It was a monumental accomplishment that galvanized the nation’s fascination with science and technology and inspired the creation of an educational video series known as the Science Screen Report.
Developed to enhance curriculums throughout our nation’s schools by stimulating students curiosity in science, it’s no coincidence that as it approaches its 40th anniversary, the Science Screen Report is more relevant than ever.

“Students are far more immersed in their studies when they can experience the world beyond the written pages of their textbooks and see it live, in full color and in three dimensions,” says Cleveland Middle School Librarian, Grace M. Dyrek.

Apparently many educators across the nation agree. When the Science Screen Report made its debut in 1970, less than 100 schools nationally were utilizing its services. Today nearly four decades later, more than 10,000 school districts use the series as an essential tool to help promote science as an invaluable subject.

“We cannot do enough to engage students in science. The sciences have never been more important to society than they are now,” says Scott Forman, President of Allegro Productions whose company produces the series from Palm Beach County, Florida. That advocacy is also shared by President Obama who stated, “Today more than ever before, science holds the key to our survival as a planet and our prosperity as a nation.” These are high stakes that will require a much deeper commitment to science than previously shown by U.S. schools, students and parents.

According to the Washington Post, science scores from the 2006 Program for International Student Assessment – a test given every three years – showed that U.S. 15 year-olds trailed their peers from many industrialized countries. It’s a trend that’s mirrored in American middle schools as well.

To help close and overcome that gap, Science Screen Report and its companion series, Science Screen Report For Kids, is designed to get students engrossed in science as early as possible – science is not a subject to simply just pass. “We’re trying to get kids interested in careers in science; show them it can be challenging, rewarding and full of opportunity,” adds Forman whose company produces eight programs per school year for each series.

Roughly 15 minutes in length and produced to directly address National Science Standards and Science Literacy Benchmarks, both series cover a variety of topics ranging from chemistry to the environment to physics, biology, medicine, ecology, engineering, space science, energy and oceanography.

Visually captivating to capture the attention and imagination of today’s technologically advanced kids, each Science Screen Report is accompanied by a thoroughly researched teacher guide. Prepared by a committee of educators, the guides provide background information, suggestions for critical thought, a glossary, career possibilities, resource and reference material, and tend to provoke lively classrooms discussions regarding the featured subjects.

Having worked for decades with the National Science Foundation’s Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the Science Screen Report continues to receive accolades. Series materials have also been used in the Smithsonian Institute’s Teacher Resource Center, and are listed in the resource guides of the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Education, and many other state and local agencies.

Although delivered to schools using the latest technology such as video streaming, supporters of the Science Screen Report face an age-old problem – funding. The series which augments an existing school’s curriculum is often subject to budget cuts. Currently it’s sponsored by hundreds of companies that enable thousands of school districts around the country to receive the program for free. Program sponsors receive a PBS type opening and closing message that appears at the beginning and end of every program that is viewed in the classroom.

Yet in this turbulent economy where cutbacks are the norm, Forman is optimistic that corporations will continue to see the value that Science Screen Report brings to the classroom. It’s an ideal situation; schools receive the award winning content at no cost, and corporations have an appropriate method for reaching their future employees and customers. It’s a logical way for these companies to invest in their own communities.

A small investment that Forman hopes will continue to provide American students and teachers with the tools they need to regain their place at the forefront of science and technology, and remain there for generations to come.

Steve Waxman

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Forman

Although women make up approximately 50% of the general work force in the U.S., they only represent 9% of workers in the science and engineering community. With such a low percentage of female interest, the government is expecting increased worker shortages through the first decade of the 21st century for the information technology (IT) industry.

The core worker in the IT industry are computer engineers, systems analysts, programmers and computer scientists, which includes database administrators, computer support personnel and all other computer scientists. These are all careers that relate directly back to high school math and science, in addition to computer science studies.

Growth projections by The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ indicate that the current graduation rate of those in undergraduate computer, information sciences and technology programs aren’t high enough to sustain the industry’s growth. In addition, they acknowledged that the even greater decrease of women into the computer science pipeline will have a profound effect on the industry.

These researchers believe that the low representation of women in computer science at the undergraduate level is inherited from the secondary school level, where girls do not participate in computer science courses and related activities as much as boys. Although girls are often well represented in earlier computing courses, they shy away from advanced courses. One possible reason for this is because of the increased focus on the technical and math course requirements.

This leads us back to math and science studies in elementary and high school, and yet another growing concern within the scientific community.

We currently believe that our nation’s future economic prosperity and global competition depends on both scientific progress and our adaptability in the fields of science, technology and engineering. As our society shifts from a resource-intensive society to a knowledge-intensive economy, it is critical for all of us to develop the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to this new community.

With this in mind, knowledge of math and science has now become essential for those pursuing a high-status and well-paid job in our new technologically advanced workforce.

Again, the science community is concerned that industry growth in the early 21st century will far out pace that of graduates. Once again, research has suggested that the root of this problem can be traced back to elementary and high school classrooms.

In going back to the classroom, a study by the National Assessment of Education Progress discovered that girls score below the national mean on all science achievement items and express negatives attitudes towards science. The study acknowledged that societal, education and personal factors all contribute to this funding, but stressed that differences within the science classroom may be one of the biggest contributing factors.

So what factors are discouraging girls from excelling in math, science and computer science studies in high school? Research has shown a number of different issues that need to be addressed. They believe that girls are not presented with adequate information about science-related career opportunities and their prerequisites, and that high school counselors often do not encourage further courses in math and science. In addition, texts, the media and many adults often project sex-stereotyped views of science and scientists.

A lack of development of spatial ability skills may also be an issue, which could be fostered in shop and mechanical drawing classes. Girls also have fewer experiences with science activities and equipment, which are often stereotyped as being masculine.

In order to encourage girls in the pursuit of math and science, teachers are encouraged to maintain well-equipped, organized and perceptually stimulating classrooms, use non-sexist language and examples, include information on women scientists and stress creatively and basic skills and provide career information.

In addition, math and science teachers should use laboratories, discussions and weekly quizzes as their primary modes of instruction or teaching strategies and supplement those activities with field trips and guest speakers. If possible, teachers should also encourage parental involvement.

Studies have also shown that teachers, both male and female, who were successful in motivating girls to continue to study science, practiced what is called “directed intervention”. They asked girls to assist with demonstrations, which required these students to perform and not merely record, in the laboratories, and in science-related fieldtrips.

When it comes to computer science studies, a similar approach can be taken. Although these studies do involved math, programming and technical issues, computer science educators need to be aware that working with computers involves much more than that. It also requires fully developed verbal and interpersonal skills – an area in which girls tend to excel at.

In order to attract more girls to the study, teachers should concentrate on applications and not just on math or programming. That’s because girls generally don’t get as excited about computers for their gadget value, as boys do. Instead, girls become more interested and engaged when technology is discussed in terms of it’s usefulness for problem solving.

