A statewide survey conducted in California by Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkley, SRI International, and a Menlo Park-based research institute and WestEd found that 10% of “California elementary students regularly get hands-on science lessons” and only 1/3 of all elementary science teachers “feel prepared to teach science.”
The results of this survey reflect a shift in focus to English and math as a result of No Child Left Behind, which has created specific targets for those subjects. Many schools feeling the pressure to improve test scores have sacrificed science instruction to provide more time for English language arts and math.
The issue of money is also a culprit in the decline of hands-on engagement in science because science supplies are an added expense in these hard economic times when education is experiencing crippling cuts. Schools do not have the budgets to provide science teachers with necessary lab supplies and materials.
The issues of time and money are daunting challenges, but there are alternatives to the traditional approach to teaching science. Blended learning refers to a model of instruction that combines both face-to-face teaching in the traditional classroom with an element of work done online. Many teachers are exploring the vast resources available online to supplement their existing curriculum to cut costs and create more time.
So, how can a blended learning approach to teaching science help to create more student-centered hands on activities?
Here are some ideas:
1. Online Discussions: Adopt a free online education platform with a strong discussion component, like Collaborize Classroom, to engage students in meaningful conversations about science for homework. Online discussions also provide students with a 24-hour support network where they can seek help, ask questions and discuss concepts with their peers.
2. Flip Your Classroom: Embed media- lectures, documentaries, demonstrations, graphs, and articles- into an online learning platform to allow students to view and/or read then discuss online. If less time in class is spent lecturing or showing videos, there is more time to engage students in labs, experiments, hands-on activities, model building and fieldwork. The Khan Academy is a fabulous resource for video tutorials on science topics.
3. Go Paperless: The cost of maintaining textbooks can be stifling. The cost of a paperless program using tablets, iPads or laptops is comparable in the long-term to keeping up with the cost of expensive textbooks. Shifting to this technology engages students more successfully in the science curriculum. They can conduct research, problem solve, and access a variety of creative web based tools like Glogster, Nota, Pixton, and Studyblue that encourage students to think creatively and analytically.
4. Leverage Mobile Technology: Allow students to use their phones in the classroom to explore concepts via online research, engage in real time gaming activities, and scan QR codes to supplementary material.
5. Let Students Lead: Provide students with opportunities to design labs, consult with their peers on results, and lead demonstrations (real time or recorded and uploaded to School Tube). The more opportunities students have to assume the role of the teacher to demonstrate mastery, the more they will connect with and understand the subject.
Adopting and integrating an online element offers teachers a way to save time and money to engage students more successfully in the science curriculum. Technology integration within a blended learning model may offer the best of both worlds for both teachers and students!
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