The document discusses the pros and cons of using technology in the classroom. It acknowledges that technology can engage students and keep up with their interests, but it can also overwhelm students and take focus away from the core lessons. The document provides tips for teachers on gradually integrating technology, using tools that fit their strengths and class needs, and ensuring technology helps students become better learners. It also highlights specific technologies like Blackboard, presentation software, audio/video recording, and screen capturing that teachers can utilize.

1. TECHNOLOGY
in the classroom

2. To use it or not to use it:
THAT is the question
Good reasons to use Good reasons to avoid or
technology: limit use of technology:
 Keep up with  Students aren’t always
students’ interests proficient; can become
and proficiencies overwhelmed
 Part of 21st century  Can take the focus off
learning that we of what we’re teaching
cannot and should  Doesn’t always work as
not ignore it should
 Engages students  Can be time-consuming
 Engages us or require too much
 Can make teaching work
some concepts  Can be fun and cool but
easier not pedagogically
sound

3. To consider . . .
 What do you already know? What is
your comfort level?
– Do you use Facebook and Twitter? Do
you have a laptop or iPad? Do you
regularly read blogs and RSS feeds?
 What is your teaching style and how
might technology complement that
style?

4. To consider . . .
 What is your access to technology?
 What does your school provide?
 How much (if anything) do you want to
spend out of pocket?
 How much time/energy do you have
to invest in this aspect of your
career?
– As opposed to concentrating on
pedagogy, mastering your school’s
curriculum, refining your teaching
skills, conducting research

5. To consider . . .
 Allof those questions focus on you as the
teacher. The most important question,
though, should focus on your students:
–What technology will help
them become better
learners, writers, readers,
thinkers?

6. Integrating technology into your
classes
 Start gradually.
– Don’t try to use all of these exciting
technologies in one semester
 Think about your “lifeload”:
– Your own classes; jobs; spouses and
children.
– Technology can be time-consuming and
frustrating

7. Integrating technology into your
classes
 Use “down” time:
– Summer and other breaks, periods
during the semester when you have
little or no grading
 Look for professional development
or other learning opportunities:
– Summer technology workshops,
opportunities by UC organizations such
as the Teaching & Technology
Committee, sessions at
professional conferences

8. Integrating technology into your
classes
 Keep a log/journal/list of
technologies you want to investigate.
 Choose technologies that utilize your
strength or expertise:
 You’re a strong public speaker: use audio and
video recording technologies
 You’re a visual learner/teacher: use artistic
presentation software
 You’re an organization freak: re-organize
Blackboard or use your own blog or wiki

9. Integrating technology into your
classes
 Think
about your class and cater
technology accordingly:
 You’re teaching ENGL 1000 and many
students struggle with paragraph cohesion.
 Can you expect them to master a wiki?
 You’re teaching an Honors section and
students are driven and independent.
 Can you assign a multimedia text in addition to a
written essay?
 You’re teaching a short summer section.
 Can you expect students to create and maintain a
comprehensive website?

10. Other current and future
considerations
 How do we include students with
disabilities?
 How do we accommodate students
without access to technology at
home?
 How do we avoid contributing further
to the rising cost of higher
education?

11. Now that I have you bummed out . . .
 Let’s play with technology!
 Blackboard
 Presentation software
 Audio
 Video
 Screen capture software
 On the horizon: iPads, apps, social
networking, oh my!

12. Blackboard: It’s all
we’ve got, baby
 Make it your own! Personalize with:
 Buttons
 Organization (subheads, dividers, tool links)
 Banners
 Colors
 Consistent announcements
 Visual formatting:
Course ToolsCustomizationStyle

13. Blackboard …
 Create interactions:
 Discussion Board (I use for peer review)
 Blogs (class or individual)
 Wikis (I don’t love them, but hey, you might)
 Journals (good for personal writing)
 SafeAssign (for research essays)
 Starfish (again, don’t love it. I use Google
Docs and post link to Blackboard)
 CollaborationOffice Hours: Bb’s chat
function. Works great for off-campus
conferences and student group work

