The Effect of New Technology
How does new technology change content input for students generally?
Oh boy, how doesn't it? This really goes back to McLuhan pointing out how television resulted in non-sequential learning. Other writers have said this goes back even further--as one noted, a modern newspaper breaks its stories up across several pages and puts diverse subjects together in an almost Dadaist collage.
But modern technology goes much further by making students interactive participants. Through hyperlinks they can explore in a lot of directions. I think the advantage of this is that they can see connections in new ways, but the disadvantage is that it can be harder to focus on one line of reasoning. As one writer put it, it's almost a pre-literate way of seeing the world. It certainly may be better for right brained invidiauls who see the world more in pictures. But traditional straight point A to point B teaching can be boring and difficult for some to follow, although not impossible with practice.
Another issue, not addressed here, is that the ability to critically separate genuine reality from trivia or false information can be much more difficult. Unless critical thinking is part of the mix you can end up with an almost overwhelming mass of uncorrelated and questionable data. So this has tremendous possibilities, but also huge problems.
PS For fun read the short story, "ms fnd in a lbry" for the problems of information overload. It is at: http://home.comcast.net/~bcleere/texts/draper.html
Hi Richard,
I loved reading the article you linked and it reminded me of my return to higher education for graduate school in the mid-90s. When I completed my bachelor's degree in the early 80s there were library cards and in the mid-90s only computer screens. I had no idea what had happened and how I would ever find a book again :)
I agree that new technlogy has affected the flow of perception and no longer does the logical flow seem linear but webbed and multilayered. I would suggest, however, that while those are changes, there is a different flow and percetion that we as educators need to constantly work through in order to fully integrate new approaches that support new ways of thinking in our courses.
Hi Ruth,
And yet, let's remember there should be "order in the chaos". Let the students chose their preferred media of access, but respond within set limits of time and space. I mean not later then the set time limit, and at the right place (designed space to upload assignment if you will)
Yes, Jack, I think there are external constraints that we all work within and we do not really do our students any favors in not setting similar expectations of them - particularly if we are teaching in the career or vocational area of programs. The "trick" is to allow students to explore within those limits without losing something in our hurry to reach the goals.
OK...define "new" technology. For example, the application of pre-recorded audio in education has been around for 50+ years, so what has changed? The hardware devices are smaller and subsequently more portable, e.g., an ipod is much more portable than a Sony Walkman from 20 years ago, and while the application is the same, the device is smaller and with more cabability. Basically, the same candy bar but in a different wrapper. Additionally, besides being smaller, they have expoentially more storage capacity, i.e., an audio cassette tape from 20 years ago is approximately the same size as an ipod, but has 1/1000 of the storage capacity as an ipod. Regardless, both consist of pre-recorded audio. The point is this...the technology will continue to evolve where access to content is more readily avaliable (via wireless), has more information (increased storage capacity), and more processing power (for video related applications). The real challenge is not in the device, but how the device is used. For example, research from some universities have shown when students listen to pre-recorded lectures deliverd via ipods, test scores have increased significantly (>15%). The operative phrase here is "listened to"...some students chose to listen to the pre-recorded lectures, and some do not. Students have indicated what they like best about the pre-recorded lectures is that they can listen to the lectures over and over again. What the research really shows is that continued exposure to the material will result in increased learning outcomes. Note: Similar reserach, with similar results, was done in 1990 by Dr. Harvey Stone of RPI using pre-recorded lectures distributed on videotape. The point is this...it's not the technology that increases student learning but how the technology is used by the student.
Hi Jolly,
Certainly distance learning has been around and used a variety of technology for many years. Also, instruction has often been supported by technology starting with the slate and scraper :) "New" technology usually refers to technology since the Internet that uses hypertext/hyperlink technology and web rather than linear connectivity. While within Internet-based learning environments, many technologies can be used and some that are quite new while others that are not, the technology of the Internet has introduced multidimensional and multilayerd functionality that challenges the very core of conventional instruction.
Convenient access to the internet makes it easier for students to follow their curiosity about things that come up in class. The quality and bias of sites and articles can be examined in groups and in the class. On the other hand, collaborative projects that involve sharing email addresses and phone numbers can intrude upon students' desire for privacy.
Good points, Scott. Using the Internet and Web2 tools is a great way to provide a context around projects so that students can share within that context and not elsewhere. This is helpful for teachers as well and keeps the focus on the collaborative skills being developed.
Good dialogue everybody!
There's a fine balance with implementing new technology so that the students have a "win-win" situation!
John
New technology provides different opportunities for students to experience learning in a manner that works best for them. As an example, YouTube is making great in-roads into the education world because of their video based education. Many students enjoy "hands on" training. I teach programming, database, and micro-computer application classes so I know the importance of "hands on" training so that the students can understand what I'm teaching. How does that statement relate to YouTube?? Well, these days, you can go to www.youtube.com and, as an example, type in a search request for MS Access Tutorials, and see a list of applicable videos. This way, the students get to "see" and "hear" the tutorial instead of just reading it!
John
Yes, I love your example of YouTube, John. There are many other sites now too that draw in the user to both viewing and publishing their own work - the essence of the Internet! It is this that can totally transform learning environments.
Yes, rather than simply using technology to create "busy work" and additional tasks for students. So true...
I still remember the days when you would get lots of fee based tutorial sites from search requests! These days, it's almost rare to see any fee based tutorials - yeah!
John
That's so true...my sense is that "expert" is being redefined along with the commodity known as education. The Internet provides fast and immediate access but that has also changed how content is viewed, valued, and packaged!
New technology and application of technology certainly keep everyone hopping. An example that we are all familiar would be a device like iPod. This is very handy for students who are on the road and want to listen to something other than music. It is now possible for instructors to create tidbits of knowledge in audio format that would be accessible to these students. I saw YouTube mentioned in another post and that provides one with audio and video. Technology advancements extend the content formats beyond what many of us used like presentations and textual documents.
Excellent point Diane!
The new technologies we've been blessed with over the past five years probably exceeds all those technologies prior to that time!
John
In fact, I would suggest that is a huge challenge for many instructors - getting past the regular confines and constraints of course content to extend beyond both in delivery of content and inviting input from students. Good ideas, Diane.
Technology really does impact the input of students. I have noticed that students tend to concentrate less on the quality of their writing when using technology especially in instant messaging and emails. They also tend to be more tempted to copy and paste from Internet sources as they tend to research using Internet as a primary source. On the other hand, students are also learning writing skills when taking an online class where most of the interaction is written.
Good points, Tami. The language used in most current exchanges is communicative rather than academic which means there is a lot of challenge to the instructor to encourage student interaction but at the same time keeping focused on the academic language development of their students.