Computer science educators should also impart to girls the important need for women in the industry and outline more career options. For example, jobs are not just limited to programming; individuals are needed to help solve business problems with technology solutions. The industry itself is focused on solving problems, and developing solutions to help business continue to grow.

Conclusion:

By introducing science, math and computer science in a positive manner to girls in all levels of education, we may be able to turn the tide and see more and more women choose careers in these important fields. If we truly believe children are our future, now is the time to ensure that they have a place in the future we have created.

Valerie Giles owns and operates Cyber-Prof: Teacher Resource Site an educational web site that specializes in resources for school and teacher supplies . Free stuff for teachers, teaching strategies, K-8, educational toys and games, back to school, classroom technology and home school curriculum. http://www.cyber-prof.com

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Today, classroom teachers may lack personal experience with technology and present an additional challenge. In order to incorporate technology-based activities and projects into their curriculum, those teachers first must find the time to learn to use the tools and understand the terminology necessary for participation in projects or activities. They must have the ability to employ technology to improve student learning as well as to further personal professional development.

Instructional technology empowers students by improving skills and concepts through multiple representations and enhanced visualization. Its benefits include increased accuracy and speed in data collection and graphing, real-time visualization, the ability to collect and analyze large volumes of data and collaboration of data collection and interpretation, and more varied presentation of results. Technology also engages students in higher-order thinking, builds strong problem-solving skills, and develops deep understanding of concepts and procedures when used appropriately.

Technology should play a critical role in academic content standards and their successful implementation. Expectations reflecting the appropriate use of technology should be woven into the standards, benchmarks and grade-level indicators. For example, the standards should include expectations for students to compute fluently using paper and pencil, technology-supported and mental methods and to use graphing calculators or computers to graph and analyze mathematical relationships. These expectations should be intended to support a curriculum rich in the use of technology rather than limit the use of technology to specific skills or grade levels. Technology makes subjects accessible to all students, including those with special needs. Options for assisting students to maximize their strengths and progress in a standards-based curriculum are expanded through the use of technology-based support and interventions. For example, specialized technologies enhance opportunities for students with physical challenges to develop and demonstrate mathematics concepts and skills. Technology influences how we work, how we play and how we live our lives. The influence technology in the classroom should have on math and science teachers’ efforts to provide every student with “the opportunity and resources to develop the language skills they need to pursue life’s goals and to participate fully as informed, productive members of society,” cannot be overestimated.

Technology provides teachers with the instructional technology tools they need to operate more efficiently and to be more responsive to the individual needs of their students. Selecting appropriate technology tools give teachers an opportunity to build students’ conceptual knowledge and connect their learning to problem found in the world. The technology tools such as Inspiration® technology, Starry Night, A WebQuest and Portaportal allow students to employ a variety of strategies such as inquiry, problem-solving, creative thinking, visual imagery, critical thinking, and hands-on activity.

Benefits of the use of these technology tools include increased accuracy and speed in data collection and graphing, real-time visualization, interactive modeling of invisible science processes and structures, the ability to collect and analyze large volumes of data, collaboration for data collection and interpretation, and more varied presentations of results.

Technology integration strategies for content instructions. Beginning in kindergarten and extending through grade 12, various technologies can be made a part of everyday teaching and learning, where, for example, the use of meter sticks, hand lenses, temperature probes and computers becomes a seamless part of what teachers and students are learning and doing. Contents teachers should use technology in ways that enable students to conduct inquiries and engage in collaborative activities. In traditional or teacher-centered approaches, computer technology is used more for drill, practice and mastery of basic skills.

The instructional strategies employed in such classrooms are teacher centered because of the way they supplement teacher-controlled activities and because the software used to provide the drill and practice is teacher selected and teacher assigned. The relevancy of technology in the lives of young learners and the capacity of technology to enhance teachers’ efficiency are helping to raise students’ achievement in new and exciting ways.

As students move through grade levels, they can engage in increasingly sophisticated hands-on, inquiry-based, personally relevant activities where they investigate, research, measure, compile and analyze information to reach conclusions, solve problems, make predictions and/or seek alternatives. They can explain how science often advances with the introduction of new technologies and how solving technological problems often results in new scientific knowledge. They should describe how new technologies often extend the current levels of scientific understanding and introduce new areas of research. They should explain why basic concepts and principles of science and technology should be a part of active debate about the economics, policies, politics and ethics of various science-related and technology-related challenges.

Students need grade-level appropriate classroom experiences, enabling them to learn and to be able to do science in an active, inquiry-based fashion where technological tools, resources, methods and processes are readily available and extensively used. As students integrate technology into learning about and doing science, emphasis should be placed on how to think through problems and projects, not just what to think.

Technological tools and resources may range from hand lenses and pendulums, to electronic balances and up-to-date online computers (with software), to methods and processes for planning and doing a project. Students can learn by observing, designing, communicating, calculating, researching, building, testing, assessing risks and benefits, and modifying structures, devices and processes – while applying their developing knowledge of science and technology.
Most students in the schools, at all age levels, might have some expertise in the use of technology, however K-12 they should recognize that science and technology are interconnected and that using technology involves assessment of the benefits, risks and costs. Students should build scientific and technological knowledge, as well as the skill required to design and construct devices. In addition, they should develop the processes to solve problems and understand that problems may be solved in several ways.

Rapid developments in the design and uses of technology, particularly in electronic tools, will change how students learn. For example, graphing calculators and computer-based tools provide powerful mechanisms for communicating, applying, and learning mathematics in the workplace, in everyday tasks, and in school mathematics. Technology, such as calculators and computers, help students learn mathematics and support effective mathematics teaching. Rather than replacing the learning of basic concepts and skills, technology can connect skills and procedures to deeper mathematical understanding. For example, geometry software allows experimentation with families of geometric objects, and graphing utilities facilitate learning about the characteristics of classes of functions.

Learning and applying mathematics requires students to become adept in using a variety of techniques and tools for computing, measuring, analyzing data and solving problems. Computers, calculators, physical models, and measuring devices are examples of the wide variety of technologies, or tools, used to teach, learn, and do mathematics. These tools complement, rather than replace, more traditional ways of doing mathematics, such as using symbols and hand-drawn diagrams.

Technology, used appropriately, helps students learn mathematics. Electronic tools, such as spreadsheets and dynamic geometry software, extend the range of problems and develop understanding of key mathematical relationships. A strong foundation in number and operation concepts and skills is required to use calculators effectively as a tool for solving problems involving computations. Appropriate uses of those and other technologies in the mathematics classroom enhance learning, support effective instruction, and impact the levels of emphasis and ways certain mathematics concepts and skills are learned. For instance, graphing calculators allow students to quickly and easily produce multiple graphs for a set of data, determine appropriate ways to display and interpret the data, and test conjectures about the impact of changes in the data.

