EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE FOR THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES K-6TH

THE NATION'S LACK OF SCIENTIFIC LITERACY IS AFFECTING ITS ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS. SCIENCE EDUCATION BEGINS IN HIGH SCHOOL WHERE IT IS TAUGHT WITH UNCERTAIN QUALITY TO TOO FEW STUDENTS. LITTLE OR NO SCIENCE IS TAUGHT IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHEN STUDENTS NATURAL CURIOSITY IS GREATEST. IMPROVED COMPUTER SOFTWARE CAN HELP IN THE EFFORTS TO ENRICH THE CURRICULUM MATERIALS NEEDED FOR THE PRIMARY GRADES. THE SMALL AMOUNT OF SCIENCE COURSEWARE AVAILABLE IN THIS AGE GROUP IS LIMITED IN CONCEPTUALIZATION AND CONTENT. RESEARCHERS ARE CREATING ANIMATED COMPUTER GAMES TO DESIGN ENTHRALLING COMPUTER TEACHING AIDS FOR THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES FOR THE ELEMENTARY GRADES. THE GOAL IS TO DEVELOP A STRONG INTUITIVE UNDERSTANDING AND ENTHUSIASM IN SCIENCE IN THE YOUNGEST STUDENTS. SEEING THE ELECTRONS FLOW, THE RESISTERS RESIST, THE MOLECULES COMBINE, AND THE WAVE FORMS COLLIDE IN ANIMATED FORMATS THAT INVOLVE ACTION GAMES, BRAIN TEASERS, ADVENTURES, AND PROBLEM SOLVING CAN INTRODUCE CONCEPTS AND INTUITION IN SCIENCE IN WAYS NEVER BEFORE POSSIBLE. RESEARCHERS ARE PRODUCING THE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS FOR COMPUTER PRODUCTS THAT ILLUSTRATE CENTRAL CONCEPTS IN ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM, CHEMISTRY, OPTICS, MECHANICS, AND DIGITAL AND ANALOG CIRCUITRY.