14. Blackboard . . .
 Build content
 RSS, audio, image, video, URL
 Learning Modules and Content Folders
 SlideShare and YouTube
 Add Interactive Tool
 Various options

15. Presentation Software
 In
one corner, the reigning champion,
PowerPoint vs. the contender, Prezi
 Experiences? Impressions? Preferences?
 Are you presenting or entertaining?
 Good for flipped instruction, online
instruction, introduction, and review
 My bias: Prezi jumps too much, distracts my
students, is better when I’m present
 Others:
 Adobe Presenter (ExPENsive!)
 Keynote for iPad ($9.99)

16. Audio
 What’s on your computer?
 Any iPad voice recorder that
produces mp3 files
 Audacity: free and easy
 http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
Suggestions & Cautions:
 Make sure files aren’t too big
 Don’t use for grading
 Write a script

17. Video
 What’s on your computer or iPad?
 Your decision: record your face or
your computer screen?
 Suggestions & Cautions:
 A brief introductory video of you or a weekly
vlog is nice, but beyond that students
probably don’t want to see your face so much
 Avoid recording “lectures”
 Write a script if necessary
 Let your students do the recording!
(accompanied by something
written, of course)

18. Screen Capture Images & Videos
 PowerPoint videos
 Convey presentations in video and static form
 Yourown YouTube channel or store
on Screencast.com
 House your own videos and links to often-used
or favorite videos
 Authorstream and Slideshare hosting
 www.authorstream.com and www.slideshare.net
 Jing and Screencast-O-Matic
 Capture images or videos;
create tutorials and presentations

19. Screen Capture Images & Videos
 Screencast-O-Matic
 www.screencast-o-matic.com
 Website, so you can use it from any computer
 My favorite for making screen capture videos
 Will upload directly to YouTube
 Jing
 House your own videos and links to often-used
or favorite videos
 Must be downloaded, so it’s computer specific
 My favorite for capturing images
 Must upload to Screencast.com

20. Your Own Creation
 Create your own website/blog/wiki
 My favorite: Wordpress
 Others: tumblr, blogger, blogspot,
pbworks (wiki)
 Suggestions & Cautions:
 Very time-consuming
 Must have a clear purpose
 Consider it an investment in your career and
do it only if worthwhile

21. Recast and other assignments:
The good, the bad, and the ugly
 Encouraging students to use
technology:
 The more you use technology, the more your
students will use it
 Teach them what you know, but . . .
 Also let them experiment
 Use UC resources such as the STRC
 Set up a practice Discussion Board
 Post final products somewhere like
Discussion Board or a Bb blog
 Make them write about it!
Analyze, reflect, and so on

22. Recast and other assignments:
The good, the bad, and the ugly
 My research steps: Blogs and Vlogs
 Recasts from fall semester:
 iMovie video
 Screencast video presentation
 Screen captured Prezi video
 Prezi
 Facebook page
 Twitter feed
 Blog
 Comic strip
 Tumblr site

23. On the horizon
 iPad and apps
 Cell phone and other mobile devices
 Social networking

24. My wish list . . . To investigate
 iPad & apps
 iAnnotate and Evernote organizer
 RSS feeds
 Voicethread
 conversations in the cloud
 Pearltrees
 collect, organize, and share Web content
 Pinterest (just because it’s fun)
 Zotero
 research organization

25. UC IT’s list of “8 Time-Saving Tech Tools
That We Can’t Live Without”
 Zotero – zotero.org
 Dropbox – dropbox.com
 Jing – techsmith.com/jing
 Google Calendar – calendar.google.com
 Remember the Milk –
rememberthemilk.com (organizer)
 Evernote – evernote.com
 Diigo – diigo.com (digital bookmarking)
 Doodle – doodle.com (meeting time poll)
Source: UC IT and Center for the Enhancement
of Teaching & Learning, Dec. 27, 2011

26. Teacher vs. Technology: may the
best human win
 Do not let technology replace you.
YOU are the teacher. Technology is
your tool. Nothing beats a one-on-
one relationship between student
and teacher. (Nobody’s going to give
an apple – or a Starbucks gift card,
or a nice note, or a smile
– to your computer.)