TECHNOLOGY AS A LEARNING TOOL IN EARTH SCIENCE CURRICULA

Using technology is essential in today's world. We encounter some degree of technology in every area of our daily lives, yet some are still reluctant to rely on it to help improve science education. Gone are the days of surveyor's chains, sextants and mule drawn wagons for field work. We now rely on GPS units, digital cameras, and GIS systems, but do students know the basic principles behind the computer aided readouts and results? GPS work is essentially useless unless the lessons of the compass are learned and practiced beforehand. Technology can enhance an otherwise dull exercise or lab and can challenge students to improve their skill levels as well as their knowledge of a given subject.

Too often technology is a quick answer to a more involved problem or task, be it researching something on the world wide web or pushing a button on a gadget in the field to take a reading for later use. The challenge is to teach a student the fundamentals first and then blend them with technology. With the Science Museum of Minnesota's Youth Science Center Field School we have found that by doing this first and then implementing the technology into our curriculum we have improved student retention, developed more student based projects and expanded our teaching base.