Students at Boyertown Middle School West are now experiencing science in a new way – through a digital microscope.
“This allows the teacher to project what is on the slide onto a large screen for students to see,” said Tessi Melchior, executive director of the Foundation for Boyertown Education. The new technology, costing between $1,600-1,700, was funded by a grant through foundation.
Danielle Weyershaeuser, seventh-grade sciece teacher at Middle Schol West, requested the item specifically and believes this is the only digital microscope at Boyertown Area School District.
“The digital microscope can project on the board, it also goes through a tablet – which allows us to record, take pictures, there’s a program on the computer. It also lets me push it through to the kids’ devices.”
The students have access to iPads and computers.
“We try to stress the 21st century learning skills to kids, and you know that’s just the way the world is going,” said Weyershaeuser. “We want the kids to be able to be successful once they leave us.”
Another benefit of the digital microscope mentioned by Weyershaeuser is its ability to help visually impaired students, since it offers an enlarged view.
“It also helps to ensure that the kids are seeing what they’re supposed to be seeing.” She explained how the class will look at cheek cells lunch. “It allows us to show them what they should be seeing rather than going around to every single microscope and checking.”
The digital microscope arrived over the summer and was introduced to students as a part of the curriculum about cells.
“It’s still somewhat new to us. We love it. The kids like it; it’s cool for them, it’s something different.”
