Skip to main content
English Français

1-877-967-2726

AST 2016 – Nova Scotia goes with PASCO!

AYVA was proud to participate in the annual Nova Scotia Association of Science Teachers science conference (AST) again this year. The conference offered a broad range of sessions pertaining to the many disciplines of K-12 science. This is a particularly exciting year for science students in Nova Scotia since the Department of Education & Early Childhood Development provided nearly 300 local elementary schools with SPARKvue software and PASCO sensors for hands-on, inquiry-based learning.

Three PASCO workshops were offered over the course of the conference, enabling teachers to become acquainted with their new datalogging technology which pairs seamlessly with the Chromebooks and iPads. Probeware allows students to collect, manipulate and analyze data from various sources to support observations and help make inferences and conclusions about the world around them. Participants were able to observe how true open-ended inquiry becomes much easier when real world data is collected in a timely fashion. Teachers had a chance to demo the new line of wireless sensors and were given several streamlined curriculum activities to take back to their classrooms. Many instructors stopped at the AYVA booth to ask about the new equipment and to talk about the new materials that were sent out to grades 4-6 this year. Our special thanks go to all the attending teachers and our amazing team of presenters: Wes Leblanc (Chemistry Teacher, HRSB), Mark Richards (Consultant of Technology Integration-AVRSB) and Nancy Chisholm (IT Consultant).

file2

Durham DSB – PASCO PD Session

Professional Development is a career-long endeavor and AYVA Educational is always happy to help. Quentin Dus and Jason Peng represented PASCO Scientific at the Durham District School Board on Friday October 7. The two hosted several information sessions to help teachers at the board familiarize themselves with PASCO’s newest wireless sensors. The sessions also engaged teachers with demonstrations and hands-on experience where teachers had a chance to perform the Ice and Road Salt Experiment using PASCO’s Wireless Temperature Sensor and SparkVue software.

Quentin and Jason also demonstrated the Smart Cart and performed the Alka-Seltzer in Fruit Juice Experiment with the PASCO Wireless pH and Temperature sensors. As always, the teachers successfully predicted the results for pH and temperature changes (we even tried throwing them a curve-ball with this endothermic reaction!). Among the most engaging demonstrations was a simple pressure activity where we had volunteers capture as much air as possible in a clear garbage bag. Then, the volunteers squeezed the bag and we were able to visualize the pressure change using the PASCO Wireless Pressure Sensor and SparkVue software. This simple activity is a fun example of thinking outside the box to implement some creative ways to take advantage of PASCO’s wireless sensors.

We would like to thank Beth at Pickering High School for organizing the successful event! It was a pleasure to meet all the teachers.

Durham training2016

The first week of the Nova Scotia Training road show was a great success!

Facilitated by veteran PASCO trainer Glenn Starkey, the grade 4 to 6 teachers – representing over 20 schools per session – had an engaging time investigating temperature changes in water and reflective properties of light, as well as learning how to collect measurements with their own weather station. Helping to support Glenn at each session were Craig Ecclestone from AYVA Educational Solutions, and Eric Therrien and Christine Christensen from the Nova Scotia Department of Education.

Over the course of the week, eight separate 3-hour hands-on training sessions were conducted, with representatives from nearly half of the elementary schools across the province. The training was based on the Airlink, the general science sensor and the weather anemometer. The post training feedback was overwhelmingly positive with many teachers commenting that it was the best professional development they ever had to promote scientific inquiry.

Teachers at the Strait regional district school board were surprised and intrigued to discover that contrary to their predictions, a standing cup of water will almost always be lower than the surrounding air.
Teachers at the Strait Regional District School Board were surprised and intrigued to discover that contrary to their predictions, the temperature of a standing cup of water will almost always be lower than the surrounding air.
Reaching towards the ceiling a participant at the Halifax regional district school board investigates variations in light levels throughout the room.
Reaching towards the ceiling, a participant at the Halifax Regional District School Board investigates variations in light levels throughout the room.
With Glenn Starkey at the front of the class a teacher at the Strait regional district school board contemplates the effect of a drop of water on the probe's measurement of temperature.
With Glenn Starkey at the front of the class, a teacher at the Strait Regional District School Board contemplates the effect of a drop of water on the probe’s measurement of temperature.

PASCO Scientific Wins the ‘ISTE 2016 Best of Show Award!’

banner-composite_sized_4On August third, PASCO Scientific won Teach & Learnings  ‘International Society for Technology in Education 2016 Best of Show Award’ for their cutting edge wireless sensors. These sensors connect directly to computers, tablets, smart phones and Chromebooks which provide the freedom and flexibility without compromise for a lower price.

