Technology

The article introduces that the Net-Generation can use the Internet as the perfect vehicle to find information in inquiry process and learn scientific knowledge, and this article provides a ... See More

The article introduces that the Net-Generation can use the Internet as the perfect vehicle to find information in inquiry process and learn scientific knowledge, and this article provides a model which can be used in guide students’ research, which combines science and technology in the science class. First, the teacher can encourage students to create a “topic bank”, which are collecting all the topics the students are interested in, then students are asked to decide what they want to investigate most in the topic bank. Then, students begin work in a group and locate resources on the Internet. In this step, the author mentions a set of “Net Etiquette” rules, which can guide and limit students’ behavior when they search for information on the Internet. In addition, the teacher highlights the students 'spelling skills and Note-taking skills. Students should spell the words correctly so that they can get the information they want and take some notes so that they can present and share that information with other students. The author also says that a project rubric is necessary which can not only guide students in their project research but also act as an evaluation tool for students and teachers. This article provides a project which use the website to search the information, it is a good way to use technology, and students can gain more knowledge and resources through searching for information by themselves. I love the“Net Etiquette” rules mentioned by the author. I will give my students the specific instruction about how to use the Internet to search the information. I will teach them how to distinguish which websites are professional and what information is trustworthy and reliable so that students can find useful information. Besides, we can use the Internet and technology in various ways. Videos, podcast, virtual manipulatives, and 3D printing are all great technology that can be used in the classroom. I will use that kind of technology in my class because that technology not only engages students in the class but also provide students with a richer learning experience which help them gain the deeper understanding.

Science and technology: A great combination.

Dorothy Valcarcel Craig wrote an article called Science and Technology: A Great Combination where she talks about that connecting the science classroom with the Internet is a great way to te... See More

Dorothy Valcarcel Craig wrote an article called Science and Technology: A Great Combination where she talks about that connecting the science classroom with the Internet is a great way to teach elementary school students. This article states several steps of how to combine science with technology effectively. The first step is to ask students preparing for their research, in which students are divided into different groups and each group should choose a topic from “topic banks”. Then they are asked to design “concept maps” around their topic and make the decision about what kind of resources should they look for to solve confused questions about the topic. After getting ready for the researching step, students should start search related information online in a limited time. And teachers need to assist students in this process, for example, they can provide students help with some simple internet navigation skills to make them more able to sort and organize information. Also, giving students rubric as a guidance on completing their tasks is important. Not only can teachers give the comprehensive evaluation, but also students can get effective feedback. In addition, giving students opportunities to use technology to show their creative presentations would be helpful to build their deeper understanding of the combination of science and technology. As a future educator, this journal article would be extremely helpful for me to teach science to my students I would like to use the steps above such as “Student Research”, “Going Online”, “Evaluation”, and “Creative Presentations” to teach my students how to combine science and technology to learning science concepts effectively. Also, I believe that technology can help students learn most successfully by providing them with a big range of choices and supports.