Bigelow's phrase "the practical applications of science" points to the root of much of the current confusion as to the meaning of technology. In using this phrase to describe technology he effectively placed technology beneath the umbrella of science to such an extent that science and technology are now, as Rose described, seen by many as an "indivisible pair" with technology as the subservient and dependant partner. Thus, for much of the time the pair are wrapped together into a single conceptual package known simply as "science". This point is emphasised when surfing the Internet for technology-related teaching resources. A plethora of lesson plans exist at sites dedicated to science education. The problem is, though, that many of these lessons should properly be termed "technology" but are all too often referred to as "applied science".
One source of confusion is the undoubted relationship that exists between science and technology. Sparkes illustrated this relationship (fig 1) and pointed out that even though science and technology overlap in an area which might be referred to as "applied science", there are a number of important differences between the two (table 1), even though these differences might not be self-evident to an average member of the general public who, through neglect and through repeated use of the phrase "science and technology" has lost the distinction between "science" and between "technology". The two cannot be told apart. Which is hardly surprising given that, as Mayr put it:
" . . . practical usable criteria for making sharp neat distinctions between science and technology do not exist."
Further emphasising that the area of overlap between science and technology is very much a grey one when it comes to providing it with a succinct and accurate title, Barnett pointed out that:
"To identify technology as applied science is at best a half-truth"
Equally, Black and Harrison made a useful distinction between:
" . . . 'contrivance' technology exemplified by many gifted engineers in the last century who worked with no formal scientific understanding of their problems, and 'applied science' technology in which one increasingly needs to grasp the conceptual science even to understand the problem, let alone explore solutions "
They then went on to state that this distinction was wholly black and white:
"Neither is sufficient on its own; some problems require more of one approach, some more of the other."
atschool.eduweb.co.uk
Hermosa Beach, CA โ€" Troy State University has chosen ParaComp's patented Smart Scienceโ„ข education system to provide laboratory experience to its distance learning students around the world. The Troy State University Fort Benning campus includes soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq among its students. During each of its two-month terms, 150 students enroll in the school's distance learning science courses. Troy State University has four campuses in the state of Alabama and over fifty locations world-wide. Until now, no satisfactory online method of providing lab experience was available.
After an online live demonstration of the capabilities of Smart Scienceโ„ข education and reviewing several of its 75 laboratories, the Troy State University science faculty recommended using Smart Scienceโ„ข labs for distance learning courses. Dr. Judy McCarley, Associate Director for Academics Fort Benning Campus, approved the decision, and the first labs will be delivered this month.
Smart Scienceโ„ข labs will be used in courses teaching earth science, chemistry and biology.
According to Dr. Harry Keller, President of ParaComp, Inc., Smart Science labs fit perfectly with the demands of distance learning. He said, โ€œThe ability to do real science on a remote computer provides a key ingredient for remote science learning. We're looking forward to expanding the number of courses and the number of labs used by each course. Our modular software allows each professor to tailor the learning experience to specific classes.โ€
The science areas covered by Smart Scienceโ„ข labs include data analysis, periodic motion, waves, electricity, speed and acceleration, statics, biology, heat, sound, earth science and chemistry.
Troy State professors using the system include Virginia June Tieken, Gerald Marano and Dennis Mitchell. Each professor has selected specific Smart Scienceโ„ข labs to enrich course curricula. Students log in to ParaComp's server to reach accounts set up for each class. A Java applet provides the display and interaction required to make the lab experience come alive for each student.
Because students can do labs on their own schedule, redo any experiment repeatedly and require only an online computer to run the labs, the Troy State faculty expect this new service to work well with students who are far from Fort Benning, Georgia and other Troy State University campuses.
ParaComp's Smart Scienceโ„ข labs use real experiments to teach students to observe phenomena, collect data, and select and test hypotheses as they work to identify the principles involved. Because they are delivered in volume, the cost for an experiment can be as low as pennies for each student.
For more information on Smart Science, see http://www.smartscience.net.
