The secondary science teacher is well served by an array of digital resources that support teaching and learning. It is true that some will eat up a healthy chunk of your e-Learning Credits, but in return you will be getting a resource around which you can base your science course – and in some cases you will have access to simulations and modelling that are impossible to recreate using other media. There are also non-subscription web-based resources that will offer you free surfing. Take them as you find them; they might not be exactly what you need but, with careful selection, you might be able to unearth some fine resources for your classes. You’ll find just twelve of the 106 science resources listed on the TEEM website below, so if you don’t find what you need here, search the site (www.teem.org.uk) and read the detailed evaluations there.
Whichever program you go with, remember that many of them are detailed bits of kit that in many cases take some learning, so build a few training sessions into your departmental time. I hope your experiences with these programs will be just as rewarding as those of the TEEM evaluators.
Hodder Science.
Publisher: Hodder Murray Website: http://hodderscience.co.uk
This free website for KS3 is a vehicle for the Hodder and Stoughton books and contains links which are relevant to that series of books. The pupil section is basically a series of links to other websites, which are related to chapters and sections in the books, but with a little imagination these can quite easily be used for any course as they are labelled clearly with the subject matter that they cover. The site allows pupils to target the areas of revision they need, rather than being directed to revise a specific area. It enables them to link to sites specific to the area they are studying in a short period of time without having to use a search engine, which could take them much longer and not come up with the results they require.
Framework Science Year 7 PowerPoint Presentations.
Publisher: Oxford University Press Website: www.oup.co.uk/
This KS3 CD-ROM has been produced in association with Boardworks and shares many similarities with it – indeed, some of the animations are identical to the Boardwork ‘Content for Whiteboard’ software. The content consists of a series of Microsoft PowerPoint presentations and animations and is designed to be used via an electronic whiteboard.
The list of topics in the menu relates directly to the QCA Science Year 7 Schemes of Work, i.e. from 7A (Cells) to 7L (The solar system and beyond). Each section consists of three to four slideshows, together with a number of animations. The audience is encouraged to answer questions as the slideshow progresses and key areas for potential discussions are identified, either in the text or as attached notes. It is easy to use and the quality of the images and animations make for easy viewing. The animations are clear and well thought out and would, I am sure, help students to get a better grasp of some of the more difficult concepts. The software can be used as a lesson starter, for reviewing or revising concepts or to stimulate class discussion. It makes a welcome addition to a science department’s software library.
