Using the Technology

Using the Technology

I consider teaching respect for technology as is tool and how to use it effectively to be very important. In just about every field that I can think of, especially in Education, being able to understand and use technology is growing to be more and more important all the time. If Saint Norbert College doesn't prepare it's students to use that technology then it is doing its students a disservice.

Just as you improve students writing skills by emphasizing the writing process in all areas, not just English, you improve students' abilities to handle technology by using it in many areas, not just in technology oriented classes. Technology can be a terrific asset in and out of the classroom, with two caveats:

It needs to be a valid enhancement of the learning process, having substance and not just flash.
If it's hard to use, it won't be used."

Making it valid is important because there are times that, either due to inexperience or laziness, technology is used in ways that make its value questionable. Sometimes it is because the technology overcomplicates without enhancing, such as when more time is spent trying to make a computer work than is spent showing the simple PowerPoint presentation that the student wants to use. At other times technology is used to cover a lack of research, and material with pretty graphics and animations, hoping that the audience, like magpies, will look at the bright shiny object of technology and not notice that the very little time or dedication was put into the actual assignment.

Caveat #1: Make it valid!

But there are many ways in which I've seen IT used very effectively in classes, and some ways that I'd like to see it used. The internet used for research (I used it very successfully to that end on a paper I wrote recently on the ordination of women in the Catholic Church) can...

eliminate competition for the limited resources of the library collection.
allow access to very current information.

Once a book finally reaches publication, it's information is (on average) 5 years old.

allow access to a wider variety of resources and viewpoints.
make it possible and practical for students (through the addition of email and IRC) to conduct long distance "interviews" with experts and other sources for research papers.

Utilizing the Network

Using the the capabilities of the school's network Could make group projects easier for all involved:

File sharing and email can all help overcome the obstacles created by conflicting class and work schedules.
The network can be used for the dissemination of information.

Posting syllabi, syllabi updates, assignment details, and other information.
It can save paper, time, and trouble.

Email correspondence can make contact between professors, advisors, and students more easy and rapid gets around problem of conflicting office hours

Allows students to question professors about topics that either aren't entirely appropriate for the classroom discussion or simply didn't have the time to be asked.

Using a mailing list for the class would allow professors to quickly disseminate information to the whole class, and even multiple classes

I've used this email correspondence method with varying success. If it's going to work then the faculty have to be dedicated to making it work, as well as having the knowledge.

Multimedia Presentations

There are many practical advantages to having students (and professors) using multimedia presentations, whether for teaching or for class projects...

an Art History presentation in which scanned images of the artwork are included so the viewer can actually see the art instead of relying upon the presenter's text descriptions.
sound clips of famous speeches for historical presentations, or of alternate readings of poems or portions of plays, to show different interpretations of a written work.
being able to include historical documents (many of which are available online) to be referenced by hypertext link by the viewer.
images such as maps, charts, and diagrams included easily and linked to the appropriate text of the presentation.

By using computers as the source of these presentations rather than traditional mediums such as portable stereos or slide projectors, presenting the information is made more convenient and less dependent on special arrangements.

Using Netscape: The two major problems that would arise from using multimedia in the classroom...

making it easy enough to construct the presentations that the process of creating and presenting them doesn't interfere with the learning process
making sure the presentation is cross platform, so that professors and students can view them regardless the computer that they are using

...can be solved by using Netscape as the basic presentation program. Once the basic skills are acquired, it is easy to make Web pages and store them locally, rather than "publishing them". Almost every computer on campus has Netscape installed on it, and web pages work cross platform so it doesn't matter if the page is created on a Macintosh or a Windows machine.

Caveat #2: Making it easy to use!

Problem #1: Professors' non-acceptance of it's use.

This is the most important hurdle for students, since many will see no point in learning the technology if the professors won't accept it's use. There is some good reason for professors to be wary, the accuracy of information downloaded from the internet can be questionable. This is true of any medium, but more so for the internet because it is the exchange price for immediacy and ease of publication.

There is a price to pay, however, if professors make the sweeping decision to not allow its use in their courses (papers, essay's, etc.). For students who know how to use IT, and can see a valid way in which it can be applied, not being allowed to use it makes them doubt their professors and, if encountered in enough of their courses, makes them doubt the institution as a whole and the validity of their education. When touring high schoolers meet up with Norbertine students, their views of the school's technology use get communicated and may well affect a potential student's decision to attend Saint Norbert College.

Problem #2: An unbalanced playing field...

Not every student will come into college with adequate knowledge of how to use computers and related technology. Not every student will have computers of their own with which to gain access to computers outside of lab times or during times in which the labs are inaccessible (i.e. "crashed" or overcrowded labs). If IT is going to be given more emphasis (as it should) then steps need to be taken to make sure that students that don't have the advantages of experience and access aren't unduly hobbled.

Problem #3: Fear of technology...

This needs to be removed from both professors and students. They need to stop thinking of every desktop PC as a malevolent little brother of HAL the super computer, ready to jettison us out of an airlock if we don't worship them appropriately. The reality is that every PC is basically a big, dumb, box not half as smart as your average beagle and twice as harmless.

Neither are they glass sculptures that will crash and burn if you sneeze wrong. They are a lot more sturdy than many people seem to think (certain vicious weaknesses aside). The truth is that most so-called crashes can be recovered from without too much trouble, especially if students and professors are guided into developing some good habits, like saving often and making back ups.