The Smart Scienceโ„ข backgrounder is at http://www.smartscience.net/news/Backgrounder.html.
ParaComp's web site is at http://www.paracompusa.com.
Troy State's web site is at http://www.troyst.edu. The web site for the Fort Benning campus is at http://www.tsufb.edu.
In one of the most important legal clashes between faith and evolution since the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, a federal judge recently barred a Pennsylvania public school district from teaching "intelligent design" (hereafter referred to as ID) in biology class, saying the concept is creationism in disguise. Creationism holds that there is scientific evidence to support the Genesis account of the creation of the earth and of life. However, legal doctrine holds that the public school classroom must be religiously neutral and that schools must not advocate religious views. In 1987, in Edwards v. Aguillard, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that teaching creationism in public schools results in the unconstitutional establishment of religion. Evolution, on the other hand, is intrinsically anti-religious and the teaching of same presents no such issues.
In Missouri, a legislative approach was tried but it now appears to be dead according to the April 2, 2006 edition of the Kansas City Star. HB 1266, the so-called Missouri Science Education Act, would have provided, "If a theory or hypothesis of biological origins is taught, a critical analysis of such theory or hypothesis shall be taught in a substantive amount." The bill was opposed by a wide range of teacher groups and school organizations, and even several faith-based groups. The Star quoted the chief lobbyist for the Missouri affiliate of the National Education Association as expressing concern about the possible economic consequences of HB 1266 as follows: "We need to be doing our utmost to increase science literacy so our kids can compete."
But the Kansas State Board of Education, reinforcing that state's increasingly wacky reputation, took an aggressive, if not dubious, policy step. At the risk of re-igniting the same nationwide squabble it sparked several years ago, the Kansas board approved new public school science standards that cast doubt on the theory of evolution. The 6-4 vote was a win for ID advocates who interestingly helped draft the standards. (ID holds that the universe is so complex it must have been created by a higher power.) Critics of the language charged that it was an attempt to inject God and creationism into public schools in violation of the separation of church and state. "This is a sad day. We're becoming a laughingstock of not only the nation, but of the world, and I hate that," said board member Janet Waugh, a Kansas City Democrat. And rightly so, for the vote marked the third time in six years that the Kansas board has rewritten standards with evolution as the central issue. In 1999, the board eliminated most references to evolution, a move Harvard paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould said was akin to teaching "American history without Lincoln." Two years later, after voters replaced three members, the board reverted to evolution-friendly standards. Elections in 2002 and 2004 changed the board's composition again, making it more conservative. And now this.
Other states could follow suit; a few have learned to get around the Supreme Court ruling by platforming the teaching of evolution as optional or by urging teachers to describe it as just one of several theories. There is also a movement to insert ID into public schools by way of speakers, clubs, and/or textbook disclaimers. Curiously, such ID groups seem to focus more on how they can tactically and legally introduce the topic into science classes than they do on producing verifiable scientific research.
Battle lines are being drawn across the country over the teaching of ID........which, to be more specific, is a concept similar to but not identical to creation science. ID relies upon a lack of knowledge for its conclusion. In the absence of such an explanation, intelligent causes are assumed. ID also includes a curious and telling component, one that focuses on ideological and religious goals rather than scholarly ones. Proponents argue that a neutral-sounding "intelligence" is responsible for design. Their premise seems to be that as long as they don't explicitly name the "designer," this somehow insulates their viewpoint from the charge of being inherently religious in character. Their arguments are carefully crafted to appear scientific and non-religious, though they have no data supporting their claims. At one time, they promoted creationism as a religious imperative. Now they package their beliefs as "better science."
But more to the point, the real question is: does ID have a legitimate place in a high school science curriculum? Does it have a place in Kennett High right here in Conway, New Hampshire?