Technology is a tool for learning and doing mathematics rather than an end in itself. As with any instructional tool or aid, it is only effective when used well. Teachers must make critical decisions about when and how to use technology to focus instruction on learning mathematics.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hassan_Hussein

And with good reason.

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) tested one-half million students from 41 countries. On the science portion, American fourth graders came in third, but slipped to 17th place in grade 8 and sixth from the bottom in grade 12. In advanced science, our kids came in last.

In math, our fourth graders placed 12th, our 8th graders placed 17th, and our 12th graders scored sixth from the bottom.

It is for such reasons that the Obama administration has launched its “Educate to Innovate” campaign, focusing on improving America’s performance in these STEM subjects and gaining the support of major corporations, foundations and non-profits–even Discovery Communications and Sesame Street.

Their aim: every child. Yes, even your preschooler. It’s coming, of that you can be sure. Reassuringly, though, Temple University’s Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pacek says, “Efforts to expand preschool science teaching need not necessarily conflict with young children’s need for playtime. Science can be taught in the context of play.”

And you can support those efforts at home by doing simple experiments right there in your kitchen, starting with your toddlers and then continuing as they get older. Such activities serve to pique curiosity and engage youngsters in seeking answers, as they learn more and more about how the world works. And that’s crucial.

As President Obama has said, “Reaffirming and strengthening America’s role as the world’s engine of scientific discovery and technological innovation is essential to meeting the challenges of this century.”

As you know, science has been included in the No Child Left Behind testing mandate since the 2007-08 school year. And now with “Educate to Innovate,” there’s an even stronger push to engage all of our students in thinking deeply and critically in STEM subjects, boosting our international standing and informing our kids about careers in related fields–opening up possibilities for girls, as well as boys.

According to the National Science Foundation, while women make up 46% of the American workforce, they hold only 25% of the jobs in engineering, technology, and science.

Helping to change those numbers is the stated purpose of the non-profit organization Expanding Your Horizons, which says it is “encouraging young women to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers.” To that end, EYH coordinates 85 hands-on math and science conferences annually-and one is sure to come your way.

For instancee, open to middle school girls, an Expanding Your Horizons conference will be held on March 20th at Swarthmore College. “All workshops are led by female role models who not only have a deep knowledge of the topics they teach, but also serve as positive examples of successful women in technical fields… Our conference is perfect for girls who have already discovered a passion for math or science, but it is also a great opportunity to reach those who may be beginning to lose interest in these typically male-dominated fields. We hope you or the special young women in your life will consider spending a day learning and discovering with us.” Average cost to participants: only $10.65.

Meanwhile, Wilkes University has received a $2.9 million Pennsylvania Department of Education grant to train middle-level teachers from five counties in math and science, including those in Montgomery County’s Springford, Upper Perkiomen, and Perkiomen Valley school districts. This specialized program integrates content with teaching skills, thus enhancing our students’ classroom experience in these core subjects–and the timing couldn’t be better.

Says John Holdren, Obama’s science advisor and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, “America needs a world-class STEM workforce to address the grand challenges of the 21st century, such as developing clean sources of energy that reduce our dependence on foreign oil and discovering a cure for cancer.”

Carol is a learning specialist who worked with middle school children and their parents at the Methacton School District in Pennsylvania for more than 25 years and now supervises student teachers at Gwynedd-Mercy College. Along with the booklet, 149 Parenting School-Wise Tips: Intermediate Grades & Up, and numerous articles in such publications as Teaching Pre-K-8 and Curious Parents, she has authored three successful learning guidebooks: Getting School-Wise: A Student Guidebook, Other-Wise and School-Wise: A Parent Guidebook, and ESL Activities for Every Month of the School Year. Carol also writes for examiner.com; find her articles at http://www.examiner.com/x-6261-Montgomery-County-Wise-Parenting-Examiner For more information, go to http://www.schoolwisebooks.com or contact Carol at carol@schoolwisebooks.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carol_Josel

In the internet we can find various resources dedicated to learning. But since the information remain disorganized, finding those resources even with the power Search Engine giants like Google becomes a difficult task. There are thousands of books and guides, tutorials and blogs. However, whether they contain casual information or personal thoughts or educational valued information cannot be predicted. Nowadays, education can be availed online, and of course you can learn both formally and informally. For a formal online education, you can do this by signing up for an online course offered by various universities.

These online course, are as usual as offline courses, been taught by professors in their respective fields. You will get access to lectures in the field you have chosen ranging from Engineering, Science and Technology, Health etc., You can also opt for levels ranging from certificate courses to Masters and obviously these are paid services.

However, recently top universities have started offering their courses online for free. This means anybody whether a housewife or aged parent can sign-up for those courses for free. There is no restriction of eligibility or a time-table to study. You can learn at your own pace and of course at your convenient times. Only thing required is an inquisitive to learn and accessibility to Internet Service.All human beings are endowed with capabilities to learn, improve and progress.The basic concept behind these educational offerings is that educational opportunity is a mechanism to attain that capacity.

OpenCourseWare is a free and open digital publication of high quality education materials. These materials are organised as courses. Some universities term it as OpenLearningInitiative. OpenCourseWare Consortium was established which has collaborated with more than 200 universities around the world, creating a broad educational content.Open and Free courses are freely available online courses and course materials that enact instruction for an entire course in an online format. Some of the Top-notch universities that are offering such free online education.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Open Course Ware (OCW) – MIT

Utah State Open Course Ware (OCW) – USU

Carnegie Mellon University Open Learning Initiative (OLI)

Apart from these universities, Open Educational Resources (OER) which are not affiliated to any of the above educational institutions have also taken the initiative to link teaching and learning resources to you. One such OER is oercommons. They offer new way to engage with learning content.

Conclusion

Whether it is an OCW or OLI course or something provided by OER, they do not offer a formal certification after passing the tests at the end of each course, you have joined. You will not earn credits either. Practically, you will be spending hours of your precious time studying these freely offered online courses, just to note an increased Internet Bills. But possibly, you have learnt something which interested you and which you were not able to learn before. Though there is a lot of criticisms about these Free Online Courses, I would like to end it up saying that the time you spent to learn is more better than wasting your time at game parlors or some leisurely places. So, give a tryout to these free online courses and you have enormous topics to learn and you can learn plenty.

Indusekar, the author of this Article is an aspiring Affiliate Marketer from Chennai, India. Visit the Reviews of Top 30 CPA Affiliate Networks Affiliate Networks and Affiliate Programs Directory

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In India, there are countless number of leading universities, such as IITs, Private Institutes, State Level Engineering Colleges and Regional Engineering Colleges that are engaged in making the career of future computer and IT engineers.