You can read the complete article here or find out more about PASCO’s range of wireless sensors here.

Connect with us on our Twitter and Facebook!

IB Conference of the Americas

IB Conference of Americas
Pictured above: Dianne Beveridge, President of AYVA Educational Solutions, Craig Ecclestone, PASCO Product Specialist at AYVA and Humberto Medina, Export Manager for the Americas,PASCO Scientific

The IB Conference of the Americas, organized by the International Baccalaureate Organization, was held July 14-17 at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto. PASCO, together with AYVA, was proud to showcase their new wireless sensors and dataloggers – a key requirement in the IB curriculum where students are encouraged to make connections between their studies and the real world. It was a fabulous professional development opportunity for coordinators, teachers, district and school board representatives to promote best practices and to develop ideas to foster inquiry-based learning. We too enjoyed the inspiring featured speakers and breakout presenters.

STEM Learning Must Go Beyond Memorizing Facts and Theories

Read Steven Korte’s article ‘STEM Learning Must Go Beyond Memorizing Facts and Theories‘ recently posted in ‘The Edvocate‘.  In this article, Steven Korte – PASCO Scientific’s CEO – offers 9 points to consider when a school or district implements a STEM program.

STEM

Access the full article here: http://www.theedadvocate.org/stem-learning-must-go-beyond-memorizing-facts-theories/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email

PASCO Wireless Sensors & SPARKVue – Changing the Way Teachers Teach Science

Capture“For science teachers who are looking to change their classroom practices and give their students more hands on experience, you need to consider using the latest wireless temperature sensors from PASCO. Using the PASCO Wireless Sensor technology will change the way you teach ….”

Read the entire review blog by Brian Friedlander from Assistive Tek LLC here: http://assistivetek.blogspot.com/2016/06/pasco-scientific-wireless-sensors.html

2016 Global Partners Conference at PASCO

Once again, the AYVA Team had the opportunity to network with PASCO distributors from around the world. This year’s theme was Re-Imagine the Science Classroom and we were excited to share stories of how PASCO’s new wireless sensors and dataloggers are fostering STEM education and engaging more students.

During the Awards Ceremony, AYVA was honoured to have our efforts recognized by PASCO’s Management Team. We want to thank everyone at PASCO for their hospitality and we can’t wait until next time.

Ayva Sales Meeting Collage
AYVA Sales Meeting Collage

 

 

 

 

 

NSTA Reviews PASCO’s Wireless Temperature Sensor

Wireless Temperature Sensor
Wireless Temperature Sensor

PASCO’s new Wireless Temperature Sensor was put to the test by NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) Blog author Martin Horejsi.

He touched base on many aspects of the temperature sensor from; cost, battery life (and how easily it can be replaced), to ease of use and signal distance. Overall the results were great and you can check it out here.

You can find more details about the Wireless Temperature Sensor on our PASCO Wireless page.

A borderless classroom

It’s an exciting time for budding scientists.

Wireless technology makes it possible for teachers to take their lessons to the streets – allowing students to observe science as it happens.

Last October, a group of students from Riverview, New Brunswick used PASCO probeware to map and analyze water quality in the Fundy Biosphere Reserve – earning them an invitation to participate in the Chemistry World Youth Conference in Lima, Peru.

Portable technologies such as the PASPORT Airlink 2   that work with PASCO’s newest SparkVue HD app have helped teachers embrace the notion of “hands-on” learning.

Instructors have now implemented amusement park physics days. A handy 15-piece amusement park physics kit from PASCO consisting of springs, as well as scaled and horizontal accelerometers provides students with a front-row seat into the world of physics.

Young geologists can use soil moisture sensors to conduct experiments, right on their front lawn.

And would-be hydrologists can learn about local ecosystems with the help of a water quality sensor.

Now, more than ever, learning doesn’t have to be constricted to a lab.

We can’t wait to see all of the exciting experiments our friends and colleagues come up with this year!

Save & Share Cart
Your Shopping Cart will be saved and you'll be given a link. You, or anyone with the link, can use it to retrieve your Cart at any time.
Back Save & Share Cart
Your Shopping Cart will be saved with Product pictures and information, and Cart Totals. Then send it to yourself, or a friend, with a link to retrieve it at any time.
Your cart email sent successfully :)