Abstract—Two application aspects of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in science education are given. First, RFID technology contributes in carrying out scientific inquiry at all levels; taking “the classification of plants” as an example, we put forward that the application of RFID is conducive in creating individual situational scientific inquiry and that it provides students with multidimensional ways of cooperation and interaction. In addition, it contributes to the integration of formative assessment and summative evaluation. Second, RFID technology provides a way for students to understand the nature of science; the example of “plants classification” shows the relationship between science inquiry and the nature of science. Taking the “pendulum” as another example, we propose that RFID technology helps students in understanding the nature of science.
Index Terms—RFID, science education, scientific inquiry, nature of science
Xiao Huang is with the Physics Department of East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, and the Department of Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Zhejiang, Jinhua 321004, P.R. China. (e-mail: huangxiao@zjnu.cn)
Yau-yuen YEUNG is with the Department of Science and Environmental Studies, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Lo Ping 10, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong. (Email:yyyeung@ied.edu.hk)
Siu Cheung KONG is with the Department of Mathematics and Information Technology, the Hong Kong Institute of Education, Lo Ping 10, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong. (E-mail:sckong@ied.edu.hk)
Wei Gao is with the Department of Information, Yunnan Normal University, Yunnan, Kunming, 650092, P.R. China. Also he is PhD student in the Department of Mathematics, Soochow University, Jiangsu, Suzhou, 215006, P.R. China. (E-mail: gaowei@ynnu.edu.cn).
Cite: Xiao Huang, Yau Yuen Yeung, Siu Cheung Kong, and Wei Gao, "Application of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) in Science Education," International Journal of Information and Education Technology vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 254-260, 2011.