Students enrolled in advanced biology classes in a Guam high school carried out multimedia science projects using Hyperstudio. The processes involved in planning and carrying out this type of work are described and suggestions for improving implementation and student learning are offered.
Advanced biology is one of the most difficult subjects for high school students.
Mere lecturing seldom sparks students' interest and involves them as active participants in the learning process. It is well known that students learn best when they construct their knowledge, collaborate in knowledge construction, and present it in a way that appeals to their interests. Joe Mancuso, a science teacher in a public high school in Guam, decided to take a different teaching approach by getting students involved in multimedia science projects. The students were to conduct research on biological topics covered in class, create multimedia presentations and demonstrate to the class their understanding of these topics. The first author, Wang,, was invited to Joe's classroom as a researcher.