Many professors have an opinion about whether or not laptops are useful for individual students in the classroom. With the Internet providing access to a multitude of distractions, some professors have begun to wonder whether students are engaged in class. In the Q&A below, UGA faculty question if this is a problem, and if so, what should be done about it?
Sonya Collins, a freshman composition instructor who has been at the University of Georgia for a year, and Richard Neupert, a film studies professor who has been at the university for 16 years, weigh in on how they feel about laptops in the classroom.
Question: Have you noticed students paying more attention to the laptop in front of them than the lecture during class time?
Collins: Students in my class were required to use a website called EMMA to hand in papers and do most of their work on. But with one particular class, I noticed that everyone was on Facebook or Instant Messenger the entire time.
Neupert: Really just in the last three years, since the University went wireless. I had a student win an online poker tournament one time. I was in the middle of lecture, when all the sudden a group of students in the back began to cheer. They were just all watching this one student, rather than paying attention.
Question: So you have never thought to have any rules against it?
Collins: When it became too much of a problem, I attempted to fade out laptop usage. I told them to close their laptops when they didn’t need them. I hated it, because I felt like I was patrolling. I wanted it to be a room full of adults; I felt like a high school teacher.
Neupert: I am just not really sure it’s my job to patrol it. I can remember when students still asked if it was OK to use laptops in class. The only time I don’t allow it is during films. No electronic devices can be used during movies or the student will be dropped from the class.
Question: So do you think laptops are ever useful in class?
Collins: I think it’s a shame on the student side, because there are a lot of advantages to having laptops in class. The class I had trouble with was freshman class, and those students may be better about it now.
Neupert: Some things are great, some students are just too dependent upon. People are so constantly interwoven. It becomes too much of a distraction.
Scott Shamp, the director of the New Media Institute at UGA, understands why this can be a problem, but he also knows that it cannot be beat. He has his own opinion on how to deal with it.
Question: Have you noticed students paying more attention to the laptop in front of them than the lecture during class time?
Shamp: I don’t believe that you can make people focus. Young people today live in a totally different environment. Technology has made the walls to class more permeable, it’s not a sealed environment.
Question: So you have never thought to have any rules against it?
Shamp: I do not suffer under an illusion that students are paying more attention to me. There is no way to do away with it now. Professors are fighting a losing battle against technology. They are not put in there to be hall monitors. It’s not successful to tell them to shut their computers. It alienates them.
Question: So do you think laptops are ever useful in class? How can you make them more useful?
Shamp: I have had students stop me in lecture because I had gotten something wrong. They had been doing research on it while I was lecturing. I think the faculty has to up their game and create a more exciting, stronger visual environment. Instead of fighting it, the best professors find a way to use it.
Edited by Amanda Duvall
Showing posts with label Technology - education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Technology - education. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Erin Dillard - Second Article - Final Edit
Professors recognize technology as a distraction
By Erin Dillard
Oct. 6, 2009
ATHENS, Ga. - With today's immense texting and Internet opportunities, both students and faculty are experiencing a constant competition for student focus versus distractions.
With almost all students bringing cell phones and many bringing laptops to the classroom, disruptions and distractions during class time are inevitable. Still, laptops can be very useful in the classroom.
“I write very slowly, so it helps me get everything down,” said freshman Taylor Smyth, an early childhood education major.
Though to most students the constant access and use of cell phones and laptops seem normal, some professors recognize how recently the phenomenon occurred.
“It really is recent; mainly just in the last three years, since the University went wireless,” said Richard Neupert, a film studies professor.
Neupert has been at the University of Georgia for 16 years, and he can remember when students still asked permission to use laptops during class.
“I don’t think it’s an issue of the old professor versus the young students,” said Neupert. “Some things are great, but some things students are just too dependent upon.”
Neupert still allows students to use laptops during class, even though he had a student win an online poker tournament during one of his lectures.
“I was in the middle of lecture, when all the sudden a group of students in the back began to cheer,” he said. “They were just all watching this one student, rather than paying attention.”
He has also had complaints about students watching pornography on their laptops.
Neupert teaches large lecture classes, so it is easier for students to get away with not paying attention. Still, he allows students to have laptops during class.
