PROJECT PLAN

INQUIRY MODULE
MADISON STALLARD SEP 24, 2019

DESCRIPTION
The subject area I plan to pursue is Secondary Education with an
emphasis in history. In the past few decades, technology has grown
to become an intricate part of the classroom. As the use of
technology advances, it is important to explore the new potential
that it creates for classrooms and student’s relationship with
technology. Specifically, I am confident that new creations for
technology that explore virtual reality simulations present an endless
amount of opportunities for advancement inside the classroom.

SUBJECT AREA OF INTEREST

Secondary Education history classrooms are often underrated and

overlooked by STEM related subject areas. While STEM subjects are
important for society, history is proven to be just as vital. It is
important that as we prepare students for their future, we give them
insight into the past so that they take advantage of their knowledge
to avoid repeating mistakes, as well as create strong foundations for
future innovation.

IGNITED LABS TECHNOLOGY AREA (AI)

While in the IgnitED lab, I explored the Sphero Sprk+, a type of
artificial intelligence technology. The Sphero is essentially, a robotic
sphere that is controlled by a main program that can be downloaded
onto any tablet or smartphone. The Sphero has the potential to be a
great asset in STEM subject areas.

For my specific subject area, this form of AI would not be the most
beneficial. I believe that while it would be interesting to see
implemented, there is little that the Sphero Sprk+ can have in a
Secondary Education classroom, especially one focused in history.
However, with that being said, the Spehero would be extremely
useful in math and science classes as it has the ability to give hands
on opportunities for students to learn and comprehend concepts.

The biggest shortfall for this technology is the control method. In

order to effectively use the Sphero Sprk+ in any kind of classroom,
the instructor and students need to be familiar with the program that
runs the technology. Based on my experience in the IgnitED Lab,
that program is difficult to manage without proper experience and
will likely need in depth explanation when being used in a classroom.
In order for the Sphero Sprk+ to reach its highest potential, there
needs to be improvements made to the main program or a new one
should be used altogether.

Like most technology and classroom tools, there is always a chance

that students will not use the equipment appropriately. This concept
isn’t any different for the Sphero Sprk+. Students will have the
ability, through its main programming, to manipulate the balls
movement. Therefore, the instructor’s ability to set clear
expectations and properly manage the classroom is vital for the
success of the Sphero Sprk+’s implication in education. But with the
right combination of classroom management and excitement, the
Sphero can easily become a great tool for educators and students to
use inside a STEM classroom.

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IGNITED LABS TECHNOLOGY AREA (XR)

During my time in the IgniteLab, I also had the opportunity to

explore virtual reality simulations (VR). VR systems have become
extremely popular as they have become accessible for the average
person, and with that, its advancement and usefulness has not gone
unnoticed. It offers a wide variety of opportunities for innovative
learning to take place in a history classroom.

While virtual reality can transform the way people learn in any
subject area, it is extremely useful for Secondary Education and
history. First, and foremost, the VR system has multiple programs
that can be ran to fit any kind of content area within history. For
example, if I was teaching my students about the Battle of
Gettysburg, the VR simulation can instantly transform the lesson into
an opportunity for students to experience the landscape and even
what actual battle was like, rather than just reading it from a
textbook. By doing this, the VR system allows me to cater to
students who aren’t as successful in a traditional lecture style
learning environment.

The biggest shortfall of this technology is the price. Although VR

systems have become more accessible for the average person, the
cost is still significantly high. With that said, ideally the best way for
this technology to be implemented is with the use of multiple
systems in one room. Therefore, price becomes a serious concern as
educators will have to consider the costs for the actual VR system as
well as any accessories that need to be used with it.

In addition, technological issues can also become a shortfall for VR

systems. However, this is true for most, if not all new technologies.
As a way to prevent and potentially solve those issues, educators

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should be trained on ways to manipulate and effectively use the
technology.

