinker, President, The Concord Consortium