12.04.2018
Kämmenniemi school located in Teisko, Tampere, as an open-minded pioneer, acquired i4sope mobile microscopes for teaching use a couple of years ago. The mobile microscope developed by VTT and commercialized by i4 Techno has been in active use by students and teachers since then. The experiences have been inspiring.
– i4sope is used in biology, but surprisingly the biggest use has been in the teaching of visual arts and media, says principal Pekka Jokela from Kämmenniemi school.
With a mobile microscope, it is possible to see, examine and record both pictures and videos of objects that cannot be seen with the human eye.
– The students are used to taking cell phone camera pictures until they get bored, but with i4scope, a whole new and exciting world has opened up for them. Microscope pictures have been taken of just about anything, such as plants, rocks, textiles, hair and snowflakes. Some of the images are further processed using image processing programs, but some images are already so wonderful, colorful and accurate that simply printing the image on photo paper is enough, says art teacher Paulamari Hellemaa-Seppänen from the Kämmenniemi school. i4sope has worked really well, none have broken and even the batteries haven’t had to be changed, he comments.
Teachers have also bought them for their own use.
– In the summer, I take microscope pictures in nature with it connected to the iPad, Jokela mentions. In addition to nature photography, microscope images have also been used in everyday life to identify ticks on the skin and in winter to examine the bottoms of skis, says Hellemaa-Seppänen.
The Kämmenniemi school has had very positive experiences with i4scope, the new technology has opened up a view of the micro world, and it has been easy to use. Next, the Kämmenniemi school will expand the use of i4sope for teaching chemistry.
