Every
professor in our department uses technology in their classrooms.
For example, all of us use Power Point lectures. For some
assignments, students must create a slide lecture for class
presentations. We require term papers and assignments that
require typing and in some cases multiple drafts. In one of my
cases, I use my digital ink PC to mark up student drafts for revision
and grade assignments using digital ink. In the introduction to
sociology class (SOC137), students can and usually do use the
publishers’ websites
to access notes, take practice exams, and to complete
assignments. In
other classes, students download data or obtain electronic reports for
class
discussion.
All of
us use audio-visuals in our classes. In fact, we have four
classrooms
all of which have complete AV set-ups. We update software
annually
so that students are exposed to the latest versions. Moreover,
our
equipment is essentially on a three year rotation so that students and
professors
have access to up-to-date technology. This involves a great deal
of
commitment because of the cost associated with new software and
hardware;
our money could be spent on other things, but we choose to put
resources
toward student needs and preferences.
We
teach
one class, SOC379 (formally SOC479), data analysis, which requires
students
to learn a statistical program. Using this program, they learn to
create data files, to manipulate data, and to run data analysis
procedures. They print-out results and write reports based on
those results. Few, if any, education students take this course,
however.
In
terms
of issues, we often make the assumption that students are computer
savvy.
I have not found that to be universally true. A substantial
number
of students have never worked with Power Point files, for example, and
even
have trouble dealing with files.