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The Potential of Digital Technology for Science Learning and Teaching—The Learners’ Perspective

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The Future in Learning Science: What’s in it for the Learner?

Abstract

Digital technologies play a significant role in education, with students and teachers having access to a wide range of technologies to support learning and teaching. However, there are many issues related to the use of digital technologies in learning and teaching that are too frequently not addressed. This chapter considers current concerns with science learning and teaching along with the potential of digital technologies to provide possible solutions to some of these concerns. Examples of digitally-based science learning and teaching are offered, and the need for caution and recognition of possible limitations of digital technologies are discussed. To this end, three questions are considered throughout the chapter:

  • Just how is it that digital technologies are seen to offer a possible means of addressing the problems and issues associated with contemporary science education?

  • How does this potential correspond with the realities of learners’ uses of digital technology to learn science?

  • Most importantly, what needs to be done to better fulfil the undoubted potential of digital technology for the learning and teaching of science?

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

    Neil Selwyn & Rebecca Cooper

Authors
  1. Neil Selwyn
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  2. Rebecca Cooper
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia

    Deborah Corrigan

  2. University of Waikato, Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand

    Cathy Buntting

  3. University of Bristol, London, United Kingdom

    Justin Dillon

  4. University of Waikato, Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand

    Alister Jones

  5. Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia

    Richard Gunstone

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Selwyn, N., Cooper, R. (2015). The Potential of Digital Technology for Science Learning and Teaching—The Learners’ Perspective. In: Corrigan, D., Buntting, C., Dillon, J., Jones, A., Gunstone, R. (eds) The Future in Learning Science: What’s in it for the Learner?. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16543-1_14

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