Recently, one of my blog readers posted a comment asking me about my views on how the iPad will impact science education.  He has written his own opinion on the issue here.  As a physics teacher myself, this is something I have thought about quite a bit.  I will not go over its potential as a textbook again since I have addressed that issue in a previous post.

The iPad as Lab Equipment

One way the iPad can impact science education is by being an actual piece of laboratory equipment, just like Bunsen burners and scalpels.  Specific probe-ware can be developed to work with the iPad for recording and manipulating data.  This can be accomplished without a USB port through Bluetooth technology.  Everyone knows that extra wires dangling around often cause additional problems.  Imagine having the ability to connect thermometers, barometers, force sensors, scales, etc. to the iPad.  It will give students a convenient way to keep track of their data and an easy way to begin making sense of it.  Of course, there is no need to develop new and/or additional probe-ware if Vernier and other manufacturers support this idea.  They could develop a Bluetooth device to wirelessly link the iPad and could have their own app available through the App Store.

The 3G version of the iPad also has GPS built-in, so it could be used for mapping the location of various sample sites.  It might even be possible for the iPad to link with various markers at zoos, nature trails, etc. to provide some valuable information on a particular animal, plant, rock formation, etc.  This could be in the form of photos, video, or a webpage.  All of this can be done wirelessly.

The iPad as a Virtual Laboratory

The iPad could also be used as a virtual laboratory in any science class if developers create the proper apps for it.

Students could dissect a “real” frog on the iPad, with the ability to touch various organs and see what they are called, their function, and images of the same organs in other animals.  There could even be short videos or demonstrations attached to show how the organ functions (e.g. the heart).  The organs could be “taken out” and looked at in three dimensions so students could get a feel for the entire organ.

Students could use virtual chemicals and lab equipment to do chemistry experiments.  They can observe how different amounts of various chemicals impact the reactions and how catalysts increase the rates of reactions.  They could see the chemical reaction in a video while also looking at graphs in real-time that monitor the temperature, pH, etc. during the chemical reaction.  They can easily control and isolate different variables based on the requirements of a particular lab module.  For more advanced students, there could even be a “sandbox” mode to allow them access to all of the virtual chemicals and equipment to conduct their own experiments without risk of physical harm.  The best part of this mode is that it could automatically keep track of the steps so the experiment could be recreated by other students.

Similar sorts of virtual labs could be set up for geology, physics, meteorology, and any other subject in science.  It will take the cooperation between programmers and educators though to figure out exactly what is needed to translate nicely into the science classroom though.

The iPad as a Simulator

This topic is a blending of the iPad as lab equipment and the iPad as a virtual lab.  Whereas labs tend to be a little bit more open-ended and requires students to be more active participants, the simulator mode can be used as a means to show students the “ideal” result for a particular experiment.  This could be used as a starting point for a lab, or as a way to introduce a new topic to students.

Imagine that a group of students build a trebuchet designed to launch a golf ball to hit a target that is 50 meters away.  Of course they could use trial and error to figure this out, or they could use a trebuchet simulator to help them get a reasonable answer.  They could enter information about the mass of the golf ball, the length of the throwing arm, the length of the sling, etc., in order to get a reasonable starting point to begin testing.  Scientists and engineers use simulators all of the time before they built or test the real thing.  This helps to prevent possible wastes of funds, time, and diminishes the chances of physical harm.

Highly crafted simulators could be used to help in all areas of science as well.  There could be selective breeding simulators for studying genetics, or earthquake simulators for studying how P-waves and S-waves travel as well as visualizations of the amount and type of damage from earthquakes given the magnitude and distance from the epicenter.  The list of simulators that could be developed is endless.

Given the proper format, students could even create and share their own simulators.  These simulators could be designed and programmed using a visual programming language similar to Game Maker or Game Salad.  These software programs allow non-programmers to relatively quickly begin making their own video games.  A Simulator Generator software program could be developed to allow users to make their own simulations as well.

The iPad as a Research Device

This relates to the iPad being a piece of lab equipment, but can be used as more than just a piece of equipment.

