Technology is a broad umbrella term that encompasses many things from the tangible to the intangible. The latter refers to those aspects of life that are dependent on technology for their performance or successful operation. Technology is also an umbrella term that encompasses many fields of endeavor; technology includes all aspects of human thought and action that rely heavily on technology. In most cases technology is the integration of these various fields to achieve particular ends.
Technology is an ever changing field that constantly evolves based on society, culture, the economy, and technology. For example, the way we learn has changed with the advent of computers, cellular phones, the internet, e-discovery, interactive television and much more. As technology continues to advance it will become increasingly important for teachers to incorporate technology in their teaching. Teaching students about technology, including machinery, is essential to their learning.
Technology assists people in a variety of ways ranging from simple tasks like learning how to push a button to complex scientific experiments in labs. People are able to learn and acquire new knowledge in a variety of different ways, some easier than others. For example, a person can learn about gravity by using a moon rock as a toy or the mechanics of a rocket by sending a robot into space. Some types of technology include; digital reading devices, cell phones, computers, televisions, and other electronics.
In higher education, incorporating technology into the classroom is essential to increasing students’ awareness of scientific knowledge. Science products and equipment are now available in a variety of shapes, colors, sizes, materials, designs, functions, and purposes. Some items are meant to be used one-on-one and others are intended for general use in a blended learning environment, allowing teachers and students to use the same devices and materials to learn scientific knowledge. Students in a blended learning environment will usually be given a book to read about the topic, a lab notebook to store their experiments, lecture notes and handouts about the topic, and lab equipment such as microscope, spectrometer, and thermometer.
One reason for incorporating technology into science lessons is to make the process of learning more interactive. It allows students to explore various concepts in a fun way, while enhancing comprehension and introducing new concepts. The result is a more well-rounded experience that will result in a longer and more educative course of study.
Science and technology is a rapidly advancing field with a tremendous amount of potential to expand and improve human life. Educational systems should not only rely on teaching methods alone, but must incorporate all of the tools and resources available to help students learn all facets of scientific inquiry. Education should not stop with teaching materials and traditional classrooms. A large part of the learning experience should come from hands-on real world applications, hands-on experiments, and the opportunity to apply scientific knowledge in practical applications. Combining technology with real science results in a fun way helps students retain the scientific information they learn and experience the knowledge as part of their everyday lives.