Technology in College Education

On Technology in College Education

Personally, I have never been so obsessed with technology that I forget that there was a time when people did do things “the long way” simply because there was no other way available to them to do some things. A common example that my grandparents used on us is our handheld calculators, capable of solving in seconds or minutes what would have taken hours and sometimes days to solve with other means. There are so many similarly useful gadgets

We know that colleges and universities are not only made up of young high school graduates and other young men and women seeking a higher education than they have up until that time received. There are many of the latter generations who are either returning to school in order to complete unfinished degrees, who have just now in their mid to later years of life decided to obtain a higher education, and some of those who just want to be enrolled in a few classes that interest them. Yes, perhaps the majority of students are those young, fast-paced students born and raised with the latest technologies and innovations of our day; but what about those students who feel that they were never meant to adopt and apply this wealth of new technology, and frankly don’t want to be bothered with it either way? An even more interesting question would be to ask how teachers, advisors, librarians and professors are handling the flood of these amazing new resources? How effectively do they use new technology in the classroom, advising appointments, and libraries?

Jennifer Endres and Danielle Tisinger of the University of Minnesota gave some insight on this subject.

“When we meet with students, we should model good behavior by turning off our radios, phone ringers, or computer speakers….We need to make sure that the answers we provide are correct and properly spelled….We should address them in face-to-face conversations and email replies courteously and professionally. We should use teachable moments to reinforce the grammar, spelling, and contextual expectations we have for email and instant messaging.” (Endres)

Endres makes it clear that teachers and advisors are expected to use and apply the same technology being used by the students they are expected to advise or instruct. Whether the student is ahead or behind the times, it is the instructors who are held to the task of assisting all types of students in their specific needs. Additionally, instructors are expected to be an example of academic prowess in their use of these new technologies and to teach students to have the same academic integrity as they would with or without the use of technology.

In truth, it is incredible how we have and do use technology. Computers make communication between students, instructors and advisors almost easy. Cell phones allow us to quickly connect at almost any time or location. With some I-pods students can connect to the internet and download audio or video instructions given by instructors, allowing them to listen while they walk. Students meet and connect with each other faster and to a far greater extent than ever before. The saying “it’s all done online now” is becoming more common. Teachers post announcements, assignments, grades and other information online. Many students take online courses, often eliminating the need for so many instructors. Endres said that students today “prefer web-based resources such as Facebook for forming groups and staying in contact with friends; they turn to iTunes and downloadable media sources for entertainment, and use RateMyProfessors.com and Wikipedia.org as academic resources.” (Endres)

Whatever happens, it is clear that “technology and its applications on college campuses is not going away.” (Endres 1) Technology will only become more present and common among students and instructors as time goes on and more people adopt it into their day to day activities. As long as students and instructors alike use technology appropriately it can be to the advantage of both.

In conclusion, one web site explained the increased motivation students felt when they used technology available to them.

“Teachers talked about motivation from a number of different perspectives. Some mentioned motivation with respect to working in a specific subject area, for example, a greater willingness to write or to work on computational skills. Others spoke in terms of more general motivational effects--student satisfaction with the immediate feedback provided by the computer and the sense of accomplishment and power gained in working with technology”

Truly, technology is beneficial and should continue to be used in and out of the classroom, and teachers should be ready to adjust to the technological needs of all of their students.

WORKS CITED

(1) Endres, J. and Tisinger. D. (2007). Digital Distractions: College Students in the 21^st Century. Retrieved from the NACADA clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web site: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/Digital-Distractions.htm

(2) http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html