Is Technology Changing our Brains?
Author: Anthony Darby; Published: Mar 22, 2012; Category: Classroom materials, Energy Education, Science; Tags: classroom, Education, science, students, Teachers, Technology; Comments: Comments Off
By Marva Morrow
For better or worse, technology is here to stay! Everything we do causes changes in the brain and the things we do a lot are most likely to cause long term changes. What is unclear is how modern technology influences the brain and the consequences this has.
According to an article published in guardian.co.uk, brain researcher Susan Greenfield claims, “’mind change’ as a result of using modern technology is one of humanity’s greatest threats. I haven’t met one parent or teacher who doesn’t think we should be talking about this. Just restricting children’s access to the internet isn’t very helpful. Instead, I would ask: What can we offer children that is even more compelling, fulfilling, exciting? We should be planning a 3D environment for our children [to enjoy] instead of putting them in front of a 2D one.” *1
Energy4me lesson plans support the 5E constructivist learning cycle, helping students build their own understanding from experiences and new ideas.
Through many studies based on brain research, educators have explored links between classroom teaching and emerging theories about how people learn. Exciting discoveries in neuroscience and continued developments in cognitive psychology have presented new ways of thinking about the brain-the human neurological structure and the attendant perceptions and emotions that contribute to learning. *2
Based on brain research, technology provides opportunities to use such important science of learning principles as pre-existing knowledge, active learning, mental models, transfer, and learning for understanding. A list of disconnected facts doesn’t lead to deep understanding or to easy transfer of knowledge from one situation to another. However, knowledge that is organized and connected around important concepts and mastery, which includes being able to visualize a concept, does lead to transfer and deeper, longer understanding.
“Because many new technologies are interactive, it is now easier to create environments in which students can learn by doing, receive feedback, and continually refine their understanding and build new knowledge,” according to How People Learn. The new technologies can also help people visualize difficult-to-understand concepts.
The verdict is in: The Brain can and does change! Technology is and will continue to have changing effects on our brains. Educators are understanding the importance of being able to transfer knowledge from one context to another and that it is “better to ‘broadly educate’ people than simply ‘train’ them to perform particular tasks.” Students cannot achieve high levels of performance without access to skilled professional teachers, adequate classroom time, a rich array of learning materials and the resources of the the communities surrounding their schools. Learning science is something that students must do through “hands-on” and “minds on” activities.
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Sources:
*1 Oxford scientist calls for research on technology ‘mind change’ guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 14 September 2010.*2 Edutopia, Brain-Based Research Prompts Innovative Teaching Techniques in the Classroom Educators explore nontraditional methods of teaching and receive positive results. By Diane Curtis.* 3 How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. First published in 1999 and written by a committee of scholars established by the National Research Council
One Great Day, Two Exciting Events
Author: Anthony Darby; Published: Mar 15, 2012; Category: Classroom materials, Energy Education; Tags: Classroom Instruction, Energy, energy education, science; Comments: Comments Off
This year, Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) and the U.S. National Energy Education Development Project (NEED) will offer two free educational events on Thursday, 3 May 2012 in Houston, Texas. Educators can choose to apply to attend a professional development workshop for science teachers grades 5-12 or accompany high school students to a STEM workshop ages 15 and older.
The High School STEM Event
The full-day workshop will introduce up to 200 Houston-area students to careers and technology within the offshore oil and gas industry. The high school STEM event provides a unique learning experience for student ages 15 and older. Students will get to take an exhibition tour led by industry professionals. This allows students to get to know and ask questions of professionals working in the industry making for a personal interactive learning experience. Teachers can prepare students for the event by downloading pre-lessons to the event. The high school STEM event is free to attend thanks to a very generous sponsorship from British Petroleum!
Science Teacher Energy Education Workshop
Houston-area educators of grades 4-12 are invited to attend a free one-day energy education teacher development workshop during OTC. Educators will receive comprehensive, objective information about the scientific concepts of energy and its global significance while discovering the world of oil and natural gas exploration and production. A variety of free instructional materials will be available to take back to the classroom. Instructors from the National Energy Education Development Project (NEED), the US’s leading provider of energy education programs and materials to schools, lead this part of the workshop. All NEED learning activities are correlated to the Texas science objectives and other disciplines. Teachers will learn age-appropriate energy curriculum through hands-on activities. Teachers will also be briefed on Oil and Gas Exploration and Production through a dynamic presentation from an energy education ambassador on the energy outlook for the next 20 years and beyond. The teachers will also participate in the technology tour and have the opportunity to view amazing high-tech tools, software, and equipment used by the offshore industry to find and produce energy resources around the world. Tours are led by industry professionals. The science teacher energy education workshop is FREE thanks to the generous sponsorship from ExxonMobil!
Please share this information with schools and teachers you may know in the Houston area!
Visit the Energy Education Institute for additional event details and find more hands on classroom activities here!
NEEDED: One million STEM graduates!
Author: Anthony Darby; Published: Mar 8, 2012; Category: Education outreach, Energy Education; Tags: Classroom Instruction, Education, energy education, Engineering Careers; Comments: Comments Off
Here, a teacher learns hands-on activities she can take back to her classroom. Studies have shown that classroom approaches that engage students as active participants improve retention of information and critical thinking skills and can significantly increase STEM-major interest and perseverance.
