Global Educational Research Journal: ISSN-2360-7963, Vol. 3(2): pp 258-264, February, 2015. Copyright © 2014 Spring Journals Full Length Research Paper The Use of ICT in Science Education Ateequ Mustapha Salihi Department of Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria Email: msiateequ@yahoo.com, msiateequ@gmail.com Accepted 27 th January, 2015 This paper attempts to analyze the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in science education from the point of view of learning and interest. Students’ interest in science and science learning is analyzed in the context of ICT use in science education and also possible ICT use. Examples of best practices in science education are given. The ideas on how ICT can be integrated into some basic teaching methods are presented. The paper also highlights the potentials of ICT use in science education. The conclusion summarizes the salient features of the paper. Keywords: ICT, learning, interest, learning management system, integration, teaching method. INTRODUCTION Recently, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become an important part of most organizations and business out fits (Linn, 2003). Computers started being used in schools in the early 1980s, and several researchers indicated that ICT will be an important integral part of teaching and learning for many generations to come. This is so because modern technology offers many means of improving teaching and learning in the classroom (Rudd et al., 2006). The use of ICT in education in most countries of the world concentrates on routine type tasks, like sporadic and mechanical information retrieval from the internet. However, teachers and students have high expectations for using computers in their classrooms. This is because ICT can make the teaching and learning of science more interesting, versatile and goal-oriented. It can motivate and activate students and promote co-operation; it can also enhance creativity in learning (Wellington, 2003). Survey made by Osborne and Hennessy (2003) shows that many science teachers feel themselves insecure to use ICT in education. They argued that ICT cannot be simply added to teaching and learning activities, because the objectives and methods of teaching and learning science will change when ICT is used in education. Instead of following routines with ICT, students should be led to active learning and collaboration. Consequently, it cannot be assumed that the use of ICT transforms science education in all cases for the better. Osborne and Hennessy (2003) further emphasize the role of the teacher in creating the conditions for ICT use, selecting and evaluating appropriate ICT tools, and designing teaching and learning activities. Features of effective teaching and learning According to Bransford, Brown and Cocking (2000), meaningful learning engages students in tackling the topic to be learnt in such a way that they create meaningful and understandable knowledge structures on the basis of a goal for learning. Based on their study, it is possible to present an outline of science learning with a focus on ICT used in learning. Learning represents each individual learner’s own personal knowledge construction process which presupposes each learner’s active, goal-oriented and feedback-seeking role. The constituents of meaningful learning, according to Bransford and Donovan (2005), are: activity, intention, contextualization, construction, collaboration, interaction, reflection, and transfer. These serve as development and selection criteria when choosing teaching and learning activities emphasizing ICT use. Activity and intention mean that students take responsibility for their own learning. Thus they set, together with a teacher, their learning goals and proceed according to a plan to reach the goals they set. This process may be facilitated, for example by guiding