Very often the best way to learn is through experimentation, and anyone who is afraid isn't going to experiment.

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	Using the Technology I consider teaching respect for technology as is tool and how to use it effectively to be very important. In just about every field that I can think of, especially in Education, being able to understand and use technology is growing to be more and more important all the time. If Saint Norbert College doesn't prepare it's students to use that technology then it is doing its students a disservice. Just as you improve students writing skills by emphasizing the writing process in all areas, not just English, you improve students' abilities to handle technology by using it in many areas, not just in technology oriented classes. Technology can be a terrific asset in and out of the classroom, with two caveats: It needs to be a valid enhancement of the learning process, having substance and not just flash. If it's hard to use, it won't be used." Making it valid is important because there are times that, either due to inexperience or laziness, technology is used in ways that make its value questionable. Sometimes it is because the technology overcomplicates without enhancing, such as when more time is spent trying to make a computer work than is spent showing the simple PowerPoint presentation that the student wants to use. At other times technology is used to cover a lack of research, and material with pretty graphics and animations, hoping that the audience, like magpies, will look at the bright shiny object of technology and not notice that the very little time or dedication was put into the actual assignment.
	Caveat #1: Make it valid! But there are many ways in which I've seen IT used very effectively in classes, and some ways that I'd like to see it used. The internet used for research (I used it very successfully to that end on a paper I wrote recently on the ordination of women in the Catholic Church) can... eliminate competition for the limited resources of the library collection. allow access to very current information. Once a book finally reaches publication, it's information is (on average) 5 years old. allow access to a wider variety of resources and viewpoints. make it possible and practical for students (through the addition of email and IRC) to conduct long distance "interviews" with experts and other sources for research papers. Utilizing the Network Using the the capabilities of the school's network Could make group projects easier for all involved: File sharing and email can all help overcome the obstacles created by conflicting class and work schedules. The network can be used for the dissemination of information. Posting syllabi, syllabi updates, assignment details, and other information. It can save paper, time, and trouble. Email correspondence can make contact between professors, advisors, and students more easy and rapid gets around problem of conflicting office hours Allows students to question professors about topics that either aren't entirely appropriate for the classroom discussion or simply didn't have the time to be asked. Using a mailing list for the class would allow professors to quickly disseminate information to the whole class, and even multiple classes I've used this email correspondence method with varying success. If it's going to work then the faculty have to be dedicated to making it work, as well as having the knowledge. Multimedia Presentations There are many practical advantages to having students (and professors) using multimedia presentations, whether for teaching or for class projects... an Art History presentation in which scanned images of the artwork are included so the viewer can actually see the art instead of relying upon the presenter's text descriptions. sound clips of famous speeches for historical presentations, or of alternate readings of poems or portions of plays, to show different interpretations of a written work. being able to include historical documents (many of which are available online) to be referenced by hypertext link by the viewer. images such as maps, charts, and diagrams included easily and linked to the appropriate text of the presentation. By using computers as the source of these presentations rather than traditional mediums such as portable stereos or slide projectors, presenting the information is made more convenient and less dependent on special arrangements. Using Netscape: The two major problems that would arise from using multimedia in the classroom... making it easy enough to construct the presentations that the process of creating and presenting them doesn't interfere with the learning process making sure the presentation is cross platform, so that professors and students can view them regardless the computer that they are using ...can be solved by using Netscape as the basic presentation program. Once the basic skills are acquired, it is easy to make Web pages and store them locally, rather than "publishing them". Almost every computer on campus has Netscape installed on it, and web pages work cross platform so it doesn't matter if the page is created on a Macintosh or a Windows machine.
	Caveat #2: Making it easy to use! Problem #1: Professors' non-acceptance of it's use. This is the most important hurdle for students, since many will see no point in learning the technology if the professors won't accept it's use. There is some good reason for professors to be wary, the accuracy of information downloaded from the internet can be questionable. This is true of any medium, but more so for the internet because it is the exchange price for immediacy and ease of publication. There is a price to pay, however, if professors make the sweeping decision to not allow its use in their courses (papers, essay's, etc.). For students who know how to use IT, and can see a valid way in which it can be applied, not being allowed to use it makes them doubt their professors and, if encountered in enough of their courses, makes them doubt the institution as a whole and the validity of their education. When touring high schoolers meet up with Norbertine students, their views of the school's technology use get communicated and may well affect a potential student's decision to attend Saint Norbert College. Problem #2: An unbalanced playing field... Not every student will come into college with adequate knowledge of how to use computers and related technology. Not every student will have computers of their own with which to gain access to computers outside of lab times or during times in which the labs are inaccessible (i.e. "crashed" or overcrowded labs). If IT is going to be given more emphasis (as it should) then steps need to be taken to make sure that students that don't have the advantages of experience and access aren't unduly hobbled. Problem #3: Fear of technology... This needs to be removed from both professors and students. They need to stop thinking of every desktop PC as a malevolent little brother of HAL the super computer, ready to jettison us out of an airlock if we don't worship them appropriately. The reality is that every PC is basically a big, dumb, box not half as smart as your average beagle and twice as harmless. Neither are they glass sculptures that will crash and burn if you sneeze wrong. They are a lot more sturdy than many people seem to think (certain vicious weaknesses aside). The truth is that most so-called crashes can be recovered from without too much trouble, especially if students and professors are guided into developing some good habits, like saving often and making back ups. Very often the best way to learn is through experimentation, and anyone who is afraid isn't going to experiment.
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