Educational Technology and Science - AN IDEAL FitPosted by Herring Kure on June 1st, 2021 Even as a long-time proponent of the application of educational technology, I'm still amazed at the rapid pace at which it has turned into a necessity rather than a way to obtain enrichment activities. Today's students, and also most of the parents, having grown up with technology as a part of their daily lives, retain certain expectations and assumptions regarding the way technology can be used for learning. No more can the classroom computer be tripped in the corner to be utilized sporadically for special activities nor can video be used as a babysitter. Technology must become an integral part of classroom life. What Students Need If our job, as educators, would be to prepare students to become successful members of our society, then as well as the traditional knowledge and skills, students must now anticipate to access, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize immeasurable quantities of information. They have to have exceptional listening skills, have the ability to use email, understand basic operating systems, use word processing along with other software, and use the internet for research. This need poses new challenges for teachers, especially those that may not feel as prepared to use technology as their students may be. It is time for educators to overcome the outdated proven fact that they must be experts in educational technology prior to the students are allowed to use it. Some Great things about Educational Technology o increases interest (even in rote tasks) o offers a purpose for learning o promotes the perception that all knowledge is related (not isolated bits) o permits student individuality in learning styles Educational Technology in the Science Classroom The decision to apply technology in the learning environment is often not driven by the technology but by the duty at hand. Take, for instance, the case of the physics teacher who needed to set up some labs for thermodynamics but had no money left for supplies or equipment. Because he was lucky enough to have 8 computers in his classroom, he was able to use them to generate the labs. The students were delivered to science software the institution uses and a website. The website has some great simulations that teacher feels are more interactive and that do a more satisfactory job of demonstrating the physics behind this issue than traditional labs. Because science learning requires a lot of critical analysis, using educational technology in the science classroom is especially warranted. Learning to solve complex problems requires a different instructional approach than learning isolated skills and information required for standardized testing purposes. For example, while doing internet research, a student needs to be in a position to evaluate an internet source for reliability, accuracy, and bias; the same kind of information required in science exploration activities. In here to fully prepare our students for "real" life, as educators we need to not only provide them with the content knowledge they need, but also the ability to: o accurately acquire information from visual and auditory sources (watching and listening) o develop solutions to problems and present these solutions to others using various forms of media o display originality and employ problem solving skills during the creative process o be team players and good collaborators o demonstrate cross-cultural awareness o communicate complex ideas effectively I contend, as do many educational experts, that the use of technology in the classroom is, by far, the simplest way to accomplish these lofty goals. Educators must prepare for a future which involves much technology and they need to keep abreast of change by adopting effective strategies that use appropriate technologies. In the science classroom, we need to do more with technology so that our students are better educated and better in a position to succeed in life. If you're prepared to stop making "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom" and desire to start experiencing the great things about using video effectively in your classroom, the next step is to download a free of charge copy of "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom" at this time.Like it? Share it! More by this author |