Over the years there has been a “war”
between people in regard to how Math and Science classes are conducted. There
are those that think that instruction should be mostly teacher-directed, and
then those who support a more hands-on and student directed approach.
Advantages of
Integrating Technology
There are many technology integration
strategies that can be used by teachers for the subjects of Math and Science.
Teachers can implement virtual manipulatives in Math to bridge
the gap between abstract and concrete thinking and problems. Technology
integration strategies for Math also include support for mathematical problem
solving, and motivating skill building and practice. In Science,
teachers can further support instruction by involving students in scientific
inquiry through authentic online projects. Other technology integration strategies that offer support for
Science instruction include engaging students in engineering topics
through robotics and accessing Science information and tools. Two
resources I discovered that proved to be valuable for integrating technology
into Math and Science was Math Forum
at Drexel-Ask Dr. Math and the Digital Library for Earth System Education.
*www.mathforum.org/dr/math
*www.dlese.org/library
Disadvantages of
Integrating Technology
Many people feel that there are disadvantages
of integrating technology in the classroom for instruction in Math and Science.
These people who do not support integrating technology in Math argue that
students will neglect to learn their basic multiplication facts because they
will heavily rely on technology to provide the answers for them. People who are
not in favor of integrating technology in Science lessons are against virtual
lab experiments and feel that teacher should just stick to the standards and
textbooks while teaching Science. A resource I found that clearly states the
advantages and disadvantages of integrating technology in the classroom is
called Technology as a Communication Tool Within the Education System.
*http://technoedu.weebly.com/advantages-and-disadvantages.html
Specific Activities,
Programs, Etc.
The activities and programs I found useful from Chapter 11
include:
*Teaching students to use graphing calculators (improves
students’ understanding of functions)
*Using interactive geometry software (students can create and
manipulate geometric constructions)
*”Hands-on /Minds-on Science” (students learn by doing various
experiments)
*Webcasts (students have the opportunity to interact and ask a
scientist questions)
