Using Technology to Motivate Students in the Science Classroom Essay Example for Free

Using engineering science to Motivate Students in the Science Classroom EssayEach year, more(prenominal) students atomic number 18 dropping out of high school. Students argon bored and notion that they are not direction anything that is manipulationful in the real world. Teachers are bumping an increasing number of students becoming less(prenominal) sedulous in their academic studies. at that place are mankind schools willing to bribe students to pay attention and rack up better grades. Instead of bribery, educators need to pack the platform more appealing to student interests, develop tiny thought process skills to be able to adapt and/or solve real life troubles. Todays world is full of media and technology use that tail end be used in the classroom to spice up things up. This paper focuses on the integration of WebQuests, virtual video games, and virtual dissections in the science curriculum.Using Technology to Motivate Students in the Science Classroom To day, a majority of students are either bored, frustrated, or feel like school is a waste of time. Many educators find that these students will not complete assignments, get in in classroom activities, or try their best. T here are a number of reasons for the lack of motivating in students including they may pose development disabilities, return bad experiences in school, fear ridicule from their peers, and or they are not development about a subject they are interested in. Many educators find that these students will not try, will not complete assignments, or participate in classroom discussions or activities. nearly students who seem un traveld may have learnedness disabilities, had bad experiences in school, fear ridicule, and or are not in a class or subject they are interested in. Some of these students just sit there and daydream. While others be induce discipline problems by disrupting class and hurting the learning chances of others. Educators are constantly assigning detention and in-school suspension to those with discipline issues. Students who misbehave or have precondition up tend to have this psychological perceptive that they are compensating for their belief that they are stupid (Mendler, 2000).There are number of public schools that seem to be desperate enough for students to make better grades that they are willing to bribe students, not with do-nothingdy or homework passes, but with money. There are public schools around the country that have used or are currently using programs that pay students to make better grades. Students who participate in these programs may make better grades, temporarily however, when the cash incentives are remote the grades tend to return to their normal range. Most educators agree with Sullo (2009) statement that giving students bribes like this still devalues education and learning.Rather than using these extrinsic rewards, educators need to use more intrinsic system that relies on students fetching m ore interest in the topics or materials covered. Pedersons Williams (2004) area states that the usage of more problem based learning would work better as an intrinsic motivator. In problem based learning students have to set up their own objectives in how to solve a problem given to them by the teacher. This student concentrate on method gives students more ownership of their goals and gives more meaning to their work. In addition, using students centered assessment, where students are involve with their own evaluation, attends students to examine what and how they have performed their tasks.Using a WebQuestSome researchers say that the dash to make a motion students is to cover topics that relate to real life. unmatchable way to make a topic applicable to real life is to use a WebQuest. A WebQuests are inquiry-based activities that were developed in 1995 by Bernie outline (March, 2003). This type of activity uses a layered process in which the learner uses the internet to facilitate the acquisition, tax write-off and analysis of information. It requires the learner to take charge of their own learning, resulting in better understanding and retention of knowledge. A WebQuest is made up for six critical components an introduction, task, resources, a step-by-step process, an evaluation, and conclusion (Yoder, 1999). When implemented correctly, WebQuests not only challenges the learner to collect and gather information, but to take the knowledge and apply it to real-life scenarios, relationships and processes. The task itself can be modified in length of time it takes to complete and groups, individual or collective.One of the disadvantages of WebQuests is the time it takes a teacher to do or critique a pre-made task. But as with any other uncorrupted teaching methods, planning and preparation is time-consuming. Most WebQuest are free to use online. Any teachers can create their own WebQuest or use an already made WebQuest. There are WebQuest wizards for sale online that can help a teacher by the creation process. When using a pre-made WebQuest the teacher must go through the activity and make sure the information if correct and that all the web links are working. A science teacher could create a WebQuest that would have students look at water pollution in an area. The students task would be to research ways to prevent water pollution and ways to clean it up. A few examples of pre-made WebQuest can be found on the sites listed in listed in panel 1. Place Table 1 about hereVirtual GamesCurrent and past studies on student motivation have found that handed-down instruction lacks researched strategies that could promote motivation in students (Dantonio Beisenherz 1990). Most educators tend to stick to traditional methods of teaching to the text and having students memorizing facts. Instead, teachers need to use a combination of text, activities, and projects to better engage students. Discovery learning allows students to purs ue their own answers to explain an event of what happens during a laboratory experiment is an intrinsic motivational technique. What is nowadayss perceived mind-waster could be one of tomorrows educational solutions. According to an article compose by Greenemeir (2009), several educators are advocating that schools use video games because it