Imagine that some students are taking water quality samples at various points in a stream.  They have collected data and are noticing a high amount of phosphorus in the water at every location downstream of a smaller tributary.  With the 3G version of the iPad they could quickly search for common causes of phosphorus if they did not know, or they could pull up a map of the area based on their current location using the built-in GPS of the device (only in the 3G version of the iPad).  This could be done without going back to the classroom, assuming there is 3G wireless coverage in the area.  They could then find out very quickly and easily where that stream comes from, and might be able to determine a source for the pollution.  The data they collect could then be used to draw attention to the problem of the pollution in the community.

The iPad as a Communication Device

The iPad can be a great way for students to work collaboratively on projects.  They could connect wirelessly to each other as they are working on projects.  This could allow for students from different class periods, or even completely different schools to collaborate on a particular project.  Skype, or similar software, could be used for chatting, possibly VOIP (voice over internet protocol), and video chatting in future versions of the iPad, which can facilitate more cooperation between schools.

The iPad could also allow students the chance to communicate with professionals in the field.  Arrangements could be made for small groups of students to have teleconferences with scientists and engineers from all across the globe.  They could even work collaboratively on projects.  A lot of universities are looking for ways to advertise and recruit more students into science and engineering fields in college.  What better way to do this than to have university professors actual make connections with groups of students in high school through the iPad.

The iPad as a Field Trip

The iPad could be used as a field trip in two ways:  as a tour guide while at real locations or as a virtual tour of real locations.

Let’s consider the iPad as the tour guide while at the real location.  Many zoos and museums have iPods or other devices that can be rented as tour guides.  At marked locations the iPod will connect wirelessly to the station and broadcast some information about the animal or exhibit.  Imagine doing the same thing with the iPad.  It can fuse audio, video, and simulation into one device.  A group of students visiting Yellowstone National Park could see simulations and videos of how geysers work.  There could even be countdowns built in to signify when the next anticipated eruption will occur for the ones that erupt as regular intervals.  The same sort of thing could be done for nature trails to help students learn and identify different plants and animals along the way.

Of course, it is not feasible for every classroom to go to all of the excellent field trip opportunities in this country or the world.  With virtual tours, students could explore places like Yellowstone, the Great Barrier Reef, or the Universe.  It could be set up that the entire class participates in a subscription based virtual field trip.  It could be a guided field trip, an exploratory one, or a combination of the two.  Imagine taking a virtual field trip with each student having their own iPad.  The class “floats” together down the Amazon River, but students are free to look around on their own, as would happen on a real boat.  Some of the students will look at the birds flying overhead, while others will be looking at the anaconda swimming nearby.  Perhaps one student notices something and can quickly send a “link” of it to everyone else in the classroom to look at it.  After a brief discussion, the virtual field trip explains a little bit about it as a real tour guide would do.

I think there are definitely some unique possibilities when it comes to field trips.  There are digital field trips out there, but the iPad could be used as a way for an entire class of students to participate in the same field trip, yet each gain something unique based on how they chose to interact with the virtual field trip.  This obviously is wishful thinking, but I think the technology could allow this to happen.  It will just take some developers, scientists, and educators to collaborate together to make these truly meaningful and enjoyable.

Final Thoughts

I hope this sheds some more light on the iPad and how it could be used in science education.  As with any piece of hardware though, it will need the appropriate software to make these possibilities become real.  I know the technology is out there to be able to accomplish the things I described above.  The question is who will create the software apps for the iPad to accomplish these things.

In the near future, I will write at least one other post about the iPad’s potential for other subject areas.  Much of what I said above can be connected to other content areas as well.  Wouldn’t it be awesome to take a social studies class to the Valley of the Kings in Egypt or to take a tour of the Colosseum in Rome?  This could easily be possible with the iPad.  And who knows, maybe they could even make their own notes about the field trip along the way that includes snap shots and personal impressions.

Related posts:

1. 15 iPad App Concepts for Education
2. FREE Interactive Science Simulations
3. Six Ways the iPad will Transform Education
4. Helpful Link: CAST Science Writer
5. 10 iPad Educational Game Concepts
6. Three Concepts of iPad Apps for Schools
7. Common Concerns about the iPad’s Use in Education
8. The iPad IS a Media Creation Device
9. Apple iPad vs enTourage eDGe
10. iPad App Development…for Education