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    Information Technology As A Resource For Science and Technology Education

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    David Samuel
    This document discusses the increasing role of information technology in science and technology education. It notes that computers are now important tools for improving science instruction, and that schools are providing more access to technologies like laptops, tablets, and wireless internet. However, effective integration requires teachers to have strong pedagogical skills as well as technical skills to support constructivist learning models. When used properly, information technology can enhance learning through improved access to information, more engaging lessons, and opportunities for collaboration.

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    Information Technology As A Resource For Science and Technology Education

    Uploaded by

    David Samuel
    30 views32 pages
    This document discusses the increasing role of information technology in science and technology education. It notes that computers are now important tools for improving science instruction, and that schools are providing more access to technologies like laptops, tablets, and wireless internet. However, effective integration requires teachers to have strong pedagogical skills as well as technical skills to support constructivist learning models. When used properly, information technology can enhance learning through improved access to information, more engaging lessons, and opportunities for collaboration.

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    Information Technology as a Resource for Science and technology education

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    This document discusses the increasing role of information technology in science and technology education. It notes that computers are now important tools for improving science instruction, and that schools are providing more access to technologies like laptops, tablets, and wireless internet. However, effective integration requires teachers to have strong pedagogical skills as well as technical skills to support constructivist learning models. When used properly, information technology can enhance learning through improved access to information, more engaging lessons, and opportunities for collaboration.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    30 views32 pages

    Information Technology As A Resource For Science and Technology Education

    Uploaded by

    David Samuel
    This document discusses the increasing role of information technology in science and technology education. It notes that computers are now important tools for improving science instruction, and that schools are providing more access to technologies like laptops, tablets, and wireless internet. However, effective integration requires teachers to have strong pedagogical skills as well as technical skills to support constructivist learning models. When used properly, information technology can enhance learning through improved access to information, more engaging lessons, and opportunities for collaboration.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 32

    Information Technology as a Resource

    for Science and Technology Education


    Rationale

     Computers have become important elements in efforts to


    improve science instruction.

     The roles that information technologies play in education


    is increasing year by year.

     Current roles include being a personal tutor and


    information source, to data organizer and communications
    tool.
     Teachers in today’s classrooms are experiencing students who are
    “digital natives”.

     This is an age of “information overload”. Increasing availability of


    jobs that require high level skills such as how to access, evaluate,
    analyze and synthesize vast quantities of information.

     Educators must prepare students for a technology rich future by


    adopting instructional strategies that infuse lessons with appropriate
    technologies.
     In recent years, enhanced multimedia systems have greatly increased the
    power and versatility of computers.

     A plethora of software currently exist that can be relatively easily accessed


    by teachers and students.

     The number of computers in schools has increased dramatically over the


    last few years.

     Schools in the region are even providing free laptops for students with
    wireless internet connection.
     In addition to computers, many schools and colleges are using new
    methods of technology to enhance the learning experience.

     Some of these include digital television channels, digital radio, tablets


    and I-pads.

     There are a variety of digital radio and television channels that cover a
    range of subject areas including science.

     Laptops, I-pads and tablets are gradually being accessed by individual


    students and this may eventually diminish the requirement for traditional
    computer laboratories
     Many schools now have access to broadband wireless internet

     Educational programmes and podcasts are now widely available to


    download to computers or MP3 players.
    Current educational theory and IT.
     The ways in which computers are used in science lessons have changed due
    to advances in the understanding of learning.

     Previously it was mainly based on a transmission model of teaching using for


    example PowerPoint presentations.

     For science, in many educational institutions, students still spend much of


    their class time as passive learners, with little engagement in the active
    practice of scientific thinking.

     This, although the total time spent by students in science classes may have
    increased over the last 20 years.
     The uses of technology that support instruction grounded in
    constructivist thinking are now increasing.

     It is now more common in science classes for students to be supported


    in their own search for information, analyzing information, and
    communicating that information.

     However science teachers need to be able to use a range of ICT


    resources in the science classroom.

     This is in addition to the basic word processing and data manipulation


    for analyzing and reporting assessment results.
    IT Educational Resources

     Resources to support modern science include and is not limited to:


     Digital camera
     Data projector
     Laptop
     Interactive white board
     Broadband internet access
     Data storage devices
     Adequate software
     Teachers also need to possess the basic ICT skills required to
    effectively integrate ICT in their science lessons.

     However they also need to possess sound pedagogical skills to


    effectively integrate ICT into the science curriculum.

     Science curricula also need to be overhauled to facilitate that


    integration.
    Benefits of using IT

     Computer technology has enabled systems of obtaining and recording


    information much more efficient and effective.

     Computer records are much harder to misplace compared to that of paper.

     Submission of work via email and responding to student enquiries save time
    and energy.
     Modern children are used to the new technology as they have grown
    up with it.

     It is therefore beneficial that they have the option to use it to


    increase their learning capacity and pursue their interests.

     This makes education more multi-faceted.


     The benefits are wide and varied and continues to grow as new uses for
    emerging technologies are found.

     However many benefits only accrue if computers are used adequately to


    support instruction.

