Schools

March 2010

The 21st century

teacher: science
Using technology to enhance
science teaching
 The 21st century teacher: science 02

This publication offers insight into how

technology can be used by teachers of
science, highlighting opportunities to
extend subject pedagogy and ICT skills.
Other publications in the series offer the
opportunity to see how technology is
used in other subjects and the cross-
fertilisation of ideas and practice.
 The 21st century teacher: science 03

Using technology to
enhance science teaching

As technology becomes a greater part of everyday life, it is

only natural that it becomes a central and essential part of
21st century learning. Learners already engage extensively
with technology and they expect it to be used in school.

How do teachers benefit from
the integration of technology
into all aspects of their role and
enhance the learning
experience of young people?
21st century teachers of science
use technology for numerous
activities in a similar way to the
teaching of other subjects. They
embed technology throughout
the curriculum, ensuring that
the technology supports the
learning and teaching of the
subject.
Like all teachers they will
employ technology to:
1. Enhance teaching and
learning by:
• u
 sing a range of technologies
to cater for different
learning styles
• u
 sing technology to enable
learners to collaborate with
peers and with partner
schools.
2. Improve administration
and planning:
• for learning and teaching.
For instance, by using the
technology to re-use and
adapt documents
• b
 y using technology to share
information and enhance their
personal knowledge of
science, as well as develop
their understanding of
professional issues around
the subject.
3. Improve assessment and
reporting by:
• r ecording learner achievement
and attainment electronically,
tracking pupil progress and
using this information in
assessment for learning
• c ommunicating with parents
electronically through email
and the school learning
platform.
The above are just a few
examples and are not meant to
be a comprehensive list. The
following pages give some
practical advice on how teachers
of science (primary and
secondary) use technology.

Learning
and teaching
The 21st century teacher of science uses technology to
enhance student understanding of abstract concepts
and ideas.
Visualising difficult concepts
Science teachers use animations
to help students visualise the
relationship between sounds
and particles.
The 21st century science teacher
creates appropriate learning
experiences, which allow
students to demonstrate their
understanding of abstract
concepts. Teachers TV shows
how three teachers are using ICT
to help enhance the teaching of
particles and their behaviour and
the combustion process.
The 21st century teacher: science 04
Case
StudY
Science teachers promote
effective practice in the use of
interactive whiteboards, by
designing suitable and engaging Visualising sounds with
learning opportunities for animation in the secondary
students. The Secondary classroom
National Strategy has a DVD,
Students at Foxford School
which shows how to make best
and Community Arts College
use of resources for
used Flash animations to
whiteboards. Becta has case
visualise the relationship
study information on using
between sounds and
whiteboards in the primary
particles.
science classroom.
Their teacher used Google to
Interactive whiteboard software
find animations of vibrating
can also be used to support
particles. The first link that
hard-to-teach chemistry topics.
Google returned was
The Becta website has a case
Wonderville, a site from the
study involving secondary
science Alberta Foundation.
students in learning about the
The site offered an animation
behaviour of particles, Using
of a cartoon professor and a
SMART Notebook to understand
cat. It demonstrated how
chemical reactions.
sound begins. For instance, a
vibrating bell moved particles
in the air that bumped into
one another. The animation
also explored the hearing
range of animals as well as
how humans hear sound. A
second animation, from the
iknowthat.com website,
helped students discover why
different sounds are made.
continued overleaf

Case
StudY
Students worked at their own
pace to complete the tasks
provided by the animations.
The activity was successful.
Students completed their end
of unit test and almost
everyone got full marks for
the sound waves section.
Read more about this case
study on the Becta website.
Case
StudY
Collecting data
Teachers of science use
datalogging to record and
interpret data in practical work.
Teachers TV has details on using
humidity sensors, a candle and a
jar, to explore the combustion
process with secondary
students. Teachers of science in
primary schools use datalogging,
particularly for recording and
interpreting data in practical
work. In one Year 4 class, data
loggers, digital video cameras
and interactive whiteboard
software helped students find
the best way to insulate a cup of
tea. Teachers TV has details on
this and other examples.
The use of new technologies
further extends data collection to
allow for learning outside,
through the use of handheld
devices. Teachers TV has an
example of using portable
devices on a field trip. Also,
using GPS hardware can provide
rich data that can be mapped
using Google earth.
The Participate site has
examples of how users of mobile
devices can contribute data to
projects on a range of issues,
including the local environment.
The 21st century teacher: science 05
Using mobile devices and
GPS with primary pupils
Pupils at Stow Heath Junior
School used mobile
educational digital assistants
(EDAs) on a field trip.
Prior to their field trip their
teacher showed them a 3D
landscape Ordnance Survey
map. They determined how
far above sea level they
would be on their field trip.
They also explored what the
different symbols on the map
meant. This gave them an
understanding of what to
expect on their trip. On the
day, they used the GPS facility
on their EDAs to track their
location. They used the
device’s digital camera to
take images of swans and
ducklings that they observed.
They also used the recording
facility on their EDAs to
interview one another and
keep audio records of their
observations.
Back in the classroom, they
were able to refer back to
these devices to consolidate
what they had learned.
Watch the video of pupils on
the Next Generation
Learning website.
 The 21st century teacher: science 06

