Technical information

© CLEAPSS 2005 1639 ICT in the Science Department
Security and
storage
Some datalogging equipment is more delicate and/or more expensive than others.
The type of environment and type of user likely to be encountered may influence
the choice of equipment. Provision of easily-managed and secure storage facilities
should be included in budgets.
Support and
maintenance
The supplier or manufacturer should provide good on-going support. A look at the
company web site, or a specific pre-sale technical enquiry, often gives an indica-
tion of the likely quality of this service. The warranty arrangements should be
clarified before purchase.
Training
Most datalogger suppliers are able to offer training to support the use of their
systems. It may be possible to include some training in the purchase price. Some
local authority advisory teams, and organisations such as IT In Science and ASE
Inset Services, offer training for specific datalogging systems.
16.10.4 Investigations with dataloggers
Almost every science investigation, where measurements are required, can be carried
out with a datalogging system. However, datalogging should not be used for its own
sake but rather to improve teaching and learning. In some cases, datalogging may be
less appropriate because the results required can be obtained more easily with trad-
itional measuring devices (eg, a mercury-in-glass thermometer for checking the temp-
erature of boiling water). Sometimes pupil use of dataloggers can bypass the learning
of important scientific techniques (eg, recording temperature readings at regular int-
ervals and plotting a corresponding graph).
In other cases, datalogging will be a more-effective way of providing an immediate and
clear result (eg, simultaneously comparing the cooling effect of evaporation of small
quantities of different liquids). Tables 16.12, 16.13 and 16.14 list investigations that
may be enhanced by datalogging. While in no way exhaustive, these may assist
teachers in realising the potential of datalogging in the science laboratory.
Most datalogger suppliers now offer plenty of ideas, on their web sites, for the use of
their products.
Table 16.12 Uses of dataloggers in biology
Investigation Measurement
Aerobic and anaerobic respiration
Temperatures in different compost heaps
Starch and amylase with iodine
Plant growth
Respiration of small organisms in sealed container
Breathing movements
Biochemical oxygen demand
Energy from germination (boiled /unboiled seeds)
Photosynthesis
Effects of exercise
Transpiration
Animal activity
Fermentation
Water potential/osmosis
Two temperatures against time
Two or more temperatures against time
Light intensity against time as starch is digested
Position against time
Oxygen level against time
Stethograph pressure against time
Oxygen level against time
Two temperatures against time
Light and oxygen against time
Heart rate against time
Light, humidity and mass of pot plant against time
Infra red against time
Oxygen and pH against time
Pressure against time