“I am just not really sure it’s my job to patrol it,” he said.
He does, however, not allow laptops during films because considers bright laptops during a film a huge distraction, and he will even drop a student for using one.
Sonya Collins, a freshman English composition instructor, also allows students to use laptops during lecture and class time.
“Freshmen composition used a Web site called EMMA to access all class material, so the students brought their laptops,” Collins said.
“In one particular class, everyone was on Facebook and Instant Messenger the entire time,” she said. “I began to notice them closing their laptops when I walked around the room.”
It was easy for Collins to tell when students weren’t paying attention because her classes were small.
Collins slowly attempted to phase out laptop usage, by discouraging it, and tell students to close their laptops when she thought their usage wasn’t necessary.
“I hated it, because I felt like I was constantly patrolling,” she said. “I wanted it to be a room full of adults; I felt like a high school teacher.”
Though freshman Taylor Smyth finds her laptop useful, she agrees that it can have a negative side.
“I have noticed that it’s easy to get distracted with the Internet and Websites like Facebook,” she said.
Scott Shamp has his own view on how to deal with this feeling of “patrolling.” Being the director of the New Media Institute, Shamp embraces all that advancing technology has to offer.
“I don’t believe you can make people focus,” said Shamp. “Young people today live in a totally different environment. Attempting to create a distraction free vacuum is not the way to solve the problem.”
Shamp believes that the recent evolution of technology has made classroom walls permeable and no longer a sealed environment. Instead of fighting the revolution, the best professors find a way to use it.
“As professors, we need to help students and other faculty understand why it’s a bad communication strategy, but not necessarily a bad learning strategy,” he said.
“The classroom is 20 percent students, 80 percent professors. The faculty has to up their game and create an exciting, stronger, more visual learning environment in order to compete.”
Shamp believes that the classroom environment will only be different when the current learning generation becomes the ones who are teaching.
“Universities are big ships that don’t turn fast,” he said.
In the mean time, Shamp claims there is no use in fighting students who are determined to be distracted by iPhones and Facebook.
“Professors are fighting a losing battle against technology in the classroom; they aren’t put in there to be hall monitors.”
Edited Jessica Cole
By Erin Dillard
Oct. 6, 2009
ATHENS, Ga. - With today's immense texting and Internet opportunities, both students and faculty are experiencing a constant competition for student focus versus distractions.
With almost all students bringing cell phones and many bringing laptops to the classroom, disruptions and distractions during class time are inevitable. Still, laptops can be very useful in the classroom.
“I write very slowly, so it helps me get everything down,” said freshman Taylor Smyth, an early childhood education major.
Though to most students the constant access and use of cell phones and laptops seem normal, some professors recognize how recently the phenomenon occurred.
“It really is recent; mainly just in the last three years, since the University went wireless,” said Richard Neupert, a film studies professor.
Neupert has been at the University of Georgia for 16 years, and he can remember when students still asked permission to use laptops during class.
“I don’t think it’s an issue of the old professor versus the young students,” said Neupert. “Some things are great, but some things students are just too dependent upon.”
Neupert still allows students to use laptops during class, even though he had a student win an online poker tournament during one of his lectures.
“I was in the middle of lecture, when all the sudden a group of students in the back began to cheer,” he said. “They were just all watching this one student, rather than paying attention.”
He has also had complaints about students watching pornography on their laptops.
Neupert teaches large lecture classes, so it is easier for students to get away with not paying attention. Still, he allows students to have laptops during class.
“I am just not really sure it’s my job to patrol it,” he said.
He does, however, not allow laptops during films because considers bright laptops during a film a huge distraction, and he will even drop a student for using one.
Sonya Collins, a freshman English composition instructor, also allows students to use laptops during lecture and class time.
“Freshmen composition used a Web site called EMMA to access all class material, so the students brought their laptops,” Collins said.
“In one particular class, everyone was on Facebook and Instant Messenger the entire time,” she said. “I began to notice them closing their laptops when I walked around the room.”
It was easy for Collins to tell when students weren’t paying attention because her classes were small.
