We’re calling on Canadian Educators to share their experiences on how technology can be used in the science classroom. Visit our Facebook page and share your ideas with us and you will be entered into a draw to win an 8 gigabyte iPod Nano – a $160.00 value!
How It Works
- “Like” us on Facebook.
- Leave a short comment in our discussion forum about how you are using technology as a science teaching aid.
- Contest runs from Wednesday, March 30 and closes at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 13, 2011.
- Stay tuned to our Facebook page – we will announce the winner on Monday, March 16, 2011.
Eligibility
- Entrants must be a Canadian science educator who teaches between grades K-12.
- In order to qualify, you must “like” us on Facebook and leave a comment on our discussion board.
Rules and Regulations
All decisions of the contest judges are final. Contests are governed by the laws of Ontario and the laws of Canada applicable therein. The sponsors reserve the right to cancel or modify any contest or the contest rules at any time without notice. All prizes must be accepted as awarded, are non-transferable and are not convertible to cash. All prizes are awarded as-is and no warranties or guarantees are implied or expressed, beyond the standard manufacturer’s warranty. The odds of winning depend on how many eligible entries are received. Sponsors are not liable for any errors, damage or negligence that may arise in connection with this contest, including technical failures on the part of contest software, website down-time, human error or property damage incurred by any contest entrant.
David Thornburg, founder and director of the Thornburg Center for Space Exploration has written an excellent paper on the current state of science education. In it, he identifies five challenges that science educators in the U.S. face and offers suggestions to address, and perhaps reform, what he believes to be gaps in the educational system.
According to Thornburg, the biggest issues facing science educators today are:
- a shortage of qualified teachers;
- a curriculum that depicts science and scientists as “devoid of … human passion”;
- a reluctance to embrace a “hands on” approach to science teaching;
- a dated, “question and answer” approach which relies heavily on memorization (as opposed to research and independent knowledge-seeking) and
- a failure to connect science with topics that are relevant to students.
Here in Canada, educators face similar challenges. A 2010 study by IPSOS Reid, for example, indicates that 78% of Canadian youths aged 12 to 13 express a “high level” of interest in science education. These numbers fall sharply as students progress through the school system; by the time they reach 17 years of age, only 58% have maintained an enthusiasm for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education.
There are many factors that can contribute to a declining interest in science with age. The study clearly indicates a need for educators to re-assess their current STEM-based curriculum for relevancy.
It has been demonstrated that students tend to thrive in a hands-on, technology-based environment, many educators – and curriculums – have been slow to adopt electronic teaching aids. Thornburg urges educators to provide students with tools that will enable them to explore science in a creative, hands-on manner.
“Innovative educators have always made connections between science and other topics,” Thornburg says.
“The power of treating the STEM subjects in an integrated fashion strengthens the understanding of each of them … as [teachers] look at these challenges, and identify more … I hope [they] will think about ways to address them.”
Click here to read Thornburg’s article.
The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev for short) is a government initiative designed to support economic and community innovation and, more specifically, to strengthen the region’s position in the knowledge-based economy.
FedDev’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Youth Initiative encourages young people to embrace education and careers in these fields through strategic partnerships with STEM-based industry leaders.
The goal of the STEM Youth Initiative is to create a focused and coordinated STEM outreach program.
Not-for-profit organizations that encourage youths between kindergarten and Grade 12 to embrace STEM education can to apply for funding that will allow for the expansion of their pre-existing initiatives.
To learn more about this initiative and to apply online, visit FedDev Ontario.
In an increasingly complex, technology-driven world, the demand for science-based expertise is on the rise. Science literacy is fast becoming an essential skill in the 21st century.
Today’s modern student thrives in a technological environment. Interactivity, simplicity and reliability are the cornerstones of a successful science literacy campaign. Many educators have begun to embrace technology in the science classroom, turning to easy-to-use tools that explain the fundamentals in a manner that meets education standards while also adding an element of ‘fun’ to the learning process.
Since its debut in 2009, PASCO’s SPARKvue probeware has been steadily gaining industry buzz – particularly for its ease-of-use and powerful features. Winner of two 2010 CODiE Awards for Best Education Solution for Mobile or Hand-held Devices and Best Education Use of a Technology Device, as well as the 2010 Worddidac Award for Excellence in Education, SPARKvue provides an elegant method for gathering accurate data and graph results in real-time.
The SPARK has a colour-rich, interactive touch screen and multiple measurement tools designed to analyze data in a broad range of disciplines – from physics to earth sciences. A user friendly interface that is compatible on both Macs and PCs helps to keep students engaged.
SPARKvue software is complex enough to be utilized in post-secondary science labs, but also has a place in the elementary classroom. Educators almost unanimously agree that the technology is easy to use and quick to master.
PASCO has also released two Apple apps, granting student flexibility to collect data at any time using an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.
By effortlessly combining cutting-edge innovation with a science-based learning platform, the SPARK Science framework is an essential and effective tool for promoting science literacy among a tech-savvy student population.
