Bridging the gap between digital technology and science education

Digital technology has, till now, failed profoundly to break the school barrier and start to be used routinely at schools, the same way as it has done in offices around the world. The aim of this paper is to bridge the gap between technology and education, because the reasons for this failure are many and quite complex. Indeed, solving this problem is urgent as education is in the following predicament: (a) most of the teachers do not possess science knowledge deep enough in order to teach science and technology properly while (b) modern society needs individuals possessing a broad general education, good communication skills, adaptability, and a commitment to lifelong learning. ICT technology, on the other hand, is mature and cheap enough and it might, represent the only obvious solution to the science teaching problem and to lifelong learning scenarios. Despite all these, education and technology do not easily mix together. Although new software products are produced continually, teachers are unwilling to put them into immediate use. This might be because the crucial bridge between education and technology is still missing. Teachers do not know what is available, while technology ignores teacher's needs. This paper is an attempt to bring these two sides closer. Issues faced by educationalists when trying to incorporate ICT in teaching and learning are presented herein. These should really be the main points on which designers of computer-based learning environments should focus on. The ultimate aim of the present study is to assist the understanding and mutual cooperation between system designers and educationalists, so as to improve product quality and in-class effectiveness.