The demand of Indian Computer Science and IT Professionals is increasing day by day on a worldwide level. That’s why in a current scenario becoming a computer science and IT professional is a dream of many a young youth of India.

There is a broad spectrum of computer training comes under the study of computer science and information technology. When it comes to finding computer science schools, anyone has to go through a deep research that sometimes open different choices to the users. Computer courses can offer high-tech training for professional certification and several levels of college degrees in computer technology and computer science. It is completely up to you whatever you decide.

The main purpose of computers and IT colleges and institutes in India is to design programmes in a way that can prepare future network engineers, programmers, computer technicians and others for professional employment in the computer sciences field. A huge range of computer technology is covered under the study of computer sciences, so anyone should think think about his/her ultimate goal before enrolling himself/herself in any computer science courses.

If you are one of them who are looking for professional certification in one area of computers and information technology, you can find a number of colleges and institutes in India that provide computers and IT education. Among them, there are some institutes that demand for previous experience or training in computers and information technology. There are also some colleges that allow you to start from scratch.

If you are one of them who always seek for getting an advanced position in computer networking or information technology, you will have to find complete information about all college degrees in computer science. Some highly respected degrees of this field are Master of Science Degrees (MS),Bachelor of Science Degrees (BS) and Associate of Science Degrees (AS). The terminal degree of this filed is Doctorate of Science in Computer Science offered by renowned and widely-known universities in India. The higher degree you have, the more salary will come into your hand.

You can also include some business courses along with your computer and information technology education, if you are thinking to pursue your career in management, office administration or business technology.

There are a huge number of widely-renowned computers and IT colleges and institutes in India offering excellent computer science and information technology education required to be a computer and IT professional. You can get this education by enrolling yourself in any of the top colleges and institutes. These colleges and institutes help you to earn a diploma or a degree course according to you potential and skills by practicing them as professional.

Some colleges that offer excellent and specialized computer science and information technology courses and fellow programs are Amrita Institute of Computer Technology, Bankatlal Badruka College for Information Technology, Academy of Computer Technology, B.I.I.T. Heights Institute of Information and Technology, Baba Saheb Ambedkar Technical Educational Society, Alakananda Computer Training Centre, Department of Computer Science, Godavari Institute of Information Technology, etc. Some other institutes are A.J. College of Science and Technology, Axis College of Economics and Commerce, Academy of Computer Studies, Allahabad Agricultural Institute Deemed University, Banaras Hindu University, etc.

Shefali Roy is a webmaster of latestt.com. Here u can get the information related to career options and computers and IT colleges in India. For more details visit latestt.com

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Fortunately for students, many of these initiatives include financial incentives to help them complete campus-based or online degree programs in these fields. Texas Governor Rick Perry recently announced his support of a $100 million program to help students pursuing STEM-related degrees or certificates.

The STEM Challenge Scholarship program is intended to foster regional partnerships between colleges, school districts and employers in order to create and distribute financial aid awards in order to attract students to degree programs and careers in related industries.

Governor Perry said the scholarship program is intended to “encourage higher education institutions to design STEM programs that meet local employer needs, while providing Texas students the opportunity to pursue the education they need as they fulfill their potential.” He also proposed a plan to expand the state’s UTeach program, which provides tuition assistance to college students pursuing teaching careers in math and science.

Currently, the state provides $80 million to universities to help them increase their graduation rates, particularly in STEM fields. Prospective employers in these industries are launching similar initiatives to entire students to pursue STEM-related careers. For example, Tech Collective, a Rhode Island-based information technology (IT) and bioscience association, recently partnered with three other organizations to launch scholarship programs for students working toward degrees in IT-related subjects.

A total of five scholarships worth $7,000 are available through three different awards. The Lighthouse Computer Services/Tech Collective scholarship will provide two $1,000 awards to high school or college students who are working pursuing careers in the IT industry and have some affiliation with the U.S. military.

The company will partner with Fibertech Networks to award a $3,000 scholarship to a female high school student planning to enroll in a college degree program in information systems, computer systems or another IT-related field. Female and minority students who demonstrate commitment, dedication, academic excellence, leadership and determination are eligible to apply for the $1,000 Doug Schwinn/Tech Collective Scholarship.

Students who wish to take advantage of the growing opportunities in STEM-related industries may consider applying for similar awards that can help them finance higher education.

Now there are student loans and grants
available for degree programs online.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natasha_Bright

Let’s look at some of the reasons why girls come to the STEM classroom with less of the core skills needed for success in this subject area. Overall, girls and boys play with different kinds of games in early childhood that provide different types of learning experiences. Most girls play games that emphasize relationships (i.e., playing house, playing with dolls) or creativity (i.e., drawing, painting). In contrast, boys play computer and video games or games that emphasize building (i.e., LEGO®), both of which develop problem-solving, spatial-relationship and hands-on skills.

A study of gender differences in spatial relations skills of engineering students in the U.S. and Brazil found that there was a large disparity between the skills of female and male students. These studies attributed female student’s lesser skills set to two statistically significant factors: 1) less experience playing with building toys and 2) having taken less drafting courses prior to the engineering program. Spatial relations skills are critical to engineering. A gender study of computer science majors at Carnegie-Mellon University (one of the preeminent computer science programs in the country) found that, overall, male students come equipped with much better computer skills than female students. This equips male students with a considerable advantage in the classroom and could impact the confidence of female students.

Are these gender differences nature or nurture? There is considerable evidence that they are nurture. Studies show that most leading computer and video games appeal to male interests and have predominantly male characters and themes, thus it is not surprising that girls are much less interested in playing them. A study of computer games by Children Now found that 17% of the games have female characters and of these, 50% are either props, they tend to faint, have high-pitched voices, and are highly sexualized.

There are a number of studies that suggest that when girls and women are provided with the building blocks they need to succeed in STEM they will do as well if not better than their male counterparts. An Introductory Engineering Robotics class found that while males did somewhat better on the pre-test than females, females did as well as the males on the post-test following the class’s completion.

Another critical area of gender difference that teachers of STEM should keep in mind has less to do with actual skills and experience and more to do with perceptions and confidence. For females, confidence is a predictor of success in the STEM classroom. They are much less likely to retain interest if they feel they are incapable of mastering the material. Unfortunately, two factors work against female confidence level: 1) most girls will actually have less experience with STEM course content than their male counterparts and 2) males tend to overplay their accomplishments while females minimize their own. A study done of Carnegie Mellon Computer Science PhD students found that even when male and female students were doing equally well grade wise, female students reported feeling less comfortable. Fifty-three percent of males rated themselves as “highly prepared” in contrast to 0% of females.

