However, there is much debate concerning the effects of using technology in mathematics instruction. In many traditional science classrooms, the teacher leads a large group demonstration of skills followed by individual practice. The students sit in rows watching the teacher as she demonstrates the procedure to be learned with a shift to student eyes intent on papers as they practice what the teacher has demonstrated (Dossey, Mullis, Linquist, & Chambers, 1988). Fortunately, this picture of a traditional science classroom is changing. Encouraged by the National Council of Teachers of Science, use of technology in the science classroom has increased, and technology-enhanced classrooms are becoming more prevalent in today's classrooms. Starting as early as pre-kindergarten and all the way into to college and beyond.
The positive effects of Science and technology instruction such as computer-mediated learning are becoming more prevalent in the Science classroom. Replacing “worksheets", with software that is one-on-one, self-paced, and provides immediate feedback can help remediate and can enhance student understanding. By doing these steps students are using technology as a tool or a support for communicating with others, they are in an active role rather than the passive role of recipient of information transmitted by a teacher, textbook, or broadcast. The student is actively making choices about how to generate, obtain, manipulate, or display information. Technology use allows many more students to be actively thinking about information, making choices, and executing skills than is typical in teacher-led lessons. Moreover, when technology is used as a tool to support students in performing authentic tasks, the students are in the position of defining their goals, making design decisions, and evaluating their progress.
In my classroom I will definitely be using the technology based approach. We have so many new ways of teaching science and learning skills. I have found out if you engage students in the activity then they well remember what they have done. I feel that it increases interest (and desire to learn for students) - when students get to use the latest technology to solve problems, they are more likely to be focused because they may feel they are using a new product other classrooms may not have yet (for example, the iPad). Second, it provides purpose for learning - everyday students go home from school and log onto their personal computers, both for study and play. Showing that computers can be used to learn provides a purpose for them beyond just gaming. Third, it can attach meaning to an ongoing lesson - one of the main technology lesson plans for teachers includes showing students how to set up personal e-mail accounts. By this exercise, teachers can bring light to something (e-mail) that can be used beyond just the current project. Fourth, it provides opportunities to perceive knowledge as being related, not isolated bits and seeing an activity pulled together on the screen, with all of the pieces revealed, may help some students with various learning styles be able to conceptualize the project clearly. Fifth, it allows for individual student differences - some students may know more about computers than others, but if an activity includes just learning basic skills, some students will get a refresher course, while the others will be learning the concepts for the first time. Computer interaction in the classroom allows for accounting for student differences. Last but certainly not least, it can affect students’ attitudes toward learning”: according to studies on Technology in the Elementary Classroom cited from Education.com. As in the first example, some students may view computer-based learning as cutting edge and believe that their school is using the latest technology. This alone may inspire some students to stay focused.
You just have to remember the importance of technology in education cannot be stressed enough. Technology in the education field has made the process of learning and knowledge sharing a more interactive and pleasurable experience. Perhaps the greatest impact on education is the change in perspective. As educators we need to think globally to encourage our students to go beyond one's comfort zone and reach for the stars.
