Short Line Elementary Students Go ‘Splat’ Over New Technology
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PINE GROVE -- New technology is giving students at Short Line Elementary School a workout, and helping them to learn coding while playing forms of "whack-a-mole."
Physical education classes at the school are utilizing "Unruly Splats" -- a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning tool that combines coding with active-play. The students get exercise while learning to program the device, and they don't even realize they're learning, according to Eric Emch, technology integration specialist for Wetzel County Schools.
During the PE class, students create their own games by programming the Splats -- which are small flat square blocks that are set on the ground. A sound and light pattern is created, and when the Splats are grouped together the students run from one to another to stomp on them and extinguish the game.
There is also a way to make piano music with the tools, Emch said.
"It memorizes a sequence of items, and can be programmed to play a song," Emch said. "There's a lot of creativity built in.
"From my experience, when you give a child technology, they always use it in ways we never thought of as possible."
Unruly Splats are manufactured by Unruly Studios of Boston. Emch said he became aware of the product while attending a Future of Education and Technology virtual conference last year.
"I thought it was a neat thing, so I contacted them and requested information and now we've formed a relationship," he said.
Wetzel County now has 36 Splats, and these arrived locally in late March. According to the company, the cost of Unruly Splats memberships vary depending on the size of the school, but they typically cost less than $10 per student per year. In addition to Splats, the memberships also include access to the Unruly content library, ongoing educator training and support, and nationwide student competitions to empower STEM learning across the whole school.
Emch had contacted Short Line Elementary veteran PE teacher Cynthia McSweeney about integrating them into her classes, and she was receptive to the idea.
"I'm not familiar with technology," she said. "But I taught myself, and the kids helped me.
"As teachers, we're learning about the future, and I think where it is going to head. I'm glad to see the kids having fun with it."
The Splats didn't arrive locally until late March. McSweeney began using them in the kindergarten class, and now the older students at the elementary school are getting into the action.
Emch sees the Splats having applications for all grade levels, even high school. All teachers in the county will have access to use them, according to Emch.
He said recent months in quarantine haven't been easy on students, who have been at home sitting at their computers.
"Things are gradually getting back to normal, but I think they've forgotten how to have fun," Emch said. "The Splats allow kids to collaborate in a way. For months they have been distranced, and now they can interact in person."
He explained both children and adults might be reluctant to participate if asked to run a mile.
"But if you give a kid a piece of technology that looks like a toy and tell them to jump on it and run, they will run in place and give it their all," Emch said. "And it's a great way for them to learn without realizing it."