     Research has shown that student science achievement is improved and


    students view computer technologies more favourably with the use of IT (E.g.
    Berger, Lu, & Ross, 1994; Flick & Bell, 2000).
     Improvement in science achievement is most pronounced for authentic, complex
    learning experiences.
     This is where students are
     challenged,
     engaged in productive inquiry,
     use higher order thinking skills,
     build conclusions from data,
     collaborate with other learners,
     and reflect on their experiences. (Papanastasiou, Zembylas, & Vrasidas, 2003).
     The use of ICT in the classroom enables teachers to challenge
    students and promote higher order thinking skills.

     ICT is also a resource for cooperative group learning, and a means of


    communication with the wider community.

     Students increase their own ICT skills when ICT is used in their
    learning environment.
     Research has also shown a positive correlation between computer
    technology in schools and better results in science subjects.

     Evolving technology means students will be better able to access more


    information, understand better, and be more effective and efficient in
    their learning.

     Teachers and students can collaborate outside the classroom in synchronous


    (real time) and asynchronous (delayed) forums, which brings far more
    resources, perspectives, and analysis to classroom assignments.

     There are also a number of very creative ways in which schools and colleges
    are saving money and time and expanding productivity through IT.
    Question?

     Name ONE way in which schools can save time and money using IT resources?
     For students, computer technology has provided an indescribable
    wealth of resources, information, and knowledge.

     The internet has allowed them to access information on any subject


    whenever and wherever they want.

     They have access to journals, articles, e-books, practice tests and


    examinations, model answers and research findings.
     For teachers, computer technology has enabled lessons to be more
    interactive, and therefore more interesting and rewarding.

     Lessons are more memorable and so students are able to retain


    information more effectively.

     Teachers can find a host of resources on the internet which can


    provide inspiration and advice for classes.

     They can recommend suitable resources to students to further


    encourage and stimulate their learning
    IT facilitates eight instructional shifts
    (Collins, 1991).
     Whole class to small group instruction.
     Lecture to coaching
     Working with better students to working with weaker students.
     Towards more engaged students.
     Assessments based on tests to based on products, progress and effort.
     A competitive to a cooperative social structure.
     All students learning the same thing to different students learning different things.
     Primacy of verbal thinking to integration with visual thinking.
    Issues concerning the use of the internet
    in science classrooms
     Numerous advantages include:
     Rapid access to information in the form of text, images, sound and numeric
    data.
     Ability for teachers and students to communicate with each other outside of
    class.
     Ability to communicate with knowledgeable others in any part of the world.
     Students can develop important skills e.g. organizing, analyzing, composing
    and problem solving.
    Considerations using the internet

     Many opportunities and possibilities for inappropriate use. E.g.


     Use of on-line search engines to access sites inappropriate for adolescents
    and for the school.
     Excessive and inappropriate use of social networking sites.
     On-line bullying.
     Inappropriate sharing (e.g. photos, videos)
     Plagiarism
     Inability to judge appropriateness of sites.
    Barriers to ICT Integration in Science Instruction

     Since 1993, researchers such as Al-Mohassin identified the following barriers to the effective
    integration of ICT in science teaching.
     Lack of available software for science instruction
     Cost of available software
     Lack of adequate training of teachers
     Lack of consistency between the training of teachers and available hardware and software in
    schools.
     Schools simply concentrating on providing hardware and neglecting software.
     Lack of knowledge of IT at the purchasing level
     Al-Oteawi (2002) found that there were not enough courses on IT in colleges.

     No courses existed in colleges of education that allowed students to learn


    how to integrate IT in the curricula.

     Neither were there any in-service training programmes that permitted


    educators to develop their knowledge of IT processes.
     According to the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher
    Education (NCATCE, 1997), lack of training, knowledge, or
    familiarity leads to teachers inability to independently
    integrate subject matter software with necessary computer
    hardware.
     Tinker ( 1998 ) therefore identifies the “vicious circle” of barrier
    relationships:
     Teachers’ fear of failure is reinforced by failure to use IT
    successfully.
     The more failure is internalized the less teachers are likely to want to
    integrate technology in their instruction.
     The more demands that are made of teachers to make ICT work in the
    classroom, the more the fear of failure.
     Corbin (2003) identified five barriers grouped into three areas:
    1. Lack of experience in pre-service training
    2. Lack of access to computers at school (most important).
    3. Lack of on-site technical support.
    Becta (2003) arranged barriers to ICT integration from most to least
    frequent as:
     Lack of confidence
     Lack of access to quality resources
     Lack of time
     Lack of effective training
     Technical problems
     Lack of personal access
     Age
     Brush (2003) studied what teachers themselves think are the barriers
    to IT related instruction. The following were indicated:
     Lack of hardware
     Lack of software
     Lack of network access
     Lack of time to develop courses
     Lack of support by department or school
     Lack of salary support during training period

     Lack of students’ preparation to handle technology

     Lack of facilities for student laboratories


    Question

     From your experience, are there any other barriers to IT integration?


    Managing use of the internet

     Use of site blocking software.


     Policy statements to guide students’ use of the internet which
    includes:
     Explanation of role of the internet
     A description of acceptable and unacceptable behavior that
    emphasizes student responsibility when using the internet.
     A list of penalties for each violation of the policy.

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