In deciding whether to consider including ID in the curriculum, the sectarian orientation and nature of the movement should be taken into account. The Discovery Institute's Center for Renewal of Science and Culture in Seattle serves as an home for virtually all of the major advocates of ID. The goals of the CRSC, as stated by the Institute's director Bruce Chapman, are explicitly religious: namely, to promote Christian theism and to defeat philosophical materialism. Thus, for constitutional reasons, if for no other, the religious orientation of ID clearly makes it unsuitable. Moreover, school board members here and elsewhere should be aware that introducing this topic into the curriculum likely would lead to strong--even legal--opposition from, parents, teachers, clergy, and scientists and others who want to see the sanctity of science preserved.
Now then, the reason for all this seems pretty obvious. Put simply, the aim of ID advocates is to get around the constitutional ban on religion in public schools with their real agenda being the promotion of faith-based teachings in the classroom.
Unlike the metaphysical chop suey in which ID frequently gets entangled, science seeks natural explanations for natural phenomena. It does so by logical inferences from observable facts, experimentation, and verification and relies on reason and evidence. In reason, as Keith Lockitch (a Ph.D. In physics) asserts, one accepts only conclusions that can be proven to be true--conclusions based on sensory evidence and logical inference from such evidence. Faith, on the other hand, is belief that is not supported by facts or logic. It embraces ideas and concepts despite an absence of evidence or proof. But, it would seem, the only ideas that are reasonable are those you know to be true by means of reason, that is, through observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of phenomena.
Most scientists maintain that scientific investigation must adhere to the scientific method, a process for evaluating empirical knowledge under the working assumption of methodological materialism , which explains observable events in nature as a result of natural causes, rejecting supernatural notions. ( from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Clearly, science and religion are mutually exclusive. Each has an important part in this writer's life and to the lives of most Americans. I attended a private sectarian-oriented academy, a Presbyterian college, and a Jesuit graduate school. In all three, religion played an extremely important role in the classroom. Faith-based teachings, whether Christian, Judaism, Muslim, or whatever are extremely important in their proper forum........but a public school classroom is not that forum.
Evolution and creationism are also mutually exclusive. Distorting their definitions does not change the reality of their mutual exclusivity. Until and unless something better comes along, evolution will continue to be recognized as the best explanation for the development of life on Earth. As such, it is taught as an integral part of biology, science and related courses in schools, academies, colleges and universities throughout the world.
Some make compelling and open arguments to eliminate the prohibitions to having religion in the classroom. These are worthy of respect and due consideration. An associate argues as follows: "The bill of rights states: 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.' Thus Congress should make no law saying children cannot pray in schools or cannot bring their Bibles to school or that they cannot be taught about God... Whether they are Christian, Jewish, Unitarian, or Muslim. According to Jefferson, his reference to "separation of church and state" addressed an issue where one particular denomination wanted to be made the officially recognized "state religion" ... Similar to the Church of England being the state religion of that country. All birth/death certificates must go through the Church of England.. Making everyone by default a member of the Church of England. That is what our founding fathers wanted to avoid - not to take all reference of God out of public forums."
However, thinly veiled attempts (such as that perpetrated in Kansas and a few other states) to distort scientific understanding in order to promote certain religious beliefs do not serve our students well. School board members (and administrators) would be poorly advised to follow the Kansas example and consider including ID in a public school science curriculum. But if such proposals are raised here in New Hampshire, they should be met with explanations that there is no scientific evidence to support ID, at least for now. A less polite way of responding might be to simply state the obvious to wit: ID is a disguised form of religious advocacy or, as the Judge in Pennsylvania put it, it is creationism in camouflage and does not belong in a public classroom.
"Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind." Albert Einstein
Ted Sares, PhD, is a private investor who lives and writes in the White Mountain area of Northern New Hampshire with his wife Holly and Min Pin Jackdog. He writes a weekly column for a local newspaper and many of his other pieces are widely published. His works focus on issues and themes dealing with socio-political topics, business, patriotism, and individual freedom. They are frequently inspirational in nature and sometimes reflect the Objectivist philosophy of novelist Ayn Rand.
