Digital Images in the Science Classroom
By: Randy L. Bell, John C. Park, and Doug Toti
This article explains the benefits of using digital images in the classroom but especially when learning about science. The authors explain that students can better understand a scientific phenomenon when they can see images of it. Science textbooks are therefore filled with images and diagrams so that students can better understand the facts of science. Other than digital images, microscopes are also used in science classes to display images. Even though microscopes are a great way to get “hands-on” in the classroom, the authors did list a couple of drawbacks that come with working with microscopes. 1. It is hard for some students to manipulate the microscope to focus on the images and 2. Teachers use most of their instructional time helping students see what they are supposed to be seeing which doesn’t leave a lot of time to teach the curriculum. The article leans more towards digital images and especially time lapse video. Using time lapse video can make an abstract concept, such as plant movement, more concrete and easier for the students to understand. With the time lapse video students can see the way a plant moves and grows from just being a seed to being a big plant or flower.
A pre-service teacher, Anne Bowen, used digital images in her class to demonstrate a butterfly’s life cycle. The assignment was called, “The Butterfly Project.” Instead of having her students read about the butterfly life cycle from a textbook, Bowen assigned for her students to take digital pictures of butterflies at different stages of their life cycle. The students essentially captured the metamorphosis of butterflies with digital images which allowed them to analyze and talk about them further in their classroom. Using digital images of natural phenomena changes the students’ role from passive observer to engaged participants.
I would use digital images in my classroom to help my students understand abstract concepts. Doing an assignment similar to "The Butterfly Project" would really get the students involved in a "hands-on" way. Doing any hands-on activity with younger students will be more fun to them than just lecturing to them. If students are more involved in the assignments then they will probably remember more of what they learned. Using digital images is a good way to get the students involved.
Even Recess Can't Beat Technology
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"Who Are Today's Learners?" is the question that Christine Greenhow asks in
her article regarding how students feel about technology use in the
classroom. ...
16 years ago
I would also use digital images, it seems as if by using this tools students would be more interested in the subject matter and and retain the information longer. Digital images would also make science or any other school subject more interesting for students and even the teacher, because students would be enthusiastic to learn and it would make it easier for the teacher to teach. I know if I had a teacher who used more images to explain certain science topic I would have been more interested in science. But this tool may be helpful for those who are visual learners andTactile/Kinesthetic Learners as well.
ReplyDeleteI never really though of my myself as a visual learner until recently. But after spending so much of my study and learning time in a textbook, I've come to appreciate visuals that supplement the text. It serves as a mental break, a moment to reflect on what was read and to tie it all together.
ReplyDeleteI can definitely relate to the difficulty in using a microscope in the classroom. To help facilitate our understanding of the microscope's functions, my elementary school science teacher passed out a worksheet for us to identity the parts of the microscope and their purpose. Not only was this a waste of time it was also irrelevant; I did not have a better understanding and I was left frustrated that I was not seeing what I was supposed to be seeing.
While there may be drawbacks to hands-on experience with microscopes, I do believe it should be implemented along with using digital images. Teachers should model after Bowen's use of digital images and spend some (not a lot) time teaching students how to use a microscope.
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ReplyDeleteI am definitely a visual learner, and when I study scientific concepts, I generally end up drawing pictures or figures to help myself retain the information. I think using digital images is great because kids especially in today's schools have grown up seeing things presented digitally and they can relate to it well.
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