There are many different ways of learning and almost as many ways of teaching. Some students learn better by listening to a lecture, others through reading.  A large group of students are the ‘hands on’ type. This makes science a part curly interesting subject to teach. In a traditional classroom setting, teachers have the ability to utilize all three teaching methodologies.  Unfortunately, some of these methods don’t translate very well to online science classes. The growing popularity of online classes has made it necessary for teachers, educators and administrators to develop a new way to teach science, specifically to online students. The answer is science tutorials.

These are not your average, everyday, garden variety tutorial. Instead, online science tutorials and online degree programs are the perfect replacement for the traditional science class and laboratory.  Many of these tutorials can be found online for free; however, the best are typically associated with a school or university and available only to students.

They are used for the simple purpose of allowing students to gain the knowledge and skills inherent in a laboratory classroom from the comfort of their home. Perfect examples are tutorials designed for anatomy or zoology classes. In the traditional calls room setting, both of these classes require hours of lab work – specifically dissection.  Science tutorials are an effective replacement for laboratory dissection.  Students would follow along with an interactive presentation, allowing them to effectively experience the experiment or dissection.

There are science tutorials that are applicable for almost every science class imaginable, as well tutorials for high school students and college students.  While college students are the primary target for these tutorials, there is a growing market for home schooled high school students as well.

Every online science class should include at least one tutorial to assist students with gaining a better understanding of lab concepts.

Many students don’t like to take science classes. They feel that they are difficult, time consuming and provide little value. Unfortunately, students do not realize how valuable an education with a basis in science can be. Science courses do more than teach a student about science. They provide them with the skills needed for inquiry based learning, promote problem solving, help develop groups skills and even help provide students with a basis for further learning or a career.

One of the biggest problems faced by our students today is the belief that most teachers teach to the test. What this really means is our students are not being taught to question or to learn through inquiry. Science is an inquiry based subject. In other words students who take science classes are taught to question theories and to develop tests in order to qualify the results. These skills are invaluable for those interested in higher education.

Problem solving is also largely ignored by current teaching methods. Again this means because so many teachers teach to the test they are neglecting the need to teach our students to solve problems. Science classes teach these skills by presenting students with a problem or a theory and asking them to prove or disprove it.

Because so many of today’s science classes are based on lap partner work or at least team lab work, science courses in high school can help develop group work skills. By learning to work with others and to share responsibilities for assignments students are better prepared for the future.

Classes offered by accredited online colleges provides students with an idea for future career goals as well as develop interests for their continuing education. Science may very well be the basis upon which an entire education and career can be built. This is only true when students stop being afraid of science class

While it is true that every student is required to take some classes in United States there is also a big degree of flexibility built in to the course selection process. Course selection allows students to determine which classes they would like to take as well as what direction they would like their high school and education career to precede in. Spending an adequate amount of time determining course selection at the beginning of a student’s high school career can help mold the student into the person they wish to be.

First it is important to understand what courses and curriculum are required by the state and local school district in which the student resides. For example most high schools require students to take four years of English. These classes are in effect nonnegotiable. Other courses such as history classes, social studies, government and anthropology can be substituted for each other. Still other courses such as Mathematics may have requirements for one or two years but offer four or five different classes.

Ideally a student will sit down at the beginning of the high school career with an idea of what they would like to do with their future. This information can be used to help design a curriculum that is specific to their needs and interests. Students interested in engineering should select science classes such as physics, math classes such as Precalculus and trigonometry and focus less on electives such as anthropology and comparative religion. Students interested in information technology should logically focus on computer based classes and less on arts and history.

Every student should be encouraged to select electives which will allow them to pursue additional interests. Music, drama and art are excellent ideas. Remember that a school is a time of learning in exploration and the ideal school curriculum will be designed to allow students to do that.