Teachers And Parents Can All Utilize Virtual Science Labs In Their Classrooms

By Nancy Gardner


Within the computer laboratory classroom, educators have discovered that the computer can be used as an interactive tool for educating students in many study disciplines. For many years, computers have been primarily utilized by schools as a fancy typewriter. However, the use of virtual science labs is changing the very nature of student involvement in their own learning process.

These programs can be utilized to teach everything from biology to astronomy, and more. It allows the student to engage in the learning experience rather than simply regurgitating what the teacher or their textbook dictates. This is an excellent approach for many students who seem to fall between the cracks in the old-style of teaching.

With so much research having been conducted on the differing learning styles, it seems like students would not longer be lost due to their personal struggle. Unfortunately, many teachers still embrace the old-school style of memorization and regurgitation. This causes active hands-on type learners to simply give up, resulting in the marginalization of what could have been a very remarkable student.

It is no secret that the male students are most often the active learners, while the female students often excel in the skills that get them good grades. Grades cannot be ignored, though it is no true measure of knowledge that a student may or may not have acquired. Many students graduate with good grades, but later have difficulty with simple tasks such as balancing a check book or deciphering a bus schedule.

Parents who become fed up with a system that seems to desire drugs for their boys over changes in the way material is presented often go to homeschooling. This allows many marginalized students the opportunity to show where their strengths lie. Many poor students are salvaged for the universities simply by being allowed to learn in their own time, and in their own way.

Homeschooling has allowed many failing students to continue with their education without the issues so prevalent in public schools. Many students are being salvaged in this way, notoriously scoring higher on SAT and ACT exams. Some of these kids would never have the chance at higher education due to monetary constraints combined with a learned disgust at school in general.

Students who really put themselves into this material may even be invited to a college laboratory to explore additional studies on the topics that are most interesting to them, experiencing a true white-coat environment. This is a great opportunity that has always been available to homeschoolers. It really takes the student out of the book learning and into application of what they know.

The programs available to educators are also out there for parents to utilize. While many are focused on scientific studies, the same interactive learning media is available for many other subjects, with the same focus on the interactive contribution from the student. They provide an outline for the parents to follow when homeschooling their young people, or an excellent tool for teachers to utilize in the classroom.




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