In a recently released report from the President’s Council of Advisors in Science and Technology (PCAST) it was concluded that one million additional STEM graduates are needed over the next decade to fill the growing number of jobs requiring STEM skills. The report recommended changes in undergraduate STEM education that will retain more STEM students in the first two years of their college studies. The report finds that:
- Fewer than 40 percent of students who enter college intending to major in a STEM field complete a STEM degree;
- Increasing the retention rate from 40 to 50 percent would provide three-quarters of the million STEM graduates needed; and
- Colleges and universities can significantly increase their retention rates by improving faculty instructional practices, helping students rapidly improve their entry level math skills, and creating multiple pathways to excel in STEM, particularly for underrepresented groups.
In its latest report, Engage to Excel: Producing One Million Additional College Graduates with Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) concludes that retaining more STEM majors is the lowest-cost, fastest policy option to provide the STEM professionals that the Nation needs for economic and societal well-being. Studies have shown that classroom approaches that engage students as active participants improve retention of information and critical thinking skills and can significantly increase STEM-major interest and perseverance, compared with conventional lecturing. In one study, for example, students in traditional lecture courses were twice as likely to leave engineering and three times as likely to drop out of college entirely compared with students taught using active learning techniques. In another study, students in a physics class that used active learning methods learned twice as much as those taught in a traditional class, as measured by test results.
Listed below are some ways you can volunteer.
- Donate education materials to schools
- Start a classroom presentation program
- Mentor a school science club
- Take part in Engineers Week and Earth Science Week activities
- Hold an energy-themed art contest
- Give classroom presentations
- Judge science fairs
- Help Boy and Girl Scouts earn Energy or Engineering Merit Badges
- Educate friends, family and your community about energy
Get involved!
SPE Education Day, Bangalore Section ( A Young Professionals Initiative)
Author: Anthony Darby; Published: Feb 28, 2012; Category: Classroom presentations, Education outreach, Energy Education, Engineering Careers, Volunteering; Tags: Children, Classroom Instruction, Education, Engineering Careers, Volunteer; Comments: Comments Off
Recently, the Young Professionals (YP) committee of SPE Bangalore Section organized an education day at Kendriya Vidyalaya in DRDO, Bangalore. The event was organized to guide school students interested in mathematics and science towards a career in the oil and gas sector which is one of the most exciting and challenging sectors.
Students were treated to a day of energy education by the SPE Bangalore Section.
A team of seven people from SPE Bangalore section presented various options available to the students in oil and gas industry. The event received such overwhelming response that it had to be done twice to accommodate all the students. A total number of 150 students benefitted from the event.
The event began with the secretary of SPE Bangalore Section, Palvi Mech enlightening students about The Society of Petroleum Engineers, what it does and how it helps in the growth of oil and gas sector. This was followed by an overview of oil and gas sector by Jonathan Minz, Ashish Verma and Michelle Vishwanathan. The students were quite eager and enthusiastic throughout the presentation and repeatedly asked questions at regular intervals.
Teachers are now interested in making the initiative a yearly event.
The overall event of around three hours was a new and exhilarating experience for the future budding engineers and scientists of Bangalore. It was a great success and the students were made aware of the various career options available to them in oil and gas industry. The students and teachers of Kendriya Vidyalaya especially appreciated the effort put by the YP committee and want this event to be a yearly calendar event.
Are you interested in holding a similar type of initiative? Find more information on how to do so here: http://www.energy4me.org/spe-volunteers/
Energy4me and National Science Education Standards
Author: Anthony Darby; Published: Feb 9, 2012; Category: Classroom materials, Classroom presentations, Education outreach, Energy Education; Tags: Children, Classroom Instruction, Education, Energy, energy education, Energy4me, Engineering Careers, instruction, Lesson Plans, Speaker, Teacher; Comments: Comments Off
Author: Marva Morrow, Energy Education Ambassador
The natural world is filled with awe and wonder. It is in our nature to be curious about our world around us. Everyone deserves to share in the excitement and personal fulfillment that can come from understanding and learning about our natural world. In a world filled with the products of scientific inquiry, scientific literacy has become a necessity for everyone. We all need to use scientific information to make choices that arise every day.
According to an overview of the National Academies, Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering and Medicine, “The National Science Education Standards present a vision of a scientifically literate populace. The standards outline what students need to know, understand and be able to do to be scientifically literate at different grade levels. They describe an educational system in which all students demonstrate high levels of performance, in which teachers are empowered to make the decisions essential for effective learning, in which interlocking communities of teachers and students are focused on learning science, and in which supportive educational programs and systems nurture achievement. The Standards point toward a future that is challenging but attainable—which is why they are written in the present tense.”
The Energy4me lesson plans, designed for our Oil and Natural Gas book, are aligned with the aforementioned National Science Education Standards. The Standards emphasize both excellence and equity, and highlight the need to give students the opportunity to learn science. Students cannot achieve high levels of performance without access to skilled professional teachers, adequate classroom time, a rich array of learning materials and the resources of the the communities surrounding their schools. Learning science is something that students must do through “hands-on” and “minds on” activities: a point of emphasis for Energy4me.
Energy4me lesson plans also support the 5E constructivist learning cycle, helping students build their own understanding from experiences and new ideas. The 5Es represent the five stages of a sequence for teaching and learning: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaboration and Evaluate. The 5E model was developed by The Biological Science Curriculum Study (BSCS).
Download the Energy4me lesson plans and ‘hands-on-activities” and let us know what you think. Visit our classroom resources and get connected with classroom speakers, teacher workshops, classroom activities and materials and student events.
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