I recently read an article by someone talking about "eureka" moments in the science classroom and how technology in his classroom had made so many more of these possible. Although I appreciated the overall intent of the article, I just couldn't stop thinking to myself that if MY school's technology committee decided to provide MY class with twenty laptops, then we would have many more of these moments, too. But the stark reality is that in smaller, less affluent communities such as ours, not only do we NOT have a technology committee, we are lucky to have even one outdated personal computer in the reading lab in the library.
So, how does a teacher faced with such limitations provide equally satisfying "eureka" moments when students "get" it? I have found great success with the tried and true educational DVDs and videos. Because the technology has been around a while, and are much more affordable than computers and peripherals, we already have a fairly large collection of this medium. Although we may not have computers, most every classroom in our school has a DVD player and if we need new titles, our budget allows for it.
Examples of Educational DVDs for Science
For example, the educational DVD Science as Inquiry in Action, available from schoolvideos.com provides a way to encourage the pursuit of scientific discovery. It is based on the concepts outlined in the National Science Education Standards for Science as Inquiry. In this case that would be "abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry and understanding about scientific inquiry." The DVD uses engaging examples to demonstrate how scientific evidence and explanation play important roles in scientific inquiry. Students are guided through combining scientific reasoning and critical thinking.
For younger children, a good science educational DVD on animals is Characteristics of Animals (also available from schoolvideos.com) that explores what humans have in common with elephants and snapping turtles, what makes a bird a bird, how your pet kitten is different from a lion, etc.
Teacher Guides are often also included with educational DVDs providing assistance for teachers on the best way to incorporate the DVD into the lesson plan. If you, too, are faced with limited resources but want to provide the best in science education possible, educational DVDs and videos may be the answer for you as they were for me.
If you're interested in avoiding "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom" and want to start experiencing the benefits of using video effectively in your classroom, your next step is to download a FREE copy of "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom" right now.
The small company I work for is committed to creating quality educational videos for classroom instruction. From the earliest script stages, all subject area content, images, and music are intensely reviewed and selected for meeting appropriate grade level, curriculum objectives and standards for our proprietary productions. The videos we distribute are also screened to meet our high standards.
Teachers in the 21st century classroom will be better educators if they understand how to use multi media in their lessons, if they understand the processes that research has shown to be the most effective for improved student performance, and if they know how to find quality video resources that will enhance their lessons.