Summary: Integrating web-based technology into an innovative science

Title: Exploration of secondary students’ creativity by integrating web-based technology into an innovative science curriculum

Name: Stanley Greene

Date: 12/7/09

Reference: Jang, Syh-Jong. Computers & education [0360-1315] Jang yr.2009 vol.52 iss.1 pg.247 -255. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from http://www.sciencedirect.com.libproxy.sdsu.edu/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VCJ-4TH0V17-1&_user=521817&_coverDate=01%2F31%2F2009&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000059576&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=521817&md5=c7f2323173c76c3f212eb2fe58cc4990

Problem: The student lack creative thinking skills, because the entrance secondary school examination has placed lots of pressure on students. The students are memorizing the material for the examination and most of the teachers have implemented traditional lecturing as the major teaching strategy.

Context: One certified science teacher and 31 seventh graders participated in this study. The study lasted for the entire second semester (2004/2 – 2004/6) of the seventh grade.

The researcher helped the teacher with an educational resource system. The website served the function of supplementing teaching resources, curriculum assessment, discussion forum, group discussion and links of related websites. There were two kinds of online learning methods adopted in this study. The first one was to take advantage of the school’s large laboratory, which was well equipped with monitors, TV, projectors, and communication network. The second one was to use their language classroom.

Since the students were under pressure on the high school entrance examination, it was not easy for the experimental class to adopt web-based learning curriculum. For the purpose of collaborative learning, the instructor divided the students into several small groups, with 4-5 students in each group, so that each group could discuss and share with each other in web-based learning or traditional environments.

Findings: The study found that some students often submitted the online homework late. The online home was difficult, because the students lacked typing and Internet skills and not all the students had Internet access at home. As for online group discussion, the students left messages instead of doing a dialog with their peers.

On a good note, the students were more creative. They did respond better to the web-based curriculum verses the standard classroom setting. The on-line activities were the simulating factor. The process of solving problems online aroused the student’s originality.

Also, the teacher’s inquiry provided, an avenue to cause students’ curiosity and put pressure on students, making them to wonder if they could finish the works.

Recommendation: I agree that the study was good but needed to be better tuned. Not all students are going to have Internet in their homes. The web-based curriculum should be based on: no Internet access in the home. Even though, the generation “Y” uses text messaging on a daily basis, they are not generally good typist. The study has to improve the typing skills of the student. It seems the students leave message on the discussion board. It would be better to have to the students to respond to another students question.

Overall, I believe in web-based learning because each generation is adding to the evergrowing technology world.