New Year’s Resolution: Incorporate EdTech Into Your Science Classroom
Enhance Students’ Scientific Learning Experience Through EdTech
Recently, there has been an exciting development in the scientific community — Four new elements were officially added to the periodic table! This reminded us here at McGraw-Hill Education of what we love most about science in the context of education: just like our young learners, scientists continue to build on foundational principles in order to explore, discover, and provide remarkable insights about the world around us. And because we were so excited about these four new elements, we decided to kick off 2017 by providing some resources for science teachers! First, check out our awesome video detailing one of those new elements, Moscovium, below. Then, keep reading to find some tips for incorporating EdTech into your science classroom →
Science is all about hands-on, interactive learning experiences. The science classroom offers unique opportunities for students who respond well to multi-sensory activities: science is visual, auditory, and often means getting out of your chair, putting on a lab coat, and getting to work. But science teachers face a difficult dilemma: in order to provide students with the tools they need to fully embrace those learning experiences, they must first convey and reinforce fundamental scientific principles, like vocab and processes. This is where lecturing tends to come in. While lectures are often highly effective, it’s easy for kids — and teachers — to feel bogged down by their monotony. But there is a solution: EdTech is the perfect platform to combine the interactive nature of science with critical lessons and content. Videos, animations and assessments are the ideal digital companion to support a productive learning experience. We’ve collected 3 of the best ways to make this year your most technologically advanced yet.
- Videos
Visual representation of content is important in any subject, but in science, it’s absolutely vital. Reinforce complex vocabulary and concepts with video demonstrations. Your students will have a deeper understanding of the lesson, and will be far more engaged. For example, this video about sugar and water is a perfect replacement or supplement to a traditional lesson:
2. Apps
If you have access to apps in your classroom, take advantage of all of the game-based learning systems currently available to students. Kids love playing games, and now they can learn curriculum content while doing so. Check out some of our apps, like the Pinball Energy Challenge, a game that takes kids through multiple levels of fun challenges while teaching them about energy and energy transfers.
3. Social Media
There are an infinite amount of ways to incorporate social media into the classroom. For starters, science is an ever-changing and constantly evolving field, and new discoveries and revelations are always in the news (maybe start with the four new elements!). Talk about famous scientists’ tweets or Facebook pages in the classroom — you could base a project around science news or use it as a bell ringer. Social media can also connect you with parents, other teachers, or help you engage students in learning outside of the classroom.
For more digital learning opportunities, check out our K-5 science program, Inspire Science, an educational experience that focuses on problem-based learning, hands-on activities, and group collaboration: all through the guidance of our STEM Career Kids characters.
To discover how the science of learning (when combined with the art of teaching and interwoven with purposeful technology) can transform your science classroom, check out more science curriculum options at McGraw-Hill Education:
