There are several reasons why we should use technology in the classroom. Firstly, and most obviously, it can be motivating. Content can be presented on a screen in an engaging way, be interactive and demand a response. Students often feel more inclined to have a go.
Secondly, it can make teaching and learning more effective. The astute use of appropriate software can ascertain what students understand, enable them to share and review ideas and support effective presentation.
Thirdly, it represents a future skill set. Many students will go on to work in areas that exploit or rely upon digital technology.
This doesn’t mean that the tablet takes over. The technology enables some things to be more effective – but not all. The effective teacher is one who has the skill to know when and how to deploy the technology, the judgment to recognise when that’s not the best way of achieving high quality learning and the confidence to plan accordingly.
These 20 ideas are intended to provide some food for thought about the exciting range of tech resources available to use in the teaching and learning of science. Download the resource for teachers now.
(This article was first published as a newsletter on 19/03/18.)
