Technology In The Secondary Science Classroom

If you're waiting to be convinced that computers offer more than pricey bells and whistles in the classroom, this is the book that will open your mind to technology's potential. But even if you're an early (and avid) adopter, you'll discover intriguing new concepts for technology-based teaching strategies that help students really learn science concepts. The featured technologies range from the easy to master (such as digital cameras) to the more complex (such as Probeware and geographic information systems). Among the chapter topics: digital images and video for teaching science; using computer simulations; Probeware tools for science investigations; extending inquiry with geo-technologies; acquiring online data for scientific analysis; Web-based inquiry products, and online assessments and hearing students think about science. The book's emphasis is never on technology for technology's sake. Each chapter includes a summary of current research on the technology's effectiveness in the classroom; best-practice guidelines drawn from the research and practitioner literature; and innovative ideas for teaching with the particular technology. The goal is to stimulate your thinking about using these tools, and deepen your students' engagement in science content.

This book deals with the use of technology in science teaching. The author is not, nor has ever had an intention of being a “techie. ” Rather, I spent the first decade of my professional life as a high school physics teacher, making occasional uses of technology to further student understanding and to automate my own teaching practices. During my graduate work, my interest in the use of technology continued. Catalyzed, to some extent by the increasing availability of graphical interfaces for computers, the realization struck that the computer was more and more becoming a tool that all teachers could use to support their teaching practice—not simply those with a passion for the technology itself. The rapid changes in the hardware and software available, however, frequently caused me to reflect on the usefulness of technology—if it were to change at such a rapid pace, would anyone, save for those who diligently focused on the development of these tools, be able to effectively use technology in science teaching? Was change to rapid to yield a useful tool for teachers? To address this interest, I examined the nature of science teaching during this century—using the equally fluid notion of “scientific literacy”—which formed the organizing principle for this study. The result is a examination of how technology was used to accomplishing this goal of producing scientifically literate citizens. What was observed is that technology, indeed, consistently came to the service of teachers as they attempted to achieve this goal.

Based on a three-year study, the authors describe how comprehensive teacher induction systems can both provide teacher support and promote learning more about how to teach. This book calls for re-thinking what teacher induction is about, whom it should serve, what the ‘curriculum’ of induction should be, and the policies, programs, and practices needed to deliver it.

This edited book on ethics represents the outcomes of an international collaborative project that examined the role and place of bioethics in science and technology curricula.

This book explores pedagogy appropriate for the secondary school technology education classroom. It covers the dimensions of pedagogy for technology with scholarly research, including information strongly related to practice. The book discusses the nature of technology courses in secondary schools across various jurisdictions and considers how they might be viewed with regard to different epistemological frameworks. The writing is informed by, but not limited to, research and strongly related to practice with acknowledged experts in the field of technology education contributing chapters supported by evidence from technology education research or other fields. The authors speculate on pedagogical possibilities in their areas of expertise in order to consider pedagogical possibilities and develop a view of where pedagogy for technology education should move and how teachers might respond in the way they develop their practice.

"This book provides a comprehensive, critical approach to meeting the new challenges of technology in the classroom. It gathers together research on technology methods, principles, and content, acting as a reference source for proven and innovative methods. It presents an introduction to teaching educational technology, design, and engineering and contains strategies for innovation in technology education"--Provided by publisher.

Solidly grounded in current recommendations of the National Science Education Standards, this text offers teaching guidance and strategies for physical, biological, and earth science courses for middle school, junior high, and high school. The authors' extensive curriculum development experience imbues the text with a practical focus. Their collective knowledge of the field balances coverage of the theory and research behind the strategies they present. Also, inherent in the text is a description of the role of constructivism in science teaching and the connection between science and society including how technological development is driven by societal needs.

How can curriculum integration of school science with the related disciplines of technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) enhance students’ skills and their ability to link what they learn in school with the world outside the classroom? Featuring actual case studies of teachers’ attempts to integrate their curriculum, their reasons for doing so, how they did it, and their reflections on the outcomes, this book encourages science educators to consider the purposes and potential outcomes of this approach and raises important questions about the place of science in the school curriculum. It takes an honest approach to real issues that arise in curriculum integration in a range of education contexts at the elementary and middle school levels. The clear documentation and critical analysis of the contribution of science in curriculum integration—its implementation and its strengths and weaknesses—will assist teachers, science educators, and researchers to understand how this approach can work to engage students and improve their learning, as well as how it does not happen easily, and how various factors can facilitate or hinder successful integration.