It is important to note that many of the learning style differences described above are not strictly gender-based. They are instead based on differences of students with a background in STEM, problem-solving, and hands-on skills learned from childhood play and life experience and those who haven’t had the same type of exposure. A review of the literature on minority students and STEM finds that students of color are less likely to have the STEM background experiences and thus are missing many of the same STEM building blocks as girls and have the same lack of confidence. Many of the STEM curriculum and pedagogy solutions that work for female students will also work for students of color for this reason.

Bridge Classes/Modules to Ensure Core Skills

Teachers will likely see a gap in the core STEM skills of female and minority students for the reasons described above. Below are some solutions applied elsewhere to ensure that girls and women (and students of color) will get the building block STEM skills that many will be missing.

Teachers in the Cisco Academy Gender Initiative study assessed the skill levels of each of their students and then provided them with individualized lesson plans to ensure their success that ran parallel to the class assignments. Other teachers taught key skills not included in the curriculum at the beginning of the course, such as calculating math integers and tool identification and use. Students were provided with additional lab time, staffed by a female teaching assistant, knowing that the female students would disproportionately benefit from additional hands-on experience.

Carnegie-Mellon University came to view their curriculum as a continuum, with students entering at different points based on their background and experience. Carnegie-Mellon’s new frame of a “continuum” is purposefully different than the traditional negative model in which classes start with a high bar that necessitates “remedial” tutoring for students with less experience, stigmatizing them and undermining their confidence. Below is a list of ideas and suggestions that will help ALL students to succeed in the STEM classroom.

1. Building Confidence

How do teachers build confidence in female students who often have less experience than their male counterparts and perceive they are behind even when they are not?

1) Practice-based experience and research has shown that ensuring female students have the opportunity to gain experience with STEM, in a supportive environment, will increase their confidence level.

2) Bringing in female role models that have been successful in the STEM field is another important parallel strategy that should be used to assist your female students in seeing themselves as capable of mastering STEM classes: if she could do it, then I can too!

3) Consistent positive reinforcement by STEM teachers of their female students, with a positive expectation of outcome, will assist them in hanging in there during those difficult beginning weeks when they have not yet developed a technology schema or hands-on proficiency and everything they undertake seems like a huge challenge.

2. Appealing to Female Interests

Many of the typical STEM activities for the classroom appeal to male interests and turn off girls. For example, curriculum in robots often involves monsters that explode or cars that go fast. “Roboeducators” observed that robots involved in performance art or are characterized as animals are more appealing to girls. Engineering activities can be about how a hair dryer works or designing a playground for those with disabilities as well as about building bridges. Teachers should consider using all types of examples when they are teaching and incorporating activities in efforts to appeal female and male interests. Teachers can also direct students to come up with their own projects as a way of ensuring girls can work in an area of significance to them.

Research also shows that there are Mars/Venus differences between the genders and how each engages in technology. Overall, girls and women are excited by how the technology will be used – its application and context. Men will discuss how big the hard drive or engine is, how fast the processor runs, and debate the merits of one motherboard or engine versus another. These are topics that are, overall, of less interest to most females.

The Carnegie-Mellon Study took into account the differences of what engages female students and modified the Computer Science programs’ curriculum so that the context for the program was taught much earlier on in the semester and moved some of the more technical aspects of the curriculum (such as coding) to later in the semester. Authors observed that the female students were much more positive about getting through the tedious coding classes when they understood the purpose of it. Teachers should ensure that the context for the technology they are teaching is addressed early on in the semester by using real world stories and case studies to capture the interest of all of their students.

3. Group Dynamics in the Classroom

Research studies by American Association of University Women and Children Now have found that most females prefer collaboration and not competition in the classroom. Conversely, most males greatly enjoy competition as a method of learning and play. Many hands-on activities in technology classes are set up as competitions. Robotics for example, regularly uses competitiveness as a methodology of teaching. Teachers should
be cognizant of the preference of many girls for collaborative work and should add-in these types of exercises to their classes. Some ways to do this are by having students work in assigned pairs or teams and having a team grade as well as an individual grade. (See Reading 2 on Cooperative Learning.)

Another Mars/Venus dynamic that STEM teachers should be aware of occurs in the lab there male students will usually dominate the equipment and females will take notes or simply watch. Overall, male students have more experience and thus confidence with hands-on lab equipment than their female counterparts. Teachers should create situations to ensure that their female students are spending an equal amount of time in hands-on activities. Some approaches have been: 1) to pair the female students only with each other during labs in the beginning of the class semester so that they get the hands-on time and their confidence increases, putting them in a better position to work effectively with the male students later on, 2) allot a specific time for each student in pair to use the lab equipment and announce when it’s time to switch and monitor this, and 3) provide feedback to male students who are taking over by letting them know that their partner needs to do the activity as well.

4. Moving Female Students from Passive Learners to Proactive Problem Solvers

The main skill in STEM is problem solving in hands-on lab situations. For reasons already discussed regarding a lack of experience, most girls don’t come to STEM classes with these problem-solving skills. Instead, girls often want to be shown how to do things, repeatedly, rather than experimenting in a lab setting to get to the answer. Adding to this issue, many girls fear that they will break the equipment. In contrast, male students will often jump in and manipulate the equipment before being given any instructions by their teacher. Teachers can address this by such activities as: 1) having them take apart old equipment and put it together again, 2) creating “scavenger hunt” exercises that force them to navigate through menus, and 3) emphasizing that they are learning the problem solving process and that this is equally important to learning the content of the lesson and insisting that they figure out hands-on exercises on their own.

Research has also shown that females tend to engage in STEM activities in a rote, smaller picture way while males use higher order thinking skills to understand the bigger picture and the relationship between the parts. Again, moving female students (and the non-techsavvy student in general) to become problem solvers (versus just understanding the content piece of the STEM puzzle) will move them to use higher order thinking skills in STEM.

Finally, many teachers have reported that many female students will often want to understand how everything relates to each other before they move into action in the lab or move through a lesson plan to complete a specific activity. The female students try to avoid making mistakes along the way and will not only want to read the documentation needed for the lesson, they will often want to read the entire manual before taking any action. In contrast, the male student often needs to be convinced to look at the documentation at all. Boys are not as concerned with making a mistake a long the way as long as what they do ultimately works. The disadvantage for female students is that they often are so worried about understanding the whole picture that they don’t move onto the hands-on activity or they don’t do it in a timely fashion, so that they are consistently the last ones in the class to finish. Teachers can assist female (and non-tech-savvy) students to move through class material more quickly by providing instruction on how to quickly scan for only the necessary information needed to complete an assignment.

5. Role Models

Since the numbers of women in STEM are still small, girls have very few opportunities to see female role models solving science, technology, engineering or math problems. Teachers should bring female role models into the classroom as guest speakers or teachers, or visit them on industry tours, to send the message to girls that they can succeed in the STEM classroom and careers.

