| Even as a long-time proponent of the use of | | | | supplies or equipment. Because he was lucky |
| educational technology, I am still amazed at the | | | | enough to have 8 computers in his classroom, he |
| rapid pace at which it has become a necessity | | | | was able to use them to create the labs. The |
| rather than a source of enrichment activities. | | | | students were sent to science software the |
| Today's students, and even many of the parents, | | | | school uses and a website. The site has some |
| having grown up with technology as a part of | | | | great simulations that this teacher feels are more |
| their daily lives, retain certain expectations and | | | | interactive and that do a better job of |
| assumptions regarding the way technology is used | | | | demonstrating the physics behind the topic than |
| for learning. No longer can the classroom | | | | traditional labs. |
| computer be set off in the corner to be used | | | | Because science learning requires a great deal of |
| sporadically for special activities nor can video be | | | | critical analysis, using educational technology in the |
| used as a babysitter. Technology must become | | | | science classroom is especially warranted. Learning |
| an integral part of classroom life. | | | | to solve complex problems requires a different |
| What Students Need | | | | instructional approach than learning isolated skills |
| If our job, as educators, is to prepare students to | | | | and information required for standardized testing |
| become successful members of our society, then | | | | purposes. For example, while doing internet |
| in addition to the traditional knowledge and skills, | | | | research, a student needs to be able to evaluate |
| students must now be prepared to access, | | | | an internet source for reliability, accuracy, and |
| evaluate, analyze, and synthesize immeasurable | | | | bias; the same type of information required in |
| quantities of information. They need to have | | | | science exploration activities. |
| exceptional listening skills, be able to use email, | | | | In order to fully prepare our students for "real" |
| understand basic operating systems, use word | | | | life, as educators we need to not only provide |
| processing and other software, and use the | | | | them with the content knowledge they need, but |
| internet for research. | | | | also the ability to: |
| This need poses new challenges for teachers, | | | | accurately acquire information from visual and |
| especially those who may not feel as prepared to | | | | auditory sources (watching and listening) |
| use technology as their students might be. It is | | | | develop solutions to problems and then |
| time for educators to overcome the outdated | | | | present these solutions to others using various |
| idea that they must be experts in educational | | | | forms of media |
| technology before the students are allowed to | | | | display originality and employ problem solving |
| use it. | | | | skills during the creative process |
| Some Benefits of Educational Technology | | | | be team players and good collaborators |
| increases interest (even in rote tasks) | | | | demonstrate cross-cultural awareness |
| provides a purpose for learning | | | | communicate complex ideas effectively |
| promotes the perception that all knowledge is | | | | I contend, as do many educational experts, that |
| related (not isolated bits) | | | | the use of technology in the classroom is, by far, |
| allows for student individuality in learning | | | | the best way to accomplish these lofty goals. |
| styles | | | | Educators must prepare for a future that involves |
| Educational Technology in the Science Classroom | | | | much technology and they need to keep abreast |
| The decision to apply technology in the learning | | | | of change by adopting effective strategies that |
| environment is often not driven by the | | | | use appropriate technologies. |
| technology but by the task at hand. | | | | In the science classroom, we need to do more |
| Take, for example, the case of the physics | | | | with technology so that our students are better |
| teacher who needed to set up some labs for | | | | educated and better able to succeed in life. |
| thermodynamics but had no money left for | | | | |