By Sean Scarpiello
Within the past few years, Massive Open Online Classrooms (MOOCs) have become increasingly popular. And as companies such as Udacity and Coursera begin attracting many new students, colleges and other higher education institutions are beginning to worry. Schools like Harvard, MIT, and Stanford have already begun developing their own forms of web-based courses; however, the majority of higher education institutions have not yet developed these technologies in this quickly evolving market of education. As a result, many four year institutions fear that these changes may lower enrollment in upcoming years. Further, educators at these institutions are quickly trying to raise awareness on the importance of a traditional college learning experience.
As I prepare to graduate from a four year liberal arts institution, I cannot help but think back on my experiences. In retrospect, I find that there were many introductory classes where many students simply do not need the stereotypical college class to succeed. In these cases, I believe a well-designed MOOC could easily replace such classes. This is because much of the initial college courses taken by freshmen are for distribution as well as simply building a foundation of knowledge for success in upper level classes. In fact, much of the material being discussed in these classes has been widely known for decades- even centuries- and I doubt that many professors find teaching these intro courses intellectually stimulating. Therefore, a MOOC that is designed to require a lot of the basic class material to be learned and applied on exams would be beneficial to students. Also, a question and answer component to this MOOC, where students can ask professors questions regarding the material, would definitely benefit students.
Looking at more upper level classes, I still find that there are many areas where MOOCs could be used to substitute traditional college lectures, but there are also many subjects that cannot be successfully covered by MOOCs. This is especially true for the STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and math) subjects where a lot of material is being updated day by day as our understanding of cutting edge science progresses. This, along with many open discussions, debates, and labs in other sorts of classes which allow students to engage each other in a traditional setting, enforce that colleges with a physical campus and classroom cannot be replaced. I have seen this firsthand in classes that discuss biochemistry, biophysics, ethics, philosophy, and political science . Open discussion in many social science courses improve class by adding debates and dialogue into class. My institution even requires students to complete a senior capstone experience where I have personally been able to collaborate with one of my professors on research that is largely unexplored. This type of education is vital and can only be achieved at a traditional college and not in an online format.
In light of all of this information, can an entire college education be provided by MOOCs? Absolutely. But if I was a business owner and a job candidate had an entirely web-based education, I would unquestionably deny them a job. MOOCs are fantastic at getting information from a textbook into a student’s head. MOOCs may even work well at enabling students to apply and incorporate information. However, MOOCs will always take second best to traditional style higher education where learning to work with other people and collaborations take priority. At college, students are always learning whether they are in the classroom or dining hall. Colleges help students learn to collaborate with their peers, work in a lab based setting, develop networking and people skills, learn to analyze and cultivate opinions, to critically think and much more. Therefore, when educators fear that a college education is no longer relevant, they do not need to worry.
Overall, MOOCs are becoming increasing effective at providing students with high quality, personalized educations, but MOOCs will fail to provide the human element of education. Further, only traditional style colleges will be able to improve a students’ ability to collaborate well with others, develop debate and discussion skills, and quickly analyze data as it is presented by others. In this regard, traditional style education is still relevant despite MOOCs improving abilities to provide low cost, individualized education to many students.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Monday, March 10, 2014
How to Avoid Snow Days with Technology
By Sean Scarpiello
This winter in the Middle Atlantic region of the United States, there has been a lot of snowy weather leading to many snow days for students. To combat the loss of class time, many educational institutions are implementing technology in novel ways to ensure that students continue to receive a high quality education. I recently read an article that described how the Hun School, a private K-12 school Princeton, New Jersey had prepared for a potential snow day this past Monday, March 3. As news reports predicted poor weather, the school’s administration set up a meeting online to discuss the logistics behind offering Monday’s classes in an entirely online format for students. Therefore, students can still attend class without being hindered by the weather.
To prepare for the potential school closing, teachers used the learning management system, Schoology, where teachers post assignments, images, links to website, and even tests, while also allowing a clear link of the communication between teachers and students. Further, Schoology also enables teachers to automatically grade tests and assignments in a way that allows students to track revisions and get instant feedback. Classes also planned to meet up at specific times online using Google Hangout, a textual and video chat-room free to use with a Google email account. With these sorts of educational technologies, teachers can continue to provide valuable education in the event of a school closing or delay.