Bibliography

Medina, Afonso, Celso, Helena B.P. Gerson, and Sheryl A. Sorby. “Identifying Gender Differences in the 3-D Visualization Skills of Engineering Students in Brazil and in the United States”. International Network for Engineering Eucation and Research page. 2 August 2004: [http://www.ineer.org/Events/ICEE/papers/193.pdf].

Milto, Elissa, Chris Rogers, and Merredith Portsmore. “Gender Differences in Confidence Levels, Group Interactions, and Feelings about Competition in an Introductory Robotics Course”. American Society for Engineering Education page. 8 July 2004: [http://fie.engrng.pitt.edu/fie2002/papers/1597.pdf].

“Fair Play: Violence, Gender and Race in Video Games 2001”. Children Now page. 19 August 2004: [http://www.childrennow.org/media/video-games/2001/].

“Girls and Gaming: Gender and Video Game Marketing, 2000”. Children Now page. 17 June 2004: [http://www.childrennow.org/media/medianow/mnwinter2001.html].

Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age. District of Columbia: American Association of University Women Educational Foundation, 2000.

Margolis, Jane and Allan Fisher. Unlocking the Computer Clubhouse: Women in Computer. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2003.

Taglia, Dan and Kenneth Berry. “Girls in Robotics”. Online Posting. 16 September 2004: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/roboeducators/.

“Cisco Gender Initiative”. Cisco Learning Institute. 30 July 2004: http://gender.ciscolearning.org/Strategies/Strategies_by_Type/Index.html.

Donna Milgram is founder and Executive Director of the National Institute for Women in Trades, Technology & Science (IWITTS). She is currently the Principal Investigator of the CalWomenTech Project, a $2 million National Science Foundation grant awarded in April 2006. She was also the Principal Investigator of the WomenTech Project, funded by the National Science Foundation, which had a goal of increasing the number of women enrolled and retained in technology education in three national community college demonstration sites. She led IWITTS’s partnership with the Cisco Learning Institute (CLI)/Cisco Gender Initiative. Ms. Milgram produced the interactive teacher training video “School-to-Work: Preparing Young Women for High Skill, High Wage Careers.”

Additional Resources:

http://www.iwitts.com/

http://www.womentechworld.org/

http://www.womentechstore.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donna_Milgram

INTRODUCTION

“If human values take root in the educational system, the emerging individuals will have the following attributes:

They will want peace & justice in a world that acknowledges the rule of law and in which no nation or individual need live in fear;

Freedom and self reliance to be available to all;

The dignity & work of every person to be recognized & safeguarded;

All people to be given an opportunity to achieve their best in life; and

They will seek equality before the law and the equality of opportunity for all”.

Sathya Sai

Now we are living in the Modern, Scientific and Technological world. Science and Technology have brought enormous changes in the society. The attitudes of the people are also changes in the day to day life of human beings.

Man is a unique creation in this universe that under certain parameters is free to make his own destiny. Now, if man has to make his destiny, the question of values in life comes up. He has to think naturally as to what should be the guiding norms of life process. It is therefore clear that the guiding factors for man, which provide the prime motivating force behind his thought, emotion and action, have to be moral and spiritual. The socio-cultural and spiritual life of man has to bring peace, progress and welfare for both the individual and the society. This is precisely the reason why the modern society is worried about the deterioration of values.

Having diagnosed the present problem, we have to find the remedy for this situation before there is further deterioration of values in the wider interest of the mankind. With the help of Science (Exhibitions) and Technology (Print & Electronic Media and Mass Media) including social awareness programmes we can inculcate the values in the people.

IMPORTANCE OF VALUES

In today’s multi-cultural and multi-racial society, with its changing social norms and expectations, it can be difficult for a young person to know what is right. To enable young people to appreciate themselves and others, and to take greater responsibility for their actions and for the world around them. Sri Sugunendra Tirtha Swamiji of Puthige Math has said that it is necessary to give importance to human values in the present era of globalization.

CLASSIFICATION OF VALUES

In generally, values may be classified as;

Ø      Personal Values

Ø      Social Values

Ø      Moral Values

Ø      Spiritual Values and

Ø      Behavioural values.

All these values are necessary for all types of persons in the society.

INCULCATION OF VALUES THROUGH EDUCATION

Thinking with love is truth
Feeling with love is peace
Acting with love is right conduct
Understanding with love is non-violence
-Sathya Sai

According the Sathya Sai Baba the following five values are necessary for students.

v     Right Conduct

v     Peace

v     Truth

v     Love

v     Non-Violence

These values are specific because they are in line with a human being’s make up. They are also heavily interrelated (e.g. right conduct is action with love and according to conscience).These five values are inter-related and inherent in human beings, raising them above the level of the animal kingdom.

Right Conduct

Information is received through the five senses i.e. smell, taste sight, touch and hearing. When this information is referred to the conscience, the resulting action will be beneficial. Every action is preceded by thought. If the thought is consciously seen and noted, aims to help and is unselfish, the action will be good for oneself and others. If our mind is busy, or we are daydreaming, the action may be useless, clumsy or harmful to ourselves or others.

Right conduct is also concerned with how we look after and use our bodies. The body needs to careful maintenance to be strong, healthy and well co-coordinated to serve us in performing the tasks of life. Students need to understand the importance of exercise, such as gymnastics, yoga and sports combined with good rest. Good thoughts and good company (which includes everything imbibed by the five senses) are essential for healthy and well balanced development. Right conduct is taught through: Silent Sitting, Story telling and Group Activities.

Values Relate to Right Conduct

Self-help Skills

·        Care of Possessions

·        Diet

·        Hygiene

·        Modesty

·        Posture

·        Self-reliance

·        Tidy appearance

Social Skills

·        Good behaviour

·        Good manners

·        Good relationships

·        Helpfulness

·        Not wasting

Ethical Skills

·        Code of conduct

·        Courage

·        Dependability

·        Duty

·        Efficiency

·        Ingenuity

·        Initiative

·        Perseverance

·        Punctuality

·        Resourcefulness

·        Respect for all

·        Responsibility

Peace
We smile when we are happy and contented. Contentment is gained when we cease to want for us all the apparent ‘good’ things conveyed to us through our five senses. When our willpower is sufficiently strong to enable us to discern the difference between real needs and superfluous desires, we cease to be driven by the urge to own more and more things.

Inner agitation stops and we are left feeling peaceful. When there is peace in the individual, there will be peace in the family. When there is peace in the family, there will be peace in the community. In order to learn, self-esteem, calmness and freedom from anxiety are necessary.

These qualities are fostered by two of the Programmes components, namely silent sitting and the self-reflective exercises in some of the group activity sessions.

