A Framework for Technology Use in the Classroom

“Science teaches us to be neglectful of nothing, not to despise the small beginnings for the small often contains the great in principle, as the great does the small.” –Faraday

And so to begin my guiding principle draft, I will start with the small: the fundamental principles that I believe trigger learning successfully using Web technology. And hopefully at the end of this course, these small beginnings will be transformed into a framework great in principle.

Guiding Principle 1: The use of Web content and tools in the classroom increases science understanding.

True or False? Large scale studies of science achievement agree on one central finding: schools do not help most students learn science with understanding. Answer: True. According to Technology's Greatest Value, the "major challenge of science instruction is that many scientific ideas are complex, abstract, and contrary to everyday experience, making them difficult for students to understand" (Teaching in the Secondary Science Classroom, p. 94).

Changing this statistic is important to me not only as a scientist, but also as a science teacher and global citizen. To be able to solve the problems of today and the ones yet to come, we must find ways to focus on this core principle, move students' misconception to science-reasoned conception, and answer the underlying question that ties the science topic together: "Why?" Therefore, to increase science understanding using technology, the Web tool content must meet the following parameters:

Value-added: provides experiences beyond the textbook in credible, cutting-edge and 21st century relevant ways, such as imagery and modeling.

Inquiry-based: generates questions and open communication by engaging the learner in dynamic and interactive ways with opportunities to explore, be curious and discover. The National Science Education Standards place inquiry "at the heart of science and science learning" (NRC 1996, p. 15; Technology in the Secondary Science Classroom, p. 93).

Positively promotes science: emphasizes the joy of science to invigorate the learning environment in an interesting, age-appropriate way.

As students build their store of science skills, it's important to use technology to help them dream and prepare for their lives in the workforce, which brings me to my second principle.

Guiding Principle 2: The leveraging of Web connectivity broadens learning scope and provides enriching problem-solving opportunities.

The connectivity effectiveness depends on the following parameters:

Wider accessibility: Takes advantage of information from laboratories and businesses to identify with science in a new way, such as simulations and current data or problems.

Expert-related: Utilizes and connects students to scientists and their work to offer unique perspectives on what's currently happening in areas of science. Provides insight into modern-day research.

Imagine if you could have learned from Einstein online. Would you have remembered that lesson? It would give a whole new level of meaning (i.e. understanding) to E=mc2.

Einstein's office or a potential classroom?

Student-inventor-based: To create the next generation of scientists, students will participate in projects that solve problems collaboratively and begin contributing to solutions, doing their own research, rather than solely reading about other students' achievements.

But these guiding principles would not be effective, if the lesson design doesn't have clear learning expectations, relevant activities or assessments. So, this brings me to my third principle: educator responsibility and guidance of instruction.

Guiding Principle 3: Web technology and tools trigger learning by employing strategic, high-level learning and teaching methodologies.

In our reading assignment, our online text said, "technology in the hands of creative teachers can expand the range of ways students see and experience firsthand the joy of discovery and the creative thinking that goes into planning investigations," which is fundamental to these principle's parameters:

Course design: Teacher develops course with multiple learning modalities and student-centered and teacher-centered approaches to enhance critical thinking abilities and enhance learning pathways, encouraging student-student and teacher-student interactions inside and outside classroom setting.

Accountability: Teacher determines ways to assess student understanding of concepts and advance science knowledge.

Bottom line: using technology in the science classroom must lead to students doing and understanding science in an exciting, guided-discovery way that proves results.