In addition to the technologies being implemented at the Hun School, many other schools are using common technology in innovative ways to make up for snow days this winter. One example I have seen personally has been how one of my past organic chemistry professors has turned to YouTube to make up for lost class time. For students to be successful in a difficult course such as organic chemistry, it is imperative that students attend lecture and get direct instruction on actually applying the material. But as school closings and delays significantly reduce class time, our professor posts lectures on YouTube for students to watch outside of class. He additionally makes himself available for students to come and meet him during his office hours to answer questions. Also, students can even ask questions in the comment section which can be further discussed in class or answered directly by the professor on the YouTube page. Many students concur that these video lectures are a great way to supplement lecture material in light of lost class time.
These two cases serve as shining examples of how simple and well-known technology can be used in an innovative manner to improve education when increased school closings and delays take away valuable class time. In fact, I have been in classes where professors use these technologies to further supplement education and can attest to the great success that the additional help and material provided through these technologies can achieve. Therefore, teachers and professors who can provide technology-based learning in the face of decreased class time are bringing a higher quality education to more students at lower or no costs.
Sources: http://princetoninfo.com/index.php?option=com_us1more&Itemid=6&key=3-5-14btl
This winter in the Middle Atlantic region of the United States, there has been a lot of snowy weather leading to many snow days for students. To combat the loss of class time, many educational institutions are implementing technology in novel ways to ensure that students continue to receive a high quality education. I recently read an article that described how the Hun School, a private K-12 school Princeton, New Jersey had prepared for a potential snow day this past Monday, March 3. As news reports predicted poor weather, the school’s administration set up a meeting online to discuss the logistics behind offering Monday’s classes in an entirely online format for students. Therefore, students can still attend class without being hindered by the weather.
To prepare for the potential school closing, teachers used the learning management system, Schoology, where teachers post assignments, images, links to website, and even tests, while also allowing a clear link of the communication between teachers and students. Further, Schoology also enables teachers to automatically grade tests and assignments in a way that allows students to track revisions and get instant feedback. Classes also planned to meet up at specific times online using Google Hangout, a textual and video chat-room free to use with a Google email account. With these sorts of educational technologies, teachers can continue to provide valuable education in the event of a school closing or delay.
In addition to the technologies being implemented at the Hun School, many other schools are using common technology in innovative ways to make up for snow days this winter. One example I have seen personally has been how one of my past organic chemistry professors has turned to YouTube to make up for lost class time. For students to be successful in a difficult course such as organic chemistry, it is imperative that students attend lecture and get direct instruction on actually applying the material. But as school closings and delays significantly reduce class time, our professor posts lectures on YouTube for students to watch outside of class. He additionally makes himself available for students to come and meet him during his office hours to answer questions. Also, students can even ask questions in the comment section which can be further discussed in class or answered directly by the professor on the YouTube page. Many students concur that these video lectures are a great way to supplement lecture material in light of lost class time.
These two cases serve as shining examples of how simple and well-known technology can be used in an innovative manner to improve education when increased school closings and delays take away valuable class time. In fact, I have been in classes where professors use these technologies to further supplement education and can attest to the great success that the additional help and material provided through these technologies can achieve. Therefore, teachers and professors who can provide technology-based learning in the face of decreased class time are bringing a higher quality education to more students at lower or no costs.
Sources: http://princetoninfo.com/index.php?option=com_us1more&Itemid=6&key=3-5-14btl
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Study Smarter, Not Harder with StudyBlue
By: Sean Scarpiello
When it comes to studying, it is more important to study smart than it is to study hard. Many study methods, such as rewriting notes and rereading textbook chapters are often tedious, difficult, and ineffective study strategies. One educational website, called StudyBlue, is working to have students study smarter, not harder. StudyBlue is an online technology that allows students to choose from a database of pre-made flashcards or even create their own flashcards to study. Beyond the simple concept, StudyBlue offers even more benefits to improve learning and study strategies.
StudyBlue is available online on its website or even available as a free app in the iTunes Store and Android Market. This allows students to carry around classes’ worth of flashcards on their laptop, tablet, or smart phone. Further, StudyBlue has teamed up with EverNote, enabling students to link their accounts so students can organize all of their class material in a single, cohesive area. Best of all, the apps for both StudyBlue and ever note are completely free for students. StudyBlue works as a great study tool because studying with flashcards enables students to continuously think about material and keeping their minds active. Then, due to StudyBlue’s web based design, students can quiz themselves on the class material wherever there is an Internet connection.