Values Related to Peace

Ø      Attention

Ø      Calm

Ø      Concentration

Ø      Contentment

Ø      Dignity

Ø      Discipline

Ø      Equality

Ø      Equanimity

Ø      Faithfulness

Ø      Focus

Ø      Gratitude

Ø      Happiness

Ø      Harmony

Ø      Humility

Ø      Inner silence

Ø      Optimism

Ø      Reflection

Ø      Satisfaction

Ø      self-acceptance

Ø      Self-confidence

Ø      Self-control

Ø      Self-discipline

Ø      Self-esteem

Ø      Self-respect

Ø      Sense control

Ø      Surrender

Ø      Understanding

Ø      Virtue

Truth

The desire to know truth has prompted mankind to ask some of the great questions such as: Who am I? What is the purpose of life? How can I know my inner self/ God/ the Creator of the universe? How can I live fully in the present moment?

Learning to speak the truth is a first and vital step in the formation of a strong character. Voicing an untruth is an anti-social act and causes confusion in the mind of both the speaker and listener and leads to anti-social behaviour. Telling lies hurts us as well as others in a subtle, but very real way.

One great distinction between humankind and the rest of the animal kingdom is the ability to choose how to behave, rather than just to follow the lower instincts (the law of the jungle). A human being is also able to recognize past, present and future and to take note of changes occurring over time.

A quotation used in the lesson to stimulate thought and questions may later come to mind to provide guidance and choice in a life situation. Short Term Pain for Long Term Gain: Choosing to refer to this higher level of awareness and to consciously exercise moderation in our behaviour leads to better health and greater contentment. The value of truth can also be taught through story telling which promotes curiosity, optimism, fairness to all and noble ideals. It also aids the understanding of the value of honest speech and self-analysis.

Values Related to Truth

o       Accuracy

o       Curiosity

o       Discernment

o       Fairness

o       Fearlessness

o       Honesty

o       Integrity

o       Intuition

o       Justice

o       Optimism

o       Purity

o       Quest for knowledge

o       Reason

o       Self Analysis

o       Self Awareness

o       Sincerity

o       Spirit of enquiry

o       Synthesis

o       Trust

o       Truthfulness

o       Determination

o       Unity of thought

o       Word and deed

Love

Love is not an emotion, affected by the sub-conscious mind, but is a spontaneous, pure reaction from the heart.

It is the power of love which causes one person to wish happiness for another and take pleasure in their well-being. A beneficial energy (love) is directed towards the other person. As this energy flows through our own body first, it also enhances our own health.

It is the power of love which causes one person to wish happiness for another and take pleasure in their well-being. A beneficial energy (love) is directed towards the other person. As this energy flows through our own body first, it also enhances our own health. Love is unconditional, positive regard for the good of another. It is giving and unselfish. Love is essential if children are to grow up healthy in mind and body. Love is the unseen undercurrent binding all the four values.

When the mind is turned away from selfishness, the ‘heart’ opens, and love flows. Love is energy, not an emotion, and is inherent in every breath. It is the motive force of the physical body and is enhanced through breathing exercises. The component of group singing in the Programme promotes harmony, co-operation and joyfulness. In singing a child may experience the sweetness of love. Love may also be fostered through story telling and activities which provide young people with the opportunity to care for other people, animals, plants and objects.

Values Related to Love

§         Acceptance

§         Affection

§         Care

§         Compassions

§         Consideration

§         Dedication

§         Devotion

§         Empathy

§         Forgiveness

§         Friendship

§         Generosity

§         Gentleness

§         Humanness

§         Interdependence

§         Kindness

§         Patience

§         Patriotism

§         Reverence

§         Sacrifice

§         Selflessness

§         Service sharing

§         Sympathy

§         Thoughtfulness

§         Tolerance

§         Trust

Non-Violence

For the non-violent person, the whole world is his family When the former four values are practiced (i.e. the conscious mind is keenly aware, love is flowing, there is peace and actions are right) life is lived without harming or violating anything else. It is the highest achievement of human living encompassing respect for all life -living in harmony with nature, not hurting by thought, word or deed.

Non-violence can be described as universal love. When truth is glimpsed through intuition, love is activated. Love is giving, rather than grasping and in allowing our stream of desires to subside, inner peace develops and right conduct is practiced. This results in nonviolence i.e. the non-violation of the natural laws which create harmony with the environment.

Non-violence is taught through quotations, story telling and group activities. True knowledge is that which establishes harmony and synthesis between science on the one hand and spirituality and ethics on the other.

Values Related to Non-Violence

Psychological:

v     Benevolence

v     Compassion

v     Concern for others

v     Consideration

v     Forbearance

v     Forgiveness

v     Good Manners

v     Happiness

v     Loyalty

v     Morality

v     Universal Love

Social:

v     Appreciation of other cultures & religions

v     Bother/Sisterhood

v     Care of Environment

v     Citizenship

v     Equality

v     Harmlessness

v     National Awareness

v     Perseverance

v     Respect for Property

v     Social Justice

Spiritual knowledge is also very importance for students and people in the society. Living in a way which causes as little harm as possible to oneself, other people, animals, plants and the planet, is a sign of a well-integrated, well-balanced personality. Such a person is well tuned to the spiritual aspect of humanity and is in touch with an inner happiness which is permanent and part of one’s real nature.

It is through our universal or spiritual aspect that we may experience:

Ø      A feeling of awe and wonder for the universe

Ø      A feeling of the unity of all

Ø      The desire to improve the quality of life for everyone

Ø      A sense of being part of a larger whole

Ø      A feeling of oneness of the planet and love for everything on it

Ø      An awareness of an underlying order to Creation

Ø      Love and respect for the diversity of the human family

Learning takes place through lesson plans based on practical, meaningful and fun activities using the five components of:

* Stories – about life, identity & relationships;

* Quotations, poems and prayers;

* Songs and music;

* Silent sitting – exercises leading to inner calm and peace;

* Activities e.g. drama, discussion, games, role play, community service, etc.

In working through the lessons that comprise these components, the importance of the triple partnership (Student, Teacher and Parents) for education becomes apparent:

·         Teachers will inspire children in their schools, if they are value conscious adults

·         Parents’ example affects the conduct of their children, and

·         Children when reaching a certain age need self-discipline to balance their generally natural exuberance.

CONCLUSIONS

According to our Indian tradition and culture teacher is the third God. He has a pivotal role in the process of teaching and learning. He is a guide, philosopher, mother, father, god, architecture and model. Education is the solution for all types of problems. With the help of education we can solve any types of problems in the society. Through education it is easy to inculcate values in the students and in the people. Without human values we can’t survive in the world in the peaceful manner and we can’t enjoy life. So give importance for human values.

Reference:

1.      Value Education, Dr. Venkataiah, Editor, APH Publishing Corporation, 5, Ansari Road, Daryaganji, New Delhi – 110 002, First Edition, 1998.

