How can Science and Technology activities be made engaging and relevant in primary education?

How can Science and Technology activities be made engaging and relevant in primary education?

What are they?

Before we can begin discussing the uses of Science and technology, it would help if we knew what they involve? So, Science involves acquiring knowledge through observation and experimentation, and technology applies scientific knowledge in practical ways (Donaldson, 2015). The use of technology in the modern day society is expanding especially in terms of its use academically within schools. Science has always been apart of the school curriculum, however with the new upcoming curriculum progressively being implemented slowly within schools the use of science and technology will soon become one as they are both closely linked and are also part of the new curriculums six areas of learning experiences (Donaldson, 2015).

The new curriculum

Science and technology can be connected and applied to learning of all the six areas of learning experience. For example, there are connections to the humanities focus as children can learn about the effects of climate change and environmental issues. In terms of its own area, they can be applied and used to help children learn about nutrition and reproduction.  There are many activities which could be used in order to help children learn about different areas using science and technology that are both academic and fun.

A few ideas include:

·         Milk art

·         Mentos and coke

·         Volcano bicarbonate soda eruptions

·         School trip to Tecnhniquest

Now the coke and Mentos experiment is quite a popular experiment used within schools. It involves a large bottle of coke and a collection of Mentos. Coke is made of sugar or artificial sweetener, flavouring, water, and preservatives. The thing that makes coke so fizzy is its invisible carbon dioxide (CO2). When the Mentos hit the Coke, bubbles start to form and push up to the service of the coke bottle. The gas released by the Mentos literally pushes all of the liquid up and out of the bottle in an incredible fizzy Coke blast (Steve Spangler Science, 2018). 

Here is a link to a video which shows an example of the coke experiment and more information into how it works: https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/original-mentos-diet-coke-geyser/

So as can you imagine or see from the video this would be a great science experiment which all children would be willing to engage in as well as offering benefits of learning about how carbon dioxide reacts to certain pressure.  This experiment is more likely to be remembered by a child actually doing and observing it in a real life situation than a video alone. Therefore, what they learn is more likely to be remembered.


Another way that science and technology can be made engaging for children in primary school is the use of school trips. We as a university recently participated in a trip to Techniquest. Techniquest is the UKs longest established science centre which offers interactive experiences that are accessible to the public.The activities in which the centre provides has been


enjoyed by over 5 million people since its inception in Cardiff in 1986 (Techniquest, 2019). Even at university age the activities in which the centre provides are fun and engaging. I have never really had a strong interest in science myself, however facilities such as Techniquest allow you to learn about science in a way that it fun, engaging as well as academic without even realising you’re doing so. We had the opportunity to sit in their theatre and watch a performance of which would normally be shown to children within primary school about climate change. The performance was interactive and allowed us as we
ll as children to get involved. By arranging school trips to facilities like this are more than likely to strike the interest of all children whether they enjoy science and technology or not. All Foundation Phase  programmes cover the seven areas of learning, providing a balance between presenter-directed learning and child-initiated activities (Techniquest, 2019).

Here is a link which provides more information about the facility which id highly recommend watching if you have never been to the facility: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhwZftsE5kk

The benefits of learning about Science and Technology

In order for children to have a strong educational stimulate they must be provided with opportunity of which will motivate the learner to engage in problem solving, hypothesis testing and experiential learning (Winn & Snyder, 1996). All of these are strong elements in terms of learning about as well using science and technology. Real-world learning situated in real-world contexts has been shown to have positive impacts on learning and learner motivation (Duffy & Cunningham, 1996). So, by taking the children beyond the classroom like outside to look at eco-systems and the changing weather which could be due to climate change is allowing them to learn and experience real world contexts that can’t be achieved from only reading books and watching videos. By making lessons where the children are learning about science and technology to be fun and engaging will make it will likely for children strike up an interest in learning about it beyond the classroom. It is apparent that there is a shortage of women who are in the science profession. In order to overcome this shortage, more women are needed in science jobs as a "critical shortage" is having a significant effect on Wales' future economic growth (BBC Wales, 2016). Research has found that a shortfall of 600 academic roles could be filled by having more women in relevant careers like science and technology as it is estimated that extra female scientists across the UK, could be worth £2bn to the economy (BBC Wales, 2016). So as previously discussed, by striking an interest of both science and technology in children at an earlier age could leave them with academic interest and career drive for the rest of their lives.





References

BBC Wales. (2016) ‘Critical shortage' of women in science jobs, report finds. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-35747420 (Accessed 26^th March 2019).

Duffy, T and Cunningham, D. (1996). Constructivism: Implications for the Design and Delivery of Instruction. In D. Jonassen (Ed.), Handbook of research on educational communications and technology. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Steve Spangler Science. (2018) Mentos Geyser Experiment. Available at:https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/original-mentos-diet-coke-geyser/ (Accessed 26^th March 2019).

Successful futures. (2015) Independent Review of Curriculum and Assessment Arrangements in Wales. Available at: https://beta.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2018-03/successful-futures.pdf  (Accessed 26th March 2019).

Techniquest. (2019) About us. Available at: https://www.techniquest.org/about-us/ (Accessed 26^th March 2019).

Techniques.t (2016) 30^th Anniversary. Available at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhwZftsE5kk(Accessed 26^th March 2019).

Techniquest. (2019) Education in Schools Foundation Phase and Key stage 1. Available at:https://www.techniquest.org/education/schools/foundation-phase-key-stage-1/ (Accessed 26^th March 2019).

Winn, W. & Synder, D. (1996). Cognitive perspectives in psychology. In D. Jonassen (Ed.), Handbook of research on educational communications and technology. New York: Simon & Schuster.