ScienceAndTech-Sabrina

=How can technology be integrated into the science classroom to enhance meaningful learning? = **When someone says, "Science teaches such and such," he is using the word incorrectly. Science doesn't teach anything; experience teaches it.** Richard Feynman, 1966 NSTA Convention, NYC ==Why is integrating technology important in the science curriculum? ==

Integrating technology into the science classroom allows many doors to open to students so that the experience that is so important to the science curriculum can be fostered. Technology allows different means of modeling and simulations for use in the classroom which is paramount in science exploration. These simulations, that can be found online or through software purchase, may allow for experiments to be done in classrooms that may not have financial means to purchase materials to carry out actual labs. Visualizations can also be presented in the science classroom through different technologies available which offers new presentation modes for teachers to incorporate into their classrooms in order to accommodate all types of learners on different levels. Modern technological innvoations are also much more appealing and engaging for students today since they can relate more easily and have more to participate in during a lesson or exploration. Other technologies that are great to use in the science classroom to promote meaningful learning are information sources such as the internet that students can use to research and investigate different concepts being presented as well as wikis and forums that can be used to gather information and collaborate on projects with multiple peers, no matter the distance. Blogging in the science classroom gives students and teachers a different approach to assessment and collaboration as well that can be much more engaging then writing in a lined science journal in the classroom day after day. YouTube, which many students investigate in their leisure time for videos covering a plethora of topics, can be integrated in to the classroom as well as a visualization or demonstration tool as well. Showing clips on certain topics or asking students to find or even make their own videos as part of an assignment gets students more actively involved in their learning process and shifts the curriculum to a student-centered one rather then a teacher-centered lecture type classroom setting which is hard for students to flourish in. There are also new technologies that allow easier collection and analysis of data in the classroom for students to use. All of these technologies offers the experience outlet to students as Feynman mentions in the quote above which is what really teaches students.

Personal Connection
After going through many science courses in middle and high school and now learning how to teach students science it is clear that a student-centered learning environment that is fostered by engaging technology is the only way students will formulate understandings of most scientific concepts. Students need to be given the oppurtunity to explore concepts in the science classroom to make the necessary connections between ideas, not sit and listen to teachers lecture about information that they can read out of their bland textbook. Memorizing vocabulary and concepts may help students pass tests at the present time, but from experience, I know that the information that is studied at the moment is gone after that test is taken. The connection was never solidified by experience which is so important in the science curriculum. Students need to be able to explore hypothesis on their own and make their own conclusions if us as teachers are going to expect them to really learn. The science classes I most remember and concepts I can honestly say I understand thoroughly are the ones that were presented to me through experiences I was actively involved in. Experiments, presentations, inquiry, collaboration projects- these are the things I remember most and found more appealing-engaging activities that incorporated technology in some way.

Simulations
Simulations in the science class will allow students to take part in many experiences they may not have been able to in a regular science classroom. Online and software simulations allow students to explore science concepts more in depth then reading out of a textbook and reiterating the rote memorization of teacher centered teaching. Allowing students to participate in creating their own simulations or working through pre-made simulations allow them to make connections of the concepts to previous learned material in order to foster meaning learning through thorough understandings. [|PhET] [|SPARK Science Learning System] [|Brain Pop Science Topic Exploration] media type="youtube" key="KdtYVq5f70Q" height="204" width="336" align="center"

YouTube Videos
YouTube videos allow teachers to present material in a more engaging way in the classroom and give students more insight to the concepts being presented. Using YouTube and TeacherTube takes a step away from static DVDs or videotapes that are in many school libraries that can often be very boring and non-engaging for students. YouTube also allows students opportunities to create their own content and post it for the world to see which can be very exciting for young learners. Virtual Field Trips can also be taken in the classroom through some YouTube videos. Students can visit beaches and mountains in the same day practically! This gives teachers an opportunity to offer all students participation since there is no cost or distance restraints. [|Teacher Tube]

Blogging and Wikis
Blogging can be used in the science classroom as a form of assessment and social collaboration. This is also a more interesting and engaging way for students to write about things taking place in class. There is a great wiki on blogging in the classroom that has great information on how to integrate these great tools into your classroom for writing which can be used in the science curriculum in place of disengaging science notebooks. Check it out here Blogging for Writing. [|Blogger]

===__ Clickers __ === Clickers are a controversial issue when discussed in regards to using them or not in the classroom. These can be a useful tool in the science classroom and can help engage students in discussion and assessment tasks in a nontraditonal manner that they can be excited about experiencing rather then boring pen and paper polling. The video below shows great ways to incorporate them into the classroom and teacher and students views on using them in the classroom.

Check out these informational peer-reviewed articles
*Kahn, S. (2009). Wonderful Wikis and Internet Forums. //Science and Children//, //46//(9), 27-31. The author introduces how wikis and internet forums can be used to in the classroom to provide collaboration on science projects. This article shows one of the ways that technology can be introduced into the science classroom to as an extension to the curriculum in order to allow students more opportunity to learn in their own way. Using wikis and forums gives students the opportunity to collaborate with other students and discuss ideas in a different environment.

*Everhart, J. (2009). YouTube in the Science Classroom. //Science and Children//, //46//(9), 32-5. The author discusses experiences and ideas about using YouTube in the science classroom. YouTube allows teachers to take advantage of allowing students to experience self-paced learning through visual stimulation. Using videos to present certain ideas to students gives them a contemporary approach to concepts and a visual presentation through a different media that they can relate to. Using YouTube as a different presentation mean will bring variety into the classroom and keep students more interested and engaged in lessons. YouTube allows for many different student learning styles to be incorporated into the lesson through visual and auditory presentation. This article describes a case study of a science teacher who integrated technology into an elementary science course. The teacher in this article is teaching pre-service teachers which was very helpful in providing useful insight for myself as a preservice teacher trying to learn different ways to incorporate technology into my classroom.
 * Capobianco, B., & Lehman, J. (2006). Integrating Technology to Foster Inquiry in an Elementary Science Methods Course: An Action Research Study of One Teacher Educator's Initiatives in a PT3 Project. //The Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching//, //25//(2), 123-46.