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A Skeptic’s Perspective on Teaching With Technology
Through surveys, in panel discussions and in class, the “net generation” of students has made one thing clear: more and more, instructors are expected to use technology in teaching and learning. Despite this mandate, many instructors may not meet students’ expectations. Why wouldn’t they? As it turns out, instructors may have good reasons for not using a particular technology or for proceeding with caution.
Recently at the Digital Media Center we offered our annual Digital Teaching Workshop, which is designed for faculty and P&A instructors who are new to teaching with technology or who want to refresh themselves on the subject. The Digital Media Center advocates the thoughtful integration of technology into teaching, grounded in scholarship. When Gloria Williams, an associate professor in the Department of Design, Housing and Apparel, signed up for the workshop we saw a unique opportunity to gain insight on why instructors might be slow about introducing technology into the classroom. Williams told us that while she was keen on learning about educational technologies, she was a skeptic. After the workshop concluded we talked to her to learn more about her reactions to the workshop and her thoughts on teaching with technology. We also interviewed Remi Duoah, who has known her for almost twenty years, first as a Ph.D. advisee and later as a colleague and friend.
Williams came to the University of Minnesota 45 years ago as a graduate student and has been teaching here for most of that time. Douah says that Williams is a “fabulous teacher,” who patiently guided him through every step of writing his dissertation. But, he added, in class “students rebelled a little bit against her” because she wouldn’t accept their assignments via e-mail. “We thought it was easier to send her homework via e-mail instead of walking it over to the department.” That was many years ago, and even now Williams’ use of e-mail is minimal. During the summer, she checks her e-mail once a week in her office and only recently has purchased a computer at home. Douah remembers well Williams’ reasons for not taking assignments via e-mail: Williams did all of her work at her kitchen table, whether she was reading papers or meeting with students. She preferred not to read from a screen, anyway, so why not just ask students to leave the hard copy in her mailbox? Douah concludes: “She wanted to do it on her own terms, which is good.”
A common assumption about those who refuse or are skeptical about e-mail and other technologies is they are not interested in learning new things, which is certainly not true of Williams. She is an experienced instructor, but she is also a lifelong learner who pursues new subjects with zeal. As a graduate student she developed the habit of sitting in on others’ courses, which she continues to do today. “I was always the student sitting in the front row. My mind was open.” Williams first learned about uses of educational technology by sitting in on classes taught by colleagues such as Brad Hokanson and Daniel Jasper, where she provided peer review but also learned much. When they used technology she “saw that the classroom experiences were enhanced and the learning experiences for students were such fun.”
So what does she think about educational technology? Williams is particularly critical about how PowerPoint is commonly used. “Presenters tend to read from the screen, and you’re forced to choose between paying attention to the screen or the speaker. I tend to pay attention to the speaker and disregard what’s on the screen because you get to see facial expressions; it’s more interesting.” However, she does not fault the technology itself. She recognizes its potential as an effective communication medium and intends to learn more. She also recognizes that other technologies have made obtaining course materials so much easier. “It’s wonderful that there are now so many e-journals,” though she wryly adds anyone who visits her office can confirm that the electronic age is not a paperless age. In sum, if she sees value in a technology she’ll learn more about it. Says Douah, “She is a critical observer and very pragmatic in her thinking.”
Now that Williams has completed the Digital Teaching Workshop, she intends to learn more through attending UTTC (University Technology Training Center) short courses and working with Digital Media Center consultants. “I’ve learned two or three things, and I’ll go back and refresh myself. I don’t intend to have an online course immediately, but I’ll try one thing at a time.”
Last modified Wednesday, 01-Aug-2007 10:53:21 CDT