Collins slowly attempted to phase out laptop usage, by discouraging it, and tell students to close their laptops when she thought their usage wasn’t necessary.
“I hated it, because I felt like I was constantly patrolling,” she said. “I wanted it to be a room full of adults; I felt like a high school teacher.”
Though freshman Taylor Smyth finds her laptop useful, she agrees that it can have a negative side.
“I have noticed that it’s easy to get distracted with the Internet and Websites like Facebook,” she said.
Scott Shamp has his own view on how to deal with this feeling of “patrolling.” Being the director of the New Media Institute, Shamp embraces all that advancing technology has to offer.
“I don’t believe you can make people focus,” said Shamp. “Young people today live in a totally different environment. Attempting to create a distraction free vacuum is not the way to solve the problem.”
Shamp believes that the recent evolution of technology has made classroom walls permeable and no longer a sealed environment. Instead of fighting the revolution, the best professors find a way to use it.
“As professors, we need to help students and other faculty understand why it’s a bad communication strategy, but not necessarily a bad learning strategy,” he said.
“The classroom is 20 percent students, 80 percent professors. The faculty has to up their game and create an exciting, stronger, more visual learning environment in order to compete.”
Shamp believes that the classroom environment will only be different when the current learning generation becomes the ones who are teaching.
“Universities are big ships that don’t turn fast,” he said.
In the mean time, Shamp claims there is no use in fighting students who are determined to be distracted by iPhones and Facebook.
“Professors are fighting a losing battle against technology in the classroom; they aren’t put in there to be hall monitors.”
Edited Jessica Cole
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Editors Notes for Sarah Pelham
Power point technology in class lectures. Sarah's concerns that her topic is not very "newsy." She had a a lot of resources, making an exact direction difficult. One thing she noted was that professors were extremely passionate about power points, and had a lot to say about how they felt about them. Concern is lack of focus.
Important to note: what we have talked about recently in lecture - people are visual pleased first. Such as when reading newspapers - people's eyes are drawn to graphics. I think this could be a good point in noting why power point is beneficial. But, another point to make is that power point isn't newest form of technology, and students expect more out of technology than just power point slides with typing on them.
Alternate Lede: Visual media technology has altered the way professors teach and students learn at the University of Georgia, although neither group agrees whether or not these changes are necessary.
Important to note: what we have talked about recently in lecture - people are visual pleased first. Such as when reading newspapers - people's eyes are drawn to graphics. I think this could be a good point in noting why power point is beneficial. But, another point to make is that power point isn't newest form of technology, and students expect more out of technology than just power point slides with typing on them.
Alternate Lede: Visual media technology has altered the way professors teach and students learn at the University of Georgia, although neither group agrees whether or not these changes are necessary.
Pharmacy Building Receives New Addition
By Amanda Duval
October 6, 2009
ATHENS, Ga.-- Two years, 93,000 square-feet and $44 million later, the University of Georgia has a brand new pharmacy building, filled with brilliant technology and a lot of excited pharmacy students.
In November of 2007 UGA broke ground to begin building Pharmacy South, located on Green Street in South Campus, which came as a much needed addition to the outdated Robert C. Wilson Pharmacy that has been used since 1964.
Pharmacy South is attached to the R.C. Wilson building by a glass enclosed bridge on the second floor. The Wilson building will still be used for lecture for first-year pharmacy students, but the majority of the classes and labs will be held in Pharmacy South.
"It’s just a wonderful, wonderful addition,” said George Francisco, associate dean of the College of Pharmacy.
“Basically we had three years of students and classes that we had to work into two rooms, and it just made everything crazy. Classes were all day and we were trying to sandwich labs in the middle." Francisco said. "This [new addition] gives us some time to spread out the students so they have a more structured learning environment."
Pharmacy South is almost double the size of Pharmacy North and is home to two 194-seat auditoriums, three 30-seat classrooms, seminar rooms, discussion rooms, two large open research labs and an executive conference room.
"It allows the college to go from teaching classes of 120 students to classes of 200 students," said campus architect Danny Sniff. "It allows the College to meet the demands of educating new pharmacy students.”