promotes discovery learning via development of critical thinking skills that students can apply to real-life situations and enhances their understanding in math and science.Video games provide multiple modes and means that can be adapted to contrastive learning styles. They often challenge the learner competitively in enjoin to boost motivation and learning goals. Virtual games allow the learner to take small steps to get complex tasks. Learners are often in charge of their own learning and are given feedback frequently. The film director of Future Learning Initiatives at Kauffman Foundation, Merrilea Mayo, cites studies that show a 7 to 4 0 percent improvement in learning when using virtual games versus the traditional lecture format (Greenemeier 2009). One of the drawbacks to using video games in an educational setting is finding quality games.Many games tout being educational, but just use superficial elements that do not actually teach content (Dewar, 2010). Educators need to make sure that gentle is based on thorough knowledge of material. When creating an educational virtual game the game needs to be relevant and meaningful to the student, show that what is learned can be used in other situations, much(prenominal) as in real life. In addition, games need to involve the student in each aspect, motivate students by piquing their interests. Some games may require a fee, but there are also approximately quality activities that are free. Whyville, for example, is a virtual world that engages and teaches the learner through various constructional games, role vie and activities. Other examples of virtual games are listed in Table 2. Place Table 2 about hereVirtual DissectionAnother way to make the topic more interesting and students willing to do an activity would be to use virtual dissections instead of real, turn over on dissections in the classroom. There are more or less students and/or parents that refuse to dissect a real animal for the sake of a science class. One way to get around this problem is to use a virtual dissection program. In a study (Lalley et al. 2010) performed on the virtual dissection software, V- anuran, the researchers found that students using the software did not learn more than students who did the actual hands on dissection. However, the advantages to using a virtual dissection can out-weigh any of the possible disadvantages. In the science class, students are able to do an in-depth study of the anatomy of both an invertebrate and vertebrate animals through dissection.Within a virtual dissection, students are able to repeat their dissection as a freshen up no o ne would have to deal with the smell, and of the decomposing specimens. In addition, by using a virtual dissection, students are not handling frizzy objects or going to their next class like their specimen. There are multiple virtual dissections programs available via software and through different websites, from dissecting mammals, reptiles, owl pellets, to flowers. In addition, there are several free to use, online websites with pictures of the different dissected parts visible (see Table 3). By using online websites, a school can just money on not having to buy new specimens each year per class. In addition, students can review the material in places outside of school. Place Table 3 about hereConclusionIt can be hard to motivate students, especially when educators have not been train in how to actually motivate students. Educators not only need to know how to motivate students but also in managing and coping with students who come to class with the plan to create as much disrup tion as possible in assemble to entertain themselves. More and more students are dropping out of high school because they are bored and feel that they are not learning anything that is useful in the real world. Educators need to make the curriculum more appealing to student interests, to real life events and problems. If students are interested in the topic and occupied in classroom activities there will be less discipline issues which might lead to less student dropouts.ReferenceDantonio, M. Beisenherg, P. (1990). Dont just demonstrate motivate The science teacher, 57(2), 27-29.Dewar, G. (2010). Educational video games. Retrieved from http//www.parenting science.com/educational-video-games.htmlGreenemeier, L. (2009, January 1). Using virtual worlds and video games to teach the lessons of reality. Web log comment. Retrieved from http//www.scientificamerican.com/blog/60- second-science/post.cfm?id=using-virtual-worlds-and-video-game-2009-01-01 Lalley, J.P., Piotrowski, P.S. Battag lia, B., Brophy, K. Chugh, K. (2010). A comparison of V- Frog to somatogenetic frog dissection. International journal of Environmental Science Education, 5(2), 189-200.March, T. (2003). In What WebQuests Are (Really). Retrieved from http//bestwebquests.com/ what_webquests_are.aspMendler, A. N. (2000). Motivating students who do not care Successful techniques for educators. Bloomington, Indiana National Education Services, 7. Patrick, H., Yoon, C. (2004). Early adolescents motivation during science investigation. The Journal of educational research, 97(6), 319-338.Pedersen, S., Williams, D. (2004). Comparison of assessment on effects of learning and motivation in student centered classroom. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 13(3), 283-306.Sullo, B. (2009). The motivated student Unlocking the enthusiasm for learning. Alexandria, Virginia ASCD.Yoder, M.B. (1999). The student WebQuest A productive and thought provoke use of the internet. Learning and Leading with Technology, 26(7), 6-9.Table 1. WebQuest Web ResourcesInternet4Classrooms http//www.internet4classrooms.com WebQuest.org http//webquest.org teAchnology http//www.teach-nology.com Table 2. Virtual Game Web ResourcesWhyville http//www.whyville.net energizing City http//www.kineticcity.com Planet Science http//www.planet-science.com Table 3. Examples of Free Virtual Dissection Web ResourcesCow Eye Dissection http//www.exploratorium.edu/learning_studio/cow_eye/index.html Frog Dissection http//www.cumberland.k12.il.us/schools/chs/starwalt%20projects/Frog%20Dissection/frog_dissection.htm http//www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/virtual_labs/BL_16/BL_16.html Fetal Pig Dissection http//www.whitman.edu/biology/vpd/main.html