Britnee Kratochvil
5/31/18
EDUC 505
Lab Probe and Probware Article Review:
Summary:
In this article Millar discusses the uses of probeware in the classroom. He begins by
mentioning how probeware was originally developed for the physics/physical science classroom,
adaptations have been made to make it useful in chemistry, biology and earth science as well.
Millar also discusses how lab probes can allow for enhanced motivation, active learning,
information access, and added complexity of experiments. He also states that teachers can give
students freedom and choice in what to measure and they can find out through trial and error
what measurements work best for what type of experiment while also finding the information
they find pertinent. Student based exploration, as Millar refers to it, allows for students to gather
and interpret data quickly and learn how to access this data for analysis in real time. He
emphasizes that lab probes cut down on the amount of time gathering data so that more
information can be obtained in a single session and analysis can occur immediately rather than
having to complete it by hand.
Analysis:
This article provides a helpful overview in what lab probes are in basic terminology and
how they might be used in the classroom. Millar makes useful points in what skills students can
learn and how they are helpful to students but he does not show data supporting his claims nor
does he really explain how lab probes work in detail so that others can model/follow it. I find this
to be a major flaw in the article’s usefulness because teachers could not really use the article
other than to find out what the uses of lab probes are. Millar also never mentions the cost of such
software or how teachers might go about obtaining the system. I think this article would be much
more helpful if he provided sample data and explanations/examples of how to use the software
for each subject.
Millar, M. (2005). TECHNOLOGY in the lab part I: What research says about using
probeware in the science classroom. The Science Teacher, 72(7), 34-37. Retrieved from
http://myportal.randolphcollege.edu:8081/login?
url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/214617063?accountid=28509