One key challenge educators face is the importance of encouraging girls to excel in math, science and computer science studies. As technology continues to drive the world of business, those challenged or generally disinterested in science and math will be left behind. In fact, that's exactly what's happening.
Although women make up approximately 50% of the general work force in the U.S., they only represent 9% of workers in the science and engineering community. With such a low percentage of female interest, the government is expecting increased worker shortages through the first decade of the 21st century for the information technology (IT) industry.
The core worker in the IT industry are computer engineers, systems analysts, programmers and computer scientists, which includes database administrators, computer support personnel and all other computer scientists. These are all careers that relate directly back to high school math and science, in addition to computer science studies.
Growth projections by The Bureau of Labor Statistics' indicate that the current graduation rate of those in undergraduate computer, information sciences and technology programs aren't high enough to sustain the industry's growth. In addition, they acknowledged that the even greater decrease of women into the computer science pipeline will have a profound effect on the industry.
These researchers believe that the low representation of women in computer science at the undergraduate level is inherited from the secondary school level, where girls do not participate in computer science courses and related activities as much as boys. Although girls are often well represented in earlier computing courses, they shy away from advanced courses. One possible reason for this is because of the increased focus on the technical and math course requirements.
This leads us back to math and science studies in elementary and high school, and yet another growing concern within the scientific community.
We currently believe that our nation's future economic prosperity and global competition depends on both scientific progress and our adaptability in the fields of science, technology and engineering. As our society shifts from a resource-intensive society to a knowledge-intensive economy, it is critical for all of us to develop the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to this new community.
With this in mind, knowledge of math and science has now become essential for those pursuing a high-status and well-paid job in our new technologically advanced workforce.
Again, the science community is concerned that industry growth in the early 21st century will far out pace that of graduates. Once again, research has suggested that the root of this problem can be traced back to elementary and high school classrooms.
In going back to the classroom, a study by the National Assessment of Education Progress discovered that girls score below the national mean on all science achievement items and express negatives attitudes towards science. The study acknowledged that societal, education and personal factors all contribute to this funding, but stressed that differences within the science classroom may be one of the biggest contributing factors.
So what factors are discouraging girls from excelling in math, science and computer science studies in high school? Research has shown a number of different issues that need to be addressed. They believe that girls are not presented with adequate information about science-related career opportunities and their prerequisites, and that high school counselors often do not encourage further courses in math and science. In addition, texts, the media and many adults often project sex-stereotyped views of science and scientists.
A lack of development of spatial ability skills may also be an issue, which could be fostered in shop and mechanical drawing classes. Girls also have fewer experiences with science activities and equipment, which are often stereotyped as being masculine.
In order to encourage girls in the pursuit of math and science, teachers are encouraged to maintain well-equipped, organized and perceptually stimulating classrooms, use non-sexist language and examples, include information on women scientists and stress creatively and basic skills and provide career information.
In addition, math and science teachers should use laboratories, discussions and weekly quizzes as their primary modes of instruction or teaching strategies and supplement those activities with field trips and guest speakers. If possible, teachers should also encourage parental involvement.
Studies have also shown that teachers, both male and female, who were successful in motivating girls to continue to study science, practiced what is called "directed intervention". They asked girls to assist with demonstrations, which required these students to perform and not merely record, in the laboratories, and in science-related fieldtrips.
When it comes to computer science studies, a similar approach can be taken. Although these studies do involved math, programming and technical issues, computer science educators need to be aware that working with computers involves much more than that. It also requires fully developed verbal and interpersonal skills - an area in which girls tend to excel at.
In order to attract more girls to the study, teachers should concentrate on applications and not just on math or programming. That's because girls generally don't get as excited about computers for their gadget value, as boys do. Instead, girls become more interested and engaged when technology is discussed in terms of it's usefulness for problem solving.
Computer science educators should also impart to girls the important need for women in the industry and outline more career options. For example, jobs are not just limited to programming; individuals are needed to help solve business problems with technology solutions. The industry itself is focused on solving problems, and developing solutions to help business continue to grow.
