The Changing Nature of Science Classrooms in Indian Schools: A Technology Perspective

Abstract

Good science teaching is one of the most valuable ways to meet the urgent need for science-educated citizens and workers. Enthusiastic, intelligent, and well-educated science teachers inspire and prepare students to investigate the great questions of science and the questions raised by the scientific discoveries which affect us and our society. Teaching science in schools is undergoing a major transformation today with the advent of technology and ever-increasing focus on providing sufficient time and opportunity for students to perform experiments and conduct activities in the classrooms in order to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. This paper focusses on three important aspects that are changing the nature of Indian Science classrooms, these are (a) Technology-Supported Classrooms (b) Mobile Learning and (c) Setting up of Tinkering Labs in schools. The effective and appropriate integration of technology in the science classroom creates a dynamic learning environment where students are active participants in the learning process and therefore, science teachers are now matching the appropriate use of technology with content to maximize the student’s potential in learning. Students in schools are also being allowed to take the digital interactive science content home and are increasingly using mobile learning devices such as tablets and smartphones to learn at their own pace and time. Apart from focussing on digital-learning, schools are also setting up Tinkering Labs to foster curiosity, creativity and imagination in students; and inculcate skills such as design mindset, computational thinking, adaptive learning and physical computing, etc. These Labs provide a workspace where young students can give shape to their ideas through hands-on do-it-yourself mode; and will get a chance to work with tools and equipment to understand the concepts of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Tinkering Labs contain educational and learning ‘do it yourself’ kits and equipment on—science, electronics, robotics, open source microcontroller boards, sensors and 3D printers and computers.