Conducting experiments Science teachers value Science teachers keep

Simulations are an ideal tool for technology as an enabler for themselves up-to-date via the
learners to experiment with deepening cultural internet and digital media about
phenomena that may be too understanding through the kind of materials with which
dangerous or too expensive to collaboration between schools their pupils are engaging. They
experience in school. from diverse settings, such as look for opportunities to make
Simulations can also be used as video-conferencing. The Global connections with the science
introductory or follow-up work to Gateway site has a case study programmes of study, providing
practical science, providing ideas showing how students at stimulating resources to enliven
for experimental design or Ravensbourne School used their teaching. When planning,
consolidating understanding. this technology to study they use a selection of websites
Becta’s ICT in primary science: a aerodynamics and friction to obtain lesson ideas in order to
pupil’s entitlement has with students from a school build on their existing teaching
information on using in South Africa. activities. Becta’s web pages,
simulations. Bringing science to 21st century teachers provide How to use ICT for lesson
life with ICT offers case studies learners with access to authentic planning has further
on using simulations in the materials and resources, for information on this.
secondary classroom. The example, Darwin’s Origins of the Science teachers also use
National Strategies site has Species, NASA transmissions networks, such as those
information on using simulations from the space shuttle or provided by the Science Learning
to study photosynthesis. archives of the moon landings. Centres and TES, to keep in
Teachers who make the most of They enable learners to contact with colleagues in order
technology appreciate the range communicate with real scientists to share good practice and
of ICT encountered by learners in and ask them questions to help exchange ideas.
their daily life. They use with project work. The 21st century teacher uses
technology to communicate Administration and planning technology to provide access to
ideas and knowledge through 21st century teachers of science high quality learning materials
blogs, and allow learners to use technology to document for all students at any time, by
collaborate through podcasting. their planning. By reusing and posting modules of work on the
Using iPods in the science adapting these documents they school learning platform. They
classroom has a case study and save time, which can be used in recognise the usefulness of the
guidance from Becta. In another the classroom for learning. learning platform in allowing
example, on the Learning Place collaboration between different
site games software and wikis groups of learners and plan
combine to help students accordingly. The National
understand forces within the Strategies site has a case study
context of rollercoasters. in using learning platforms for
cross-phase collaboration.
 The 21st century teacher: science 07

Assessment and reporting Teachers are aware of issues

The 21st century teacher of related to e-safety and plan
science tracks pupil attainment appropriate learning
through the use of electronic experiences, so that technology
systems, which are used as a is used in ways that respect the
basis for informing planning, views of individual learners and
student target setting and protect them from inappropriate
reporting student progress to criticism or abuse. Becta has
parents. Teachers TV has a case guidance on this for primary
study on using technology to teachers and secondary
record and communicate pupil teachers.
progress, particularly in science.
Modern teachers contribute to
the school learning platform,
linking useful resources that
learners might use at home,
while also using the platform as
a tool to develop assessment
opportunities. Teachers TV has a
case study on using learning
platforms across the curriculum
in a secondary school.
Science teachers communicate
with parents about their
children’s progress via electronic
means. Parental engagement
using online reporting in
secondary schools offers
guidance and case studies on
this. Parental engagement using
online reporting in primary
schools, offers case studies and
guidance for primary teachers.
 The 21st century teacher: science 08

Are you a 21st century

teacher of science?

About you

es
Consider what you do towards developing your range

ly

etim

ll
ular

at a
of professional teaching skills with technology.

Som
Reg

Not
Do you use technology to access and share information and enhance your personal
knowledge of science and understanding of professional issues around the subject
including the use of ICT to enhance teaching and learning?

Do you use technology to access information and concepts using the authentic voices
of the scientific community?

Do you use ICT to record, manipulate and present scientific data?

Do you use ICT to model scientific processes, enabling learners to investigate the
model by changing variables?

Do you support your learners to record and share audio and video to aid
understanding and for assessment of knowledge and understanding, for example,
recording each stage of a science experiment?

Do you audit the range of resources, software and hardware used in the teaching
of science and identify gaps in provision?

Do you extend learning by providing science resources on the school learning platform
or website?

Encourage learners to be critical readers and evaluators of information and

ensure that they recognise bias and issues of accuracy?
 The 21st century teacher: science 09

Discover
more online

For further help and ideas on how to turn your checklist

into actions, try reviewing some of these resources.

Association for Science Education offers support
for the teaching of science, e.g. UPD8 and Primary
UPD8 provides short and easy to use classroom
activities based on up to the minute science in the
news and popular culture.
National Initiatives: The National Strategies
Secondary Framework for science is designed to
increase pupils’ access to excellent teaching and
learning. Triple Science Support Programme
provides support and advice for GCSEs in biology,
chemistry and physics.
Science Learning Centres provide high quality
CPD for those involved in the teaching of science.
Societies: Institute of Physics (IoP) and Royal
Society of Chemistry (RSC) provides a wide range
of resources for teachers and students, and
support for CPD. British Science Association
promotes access and engagement with science,
including nationally recognised CREST award
schemes.
STEMNET aims to increase young people’s choice
and chances through science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics.
Science Enhancement Program (SEP) provides
support for science teachers at all stages of their
career.

Primary science: Primary Science Quality Mark PlanetScience Free and fun science resources for
(PSQM) is an award scheme to develop and children, young people, teachers and parents.
celebrate the quality of science teaching and
learning in primary schools. Ictopus (ICT online
primary user support) a free support service for
primary education. BBC Schools – primary
science videos, animations and games to support
primary science. Birmingham Grid for Learning –
Primary Science Web-links to support the
teaching of science at primary level.
 The 21st century teacher: science 010

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