ETEC 533 Inquiry e-folio

Good Use of Technology in a Science and Math Learning Environment

I believe that good use of technology in a science and math environment is any use of technology that can help a learner acquire, manage, examine, and understand life.

Good use of technology should not be done in ignorance and the facilitator in the learning environment should be well versed in the utility of the technology.  Students should be taught how to use the technology and more importantly what potential goals are available when using it.  The facilitator should be cognizant of the benefits and drawbacks of utilizing the technology, and whose vested interests are being served by its use.  Students should be given due process prior to utilizing the technology so they are aware of all the potential effects that could occur from its use.

Good use of technology in the science and math classroom can dramatically enhance an instructor’s ability to develop open lessons where learners from many abilities can participate.  Open lessons can significantly decrease the amount of students who become academically and socially isolated from a learning environment due to the necessity for adapted or modified curriculum.

Consider the following for presenting an open, inclusive lesson for students who struggle with literacy:

There is often a component of note-taking in a science classroom (esp. secondary) where the students are required to write down information from an overhead, power point, or another medium.  Students who struggle with reading and writing can find this task quite demanding and may not be able to engage in valuable class discourse that occurs during the lesson.  I have developed power points for my students where I hand out copies of the presentation where key words or phrases that have been blanked out.  Students who struggle with reading and writing find this much easier, as there is much fewer words to copy and these words are highlighted on the presentation.  All students are able to keep up and participate in valuable discussion that occurs throughout.  It’s a simple idea, but opens the lesson to more participants.             

A wise user of technology in the science and math classroom realizes that technology is but one example of the many tools teachers can pull from their toolbox. 

Stephen Hawkins