Conclusion:
By introducing science, math and computer science in a positive manner to girls in all levels of education, we may be able to turn the tide and see more and more women choose careers in these important fields. If we truly believe children are our future, now is the time to ensure that they have a place in the future we have created.
Although the fact is not often recognized by educators, science and literacy are connected. As teachers, we must begin to recognize and leverage the role of language in science and this can be done with low-cost, readily-available educational DVDs.
Critical to science inquiry are the skills of reading, writing, and oral communication. For example, in science, we:
• Often read volumes of information before beginning experiments
• Write (almost continuously) to record experiments in minute detail
• Present scientific findings for others to read and evaluate
Educational standards for both science and English/language arts also dictate that science education involve more than acquisition of the scientific skills and facts, such as:
• writing procedures
• following procedures
• expressing concepts
• reviewing information
• summarizing data
• effective use of language
• constructing a reasoned argument
• responding appropriately to critique
When seeking to link science and literacy in the classroom, the goal is to address the four primary literacy components inherently present in science: Science Talks/Discussions, Science Notebooks, Reading Expository Text, and Formal Scientific Reports.
How Educational DVDs Can Help
Science Talks/Discussions - after viewing one or more educational DVDs on a particular topic, students discuss what they learned or present an oral report
Science Notebooks - students record in their notebooks, the findings from an educational DVD demonstrating a lab experiment
Reading Expository Text - students view an educational DVD, read expository text on the same subject and discuss how the writer captured (or did not capture) the appropriate information
Formal Scientific Reports - after viewing several educational DVDs on the same topic and taking notes, students are charged with creating a formal scientific report
Example Lessons for Integrating Literacy Education in Science
Unit: Electric Circuits
Lesson 1 - Discuss what the students already know about electric circuits, have them create drawings showing their thoughts
Lesson 2 - Show one or more educational DVDs on electric circuits
Lesson 3 - Allow students to work with batteries, bulbs, wires, motors to explore electric circuits and keep a science notebook on their findings.
Lesson 4 - Have students orally report their findings to the class using their notebook entries to support their conclusions
Lesson 5 - Have students read high-quality informational texts and make inferences from the material presented
Lesson 6 - Have students create a formal scientific report
The example above is provided only as a starting point for teachers. Overall change in classroom practice can only happen with additional reflection, study, and dialogue among teachers.
If you'd like to know how to avoid "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom" and start experiencing the benefits of using video effectively in your classroom, your next step is to download aFREE 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.
August 20, 2004 -- Science Kit is a recognized and trusted name in the PreK through Grade 12 science education market.
Now, with the release of their new SKMath catalog and e-commerce web site (www.skmath.com), Science Kit is ready to bring the same value, service and selection that have made them a leader in science education for over 50 years to the world of mathematics.
All products have been aggressively priced and the savvy educator or homeschooler can save up to 37%. Orders are shipped next business day.
In addition, SKMath allows qualified educators to preview a product for 30 days - at no charge.
โ€œThis lets our customers really find out if the product is right, not just for them, but also for their students,โ€ said SKMath Catalog Manager Brittany Thomas, โ€œIf they feel the product is right for them, they keep it and we will invoice them. If not, they simply return the product at no charge - no questions asked.โ€
The web site offers three ordering options which should make it very attractive to teachers. Teachers can order online using a credit card or a purchase order. They can create and save their order online, then email the order for approval or they can print out the order and submit through their school's standard purchasing procedure.
"We saw a real need for quality math products at prices teachers and school districts could afford," said Ms. Thomas, "SKMath addresses that need perfectly."
The full-color, 49-page Math Catalog features over 525 products. Subject areas include counting and sorting, computation and estimation, linear measurement, math games, and more. Teachers will also find calculators, overhead materials, scales and other teaching tools, as well as the new line of โ€œSK Jrs.โ€ and Cross Curricular Kits developed by working educators and only available from SKMath.