The+Digital+Microscope

**The Digital Microscope:** As a science geek the technology that screamed out research me! was the digital microscope. I did not have the privilege of using this scope while I was in school but I have seen how other students who are of the digital natives generation interact with this technology compared to using a compound microscope. The students interactions and reactions to the use of compound microscopes versus a digital microscope is very clear. They love using the digital scope! **History & Evolution of Technology:** The microscope has had such an impact on the scientific community for many years now. So it is only realistic that technology join forces with microscopes to give students who have grown up as technology natives a better education. The beginning invention that started this idea of the microscope was called the vision stone and was invented in ~1000 AD. When placed on materials it magnified them for the reader, similar to the workings of todays magnifying glass. Over the years the idea of a scope has transformed with technology into what we call a digital microscope. The digital microscope was invented in 1986 by a company based in Japan called Hirox Co. which produced lenses. As technology gained ground so did the use of electron microscopes! Now you can see these scopes in some science labs in public schools. Digital microscope now days only require a usb port and they can connect right up to your desktop or laptop for on the go learning. Pretty soon the availability of a microscope could be integrated into a laptop in the form of an app with the use of a webcam, which will remove the need for a bulky scope. Learning about science microscopically is no longer limited to the classroom but can be everywhere you are. This will open up learning to students of all multiple intelligence levels as well as bloom's taxonomy levels.

For a quick run down on both compound and electron microscopes go [|here] for a great tutorial! Classroom Implications: While students use this new technology in their lab's they will not have to be limited to their own personal knowledge of how to use a compound microscope which can be quite confusing for any one no matter their age group. Even in college where I had to use scopes all of the time I still found it difficult to get just the right setting but with digital microscopes this should be no problem. Students will still have to handle this object with care and have the same respect and rules with this scope that they had with the other scopes used previous.

**Classroom Use:** Students will be able to use this technology in so many ways once this is implemented into science classes globally. Students can now look at any object they wish to magnify which will help to stimulate the students curiosity. Students will not be limited to the amount of microscopes because each scope can project onto a computer screen. Also students will be able to take pictures of what they find and store it on the computer is the want to reference it for later. This device easily hooks up to the computer using a USB cord and can be used to view almost anything the students are curious to see! **Here is the next big step for the digital microscope!** **[|Video of Pro Scope]** media type="custom" key="9753970" align="left" width="166" height="166"