Week 3 Reflection

I think internet technologies will greatly affect education over the next twenty years, both in positive and negative ways. I’ve seen instances where technology has been used in fun and innovative ways to improve the learning experience. I gave this example in response to another student’s reflection post, but I once took a juvenile delinquency class where the professor had students use their cell phones to respond anonymously to questions. For example, questions would ask about illicit drug use or aggressive behaviors. The results were aggregated on the big screen for us. This set up allowed the professor to measure attendance and participation while also providing relevant examples of the course content. Another positive example of technology in the classroom came from this past Spring. Students in my law class were allowed to type their exams on a word document using lab computers which had the internet disabled. I personally preferred this to a written exam, as it made it easier to revise answers or to skip them and come back later.

However, I’m afraid there are more potential negatives than positives in regards to technology. Attention is a major issue. If a professor allows computers to be used, it’s hard to stop students from browsing the internet or texting friends, something that is easily done on computers nowadays. This is an even larger problem when professors post their slides before (or after) class. This disincentivizes students from actually tuning into the lecture, as they know everything they need for the exams is available through Carmen (or its equivalent). I’ve noticed that personally. Even if I have a really engaging professor, I find myself itching to check my email or text my friends.

Hybrid and online classes are also becoming more and more prevalent. While I’ve had great experiences with my hybrid courses (half online, half in-person), my online courses have varied greatly in terms of quality. Some have been organized poorly, making it difficult to determine what assignments are due when. But even in the most-structured ones I’ve found it hard to engage with the material and pay full attention to the lectures. My graduate school just released a fully-online version of my masters. While this is fantastic for working adults, it does make me wonder whether they would gain as much from the degree as a traditional student. Another concern I have with online degrees is that students, especially young ones, have a lot to gain by interacting with classmates and professors.