Technology is very prevalent in today's society. As a future teacher, I know technology will play a big role in my classroom. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas or tips to integrate technology into my future classroom. Science is usually a hands-on subject, with all the experiments and activities so I think integrating technology will be difficult. Ant tips or ideas are helpful!
I love the concept of integrating technology into a science classroom! One very important idea that my science methods professor has presented this semester is the idea of interactive virtual notebooks. Rather than giving students pens and packets of paper in which to fill out their observations, theories, and evidence, you can create virtual interactive notebooks on chromebooks or iPads depending on available technologies within your classroom. I created a virtual notebook for an environmental project for fourth-grade students using Google Slides. It was very effective and easy, and individual copies could be assigned to each student.
The classroom I am in right now we mainly use ipads when looking up vocabulary words we do not know very well. Students will look up the word, write the definition and will draw a picture. If I do not have a book on hand, I will go to youtube to use the read aloud and as it goes at a slow pace students can pay attention. I use technology when showing pictures of animals they have never seen before or show them landscapes they have never seen either. I think technology just kind of falls into different categories when teaching. Could easily be bad as for a lot of screen time or pro to show them things they have never seen before.
Using computers (or iPads) to play -- or read aloud -- videos is fine. Also using them to see photos that they otherwise wouldn't be able to see is good.
However, I wouldn't have them use iPads to just look up vocabulary words. Technology is best used when it let's you do something useful that would be hard to do another way. In this case, students can look up words in a normal (hard-copy) dictionary; and this has the added advantage of giving the students practice with finding terms that are in alphabetical order. They woudn't be practicing that skill with an iPad.
Another use for the iPads is for students to see animations or simulations of physical phenomena, such as this interactive simulation of waves: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/waves-intro/latest/waves-intro_en.html
I think utilizing technology in the classroom is so important in all content areas! In a previous placement, my cooperating teacher had the students create an digital interactive notebook that would be used throughout the year. The final product for each of them at the end of the year was so cool to see, and it was amazing seeing their learning and progress unfold right in front of you, all in one place.
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