By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

RESERVE – Remember science classes of years past? Huge textbooks explaining barely comprehensible concepts? Perhaps a Styrofoam model of the solar system to spice things up?

Well, such stodgy and sleep-inducing lessons are becoming a thing of the past thanks to virtual labs such as the one recently introduced at Riverside Academy.

Elementary science teacher Jean Wallis leads the students on tours of the world of science from the inner workings of the human body to the outer reaches of the universe with the help of RA’s new virtual science lab for the school’s first- through fifth-graders.

While the students will still be doing plenty of hand-on experiments, according to Assistant Principal Rhonda Perkins, “What is unique is that this is a virtual lab. This will help them solve problems without being hands on.”

As anyone with young children knows, having children engage in too much hands-on activity requires extra supervision and care. The virtual lab eliminates this problem as well as the dangers associated with traditional school science labs with tables lined with Bunsen burners and shelves lined with toxic chemicals.

But more than that, this new type of laboratory allows the students to do things a traditional lab cannot.

For example, if the students are learning about the life cycle of a plant, through the use of computers the children can plant a seed, watch it grow and flower all in the same class period. What’s more, the computers are useful in providing visual demonstrations of difficult-to-comprehend topics, Wallis recently taught her students about what causes earth to have day and night, but instead of just hearing about it, the students actually got to see an image of the earth turning on its axis on the computer monitor.

“It’s really interactive,” said Wallis.

Additionally, students can take assessment tests on the Internet that help both the student and teacher see exactly where the knowledge level is.

For actual tests, Wallis utilizes an interactive feature called Turning Point, which allows students to answer questions projected onto the whiteboard with the use of a handheld clicker.

“They tend to keep their focus,” said Wallis.

Furthermore, students can instantly see whether they got a particular question right, rather than days later, long after the subject matter has left their minds.

Also, the board can be used for interactive learning games, which the students can answer using special pen tools. The use of such games allows the teacher to simultaneously address the needs of a large group of students with disparate learning styles.

Said Wallis, “I spend a lot of time on the Internet trying to find things that will keep the kids’ interest.”

Another feature of the lab of which the students are particularly enamored is the “Scope on a Rope,” a handheld microscope that can instantly record digital images to the computer. Thus far students have been enjoying the tool to take a closer look at their clothing, skin and whatever else was in reach of the scope’s cord.

Even the setup of the lab is well thought out and provides many advantages.

Four keyboards and monitors are attached to each hard drive, so the initial cost of setting up the lab was reduced from labs where each child is on a separate computer. Additionally, having fewer units keeps the heat in the lab down and reduces the amount of electricity used.

The greater advantage, however, to having the children work in groups of four is that students with similar skill levels can be put together.

“It will allow us to keep the focus on individualized teaching,” said Wallis.

It also allows Wallis to build non-science-specific skills in the students such as problem solving and critical thinking.

“It’s so much more than science,” note Perkins.