Reading Notes 1

These were really interesting readings for me. As a techno-phobe, I am always leery of using technology in the classroom, especially with students who likely know more about it than I do. Thus, my first entry focuses on technology, and hopefully getting some insight from you all about how to handle technology in the classroom.

I found it interesting how both Davis and Lang discussed the use of Power Point in lectures, and emphasized the positive help Power Point can be in a classroom. As a communication major, I remember teaching students the benefits of Power Point, and the downfalls of Power Point. The downfalls addressed by Lang are spot on. “You should use these visual displays only to highlight the main concepts from the lecture; doing more than this will result in students copying down furiously every detail from your slide, and not listening to a word you are saying” (Lang, 2008, pg. 75). The times I have used Power Point while teaching led to students not even noticing that I asked a question or arguing after an exam about topics on the exam that were not on the Power Point slides. There seems to be a dangerous precedent in students minds that whatever is on the Power Point slide is the ONLY information they need. As teachers, how can we fight the precedent? What can we do to show students, especially freshmen and sophomores, that the information on the screen is as important as the information we are discussing? I would love to get insight from others about how we, as teachers and students, can make sure that both what is on the screen, and what is being said, are equally important. This is also a critical issue for me because I expect students to listen to their classmates while giving speeches, whether they use Power Point or not. If students doze off or are not paying attention to me, I am not as concerned. However, their classmates deserve respect when delivering speeches. Many students are concerned about public speaking, and looking out into a group of dozing classmates does not help confidence.

I was also intrigued by Lang’s comment towards the end of the chapter on technology. “As I’ve already said, you do not need to make use of technology in any way to be an effective teacher” (Lang, 2008, p. 59). With students lives completely engrossed by technology (Facebook, Twitter, cell phones, iPods, etc.), it seems like a teacher would be more effective if they used technology. From my past teaching experience, students almost expect technology to be used. I would use Power Point presentations every now and then, but not with every class. However, many students would come into class expecting to see Power Point lectures every day, and to be given copies of the slides. Students who missed class would email and ask for copies of the Power Point. These freshmen all seemed to assume that Power Point was required of instructors, and that I was expected to make all of my work available to them. Students relate to technology, and it is an essential part of their lives (including ours, as a discussion after class regarding no internet showed). Is this still possible and relevant for today’s classroom to NOT use technology? I think it is important to look at the role of technology, and whether it has become a necessity in today’s classroom. I would love to not use technology in the classroom and focus on only using the whiteboard. However, it seems like student’s dependence (and dare I say obsession) with technology makes it almost essential for use in the classroom.

Hopefully some of you have insights into this. I seem to ask more questions than anything else. Maybe some of you have ideas on how to help this techno-phobe.