ABSTRACT
Remote access technology in STEM education fills dual roles as an educational tool to deliver science education (Educational Technology) and as a means to teach about technology itself (Technology Education). A five-lesson sequence was introduced to eleven to twelve-year-old students at an urban school. The lesson sequences were inquiry-based, hands-on, and utilized active learning pedagogies which have been implemented in STEM classrooms worldwide. Each lesson employed a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) accessed remotely. Students were assessed using multiple choice questions to ascertain (1) technology education learning gains: did students gain an understanding of how electron microscopes work? and (2) educational technology learning gains: did students gain a better understanding of lesson content through use of the electron microscope? Likert-item surveys were developed, distributed and analyzed to established how remote access technology affected student attitudes toward science, college, and technology. Participating students had a positive increase in attitudes toward scientific technology by engaging in the lesson sequences; reported positive attitudes toward remote access experiences; and exhibited learning gains in the science behind the SEM technology they accessed remotely. These findings suggest that remote experiences are a strong form of technology education, but also that future research could explore ways to strengthen remote access as an educational technology (a tool to deliver lesson content), such as one-on-one engagement. This study promotes future research into inquiry-based, hands-on, integrated lessons approach that utilize educational technology learning through remote instruments as a pedagogy to increase students' engagement with and learning of the T in STEM.
