Action Research
P16: Improving teaching and learning through the use of microscopes in Years 3 and 4 science
Author: Claire Price, Class teacher, Hunwick Primary School, Durham
Date: 2005
The teacher investigated how the use of Digital Blue microscopes would develop learning in science. The pupils used the microscopes connected to laptops,or an interactive whiteboard, to examine the structures and opacity of a range of materials. The teacher felt that the microscopes would particularly appeal to visual and kinaesthetic learners.
Using the microscopes has enabled the children to take a more active, participatory role in their learning, and to gain greater ownership of their learning experiences. The teacher observed that the children enjoy science lessons more when using the microscopes. In particular, they liked sharing their findings with the rest of the class, a process which the technology facilitated. The amount of detail provided by the microscopes enabled the pupils to draws conclusions of a much higher quality than usual and their technical vocabulary and general communication skills have improved significantly. The self-esteem of students with special educational needs has also improved significantly.
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