The Technology Infused Chemistry Classroom

     What would a technology infused chemistry classroom look like? What would we see? How would students, teachers, and parents interact? What kind of equipment would be present? Of course, there are many ways to infuse technology into the classroom. Each teacher's classroom would be different and would also reflect the teacher's style and personality. I would like to describe my vision of the ideal technology infused chemistry classroom.

• The classroom is teacher-facilitated and student-directed. 

          Students work individually and in small groups. At any given time, we might see    

          some students watching podcasted instruction on laptops, small groups of students at

          lab benches using PDA's to collect lab data, or a student demonstrating their his or her

          knowledge on an online quiz. We might also see individuals or groups on laptops

          creating representations of their knowledge, exploring on a virtual field trip, or

          collaborating with classmates. The curriculum would be layered, offering students a

          variety of activity choices that can be used to meet learning standards. The teacher

          would be actively moving around the classroom, verbally assessing, guiding

          instruction, and redirecting students who have gotten off task.

• Parents, students, and teachers are partners in education. 

          Parents are kept informed by newsletters describing classroom activities, access to
          programs such as Gradespeed and Studywiz, and regular phone/email communications.
          Students prepare eportfolios of their work which are shown to parents.

• The classroom is FILLED with resources for students to use such as:

               Podcasts of instruction (teacher created):

               Probeware/PDA assisted labs:

                                                            http://www.vernier.com/

               Online virtual labs:

                                                                   http://www.explorelearning.com

 

 

               Online animations and simulations:

                                                http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/soluble-salts

               

              Virtual Field Trips:

                                   

                               http://www.uen.org/utahlink/tours/tourFames.cgi?tour_id14346

       

• The classroom is equipped for student exploration.

              - Class set of laptops with wireless internet

              - Class set of headsets

              - Labquests and probeware for each lab bench

              - Smartboard for class and small group instruction

              - Bookcases and shelves for books, magazines, and manipulatives

     Creating a student-centered, technology-infused classroom as described above will not be easy. Potential hurdles include cost, resistance from administrators and parents who are used to a more traditional model, resistance from students who are used to teacher-centered classrooms, and the time needed to develop a technology infused, layered curriculum. In most cases, the technology-infused classroom cannot be created overnight, it must be developed over time. Critical steps to creating a technology-infused classroom include teacher collaboration and training, parent and student education, equipment purchase, and curriculum development.