Repurposing Everyday Technologies for Math and Science Inquiry

Students often have far more sophisticated scientific instruments in their pockets than in their physics classrooms. Today’s cell phones and game controllers offer sensors, cameras and communication technologies that can be used for in-depth exploration of physical phenomena. Because everyday toys and tools offer connections to children’s social worlds, they are particularly useful for integrating classroom science with everyday intuitions and experiences. Drawing on data from a multi-year research project to help children hack gaming technologies for science inquiry, we examine both technological and social advantages that repurposing everyday technologies for offers for learning abstract STEM concepts. In light of trends towards increased decentralization of education, we extend these findings into a general discussion of the potential for embedding CSCL into the design of everyday things.

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