Here I am, blogging at 3:43 in the morning because I clearly have some latent anxiety about teaching with technology, and perhaps technology in general. In our last class, I was super pumped about the capabilities of social bookmarking and wikis. However, I felt the first underpinnings of fear that students (and myself!) would become overwhelmed with "too much of a good thing." I enjoyed poking around in Delicous and Pintrist but I can also see how these features could quickly become a time vacuum. So, for four nights since our last class, I have awoken in the middle of the night, either because of unsettling dreams about teaching with technology catastrophies or because I was talking in my sleep about using technology. (My poor husband!) I know it sounds crazy. However, in a way I'm glad that this anxiety has surfaced because it forces me to contemplate both the benefits and drawback of these emerging technologies.
I can clearly see the beauty of using Wikis for class; I feel that this technology can truly enhance a class experience and provide students with one platform for the entire class. Wikis can also be sounding boards on which students can continue the dialogue after class---sometimes 3 hours just isn't enough time! I feel that social bookmarking sites could be incredibly useful for organizing resources, but I think that this technology would be more useful for individuals and colleagues, rather than whole classes. The scientific article sharing site that we discussed last week could be a great resource for students who are doing a project together.
Now that I've gotten some of these fears off my chest, hopefully I can go back to sleep. I'm glad to see that my dog isn't sharing in my anxiety, as he is curled up asleep on the couch beside me.
Oh no! I hate that you are feeling anxious, but I absolutely understand. There are so many possibilities when it comes to teaching with technology, it can be overwhelming. Just take it one possibility at a time, and I think you will be just fine! Also looking at those possibilities through the lens of your teaching perspective and the challenges you face in your classroom should help as well.
ReplyDeleteIf all else fails, pet the doggie. That is scientifically proven to lower blood pressure :-)
Next time so much anxiety and waking up, maybe some baking might do the trick. I hear cooking for your technology class can lower your cholesterol!!!!
ReplyDeleteI share the nervousness about teaching and technology, I want to make sure what I am using as technology is helping their learning, not another thing for them to do or another bell or whistle to use. How do we determine what is good and not for teaching is to try the new technology and get feedback from students. That is the only way I can know if what I am doing is helping them learn.
I think that the concern about teaching and technology is one that is shared by a lot of people. However, I think that perhaps some of the anxieties of some professors, including us soon to be professors, can be explained by the generation gap between us and our students. Millennial students seem to have no problem about using technology within the classroom. Their concept of social media as a means to communicate has been with them well before they started college. I can't imagine having facebook when I was in 5th grade, but for college freshmen today that is their reality. Additionally integration of classroom technology is something that is second nature to them. I remember in high school a teacher of mine was the only person in my high school to even use powerpoint. Everyone was so impressed and a special projector had to be borrowed (the school only had one) to use powerpoint. Now that technology is not only the norm, but somewhat outdated.
ReplyDeleteVery much the same. I agree with you Andrea and Cayce.
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