Jennifer Tiansin (MT1312202T)

Roles of technologies in promoting the scientific literacy

ASSIGNMENT 3
Q : Discuss the roles of technologies in promoting the scientific literacy

Roles of technologies in promoting the scientific literacy

Before discussing more about the roles of technology in promoting scientific literacy, it is
best to give a brief definition about the term technology and again scientific literacy.
In more general definition, technology is defined a body of knowledge that is used
to create tools, develop skills, and extract or collect materials. It is also the application of
science which is the combination of the scientific method and material to meet an objective
or solve a problem (National institute of Health, n.d.). In the other hand, the term
technology that is used in the field of education can be easily understand as a medium (or
tools) to encourage inquiry, enhance communication, construct teaching materials, and
assist students self-expression (Beak et al., 2008).

To lead a clear direction for this

assignment, I would like to focus the discussion on the use Data-logger or Microcomputer
Based Laboratory (MBL) and the collection of data with the aid of sensors (probwares) and
computers, as part of practical work in science
As for the definition of scientific literacy, in this assignment we should see that
scientific literacy as a whole different context with science literacy even though the two
terms have always been used interchangeably. For example, American Association for the
Advancement of Science (1989 ; in Holbrook & Rannikmae, 2009) has been using the term

science literacy to refer to the scientific literacy. In this assignment, the scientific literacy
should not be taken as to mean the knowledge of a lot of science but rather the
understanding of how science really works (Durrant, 1994).
According to National Science Education Standards:

Scientific Literacy means that a person can ask, find, or determine

answers to questions derived from curiosity about everyday experiences.
It means that a person has the ability to describe, explain, and predict
natural phenomena. (National Research Council,(Dani, 2009).

Jennifer Tiansin (MT1312202T)

Roles of technologies in promoting the scientific literacy

Thowalter (1974; cited in Laugksch, 2000), has define scientific literacy in seven
dimensions:
i.

The scientifically literate person understands the nature of scientific

knowledge.

ii.

The scientifically literate person accurately applies appropriate science

concepts, principles, laws, and theories in interacting with his universe.

iii.

The scientifically literate person uses processes of science in solving

problems, making decisions, and furthering his own understanding of the
universe.

iv.

The scientifically literate person interacts with the various aspects of his
universe in a way that is consistent with the values that underlie science.

v.

The scientifically literate person understands and appreciates the joint

enterprises of science and technology and the interrelationship of these with
each and with other aspects of society.

vi.

The scientifically literate person has developed a richer, more satisfying, and
more exciting view of the universe as a result of his science education and
continues to extend this education throughout his life.

vii.

The scientifically literate person has developed numerous manipulative skills

associated with science and technology.

In this assignment, I will refer to the above mentioned scientific literacy to give a
clear direction of the discussion.
Technology such as Microcomputer Based Laboratories (MBL) is one of the ICT
applications in science laboratories that can be practically used in schools. The tool consist
of one or more sensors or probewares that are connected to an interface which is usually
an analogue-digital converter that allow real time visualization of the variables of an
experiment and provides the possibility of measuring magnitudes which are difficult to
measure with traditional equipment. Pertinent software allows programming the frequency
of measures, and the data format (table, kind of graph) to be presented on the computer
screen. Using this technology, predictions and hypothesis formulated by learners can have
easy, quick and precise feedback ratification.

Jennifer Tiansin (MT1312202T)

Roles of technologies in promoting the scientific literacy

Integration of technology in teaching plays important roles in promoting scientific

literacy. One of commonly used students-centre teaching strategy that benefits the
technology is inquiry-based teaching. National Research Council (in (Soloway, Grant,
Tinker, Roschelle, & Hands, 1999) states that inquiry into authentic questions generated
from student experiences is the central strategy for teaching science, thus taking the first
step to scientific literacy.
The inquiry that is meant by the National Research Council (NRC) is not the
idealized method that linearly follows the step of investigation in orderly sequence. Rather,
the initial investigation is only part of the initial inquiry process. For instance,
computational tools that are used by students in the school lab will eventually can satisfy
the what if questions arise from the students by doing their own experiment outside the
classroom. The uses of handheld devices enable children to collect data outside the
classroom. No doubt that this will enable the students to conduct the experiment they were
not able before. Thank you to the technology.
With the technology, the learning becomes contextual. They can finally bring the
probewares everywhere and run the experiments and they can connect the device to their
laptops or smartphone to analyse the output. This will develop numerous manipulative
skills associated with science and technology as one of the dimensions of scientific literacy
that has been mention above.
Even for the nave science learner, MBL provides opportunity to explore and
quantify the physical world using sensors that are not commonly available to students,
particularly in courses for non-majors. The effectiveness may be the result of the
immediate linking of a concrete measurement of an actual physical system with the
simultaneous production of the symbolic representation (Thornton, 1987). The accurately
application of appropriate science concepts, principles, laws, and theories in interacting
with his universe eventually contribute to scientifically literate person.
With the technology, lab experiments will never be the same again. The chance to
do the experiments outside the classroom in their daily life setting gives them more
confidence about the data they gathered. If they are to present their findings, they can
elaborate their findings and results with the accurate explanation since they have actually
interacting with the environment. The immediate-display data such as graph can give more
room for students further inquiry.
3

Jennifer Tiansin (MT1312202T)

Roles of technologies in promoting the scientific literacy

Novak & Gleason (2001) have done a detail research about management and
organizing computer-aided practical work that use portable handheld probewares in the
Our Water Project using project-based learning to promote students inquiry in learning.
Students that were divided in groups were actually design and carry out a plan of their own
to investigate the cleanliness of their adopted portion of the stream. Using portable
technology as scientific instruments, students collect and analyse various quantitative
water-quality data along with qualitative data to make conclusions about the health of the
stream. Using the portable technology, the students are provided with scientific tools that
enable them to do the science just like the real scientist do. The students also learn to
learn independently without the cookbook instruction and practicing good data collection
and problem-solving techniques. In addition, the students value the roles of technology in
learning.
The technology of portable handheld devices gives the opportunity to the students
to use the scientific tools that are similar to those scientists use in students' hands. This
will create more opportunities for the students to design and carry out meaningful
investigations and to answer questions posed by their own "what if questions.
The roles of technology in promoting scientific literacy are no longer new to many
countries. It is our time to start taking serious action so that our future generation can
benefit the technology toward the scientifically literate society.

Jennifer Tiansin (MT1312202T)

Roles of technologies in promoting the scientific literacy

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Beak, Y., Jung, J., & Kim, B. 2008. What makes teachers use technology in the classroom?
Exploring the factors affecting facilitation of technology with a Korean sample. Computer &
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Dani, D. (2009). Scientific Literacy and Purposes for Teaching Science: A Case Study of
Lebanese Private School Teachers. International Journal of Environmental and Science
Education, 4(3), 289299.
Holbrook, J., & Rannikmae, M. (2009). The Meaning of Scientific Literacy. International
Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 4(3), 275288.
Laugksch, R. (2000). Scientific Literacy: A Conceptual Overview. Science Education, 84(1),
7194.
Novak, A. M., & Gleason, C. I. (2001). Incorporating Portable Technology to Enhance an
Inquiry, Project-Based Middle School Science Classroom. In Portable Techonologies
(pp. 2962). New York.
Soloway, E., Grant, W., Tinker, R., Roschelle, J., & Hands, T. (1999). Science in the Palms
of Their Hands. Communication of the ACM, 42(8), 2126.
Thornton, R. K. (1987). Microcomputer-Based Laboratories for the Naive Science Learner.
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