Students are empowered to collect high quality data quickly and easily. However, during the 30-60 minutes of data collection in real time, some students become bored while watching data appear on the computer screen. We need to find ways to keep the minds of these students engaged. The technology-based investigations, especially photosynthesis, provide more variables on which to base group projects that have an expectation of generating useful and biologically relevant data. Learning to use technology is an important activity.
Most students are successful and very pleased with themselves.
A few students struggle and leave discouraged, which is to be expected and probably can not be avoided. The expert assistance of John Acuff and Susan Campbell in developing investigations and laboratory workstations is gratefully acknowledged.