I'm considering using this platform to have an opportunity to try a "flipped" classroom. Students watch videos/lectures as "homework" and then discuss in class. Think of it as youtube homework.
Here's the first one that we can try in class, because it's new to me too.
UPDATE: 11/27/14: I'm in touch with a tech from Zaption to figure out how to make this work better in the classroom. It sounds like it might be a browser issue; it's optimized to work on Chrome or Firefox, not Explorer. I'll keep working on it!
I missed a perfect opportunity on Friday to encourage and support a student. I regret that I allowed them to think they shouldn't put in any effort because it wouldn't make a difference. It does make a difference. Growth is always possible and I should encourage everyone to put forth effort and learn from their mistakes. Intelligence is not fixed- you can learn anything.
We're about to do a virtual frog dissection on iPads. Students might wonder "Why in the world are we dissecting frogs when we're in the middle of a body system unit?" Well, it's all about models. No, not models that artists sketch, or scale model cars, it's about vertebrate models. Scientists need to understand how our bodies work, but need to do their research in a ethical and affordable way. That's where frogs (and fish) come in. Frogs are a vertebrate, just like humans. That makes them a valuable scientific research model. Before I decided to go into teaching, I managed the zebrafish and cichild facilites for four different research labs at UMass. The website is a bit out of date, but you might be able to link to the lab websites and get a better understanding of what research they're doing, and how important these little models are.
