1. Current Trends and Issues for ICT in the Science Classroom
Presented by Jenefer Wiltschut
This presentation has been prepared in the hope of both assisting and encouraging fellow science teachers to fully engage with ICT in the science classroom.

2. Implications for teachers
Todays Presentation
ICT and Education
Throughout the course of the slideshow I will present a brief introduction to the importance of ICT in education across all subjects, before placing the focus on the science classroom. To illustrate what other science educators are currently discussing and planning for ICT in their lessons, I will present a sample of resources that are accessible to both teachers and students alike through the world wide web. By showing what is possible, it is my aim to encourage fellow science teachers to embrace and understand the practical implications it can have for their classrooms.
Current Trends
Implications for teachers

3. ICT ICT using technology to communicate information
Integral to successful teaching in the 21st Century
ICT can be utilised across curriculum streams, not just as a separate entity
I’m sure that there are many teachers out there, both experienced and fresh from graduation, that freeze when they hear the term “ICT”. ICT or Information Communication Technology can seem distant, confusing, and overwhelming to those who believe that they lack the skills and confidence to integrate it successfully within their lesson plans. However, ICT is simply as it says, it’s another way to communicate information and knowledge to our students. Todays students have access to the world at the click of a mouse, a download of an app and a post of a blog, just to name a few! Technology and its associated gadgets have become such a fixture in our students culture that many of them would find it hard to imagine a life without them (Ito et al, 2008), and as such, it is imperative that we find a meaningful way to incorporate it into their school lives (Campbell et al, 2010).
ICTs are no longer restricted to the Computer Science lesson taken once a week in the dedicated computer room, but are in fact becoming an essential part of every subject, and science is no exception.

4. ICT in Science Class
Learning with Web Tools, Simulations, and Other Technologies in Science Classrooms (Campbell et al, 2010)
ICTs in Science Education
The Virtual Staffroom Podcast : VSR39 Scientific Curiosity
Anatomy of a Project: “Soil Superheroes”
In this presentation I will use the four different resources listed here to illustrate some of the current ways that science teachers are discussing and applying ICT’s within their curriculum. Each of these resources can be accessed directly through this presentation and also on the resources page of my website The Science of Life –

5. Click here for link to PDF of this article
Journal Article - Learning with Web Tools, Simulations, and Other Technologies in Science Classrooms. (Campbell et al, 2010)
The journal article that I have chosen to include here is published by Todd Campbell et al, and is one of the more recent reviews of ICT integration into the Science classroom. It provides a sound theoretical and pedagogical foundation for an improved connection between the students use of technology in and out of school, and using it as a cognitive tool in scientific learning.
Click here for link to PDF of this article

6. Overview Advocates of learning “with” technology as opposed to “from”
Highlights unbalanced use of ICT in and out of the classroom setting
ICTs as cognitive tools in scientific inquiry
Opensimulator 3D Application Server (Opensim)
Pedagogical reasoning / Professional Development
Limited examples of ICT potential for the inexperienced teacher
The authors of this article place a strong emphasis throughout their discourse on enabling students to learn “with” technology as opposed to learning ”from” technology. They also highlight the gap between students current usage of ICTs outside the school and meaningful experiences with it within the classroom, and support their argument with peer reviewed publications. From a theoretical perspective they propose that student engagement could be heightened by employing ICTs that are commonly used in a more informal setting, and encouraging the students to utilise them as cognitive tools in the scientific process.
The example of learning with technology provided by the authors, describes an open source application that can be used to create 3D spaces with customisable surroundings and demonstrates its extensive potential for enhanced learning experiences in sub-fields such as biology, ecology, physics, and geography. Applications such as this one can be increasingly used to provide students the opportunity to “do” science on a greater scale than that typically seen in a classroom laboratory, as well as extend collaboration and communication potential with peers outside of their community.
The main strengths of this article can be found in its solid theoretical and pedagogical support of ICT in the science classroom, which may appeal to the more experienced teacher unfamiliar with recent ICT practices. It also advocates a strong connection between successful implementation of ICT and regular professional development of teachers that challenges underlying assumptions about its benefits.
While the description of the Opensim resource is quite detailed in this article, I believe this may possibly have the effect of discouraging those teachers with little or no experience of ICT in the classroom. By introducing a range of basic ICTs that could be used in a scaffolding manner to be built upon as both the teacher and students grow more confident, the authors would be more likely to engage a wider audience in the teaching community.

