The latest technologies are here to stay; they are our future.   Science and technology go hand in hand, they are inseparable. As Albert Einstein puts it, “technology has becomeappallingly obvious that it has exceeded our humanity.” On the other hand, Henry Thoreau, a writer, states that” men have become the tools of their tools.”

            However, teachers are also reminded that technology use should always be accompanied by the clear understanding of the pedagogical, social and ethical issues that underlie such use.  Today technology can become a springboard for so much learning in the classroom given its potential to support more student-centered learning approaches.

            For example, word processing can be experienced by students in reports in different science topics; for instance, reporting the Solar System, the Metamorphosis of the Butterfly, the Charles Law, Solutions, Colloids and Gases, Distillation of Alcohol and even Bonding of Atoms.

Science teachers can also assign projects using Hypermedia Projects.  As explained in Wikipedia, Hypermedia is a computer-generated nonlinear presentation of information.  It can be created by the students, the teacher or purchased.  It usually contains texts, pictures, sounds and motion.  For example, Hyper Studio( a Hyper media authoring program.) can be used for learning across the curriculum and for more complex projects.

            A particular example of this is the students read and discuss informational texts, do the KWL Chart, research facts on the internet, plan and write up a 10-card stack-each with some information on the topic- and then put it together adding backgrounds, different fonts, animation, and voice over narration by a student pre-selected by the group members.  In addition, teachers can also improve their teaching styles through technology.  Current technologies require teachers to teach differently and more importantly they can employ student- centered approaches.

            Students participate and improve more their laboratory skills in collaborative and cooperative environments as they work in groups, teachers themselves get engaged, learn along with their students and work collaboratively with other science teachers so that teaching becomes a challenging, exciting and team endeavor.

            Summing it up, science teachers, in relation to traditional approach of teaching, listen to what Alfred Perlma has to say, “if you have done something the same way for a year, look at it critically; if you have done it for two years, modify it; if you have done it for five years, throw it away and startover.”

Reference:

A.M.R. Orencia, Literacy and Technology Integration, The RAP Journal, published by the            Reading Association of the Philippines, Manila Vpl XXX. October, (2007)

By: Resurreccion D. Medina Teacher III Bataan National High School City of Balanga, Bataan