09.+Conclusions+&+Future+Directions

=Conclusions and Future Directions=

This project aimed to compare traditional and online science education. Initially it was intended to compare the two by application of a framework, but this was found to be very difficult due to the range of different frameworks applied to different methods of teaching, depending on context, learning style, teaching style, resources available, institutional constraints and so on. As was shown in both the literature review and case studies, there are a range of frameworks which can be applied to traditional science education. Similarly, there are a range of frameworks which can be applied to online science education. In some cases these frameworks overlap, but in some cases they don't. This means that it is equally difficult to compare two methods of teaching science traditionally as it is to compare online and traditional science education, and furthermore would not lead to an accurate comparison.

Therefore, it was found to be more beneficial to compare and contrast the two areas from a more general point of view, with a focus on the case studies to highlight the different ways that different frameworks suit different learning environments. This was more enlightening and ultimately became the task at hand.

It became clear during the research stage of this project that though many institutions and educators want to shift to newer methods of teaching science, such as the incorporation of constructivism and scaffolded knowledge integration into on-campus science teaching, this remains difficult due to such factors as large student numbers and the varying student backgrounds. As such, there is a growing shift to teaching science via online learning environments. As was discussed in the literature review, studies are finding these new methods of science teaching as if not more effective than traditional science education, as they allow students to engage continually with the content, provide an environment for collaborative discussion and visible thinking and promote a facilitator rather than instructor relationship between educator and student. From the research it seems apparent that there will be a necessary shift to asynchronous, online methods of science education, not only for the aforementioned reasons but also as more students are also working to support their studies and cannot attend day classes. Online methods of education are also beneficial to adult learners who are working full time or have family commitments. Therefore, educators need to embrace the range of new technologies available for online education, as well as consider the implications of incorporating new and appropriate theories and frameworks into the design of new curricula and environments appropriate for teaching science online.