It would be fairly difficult to use this kind of technology outside of its

intended purposes. This is especially true for the simple fact that the
VR system that would be in place in an educational setting would be
completely controlled by the instructor. However, like most things,
students will always find a way to misuse the technology. Therefore,
the best course of action for educators would be to establish clear
and realistic expectations for student use of the VR systems, as well
as appropriate consequences that will happen if the stated
expectations are not met.

IGNITED LABS TECHNOLOGY AREA (IOT)

The Internet of Things technology that I was particularly intrigued by
from my time in the IgnitED Lab was the three-dimensional (3-D)
printer. The 3-D printer is another piece of technology that has
become extremely popular in the past few years. It’s ability to take
an image and proper measurements from a program run off the
internet and create a 3-D model. This specific technology’s abilities
can be deemed useful in a variety of ways, but shows exceptional
potential for a classroom. While the 3-D printer could be beneficial
for a history classroom, it’s best suited for math and science classes.

As mentioned, there is very few opportunities for this kind of

technology to be useful in a history classroom. However, in terms of
the way it can change learning styles, the 3-D printer has the
capability to give students real and tangible objects that can be used
for education. This type of technology is great for learners who
comprehend subject material by seeing and physically touching the
things they are learning. Essentially, a 3-D printer can transform a

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textbook into a real-life object that can be held, manipulated, and
even studied closely.

One shortfall for 3-D printing is the operations cost. The printer
alone is a couple thousand dollars, in addition to the money needed
to by the other materials to create the 3-D printings. Because of the
printer’s cost, the printer is not as accessible for school districts,
especially ones in lower income areas. Therefore, most students will
never get hands on experience with the printer and instead learn
about its great advancements through books and videos.

In addition to the cost of the materials, the time needed to create a

3-D printed object is also great. While not as substantial as the cost
of a printer, the time needed to take advantage of the technology’s
ability is not effective for an average classroom in Secondary or
Primary education.

Because of the technology and programming that goes into using a

three-dimensional printer, the margin for misuse is slim. But however
small that margin is, it still exists. Therefore, it is important that
educators and others who use a three-dimensional printer are doing
so for educational purposes only. In addition to the potential for
misuse, it is important to note that if the printer is damaged or the
programming does not align with the user’s intent, there is no way
to go back or “start over” without wasting product, and ultimately
results in more money spent by schools.

RESEARCH CONCLUSIONS

Based on my time in the IgnitED Lab, the strongest conclusion I can

draw is that technology absolutely deserves a place inside a
classroom. Between artificial intelligence, extended realities, and
internet of things, technology is rapidly evolving. With that evolution,

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classrooms are becoming more and more innovative because they
are now getting the chance to explore learning options beyond the
pen and paper. Whether it is inside a STEM classroom, English class,
or history lecture, technology is transforming the way we learn for
the better.

For Secondary Education, concentrated in history, this new kind of

technology is giving educators, and one day myself, the opportunity
to provide students with first-hand accounts of historical events.
Virtual reality simulations show the most potential in transforming
history classrooms for the future. The technology can, essentially,
transport anyone to another place or even another time. With the
vast number of programs available for VR, it is simple to take what
we learn in the books and then program it so those events can be
experienced. Through this type of learning, students will be able to
draw conclusions about historical analysis and provide strong
evidence to back up their claims; ultimately leading to better
comprehension and learning all around.

PERSONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE

My time in the IgnitED Lab offered a variety of new experiences and
ideas that will be used to implement twenty-first century technology
in my own classroom. I was immediately drawn toward the XR
technology that involved virtual reality simulations. As a visual
learner myself, the virtual reality simulation is perfect for me. It gives
me the ability to submerge myself into the course material I am
learning. I would, theoretically, have the ability to actually go back in
time, in a sense and feel like I was getting first-hand experience.
The limitless possibilities of the VR system gave me so many ideas as
to how I can implement that kind of technology into my own
classroom.