Chapter 4: Utilizing Visual Data with Tablet Technology in the Primary (K–3) Science Classroom

Today’s youth are what Prensky (2006) has coined “digital natives.” For these digital natives, swiping a screen has become as commonplace and second nature as holding a pencil, and advances in commercial technologies have opened the floodgates in today’s classrooms with new educational programs, smart toys and devices hitting the market every day. This call for instructional technology is nothing new. In 1988, the New York Times released an article by Peter Lewis discussing education’s “computer revolution” that is taking place (or more so not taking place) in our classrooms. The article housed the quote, “Remarkable new technology is introduced into the school system and experts predict education will be revolutionized. The technology will, as never before, allow the widespread dissemination of new concepts and ideas that will stimulate young minds and free the teacher for more creative pursuits. Yet, the magic fails to materialize … the failure, obviously, arises from teachers not being skilled enough in the new technology” (Lewis, 1988). This commanding statement about the failure to use new technology is regarding the blackboard in the 1840s.