7. Website ICTs in Science Education
This website is the official ICT in Science Education site for the Queensland Science Teachers Association. It provides a comprehensive collection of ICTs that can be utilised in the science and presents them in 2 formats. Firstly as a tag cloud, which works to highlight popular searches by weighting its importance using font size and colour. In other words, the more often that an ICT is clicked on and viewed, the bigger and bolder it will appear in the cloud. It also lists the ICTs in an alphabetical format for easier term specific searching.

8. Website Overview
Comprehensive resource for a multitude of ICTs - science specific examples and applications in education
Great for both beginner and confident practitioner of ICT implementation
Not recently updated (2010)
Wiki site = multiple editors
Consider suitability for YOUR classroom
The site provides a definition, links to other resources that explain its use, and examples of its application specifically within science for each of the ICTs listed . This provides science teachers that have perhaps never seen the particular ICT before with a clearer understanding of how they may use it in their lessons. The editors of the site also provide a section in each term that outlines a plus, minus, and interesting aspect of using it within a science classroom. This could be particularly useful to teachers such as yourselves that may be embarking on ICT implementation for the first time.
There are several points however that should be considered when using this site. As with any website it can be useful to look for how recently the site has been updated. This site was accessed for use in this presentation in September 2011 but hadn’t been updated since July This may or may not affect the currency of some of the links. Also this site is what is known as a Wiki. One of the fundamental principles of a Wiki ( which is not necessarily a website) is that ANYone can change ANYthing (Lamb, 2004). This can be a good and a bad thing. Good in the spirit of collaboration, bad, think of the old proverb, “too many cooks…” This particular wiki has had the number of editors limited as it is affiliated to an educational institution but it is still something to consider.
Finally, it should also be remembered that while the examples provided in the site are often good starting points, as with any teaching resource, they might not always be suitable for your classroom.

9. Screen shot of an ICT link
An example of an ICT page on this website.
Accessed 19/09/11

10. Podcast The Virtual Staffroom (#39): Scientific Curiosity
The Virtual Staffroom is a podcast originated by an Australian educator that aims to engage fellow educators around the globe in discussing the use of technology in the classroom. This particular episode brings together science teachers at both high school and primary school level from Australia, New Zealand, and America.
The Virtual Staffroom: Scientific Curiosity

11. Scientific Curiosity – An Overview
Examination of the current use of ICT in the science classroom
Emphasis on ICT as a cognitive tool
Lengthy Podcast – unstructured discussion
Anecdotal accounts from experienced teachers – opportunity to learn & generate ideas
The discussion in this podcast begins as an examination of the use and application of technology in the science classroom. The points raised in the discussion are predominantly given as anecdotal accounts of the teachers own experiences and their appraisals of what worked and what didn’t work. It is quite an interesting discussion as there are teachers from Australia and overseas whom have had differing experiences of how their curriculum is approached. One of the key points being continually raised however, is an agreement that there needs to be an emphasis on ICT in the science classroom as a cognitive tool for learning. It is a tool that should enhance the students understanding of the scientific process and inquiry, not negate the responsibility of the teacher to encourage engagement with the content. This is an important point to consider when utilising ICTs, so that the technology does not become something to be learned from but in fact learned with.
The disadvantages to listening to podcasts such as these that run for an extended period of time, is that it is often difficult to bookmark segments that you may find particularly relevant. This particular podcast runs for almost an hour, and while is very worthwhile to listen to, can be at times very unstructured in its content. Alternatively, the unstructured nature of this type of discussion could also be viewed as one of its strengths, in that it allows free conversation and stimulation of new ideas. This discussion is also predominantly based on the anecdotal experience of teachers already confident in the use of ICT, which provides other science teachers opportunities to learn from where those have gone before.

