How to Teach with Technology: Science and Math

The article gave tips from students and teachers for high-tech learning. One example was in honors chemistry class, where students were to perform video interviews from local experts on a research topic of their choosing. Students worked through video editing tutorials outside of class. Another student mentioned in the article that video reports would be much more fun than research papers. Another example was to have students create their own video games. Projects, resources, and a program for teaching students how to design their own game were listed. Students also like the idea of using movies and cartoons to learn science. One student suggested analyzing the movie, "Transformers," to demonstrate what laws of motion the movie follows or breaks. Other ideas include using animated characters using the software “Xtranormal.” You pick characters, settings, and voices for characters. Students can create scripts for them.
Java Gaming site helps students learn science and other subjects with fun quizzes and games. Text students weekly math extensions via “Brain Stokes.” Disposable, video, or digital cameras could be used to have students find angles out on a scavenger hunt for a geometry lesson. On interactive white boards, students can clone red circles to use as manipulatives to show multiplication facts. 4 groups of 3 circles is 12 circles. “Lego Batman” could be used to teach math through scientific notation of large numbers of pieces and multiplication. In “Voki,” teachers could use a character to explain math problems in class. They could replay anything they want repeated. They can embed their Voki into Web pages, wikis, or blogs, and write or record the text it speaks. “Math Blaster” is a computer game to practice math skills.

I think I will try the following within my classroom: I will try having students embed a Voki to our class wiki to read text. I will try the SmartBoard activity and have students move circles around to practice their multiplication facts. I will also have students use cameras for various scavenger hunts for different concepts we are learning, including geometry.