In addition to the large amount of classroom space, there is also a large study area complete with wireless Internet computer stations, small group seating areas and hundreds or reference books at the fingertips of each pharmacy student enrolled. Kroger donated a large portion of the money used to build the new building, so the study room was named the Kroger Learning Center.
Another technological advancement in the pharmacy building is its capability to use distance learning.
“In each classroom we have two cameras in the back and one camera in the front of the room so that students who are on different campuses can watch and participate in the same lectures in Athens, at the same time as the students here,” said Francisco.
"We'll have some classes where professors in Augusta can teach us via broadcast," said Lora Oliver, a first-year pharmacy student from Oconee.
Distance learning is only one of the many advancements the new pharmacy building has to offer. In each of the open labs, there are flat screen televisions throughout the labs to ensure students can see exactly what their professors are doing at the front of the classroom.
Each lab has at least 10 student work stations with multiple cameras watching the students work and sending live feed to a control room where professors can observe multiple students at one time and ensure their success. At these stations, students will learn how to administer IVs, compound medicines and perform other tasks that practicing pharmacists do everyday.
Pharmacy South will undoubtedly have an effect on the more than 500 students currently enrolled in the College of Pharmacy and the nearly 40 faculty and staff members, but it will also have an effect on aspiring pharmacy students all over the state of Georgia since UGA has the only public college of pharmacy.
“I am so excited to be a part of the first class to use the new pharmacy building,” said first-year pharmacy student Lea Klingenbeck.
“The building is such a great place to learn and with all of the technological advancements, like the recorded lectures and labs,” said Klingenbeck. “The faculty and staff is doing everything they can to guarantee that each student is successful.”
Pharmacy South is the only building on campus to earn the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver Certification - a national benchmark for design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. Decisions to make the building LEED certified came primarily from students.
The new pharmacy building is considered by many students a home away from home. Since most students spend upwards of eight hours a day in the building the designers added space for each student to have a locker, showers for students who ride their bikes to class, and two student lounges for students needing a break or snack between classes.
Although the building only took two years to build, 20 years of planning went into the new Pharmacy South. With all the new state of the art equipment, it is interesting what part of the building is Francisco’s favorite.
Standing in the basement of the four story building, Francisco looks out over an empty parking lot, pushes a quarter-sized button and instantly sirens begin to sound.
“It’s only a garage door, but when you close it, it sounds exactly like Star Trek,” said Francisco.
Edited by Sarah Pelham
The Kroger Learning Center is an important part of the 93,000 square-foot
pharmacy building. The learning center has wireless Internet computer
stations, multiple study rooms and hundreds of reference books available
to the pharmacy students enjoying the new building.
Photo by Jon Kim
October 6, 2009
ATHENS, Ga.-- Two years, 93,000 square-feet and $44 million later, the University of Georgia has a brand new pharmacy building, filled with brilliant technology and a lot of excited pharmacy students.
In November of 2007 UGA broke ground to begin building Pharmacy South, located on Green Street in South Campus, which came as a much needed addition to the outdated Robert C. Wilson Pharmacy that has been used since 1964.
Pharmacy South is attached to the R.C. Wilson building by a glass enclosed bridge on the second floor. The Wilson building will still be used for lecture for first-year pharmacy students, but the majority of the classes and labs will be held in Pharmacy South.
"It’s just a wonderful, wonderful addition,” said George Francisco, associate dean of the College of Pharmacy.
“Basically we had three years of students and classes that we had to work into two rooms, and it just made everything crazy. Classes were all day and we were trying to sandwich labs in the middle." Francisco said. "This [new addition] gives us some time to spread out the students so they have a more structured learning environment."
Pharmacy South is almost double the size of Pharmacy North and is home to two 194-seat auditoriums, three 30-seat classrooms, seminar rooms, discussion rooms, two large open research labs and an executive conference room.
"It allows the college to go from teaching classes of 120 students to classes of 200 students," said campus architect Danny Sniff. "It allows the College to meet the demands of educating new pharmacy students.”
In addition to the large amount of classroom space, there is also a large study area complete with wireless Internet computer stations, small group seating areas and hundreds or reference books at the fingertips of each pharmacy student enrolled. Kroger donated a large portion of the money used to build the new building, so the study room was named the Kroger Learning Center.