Students are not the only ones who can benefit from such a technology; teachers can also make up their flashcards and share them with their class or the public. Teachers can even find pre-made sets of flashcards to share with their students. Already, there are thousands of flashcards already made in subjects such as math, English, biology, chemistry, music, vocabulary, history, and several languages. Plus, many college professors have already posted lists of flashcards for their students to use in specific classes. Many of these lists are available to anyone with a StudyBlue account for no cost. All through StudyBlue, teachers are able to track each student's progress and how well they perform on flashcard sets. This further helps teachers understand what areas they can review in class, as well as the material students are comfortable with. Teachers could even assign reviewing flashcards as a way to force the students to study and understand the material.
StudyBlue makes students’ lives easier when it comes to studying strategically for tests. By offering a number of free flashcards sets, students can log on practically anywhere quickly to begin studying smart for upcoming tests. Teachers jobs are also made easier as they can track student progress and understanding of class material in such a way that causes students to study. One of the best aspects of StudyBlue, as well as EverNote, is completely free for students with laptop, tablet, or smart phone. StudyBlue is definitely a useful educational technology as it brings a higher quality and personalized education to more students through the utilization of technology.
Evernote: http://straube.blogspot.com/2013/11/how-evernote-is-revolutionizing-note.html
StudyBlue: http://www.studyblue.com/
When it comes to studying, it is more important to study smart than it is to study hard. Many study methods, such as rewriting notes and rereading textbook chapters are often tedious, difficult, and ineffective study strategies. One educational website, called StudyBlue, is working to have students study smarter, not harder. StudyBlue is an online technology that allows students to choose from a database of pre-made flashcards or even create their own flashcards to study. Beyond the simple concept, StudyBlue offers even more benefits to improve learning and study strategies.
StudyBlue is available online on its website or even available as a free app in the iTunes Store and Android Market. This allows students to carry around classes’ worth of flashcards on their laptop, tablet, or smart phone. Further, StudyBlue has teamed up with EverNote, enabling students to link their accounts so students can organize all of their class material in a single, cohesive area. Best of all, the apps for both StudyBlue and ever note are completely free for students. StudyBlue works as a great study tool because studying with flashcards enables students to continuously think about material and keeping their minds active. Then, due to StudyBlue’s web based design, students can quiz themselves on the class material wherever there is an Internet connection.
Students are not the only ones who can benefit from such a technology; teachers can also make up their flashcards and share them with their class or the public. Teachers can even find pre-made sets of flashcards to share with their students. Already, there are thousands of flashcards already made in subjects such as math, English, biology, chemistry, music, vocabulary, history, and several languages. Plus, many college professors have already posted lists of flashcards for their students to use in specific classes. Many of these lists are available to anyone with a StudyBlue account for no cost. All through StudyBlue, teachers are able to track each student's progress and how well they perform on flashcard sets. This further helps teachers understand what areas they can review in class, as well as the material students are comfortable with. Teachers could even assign reviewing flashcards as a way to force the students to study and understand the material.
StudyBlue makes students’ lives easier when it comes to studying strategically for tests. By offering a number of free flashcards sets, students can log on practically anywhere quickly to begin studying smart for upcoming tests. Teachers jobs are also made easier as they can track student progress and understanding of class material in such a way that causes students to study. One of the best aspects of StudyBlue, as well as EverNote, is completely free for students with laptop, tablet, or smart phone. StudyBlue is definitely a useful educational technology as it brings a higher quality and personalized education to more students through the utilization of technology.
Evernote: http://straube.blogspot.com/2013/11/how-evernote-is-revolutionizing-note.html
StudyBlue: http://www.studyblue.com/
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Knewton's Adaptive Learning Platform
By: Sean Scarpiello
As technology continues to move into the classroom, it can be easy for students to feel as if they are not receiving an individualized education. When completing traditional types of homework assignments, teachers are able to review the thought processes of students, but now technology has made it difficult for teachers to understand their students’ thought processes. While technology can track a student’s progress, teachers often struggle with interpreting each student’s reasoning in answering questions because computers can only show teachers what questions were answered correctly and incorrectly. However, a company called Knewton has designed a plan based on adaptive learning.
