The potential for use of IT in secondary education is enormous. Biological phenomena are easily exploited through these approaches to enhance research as well as education. The majority of biological, chemicals or environmental parameters can easily be recorded.
The benefits of computer assisted learning have been shown in many studies (Gardner et al.). In their article (Information technology in biology teaching: challenges and opportunities) Newton et al., discusses the cognitive benefit of using technology in biology. Students benefit from an intellectual partnership between the machine and themselves. The computer is a very powerful tool which can assist the student in the accomplishment of a task. It reduces the chore of processing data, of construction and exploration of graphs from experimental studies. The student still remains responsible for formulating the questions and for interpreting the results.
The effectiveness of using technology are also evident in the use of exploratory or inquiry-based softwares. These approaches are aimed to develop skills used for investigating and the interpreting data and results. Students' skills in decision-making and data-analysis are increased and result in higher level of learning.
References:
Gardener, J., Morrison, H., Jarman, R., Reilly.C., and McNally, H. (1992) Pupils' learning and access to information technology. Belfast: School of Education, Queens University of Belfast.
Newton, Leonard R.(1997). Journal of Biological Education, Vol. 31 Issue 4, p274-281.
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