The Use of Mobile Sensors by Children: A Review of Two Decades of Environmental Education Projects

Abstract

Over the past twenty years, the use of electronic mobile sensors by children and youngsters has played a significant role in environmental education projects in Portugal. This paper describes a research synthesis of a set of case studies (environmental education projects) on the use of sensors as epistemic mediators, evidencing the technological, environmental, social, and didactical dimensions of environmental education projects over the last two decades in Portugal. The triggers of the identified changes include: (i) the evolution of sensors, information and communication platforms, and mobile devices; (ii) the increasing relevance of environmental citizenship and participation; (iii) the recognition of the role of multisensory situated information and quantitative information in environmental citizenship; (iv) the cause–effect relation between didactical strategies and environmental education goals; (v) the potential of sensory and epistemic learners’ practices in the environment to produce learning outcomes and new knowledge. To support the use of senses and sensors in environmental education projects, the SEAM model was created based on the developed research synthesis.

Educational Data Clustering in Secondary School Sensor-Based Engineering Courses Using Active Learning Approaches

“…With the rise of inexpensive microcontrollers such as Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and NodeMCU, as well as inexpensive sensors that work with these ICT devices, there is increased interest from educators and teachers in exploring the potential of this technology in secondary school learning and teaching settings [3][4][5]. Their use in the classroom allows students to become acquainted with the elements of automated process control, data management, measurement methods, and monitoring techniques [6].…”