TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM

Mallory PhillipsNick HaddadHaley Hatch

Hannah Gauthier

Focus Points

-The benefits and challenges of new technology in the teaching/learning experience

-The use of CLICKERS in the classroom-Teacher/Student communication

-office visits, email, cell phone communication

-The use of BLACKBOARD-The use of ELLUMINATE LIVE (E-LIVE)

CLICKERS

-Students do prefer clickers in the classroom -81% of students said they were more likely

to answer a ? by clicker than verbally-Professors using clickers took an additional 3

hrs to plan their lectures-No studies have revealed a significant

difference in retention or grades between classes that use clickers and classes that don’t

-Less than 3% of students said they thought purchasing a clicker was not justified

CLICKERS

-Research on the use of clickers -Research to date seems to suggest it is

how the instructor makes use of the clickers, rather than the adaption of clickers themselves, that determines their effectiveness

- Clickers were found to be much more effective in student participation when used in a large lecture setting

Faculty/Student Communication

-How does technology benefit and enhance the communication between faculty and their students?

-What challenges or issues arise with the use of technology to communicate?

-How should faculty go about setting boundaries?

Faculty/Student Communication

Change in Contacts per week

Visits Email Phone Calls

Text Message

WrittenNotes

All Contacts

Considerable Decline 30%

21% 0% 15% 8% 23% 1%

Some Decline 5-30%

24% 0% 25% 0% 24% 8%

No Change 43% 8% 47% 79% 51% 28%

Some Increase 5-30%

10% 25% 10% 6% 2% 44%

Considerable Increase 30%+

3% 68% 4% 7% 0% 19%

# Responses 241 240 236 221 234 239

(279 faculty members participated in Sept. 2009 Indiana University of Pennsylvania)

Faculty/Student CommunicationEMAIL

-Concerns: Pressure of availability Setting boundaries-Benefits: Students more satisfied with e-mail interaction Now primary form of communication Works well for time/place restrictions

Response Time Time in Syllabus Time not in Syllabus

Total

4 hrs or next day 58% 55% 57%

6 hrs or next day 12% 15% 14%

8 hrs or next day 10% 11% 10%

24 hrs 17% 12% 15%

48 hrs 2% 7% 4%

Over 48hrs 1% 0% 1%

#Responses 153 121 274

Faculty/Student CommunicationText/Phone Calls

BENEFITS-Relatively inexpensive-Easy to notify of rescheduled/cancelled classes,

reminders of deadlines, alerts to check email, updates

-Contacting off-site students (distance learning) CONCERNS-Distance/time restriction-Personal schedules and boundariesRESEARCH: (2009 U of Pennsylvania study, 279 faculty

members)

-52% of faculty do not share their cell phone number-only 10% listed a cell number on the syllabus

Faculty/Student CommunicationSKYPE

Concerns: Bandwidth usage

Security

Benefits:Podcasts

Collaborate on researchLow cost

Transfer of files

BlackboardFocus Points

OVER 70% of COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES USE BB

-How does using Blackboard benefit the teaching/learning experience?

-Does Blackboard enhance learning?-Does the use of Blackboard impact grades,

student participation?-What challenges arise with the use of

Blackboard in the classroom?-What are the negative effects of using

Blackboard?

BlackboardBenefits

Increased Availability: can access BB from internet anytime, anywhere w/internet access

Quick Feedback: Instant grading, BB Gradebook, faculty can provide written feedback on BB.

-Students like to know what their grades are as quickly as possible

Improved Communication: announcements, discussion board, email/message.

-Students can effectively communicate with the professor and with other students in the class

Tracking: allows students to keep track of their progress/grades, helps students stay on schedule, keep up with deadlines

Access to Course Materials: 2005 study at Bowdorn College found that 61% of students said BB was most beneficial for accessing course material (PowerPoint's, lecture material, assignments,etc)

BlackboardProblems

-Blackboard Limits Creativity: Instructors are confined to a very specific course format/layout

-System Inefficiencies: Computer systems go down, have technical issues

-Cannot become too reliant on BB-Cost of BB: $7 Billion in 2004 on Education Technology -costs effect students, student fees increase -maintenance of BB is the highest cost -costs will continue to rise as BB becomes bigger and bigger

-Confusion: U of Wisconsin survey found that students get confused on BB, unsure how to use it, navigate it, turn assignments in on BB

BlackboardUniversity of North Dakota Study

Study: Intro Level Psychology Course 2 classes, 200 students in each One class used BB, other didn’t Same course content Same 50 multiple choice test

Study Findings: Students in the class that did not use BB scored higher or all three tests and labs.

Could be because the students with access to BB were less likely to attend the lectures, rather just view the lecture slides on BB

Elluminate LiveE-LIVE

THE VIRTUAL CLASSROOM: Blending online and in-class course. Students “attend” class online( or have choice of attending in-class)

E-LIVEBenefits

-Facilitates real-time interaction in virtual environment

-Simulates face-face communication -between teacher-student and student-student-Professors can hold virtual office hours-Makes course available to students who may not

have access otherwise-Creates a more interactive relationship vs. strictly

online-More courses can become available to more students -courses that require “in-class” time-”Bridges the distance gap, brings the class &

teacher right into you living room” (Georgia State campus blog)

E-LIVE Benefits

-Reduces fear of public-speaking: students are able to “speak-up in class” without being in front of anyone

-With Direct Messaging, students are able to type in their questions/comments without interrupting class

-”Students are able to learn in many ways through writing, reading, listening, viewing, and speaking” Vivan Beaty

(Director of Instructional Technology Henry Ford College)

E-LIVEProblems

-2005 study in Australia: interviews with 10 Professors using E-live

-Very few students used the option to speak in class (using the microphone). Often the same few students would speak each class period

-Students were able to have “side-conversations” with Direct Messaging, which was distracting

-Some Direct Messages (typed messages) would be missed, some questions do not get answered

E-LIVEProblems

STUDENT PERSONAL EXPERIENCE W/E-LIVE-So much attention paid to “technical issues”-More attention is given to those on E-LIVE vs. those in class-Only one microphone in the classroom: people on E-LIVE do not

always get to hear the questions asked in class-Not all computers are the same, some computers cannot open

certain files

ABSENCES/ATTENDANCE-Even though the class in online, and available from any place,

any time, room for absences should still be available. -UAA Athletes: When on road trips, time-difference, conflict of

itinerary, access to internet, etc. -Students listening together, not always counted in attendance

Conclusion/ Discussion

-New technology can have both beneficial and negative impacts in the classroom setting

-In many ways, technology enhances the communication and interaction between the teacher and the student and amongst the students in the class

-It is dangerous to become too reliant on technology, for with all technology comes technical difficulties

-The cost of new technology effects faculty and students

-Regardless of differing opinions about the use of technology in the classroom, technology is here to stay.

IMPLICATIONS

-Make sure all students know how to use the forms of technology being used in the class

-Provide instructional courses on how to use/navigate BlackBoard and E-Live for example

-Make communication boundaries clear to the students

-Make sure technology is properly integrated with course content. (Making sure the use of clickers, for example, fits into the structure of the course)