12. Video Anatomy of a Project: “Soil Superheroes”
The final resource that I will be presenting today, is a short six minute video clip created by Edutopia.org. It is a clip that documents the timeline and process of students creating a multimedia project about bacteria. The group of students are in the 7th grade in a middle school in America and have spent the semester working on the project.
Edutopia: Anatomy of a Project: “Soil Superheroes” Video Link

13. Overview Excellent “real” classroom application
Emphasis on using ICT to stimulate student learning
User friendly approach to demonstrating use of ICT
Highlights potential disadvantages for tech and content overload
Anatomy of a Project video clip provides us as science teachers with an excellent example of how ICT can be applied in a “real” classroom situation. The semester long project is broken down and categorised with simple explanations of how ICT is integrated into each segment. The dialogue of the teachers highlights and reinforces some of the points we have already come across in the previous resources.
The video presentation has a user friendly appeal and is easy to follow along in its demonstration of how the project was initiated through to its completion. It uses a combination of screen graphics, one-to-one interviews, and voice-over narration to tell a complete story and present an overall positive view on the use of ICT in scientific inquiry.
However it also highlights a potential disadvantage for the use of ICT in the classroom, if the technology and content are not introduced at appropriate levels. As one of the teachers explains in the video, students may become overwhelmed and disengaged if you ask them to learn new technical skills at the same time you are broaching new and unfamiliar content. This should be an important consideration for any classroom utilising ICTs in their learning outcomes.

14. Summary Key trends and Issues
Technology integral to successful education
Bring the technology used in informal settings into the classroom
Allow students to learn ‘with’ technology not ‘from’ technology
Create meaningful association between technology and content
In summary, through the examples discussed in this presentation, we have identified that there are several key issues that need to be addressed when working towards successful implementation of Information Communication Technologies in the science classroom. The students at this point in time are growing up in a world where information and technology is readily accessible, and is a part of their everyday lives. There is a gap in education between their use of ICT outside of the classroom and the access provided within it (Campbell et al, 2010). To better engage the students in their own learning, we as teachers need to forge ahead and be confident enough to access that same world, and bring it into the classroom, not as a textbook to be learned from, but as a microscope to be learned with.

15. Where to from here? Teachers become the students
Doing More With Less (and Other Practical Educational Technology Tidbits) – Adam Bellows
Explore free software and resources – Blogger, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc.
Seek help from colleagues and training programs
Have fun!
For those of you new to ICTs, all this information can seem overwhelming and “too hard” to change from your current practices. A similar feeling that some students may also experience at first! But as you might say to them, if you persevere, the benefits of trying will surely overcome your doubts. I have included here a link to fantastic article posted on the Edutopia.org website written by Adam Bellows, the Director of Educational Technology for the College Board Schools where he works with educational leaders, teachers, and students to infuse technology successfully in the classroom. He provides useful tips for educators starting out with ICT, such as starting slow and starting small, and scaffolding your learning of the programs just as you might with the students.
Take the time to explore the free commonly used programs such as blogger, twitter, and YouTube, and begin to familiarise yourself with the language that is used by your students. It will help develop your tech literacy skills as you help develop theirs.
Seek out the advice and help of colleagues that are already using ICT in the classroom and perhaps collaborating to help get you started. If no-one else has started suggest training days for staff members.
Finally and perhaps most importantly, have fun with the technology! As teachers we know that as soon as the students lose interest, their learning disappears. By making it fun, implementing ICTs will quickly become an everyday part of your classroom.

16. References
Betcher, C. (2011) VSR39: Scientific Curiosity [Audio Podcast] Retrieved from curiosity/id ?i=
Campbell, T. et al. (2010) Learning with Web Tools, Simulations, and Other Technologies in Science Classrooms Journal of Science and Education Technologies 19, doi: /s %20Tech.pdf
Ellis, K. (Producer & Director). (2010, February 24) Anatomy of a Project: “Soil Superheroes” [Video File]. Video posted to learning-multiple-disciplines-community-guide-video
Information Communication Technologies in Science Education (2009) Retrieved September 21, 2011 from the ICT in Science Education Wiki: education.wikispaces.com/
Ito, M. et al (2008) Living and learning with new media: summary of findings from digital youth project. Retrieved from 8B E466FB856794%7D/DML_ETHNOG_WHITEPAPER.PDF
Lamb, B. (2004). Wide open spaces: Wikis ready or not. EDUCAUSE Review, 39(5),