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Tuesday, 2/20/2001
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Tuesday, 2/20/2001
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 Teachers should use new methodsThe purpose of technology, broadly considered, is to make it possible to do more — more work in a given amount of time, or more things that were not previously possible. Teachers of today have more resources at their disposal than did teachers of 20 years ago, yet as classroom technology has evolved, in some cases, methods of teaching have devolved. Specifically, I'm talking about the notorious PowerPoint classes in which the professor reads each slide almost verbatim, while students marvel at this newfound cure for insomnia. Before they fall asleep, anyway. I suppose this is the most recent variant on the "don't think; just write down everything the teacher says and study it later" approach to teaching. Thanks to technology, the approach is now "don't think; just try to stay awake." To get a college education these days, it is almost as if students don't even have to know how to read — there are plenty of erudite, experienced professors who can read aloud better than many highly trained daycare workers. It is difficult not to feel disappointed when this is the culmination of our academic efforts thus far. It is hard to stay motivated to come to such abysmally boring classes, hard not to feel as if our time is being wasted, and it's hard to stay awake when the lights are dim and that deep blue background is sucking the intelligence out of our eyeballs. This kind of teaching represents a grievous failure to integrate technology in the classroom. Instead of using PowerPoint, for example, as a lecture guide, or for clarification, or as a visual aid, PowerPoint is the lecture. PowerPoint: So easy, a professor could even do it. Is this higher learning? Tyler Hooker Sophomore, Schools of Engineering |
Napster should charge monthly subscriptions
Sweatshop protesters need solutions
Napster holds great importance Teachers should use new methods
OPINIONS DESK PHONE: Opinions editor:
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