In adaptive learning technologies such as Knewton, learning platforms track the progress of each individual student as they complete different assignments. Knewton’s learning platform studies the logic and reasoning that each student uses in formulating their answers. Using this data, Knewton develops a profile for each student, then begins to note where students excel and where their weaknesses lie. Knewton then integrates questions into students’ assignments that are meant to challenge yet improve students’ weaknesses. For example, if a student is struggling at word problems in physics, Knewton challenges students with questions that focus on improving critical reading skills. As a result, students can better understand how to interpret these word problems leading to their success.
So far, Knewton has been extremely successful in building a learning platform used by students at all levels. Knewton excels in subjects such as math, chemistry, biology, physics, finance, sociology, and more. In addition, Knewton’s learning platform has been used in a number of colleges and they have most recently teamed up with Pearson to reach out to even more students. In fact, the Knewton and Pearson partnership is currently being implemented at Arizona State University at a cost of $100 per student. This may seem a lot; however, this $100 fee replaces the costs of a textbook which is not needed in the program. This is a huge benefit for both companies as they can reach a massive number of students through technology that builds highly individualized education for each student.
Adaptive learning technologies such as Knewton will definitely benefit students as they bring highly individualized education to a large number of students through the use of technology that students already own. Further, Knewton’s and Pearson’s recent partnership empowers students even more as they learn the latest class material on one of the most innovative education technologies on the market today at a reasonable cost.
Source: http://www.knewton.com/
As technology continues to move into the classroom, it can be easy for students to feel as if they are not receiving an individualized education. When completing traditional types of homework assignments, teachers are able to review the thought processes of students, but now technology has made it difficult for teachers to understand their students’ thought processes. While technology can track a student’s progress, teachers often struggle with interpreting each student’s reasoning in answering questions because computers can only show teachers what questions were answered correctly and incorrectly. However, a company called Knewton has designed a plan based on adaptive learning.
In adaptive learning technologies such as Knewton, learning platforms track the progress of each individual student as they complete different assignments. Knewton’s learning platform studies the logic and reasoning that each student uses in formulating their answers. Using this data, Knewton develops a profile for each student, then begins to note where students excel and where their weaknesses lie. Knewton then integrates questions into students’ assignments that are meant to challenge yet improve students’ weaknesses. For example, if a student is struggling at word problems in physics, Knewton challenges students with questions that focus on improving critical reading skills. As a result, students can better understand how to interpret these word problems leading to their success.
So far, Knewton has been extremely successful in building a learning platform used by students at all levels. Knewton excels in subjects such as math, chemistry, biology, physics, finance, sociology, and more. In addition, Knewton’s learning platform has been used in a number of colleges and they have most recently teamed up with Pearson to reach out to even more students. In fact, the Knewton and Pearson partnership is currently being implemented at Arizona State University at a cost of $100 per student. This may seem a lot; however, this $100 fee replaces the costs of a textbook which is not needed in the program. This is a huge benefit for both companies as they can reach a massive number of students through technology that builds highly individualized education for each student.
Adaptive learning technologies such as Knewton will definitely benefit students as they bring highly individualized education to a large number of students through the use of technology that students already own. Further, Knewton’s and Pearson’s recent partnership empowers students even more as they learn the latest class material on one of the most innovative education technologies on the market today at a reasonable cost.
Source: http://www.knewton.com/
Monday, February 10, 2014
Bringing Social Media into Education
By: Sean Scarpiello
These days, it seems as if everybody has a Facebook – especially students. As social media becomes a greater part of our lives, we can also make social media a greater part of our education. Many educators are finding new and innovative ways to implement social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and more into education. As a result, students are beginning to learn unfamiliar material in an interesting way.
One example of this implementation of social media into education that I have experienced personally has been in a college level toxicology class. In the beginning of the semester, our professor had our entire class join a closed Facebook group where we had to find and post news articles pertaining to toxicology. After posting, our professor was able to track who read each article and we would later discuss these articles in class. I found this extremely interesting way to learn new material. While this not only had us to post articles to the group pertaining to toxicology, it also causes us to learn about topics we normally would not come across. Plus, I found myself becoming more vigilant to news I came across which related to class material.
