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I liked this source too much. As the role of the teacher: "The instructor's role moves from providing and structuring the information and knowledge through lectures and presentations to modeling, coaching, and scaffolding learners as they use information and create knowledge to solve contextual real-life problems". I ask myself: To what extent, I create such authentic environments in my classes.

That is such an inevitable and reasonable concern; the extent we imply authentic environments in our classrooms. Sometimes it is for the sake of applying without including the essential elements of authentic learning. Time concerns or motivation and knowledge levels of teachers might be some issues related.

I deeply believe the power of motivation to learn and classroom technology can be used to enhance students' motivation in learning of the specific content. Still, it is open to debate effective use of technology in classrooms, especially in our country. To deal with this inefficiency of classroom technology, we need to focus on teachers' technology literacy and try to develop this literacy.

Hi Özlem Hoca, BBC news you shared with us is very advisable to our friends. (1) I agree that computers may have the possibility to be distractors for learning and they may be abused by some students. Students may prefer to use computers for activities other than for school activities. When I was an intern teacher, I wanted to show how a literature search is performed to my 20, 9th grade "Project" (noncredit course) students in 2006, I ended up running from one student to another because as I leave him/her with his/her search, s/he began to sign in facebook and their emails. (2) I also agree that plagiarism may occur in homeworks due to internet resources. (3) Another interesting opinion in this news is that "We're training the students to use technology which hasn't yet been invented." We are training the students to the future that is not defined, not yet clear.

I think integrating technology in classrooms is inevitable as computers have been being used in lots of areas in the world and it is a little bit optimistic to assume that education will escape from this "invasion". Today's students live with technology and indeed, technology can enhance the representation of a topic, communication among learners, eliminate time and space limitations in reaching information, etc. The article says that "frequent" use of computers in schools is more likely to be associated with lower results. Instead of frequent use, one should know how one can healthily get benefit from computers, when to use it, how to use it, when not to use it, etc. Those questions are still major questions in modern educational science research. Findings from such research can enhance the positive impact of technology in classrooms.

Having read this week's reading assignment, a part of which focuses on this particular result, I felt the need to comment on your share Özlem hocam. It is mentioned in Chapter 1: Introduction that "in the 1980s, cognitive scientists like Roger Schank and Seymour Papert made claims that computers would transform the schools and learning. This was a rather radical claim and it helped form a strong consensus among parents, bussiness community, politicians that getting computers into schools was a must. During 1990s, installing computers and the Internet in schools was a major trend. By 2003, 95% of all the schools in the US had their computers and were connected to the Internet. However, the impact of this huge investment was highly disappointing. Studies had shown computer use was not correlated with improved student performance. When the reserachers began to study to find the reason, they found out that the computer use in schools was not based on learning sciences; instead, they were being used as an extension of instructional classroom. By this I mean, bringing technology to the classrooms was not enough without changing the structure of instruction. Educational software has been based on instructionist theories, with the computer performing roles that are traditionally performed by the teacher. Teachers and students were not aware of how to use those computers efficiently. Students read the texts on the computers instead of reading them on books.Learning scientists continue to emphasize the powerful role that computers can play in transforming all learning. But they reject instructionalism and behaviorism. Instead, they present a new vision of computers in schools. They suggest that computer should take on a more facilitating role, helping learners have the kind of experiences that lead to deep learning."

Hi Elanur Hoca, thank you for sharing this news with us. I agree to many things written in this news. 1. I agree that students are unhappy in school. Anybody who have teaching experience must have seen that when the last bell rings and the classes end, the students begin running to escape from school. The body never lies. 2. I agree that "non-academic factors" such as resilience, grit and empathy can have a profound impact on young people" and their ability to succeed. 3. I also agree that person's wellbeing, and overall life outcomes and success in life is affected by much more than academic grades. They are affected by their character attributes, and their social and emotional skills.

How fun it looks! It gives immediate feedback about the time and velocity. It visualizes the invisible; such as a map. Yet, it looks practicing more than teaching a new concept as I understand. Also, the user interacts mainly with physical objects rather than accessing the virtual information. So, can we call it lightly augmented reality?

If you ever use it in your classes, please let us know Selçuk :) A friend mentioned that a similar 4D app has great implications for biology. I was wondering if it also has implications for other branches of science.

Chemistry and technology... Who you gonna call: SELÇUK :) That's an interesting app, however I think it's not enough on its own to teach anything. It still requires appropriate curriculum to make use of it. So, maybe we can think about how to use this technology as best as we could. What kinds of activities can be created?

There are other applications like that, for example Anatomy 4D for biology classes. Maybe your friend could use that application, Ceren. There are also Animal 4D+ and Space 4D+ for another lessons as I know. I also see the studies of Bilal Özçakır who is research assistant at Ahi Evran University. He develop some applications for his doctoral thesis with Erdinç Çakıroğlu at our university. I use that application at my classes at university and even at that age, students enjoy it very much. Even after lesson, they continue to use it and the effect of it at smaller age can be more motivating, I think. Beside like Armağan said, it is beneficial only with the appropriate curriculum and also well-designed lesson, I think. The lack of micro level understanding can develop with these applications at chemistry. Thanks for the jingle, also :)

I tried this application Selcuk. It s really entertaining :)

I am happy that you find it entertaining. When I first use it, I cannot leave my mobile phone for a while :)