IT Considerations for the Classroom

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IT Considerations for the Classroom

• From McKeachie (2002)
• selected feedback from former and current STEP
  Fellows

Jennie Brown CETL May 2004
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IT Possibilities

• Put learning in hands of learner (mindtools)
• Diverse content
• Opportunity for collaboration
• increased engagement and motivation in some
  cases

3
Considerations before implementing IT

• Self
• Students
• Course content
• Available tools

4
Teacher (Self)

• Considerations
• Skills/experience
• Time
• Role as teacher/teaching philosophy
• Process
• Lecturer to guide
• Facilitating activities
• Guiding search for knowledge
• Mentoring
• Supporting

5
Students

• Considerations
• Skill/experience
• Access
• Learning styles
• Process
• Passive to active learner
• Monitoring
• Controlling
• Collaborating
• Doing

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How did you use technology with your students?

• Virtual chemistry lab experiments
• Students explored audio/visual examples in Matlab
• I used it tons I created a few online
  simulations and an online game. Also I did
  workshops on common programs like Excel and
  PowerPoint. One simulation was of Galileos
  thermometer which I used to demonstrate density

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Course Content

• Identify learning objectives/course goals
• Consider discipline-specific values
• McKeachie, pg. 208
• Knowledge comprehension
• Presentation and distribution
• Application analysis
• Drill and practice
• Critical thinking collaboration
• Interaction and communication
• Synthesis evaluation
• Creation and manipulation

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Concerns

• How to use IT without taking up too much class
  time
• How to integrate technology, rather than
  adding it
• Only use IT that supports course content and
  objectives. Weave it into daily activities or
  homework, or use it to reserve class time for
  face-to-face activities
• Focus on the teaching and learning, NOT the
  technology itself

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Available Tools

• Communication (present, collaborate)
• email, discussion boards
• Presentation (present, integrate)
• PowerPoint, Inspiration, Mimio, SofTV
• Information Search (present, integrate,
  manipulate)
• Web, databases
• Audio and Video (present, integrate)

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Available Tools

• Course Management (present, integrate, interact)
• WebCT, CoWeb
• Creation (interact, present, apply, synthesis)
• Databases, Lectora, Dreamweaver, Flash
• Discipline-specific (present, integrate,
  reinforce, apply)
• Matlab
• Distance Learning (present, interact)
• HorizonLive

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Concerns

• More active and interactive uses of IT
• Upload notes or presentations, so that students
  can view content from home and come to class
  ready for face-to-face activity
• Focus on tools that promote collaboration,
  application, and synthesis

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Barriers/Challenges

• Students not accustomed to using email or Web
  apps on a daily basis
• I expected the computers to function a little
  better. They had constant network and sound
  problems. The IT department was very slow in
  fixing anything. Students, the teacher, and I
  would become frustrated when the equipment did
  not work.
• There (was) limited access in the schools the
  students also were not expected to use technology
  that much.
• I do not recommend Audio labs unless the teacher
  has full control over the classSome students
  would just listen to musicor play games and surf
  the Web instead of doing their work

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Facilitating transition

• Give students time to make mistakes and learn how
  to use the technology
• Collect feedback from students periodically or
  encourage their regular feedback
• Set and state clear expectations

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Advice to new Fellows

• Just use it as much as you can because not a lot
  of these kids have access to tools like this.
• Tell the students up front that you are using
  instructional technology and that you will ask
  them about the experience later. I think
  technology is so infused into our culture now,
  that even when we use technology, we arent
  focused on its use and just take its benefits for
  granted

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Advice to new Fellows

• Do what you can with what you have.
• If you do computer labs, make sure the IT
  department gives you timely access to install
  programsAlso try to minimize the number of
  students in the lab (at one time)
• CHECK WHATS AVAILABLE EARLY AND OFTEN!

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Ask for assistance

• Talk to your teachers and IT support at the
  schools
• CETL has resources
• melissa.bachman_at_cetl.gatech.edu
• jennifer.brown_at_cetl.gatech.edu

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HTML Tools

• Jennie Melissa

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Co-Web

• http//pbl.cc.gatech.edu/step

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Other Web-editing software

• Lectora
• Dreamweaver