While it is obvious that a program such as this would clearly benefit science students, science is not the only subject where new advances are being made each day. A psychology, sociology, and political science class could definitely benefit from such a program. This holds especially true for political science classes where students can read articles on political views and stances that they normally would not come across. These types of social media based homework assignments later spur debate and feed conversations in class. Also, students can read about the different interests of their classmates and explore new and unfamiliar areas in classes such as psychology or sociology
Social media based homework assignments do not solely need to be based off of Facebook. In fact, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, and others may be just as, if not more, effective. For example, Pinterest is a site where users can share pictures of things they like. While it is most often used for sharing pictures of clothes and jewelry by girls, there are some pretty cool pages on science, math, geography, politics, psychology, and many more. Plus, educators can create their own Pinterest for students or come up with other interesting and innovative ways of getting students to learn through these types of social media. Teachers could even "tweet" homework assignments or class updates through a class Twitter
In all, social media websites are quickly becoming a large part of our lives. Therefore, it would not be difficult to make use of these websites in class. Just about all students have a number of different social media sites that they use daily and are completely free to use. So, educators who can come up with innovative ideas to incorporate social media in class will face little difficulty in implementing these ideas. Further, making use of social media in the classroom will benefit students because it is a no cost method of bringing a higher quality education to more students through the use of technology.
These days, it seems as if everybody has a Facebook – especially students. As social media becomes a greater part of our lives, we can also make social media a greater part of our education. Many educators are finding new and innovative ways to implement social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and more into education. As a result, students are beginning to learn unfamiliar material in an interesting way.
One example of this implementation of social media into education that I have experienced personally has been in a college level toxicology class. In the beginning of the semester, our professor had our entire class join a closed Facebook group where we had to find and post news articles pertaining to toxicology. After posting, our professor was able to track who read each article and we would later discuss these articles in class. I found this extremely interesting way to learn new material. While this not only had us to post articles to the group pertaining to toxicology, it also causes us to learn about topics we normally would not come across. Plus, I found myself becoming more vigilant to news I came across which related to class material.
While it is obvious that a program such as this would clearly benefit science students, science is not the only subject where new advances are being made each day. A psychology, sociology, and political science class could definitely benefit from such a program. This holds especially true for political science classes where students can read articles on political views and stances that they normally would not come across. These types of social media based homework assignments later spur debate and feed conversations in class. Also, students can read about the different interests of their classmates and explore new and unfamiliar areas in classes such as psychology or sociology
Social media based homework assignments do not solely need to be based off of Facebook. In fact, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, and others may be just as, if not more, effective. For example, Pinterest is a site where users can share pictures of things they like. While it is most often used for sharing pictures of clothes and jewelry by girls, there are some pretty cool pages on science, math, geography, politics, psychology, and many more. Plus, educators can create their own Pinterest for students or come up with other interesting and innovative ways of getting students to learn through these types of social media. Teachers could even "tweet" homework assignments or class updates through a class Twitter
In all, social media websites are quickly becoming a large part of our lives. Therefore, it would not be difficult to make use of these websites in class. Just about all students have a number of different social media sites that they use daily and are completely free to use. So, educators who can come up with innovative ideas to incorporate social media in class will face little difficulty in implementing these ideas. Further, making use of social media in the classroom will benefit students because it is a no cost method of bringing a higher quality education to more students through the use of technology.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Utilizing Students as Resources in their Own Education
By Sean Scarpiello
While STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) continue to be pushed in schools, many districts face difficulty in providing the expensive lab technologies needed to support these types of classes. As a result, many teachers feel as if the lack of proper facilities means that a satisfactory understanding of STEM subjects is too difficult to teach. However, STEM classes do not need to be extremely costly. If teachers can find creative ways to teach the lab components of these classes, students can learn in a fun and interesting way at a low cost. In all of my lab experience as a student, some of the best lab experiments I took part in cost practically nothing.
Just this past week, I had a lab physiology where we looked at the effects of different carbohydrates on blood sugar levels. When my professor was designing lab, he very easily could have designed an experiment involving mice, a special carbohydrate-containing food for the mice, as well as equipment to humanely remove and test small drops of blood. However, this would require a lot of different permits and high expenses which he did not have available to him. Instead, he thought of a novel way of studying the same blood sugar levels at a much lower cost. To do this he utilized many of the resources that we already have available to us. More specifically, my class decided that we would be to subjects for our own experiment. We each ate a different food containing carbohydrates (potatoes, rice, or pasta) and measured our blood sugar over a two-hour period using the same low-cost equipment utilized by diabetics. As a result, our class received the same type of data we would expect to find in mice but at the low-cost of a few household staples and cheap blood sugar monitors.