2.      Value Education in India, Usha Rai Negi, Editor, Published by association of Indian Universities, AIU House, 16 Kotla Mark, New Delhi – 110 002, 2000.

3.      National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). The National Reading Panel: Reports of the Subgroups.

4.      www.sathyasaiehv.org.uk/

About the Author

Naraginti Amareswar reddy Father Name: N.M.Reddy Sex: Male Date of Birth: 10th Fed 1981 Ed Qua: M.Sc., M.Ed., research scholar in the dept. of education, sri venkateswara university, tirupati, india. e-mail ID: amareswaran@gmail.com

Breaking the Technology Barrier: Using Technology in Education

Technology and education have always seemed to go together. In order to prepare students for the workplace or college they need to be able to be exposed to it. Teachers in the classroom use technology believing that the students are gaining valuable information and retaining the concepts taught but in reality the students need to be involved in the lesson and actively participating in activities that include technology. Student engagement is critical to student motivation during the learning process. The more students are motivated to learn, the more likely it is that they will be successful in their efforts. (Beeland, 2002).

Uses of Technology

There are numerous uses of technologies that are available to teachers to include students into the classroom’s lesson. These include Interactive Whiteboards, Proximas, PowerPoint games, interactive DVDs, Ventrilo chat software, Myspace, Blackboard, and scavenger hunts. To put the uses of technology into an effective practice, teachers need to help students set achievable goals; encourage students to assess themselves and their peers; help them to work co-operatively in groups and ensure that they know how to exploit all the available resources for learning (Hall, 2006). The following are how some technology is used to help students learn.

Interactive Whiteboards

There are two different types of whiteboards. The first is a virtual version of a dry erase board. It allows students to see what the instructor or other students write or draw using a special pen. The second functions similar to a normal whiteboard but also contains a projector screen, an electronic copy board or as a computer projector screen on which the computer image can be controlled by touching or writing on the surface of the panel instead of using a mouse or keyboard. They function by connecting a projector to the whiteboard panel with the use of a computer and software. It is important to know the different functions in order to determine which whiteboard is right for the educator. By knowing the difference you can also learn the terminology and understand the basic functions of each.

Proximas and PowerPoint

PowerPoint is a software program
that is being used in the classroom as a tool to incorporate learning activities into the curriculum. PowerPoint enables teachers and students to actively create presentations with graphics, charts, diagrams, and pictures in their slideshows to help make often complicated ideas and lessons more manageable and understandable. It is a way for students to engage in research, and present information to their peers. When students are actively learning, taking an active role in the learning process, they seem to understand the information better, and enjoy the lesson. The use of a game also allowed Jones and Mungai to directly address the learning style needs of the visual (58%) and tactile learner (22%), which represents eighty-percent of those involved in the content related courses. When constructed with different learning styles in mind, games can often accelerate the learning process (Jones & Mungai, 2003). By itself PowerPoint is not a cure-all remedy, but rather a tool that needs to be understood and used properly for it to be effective as an active learning tool. It also has shown that students that did use PowerPoint as a learning tool were more engaged in the discussions (Rowcliffe, 2003). This will encourage teachers to use PowerPoint as a way to involve students into a lesson by stimulating discussion. For PowerPoint to take place in a classroom an Interactive Whiteboard or a Proxima is needed. A Proxima displays a computer screen onto a screen much like a projector at a movie theater. The user is able to display items such as websites, PowerPoint, and interactive games. A way for students to interact using this technology is through games created by teachers and used in the PowerPoint lesson. Games such as Hollywood Squares, Jeopardy, and Who Wants to be a Millionaire are created using slides and links to answer the questions. Teachers may use a blank template and fill them with different answers for the students to use as a review. Teachers may even let the students create their own review using the blank templates. This activity can also be used in a small group or team setting.

Advantages to the Students

Learning sciences research tells us that students learn much better “by doing” rather than “by listening.” This means that passive learning – the traditional lecture – is being replaced in our classrooms by more active learning activities that emphasize student problem solving, discussion, presentation and other “authentic” learning-by-doing-activities. (Day, 2004). By including students into the lesson it opens up a realm of possibilities because students can retain roughly only 10% of what they write down.

Teacher Apprehension

So why are teachers not using technology that engages and interacts more frequently with students? There are many reasons why teachers feel apprehensive or uncomfortable using an interactive whiteboard, proxima and PowerPoint. The first of which could be the length of time from their college prep program until now. Teachers often get exposed to and learn new technologies in their teacher prep courses. Some might not have been prepared enough upon entering the workforce. Although the availability of technology in American schools has increased (US Department of Education, 2000), information released by The National Education Association (2004) indicates that less than 35% of public school teachers feel they are “well prepared” or “very well prepared” to use this technology effectively.

The second reason is blockage from the school’s control or security system. Teachers claim that the firewalls and filtering systems create blockage in their attempts to educate and communicate with others with technology (Murray, 2004). The teachers and other users can become frustrated when they do not understand why a certain item like a website used for a scavenger hunt or a hyperlink in a PowerPoint are not available.

The inconsistency from school to school is another reason. At one site there may be access to all different types of technology while at another the absence is very evident. The general public perception is that our schools are using technology and managing our resources in that area well. In several surveys done some schools do show nearly 100 percent use of technology while in others the use of technology is nonexistent (Starr, 2003).

Summary

The research has shown that there are proven benefits to using technology in the classroom. The ability to integrate technology into the classroom can add valuable information and ideas to our students.

By facilitating Proximas, PowerPoint, and interactive whiteboards our teachers will be able to reach a broader audience of learners.

References

Beeland, W.D. (2002). Student engagement, visual learning and technology: can interactive

whiteboards help? Retrieved May 31, 2008, from www.apexavsi.com

Day, J. (2004). Enhancing the classroom learning experience with web lectures. Retrieved May 31, 2008 from http://smartech.gatech.edu/dspace/handle/1853/65

Hall, B. (2008, March 4). Explorations in learning. Message posted to Student Centered Learning, archived at http://secondlanguagewriting.com/explorations/Archives/2006/Jul/Studentcent
eredLearning.html

Jones, D. C. & Mungai, D. (2003). Technology-enabled teaching for maximum learning.

International Journal of Learning, (10), 3491-3501.

Murray, C. (2004). Teachers: Limited time, access cut school tech use [Electronic version] e School news, 1-5

National Education Association. (2004): Technology in Schools. Retrieved May 31, 2008 from

http://www.nea.org/cet/

Rowcliffe, S. (2003) Using PowerPoint effectively in science education: lessons

from research and guidance for the classroom. School Science Review 84 (309).

Starr, L. (2003). Encouraging teacher technology use [Electronic Version] Education World, pg 1

US Department of Education. (2000). Internet access in public schools. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistic.

About the Author

Patrick Wellert