technology in the classroom
I just went to a presentation on technology in the classroom, as part of my quest to get that ever-so-useful piece of paper, the Graduate Teaching Certificate. These were the topics:
•Compass, our clunky campus-wide nonintuitive instructional site, by a young Food Science/Human Nutrition prof;
•Podcasting, by a 60-year-old Plant Science prof;
•iClickers, by a dorky Psych lecturer; and
•Having students critique Civilization IV, by someone from Communications.
What did I learn (aside from observing that people whose disciplines used to be consigned to the "vocational" section of high school feel the need to prove their tech savviness??) Well, I still don't think that technology is "worth it," by and large. When you consider the dollar/man hour/hassle cost of technology, actually teaching your students still seems to have a higher payoff. Of course, the rules probably change when you put them in 600-person lecture halls. All the presenters also seemed to have a rather dim view of the modern student as an attentionally challenged, distractable, entertainment-seeking slacker.
I recently read 2/3 of The Omnivore's Dilemma, which is partially about the growth of small organic farms into industrial organic agriculture. It seems relevant. I guess I'm still in favor of education being a family farm instead of a University of Phoenix style assembly line.
an iClicker:
posted by karenlikescereal @ 10:04 p. m.
2 Comments:
I've heard of a iClicker-like device being very useful in classrooms (yes, 600+) for keeping students involved and attentive. It's too bad that this presentation wasn't more motivating, since I think technology in the classroom is absolutely the next evolution in education; by the time we're all professors, students will be living their lives on their laptops and we might as well give them something to do.
The problem is when technology replaces good teaching, so your point is well taken. Unfortunately, most professors seem to think that incorporating technology into the classroom means using Powerpoint (made by Satan), so at least here you were exposed to some alternative ideas.
Actually, I thought the presentation was very interesting, kind of like Segways are interesting, but when it came to actually using the technology, it just seemed like the main purpose was to use technology, not to teach better.
Also, apparently cell phones will soon be useable as iClickers, so no one will have to buy them.
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