While experiments like this can only be carried out on a college campus, the same idea can be applied to high school and even elementary level STEM classes. All the different fields of science are always around us, so it would make sense that science can be easily studied by the things around us. For example, a chemistry teacher could discuss density and the miscibility of liquids by showing the class what happens when cooking oil and water are mixed. A biology teacher can teach his or her entire class to extract DNA from a strawberry with some salt, rubbing alcohol, and dish soap. Here, students can become actively involved in a fun and interesting way at a low cost for school districts. In fact, lab experiments like these are practically free because everyone has some of these resources already around the house or classroom. In addition, teachers can use these experiments to help students visualize what exactly is going on scientifically.
Further, these types of experiments do not need to be limited to STEM classes. In fact, many of the social sciences can be taught using similar techniques. By giving students surveys on topics such as political views, social studies teachers can teach the different ideologies behind different political parties through the ideas their students already possess. Also, teachers can also give students simple sociological surveys to talk about topics such as race, gender, and culture in a sociology class. Using these types of surveys, students become deeply involved in the learning process and understand how different topics relate to themselves. Equally as important, teachers can give these surveys at practically no cost instead of buying more expensive textbooks or published papers which support the same ideas.
Students can be a great resource and tool in their own education. By becoming involved in their own low-cost, homemade science experiments, students can learn from the resources already around. In fact, students can even take their knowledge home and show their parents simple experiments such as extracting DNA from a strawberry in their own kitchen. Even the use of simple surveys can be used to teach students about themselves as well as the different social sciences which govern our day to day lives. In all, it is easy for teachers to find novel and low-cost ways to keep their students actively involved in class.
While STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) continue to be pushed in schools, many districts face difficulty in providing the expensive lab technologies needed to support these types of classes. As a result, many teachers feel as if the lack of proper facilities means that a satisfactory understanding of STEM subjects is too difficult to teach. However, STEM classes do not need to be extremely costly. If teachers can find creative ways to teach the lab components of these classes, students can learn in a fun and interesting way at a low cost. In all of my lab experience as a student, some of the best lab experiments I took part in cost practically nothing.
Just this past week, I had a lab physiology where we looked at the effects of different carbohydrates on blood sugar levels. When my professor was designing lab, he very easily could have designed an experiment involving mice, a special carbohydrate-containing food for the mice, as well as equipment to humanely remove and test small drops of blood. However, this would require a lot of different permits and high expenses which he did not have available to him. Instead, he thought of a novel way of studying the same blood sugar levels at a much lower cost. To do this he utilized many of the resources that we already have available to us. More specifically, my class decided that we would be to subjects for our own experiment. We each ate a different food containing carbohydrates (potatoes, rice, or pasta) and measured our blood sugar over a two-hour period using the same low-cost equipment utilized by diabetics. As a result, our class received the same type of data we would expect to find in mice but at the low-cost of a few household staples and cheap blood sugar monitors.
While experiments like this can only be carried out on a college campus, the same idea can be applied to high school and even elementary level STEM classes. All the different fields of science are always around us, so it would make sense that science can be easily studied by the things around us. For example, a chemistry teacher could discuss density and the miscibility of liquids by showing the class what happens when cooking oil and water are mixed. A biology teacher can teach his or her entire class to extract DNA from a strawberry with some salt, rubbing alcohol, and dish soap. Here, students can become actively involved in a fun and interesting way at a low cost for school districts. In fact, lab experiments like these are practically free because everyone has some of these resources already around the house or classroom. In addition, teachers can use these experiments to help students visualize what exactly is going on scientifically.
Further, these types of experiments do not need to be limited to STEM classes. In fact, many of the social sciences can be taught using similar techniques. By giving students surveys on topics such as political views, social studies teachers can teach the different ideologies behind different political parties through the ideas their students already possess. Also, teachers can also give students simple sociological surveys to talk about topics such as race, gender, and culture in a sociology class. Using these types of surveys, students become deeply involved in the learning process and understand how different topics relate to themselves. Equally as important, teachers can give these surveys at practically no cost instead of buying more expensive textbooks or published papers which support the same ideas.
Students can be a great resource and tool in their own education. By becoming involved in their own low-cost, homemade science experiments, students can learn from the resources already around. In fact, students can even take their knowledge home and show their parents simple experiments such as extracting DNA from a strawberry in their own kitchen. Even the use of simple surveys can be used to teach students about themselves as well as the different social sciences which govern our day to day lives. In all, it is easy for teachers to find novel and low-cost ways to keep their students actively involved in class.
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