Another technological advancement in the pharmacy building is its capability to use distance learning.
“In each classroom we have two cameras in the back and one camera in the front of the room so that students who are on different campuses can watch and participate in the same lectures in Athens, at the same time as the students here,” said Francisco.
"We'll have some classes where professors in Augusta can teach us via broadcast," said Lora Oliver, a first-year pharmacy student from Oconee.
Distance learning is only one of the many advancements the new pharmacy building has to offer. In each of the open labs, there are flat screen televisions throughout the labs to ensure students can see exactly what their professors are doing at the front of the classroom.
Each lab has at least 10 student work stations with multiple cameras watching the students work and sending live feed to a control room where professors can observe multiple students at one time and ensure their success. At these stations, students will learn how to administer IVs, compound medicines and perform other tasks that practicing pharmacists do everyday.
Pharmacy South will undoubtedly have an effect on the more than 500 students currently enrolled in the College of Pharmacy and the nearly 40 faculty and staff members, but it will also have an effect on aspiring pharmacy students all over the state of Georgia since UGA has the only public college of pharmacy.
“I am so excited to be a part of the first class to use the new pharmacy building,” said first-year pharmacy student Lea Klingenbeck.
“The building is such a great place to learn and with all of the technological advancements, like the recorded lectures and labs,” said Klingenbeck. “The faculty and staff is doing everything they can to guarantee that each student is successful.”
Pharmacy South is the only building on campus to earn the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver Certification - a national benchmark for design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. Decisions to make the building LEED certified came primarily from students.
The new pharmacy building is considered by many students a home away from home. Since most students spend upwards of eight hours a day in the building the designers added space for each student to have a locker, showers for students who ride their bikes to class, and two student lounges for students needing a break or snack between classes.
Although the building only took two years to build, 20 years of planning went into the new Pharmacy South. With all the new state of the art equipment, it is interesting what part of the building is Francisco’s favorite.
Standing in the basement of the four story building, Francisco looks out over an empty parking lot, pushes a quarter-sized button and instantly sirens begin to sound.
“It’s only a garage door, but when you close it, it sounds exactly like Star Trek,” said Francisco.
Edited by Sarah Pelham
The Kroger Learning Center is an important part of the 93,000 square-foot
pharmacy building. The learning center has wireless Internet computer
stations, multiple study rooms and hundreds of reference books available
to the pharmacy students enjoying the new building.
Photo by Jon Kim
Monday, September 28, 2009
Erin Dillard - First Draft, Second Article
PROFESSORS RECOGNIZE TECHNOLOGY AS DISTRACTIONS
By Erin Dillard
ATHENS, Ga. - With today’s booming texting and Internet opportunities, students and faculty both are experiencing a constant competition for distractions.
With almost all students bringing cell phones and many bringing laptops to the classroom, disruptions and distractions during class time are inevitable.
Though to most students the constant access and use of cell phones and laptops seems normal, some professors recognize how quickly and recently the phenomenon occurred.
“It really is recent; mainly really just in the last three years, since the university went wireless,” said Richard Neupert, an Introduction to Cinema professor.
Neupert has been at the University of Georgia for 16 years, and he can remember when students still asked permission to use laptops during class.
“I don’t think it’s an issue of the old professor versus the young students,” said Neupert. “Some things are great, but some things students are just too dependent upon.”
Neupert still allows students to use laptops during class, even though he has had a student win an online poker tournament during one of his lectures.
“I was in the middle of lecture, when all the sudden a group of students in the back began to cheer,” he said. “They were just all watching this one student, rather than paying attention.”
He has also had complaints about students watching pornography on their laptops. Still, he allowed students to have laptops during class.
“I am just not really sure it’s my job to patrol it,” he said.
He does, however, not allow lap tops during films and will even drop a student for doing so. He considers bright laptops during a film too much of a distraction.
Sonya Collins, a freshman English composition instructor, also allows students to use laptops during lecture and class time.
“Freshmen composition used a Website called EMMA to access all class material, so the students brought their lap tops,” Collins said.
