ENGLISH FOR LANGUAGE AND TECHNOLOGY

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Introduction

Technology plays a vital role in education. In the study, the author sought to establish the impact of information communication technologies (ICT) to the performance of science based university students. The major components of ICTs in education include animation, statistical tools, power point, and the eplus software.

From the article, critical information can be deduced. The article outlines the major benefit ICTs in education.

Application of ICTs in learning environments provides students with swift access to new information. Its application makes teaching diversified. Teaching also becomes effective and flexible; as the ICT tools influence the thinking level. The cases also influence problem solving. ICT assists in the development of visualized understanding. It also assists in graphics of science concepts. It is a major goal for the science educators to ensure knowledge acquisition by students. The study focused on some of the effective application in relation to ICT that have the ability of elevating the thinking levels and problems solving abilities of students. The author acknowledged that the students’ learning attitudes towards the computer oriented classes, science instructors, multimedia learning environment, other students, and evaluation methods vary. However, ICT is widely believed to be a powerful instructional device.

Research questions and goal

The study had specific research questions and goals

The research questions were;

How can a constructivist-based multimedia be incorporated and put into practice for student communication and science learning?

What parts of the multimedia technology should be made for the students understanding of science learning?

The goal of the research was to discover how students can conceptually understand use of ICTs in science learning and their attitudes towards the tools

Theoretical Background

The article employed various theoretical principles in the literature review to demonstrate, from past studies, how ICTs can practically make scientific instructional methods not only more flexible but also effective. The main theoretical principles deployed include;

Constructivist ICT approaches

Dual coding theory

Multiple representations of learning environments

Constructivism is considered a learning theory that lays emphasis on demonstration and explanation of how knowledge can be used and applied in relationships. It also focuses on how it can be applied in exploration of other related concepts. The theory claims that knowledge is constructed in the mind of students. The integration of ICT enables the students to be understood and also allows them to develop positive attitudes and complex ideas.

The Dual coding theory argues that the framework of the principles facilitate for the integration of ICT that enables students’ complex developments to be understood effectively. Information communication technology provides a learning environment for university students who have access to ne new information. The theory advocates for use of both verbal and nonverbal (visual systems such as ICT tools) that can be used together and interchangeably. The interconnections between the two allow cueing from one ICT system to the next one, that in turn act as facilitator of the ICT enabled environment for science based learning.

Under the Multiple representations of learning environments, ICT tools have to be reasonably applied, and the associated teachings methods diversified, effective and flexible. The tools have contributed to effective learning that enables individuals to uplift their thinking levels and also facilitate for problem-solving. Information communication technology is important for students since it enables them to have visualized understanding. Based on the theoretical literature review, the author established that ICT based educational applications can be grouped under four major aspects:

Instruction

Communication

Resources

Tools

These applications, when effectively applied promote inquisitive behaviors among the students and make them more eager to learn and seek new knowledge.

Major discussion and conclusions

Benefits of ICT integration in science learning

The framework of the principles facilitates for the integration of ICT that enables students to understand complex concepts better. ICT enables students to have the urge of learning science. The study conducted also led to the conclusion that a majority of the students who attended the orientation classes favored multimedia. The results clearly suggest that the application of ICT multimedia for science teaching facilitate the students with the ability to acquire some of the basic scientific knowledge and improvement of their performances. ICT make learning enjoyable and promote self-learning

The students’ characteristics in relation to their class attendance, gender in relation to the preference of science courses, disposition towards computers and the use of computer multi-media improved with the ICT based learning tools. The article’s outcome corresponds with the integrated research on the multimedia representation which leads to better learning approaches. ICT is considered essential based on its ability to provide the students with fast access to new information. The application of ICTs makes the teachings diversified. The teachings also become more effective and flexible. ICT is demonstrated through some of the cases that influence the level of thinking. The cases studied also influence the problem solving among students that make it effective.

ICTs help demonstrate knowledge application in real life

The application of constructivism as a learning theory enabled the researcher to emphasize on some of the demonstrations and explanations that are based on how knowledge can be applied in relationships and implanted concepts. Constructivism emphasizes on knowledge and its construction in the minds of students. The students would improve their performance and gain better understanding of the science concepts. The constructivist instructions as reflected in the article were created to be in accordance with the conceptual models of the students in order to engage their knowledge. They were also designed to assist the students in modifying their misconceptions.

Recommendation

Caution should be made on the use of ICT in learning. The focus on the tools should not replace the core aim of education and learning. That is; it has remained an open question as to the ability of multimedia technology to promote the conceptual understanding of students. The learning environments that use computer based multimedia should promote and enhance constructive learning that will enhance the student’s problem solving abilities. This is important since it is among the main aims of the ICT. The computer based multimedia should also ensure that there is better learning performance.

Thank You!