“In one particular class, everyone was on Facebook and Instant Messenger the entire time,” she said. “I began to notice them closing their lap tops when I walked around the room.”
Collins slowly attempted to phase out lap top usage, by discouraging it, and tell students to close their lap tops when she thought their usage wasn’t necessary.
“I hated it, because I felt like I was constantly patrolling,” she said. “I wanted it to be a room full of adults; I felt like a high school teacher.”
Scott Shamp, the director of the New Media Institute, has his own view on how to deal with this feeling of “patrolling.”
“I don’t believe you can make people focus ,” said Shamp. “Young people today live in a totally different environment. Attempting to create a distraction free vacuum is not the way to solve the problem.”
Shamp believes that the recent evolution of technology has made classroom walls permeable and no longer a sealed environment. Instead of fighting the revolution, the best professors find a way to use it.
“As professors, we need to help students and other faculty understand why it’s a bad communication strategy, but not necessarily a bad learning strategy,” he said.
“It’s not successful to tell students to shut their computers; it alienates them,” he said.
“The classroom is 20 percent students, 80 percent me. The faculty has to up their game and create an exciting, stronger, more visual learning environment in order to compete.”
Shamp believes that the classroom environment will only be different when the current learning generation becomes the ones who are teaching.
“Universities are big ships that don’t turn fast,” he said.
In the mean time, Shamp claims that there is no use in fighting students who are determined to be distracted by I Phones and Facebook.
“Professors are fighting a losing battle against technology in the classroom; they aren’t put in there to be hall monitors.”
By Erin Dillard
ATHENS, Ga. - With today’s booming texting and Internet opportunities, students and faculty both are experiencing a constant competition for distractions.
With almost all students bringing cell phones and many bringing laptops to the classroom, disruptions and distractions during class time are inevitable.
Though to most students the constant access and use of cell phones and laptops seems normal, some professors recognize how quickly and recently the phenomenon occurred.
“It really is recent; mainly really just in the last three years, since the university went wireless,” said Richard Neupert, an Introduction to Cinema professor.
Neupert has been at the University of Georgia for 16 years, and he can remember when students still asked permission to use laptops during class.
“I don’t think it’s an issue of the old professor versus the young students,” said Neupert. “Some things are great, but some things students are just too dependent upon.”
Neupert still allows students to use laptops during class, even though he has had a student win an online poker tournament during one of his lectures.
“I was in the middle of lecture, when all the sudden a group of students in the back began to cheer,” he said. “They were just all watching this one student, rather than paying attention.”
He has also had complaints about students watching pornography on their laptops. Still, he allowed students to have laptops during class.
“I am just not really sure it’s my job to patrol it,” he said.
He does, however, not allow lap tops during films and will even drop a student for doing so. He considers bright laptops during a film too much of a distraction.
Sonya Collins, a freshman English composition instructor, also allows students to use laptops during lecture and class time.
“Freshmen composition used a Website called EMMA to access all class material, so the students brought their lap tops,” Collins said.
“In one particular class, everyone was on Facebook and Instant Messenger the entire time,” she said. “I began to notice them closing their lap tops when I walked around the room.”
Collins slowly attempted to phase out lap top usage, by discouraging it, and tell students to close their lap tops when she thought their usage wasn’t necessary.
“I hated it, because I felt like I was constantly patrolling,” she said. “I wanted it to be a room full of adults; I felt like a high school teacher.”
Scott Shamp, the director of the New Media Institute, has his own view on how to deal with this feeling of “patrolling.”
“I don’t believe you can make people focus ,” said Shamp. “Young people today live in a totally different environment. Attempting to create a distraction free vacuum is not the way to solve the problem.”
Shamp believes that the recent evolution of technology has made classroom walls permeable and no longer a sealed environment. Instead of fighting the revolution, the best professors find a way to use it.
“As professors, we need to help students and other faculty understand why it’s a bad communication strategy, but not necessarily a bad learning strategy,” he said.
“It’s not successful to tell students to shut their computers; it alienates them,” he said.
“The classroom is 20 percent students, 80 percent me. The faculty has to up their game and create an exciting, stronger, more visual learning environment in order to compete.”
Shamp believes that the classroom environment will only be different when the current learning generation becomes the ones who are teaching.
“Universities are big ships that don’t turn fast,” he said.
In the mean time, Shamp claims that there is no use in fighting students who are determined to be distracted by I Phones and Facebook.
“Professors are fighting a losing battle against technology in the classroom; they aren’t put in there to be hall monitors.”
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
FINAL EDIT with Pictures - Private School Embraces New Resources, By Erin Dillard
Computers at Wesleyan in the fifth grade computer lab. Copywright Erin Dillard, 2009.
Private School Embraces New Resources
By Erin Dillard
NORCROSS, Ga. - With the way that the technology industry has exploded over the past decade, there is no stopping its effect on the education system.
Ten years ago, Wesleyan, a private school located in
Wesleyan is a college preparatory school that hosts grades kindergarten through twelfth, with a faculty of about 200 people.
“Wesleyan began placing SMART Boards in every classroom in 2006, and the school has continued to grow from there,” said Carol Horner, who is currently in her fifth year as the director of technology at Wesleyan.
SMART Boards are white boards that can be manually written on and then automatically coordinated with a computer. The high school received SMART Boards the following summer.
“I enjoy the SMART boards a lot. I think that they are very helpful to those of us that are visual learners,” said Connor Pendry, a 13-year-old eighth grade student. “The teacher can be explaining a lesson while also giving us visual aid. Almost all of the teachers use the SMART boards every day.”
After three years of using SMART Boards, Wesleyan is already introducing a new technology program. The high school has gone wireless and every high school faculty member has received Toshiba Tablets.
The tablets are small laptops that can fold into electronic notebooks. Teachers use a plastic stylus to write notes, and the notes can immediately be transferred to a SMART Board.
Tablets can be placed on docking stations, where all information stored on the tablet can be sent to printers or to another computer. The printed copies have the note-takers exact handwriting on them.
The expansion of technology in the education system each year brings the need for not only educating students, but teachers as well. All incoming teachers are required to take a course on how to use the SMART Boards and are offered additional courses for further instruction.
“For my first year last year, I was required to take the SMART Board training in the fall, and then a course of my choosing in the spring,” said Corrie Nash, a 10th and 11th grade Geometry teacher.
Wesleyan offers a variety of courses that teachers can choose to take. The classes are called “Computer U” and offer 30 different subjects. The classes are offered once in the fall and once in the spring.
“They recommended SynchronEyes for any teachers who take students to the computer labs, so I signed up for that” said Nash. “SynchronEyes is our ‘monitoring’ system, so that we can keep up with what all our students are doing on the computers from the teacher’s PC.”
Nash uses this program to make sure all of her students are on task and can block the Internet or games to keep them on track.
“Computer U is a really great program because it offers a wide variety, with everything from Word and Excel to SMART Boards,” said Horner. “There are lots and lots of choices for class development.”
The Computer U classes are offered during school hours, so teachers must find a substitute teacher for their students while they are enrolled in a class, so there are some drawbacks to the opportunity.
“I hate to be out of class and organize for a sub. I like to keep the continuity of my class flowing,” said Ashley Stainback, a ninth-grade Algebra teacher.
“The technology does not help me teach my class,” Stainback said. “It becomes unaligned so much that it detracts from my lesson. I use it occasionally but not as much as other teachers.”
Horner and other technology and computer associated teachers instruct the classes. Deborah Kelleher, a fifth-grade computer teacher, is one of these instructors.
Kelleher currently works with Internet programs not only to teacher her students content but also to help students familiarize themselves with the Internet.
Kelleher creates videos of interacting robots to lecture students with a Website called Xtranormal. Another Website, called Wikispace, allows Kelleher to post assignments, Websites and movie media, which students and their parents can then access.
“What I think is so interesting about the whole technology education process is that we are teaching and learning stuff that’s going to be outdated very soon,” Kelleher said. “What we will be learning in the next year or two, we have no idea.”
Edited By: Sarah Pelham
Connor Pendry, a 13-year-old eigth grade student, uses one of the many computers found in the middle school classroomson Sept. 4, 2009. Copywright Erin Dillard, 2009.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)