Technology: February 2008 Archives

Wikis are typically used to collaboratively write documents, but I used a wiki page in class today to compile a list of websites as students found them on their laptops. I had pairs of students search for certain types of sites, and when they found something they liked, they copy/pasted the URL into the wiki page--all right there in class. Simple and effective, and now we have a master list for everyone to reference as they continue through the class project we're working on.

Don't slap me - a wiki is simply a web-based document that all invited participants can edit collaboratively. It's much easier than emailing updated versions of a Word document, for example, and works great for group (or committee) projects. I'm trying it this semester - more details later.

Apple's iTunes has revolutionized the music industry, but the iTunes website has also quietly built quite a selection of podcasts made by faculty for their courses. Most of these are free, so go poke around and see what's there. It's easy to make your own podcasts as well, so you could post them on your website (or somewhere at LVC). One great use is to time-shift your lectures so you can use valuable class time for more interactive activities.

During the last weekend in January of 2008, Barry Hill, Joel Kline, Mike Fry, and Jim Duffy attended the Educause Learning Initiative Conference in San Antonio. For me, (Barry), it represented a completely unexpected mindshift in my perspective on how students approach not just learning, but life in general. I have not generally used a great deal of technology in the classroom, and only viewing it as a tool to simply supplement what we do in our classes. It finally dawned on me that students don't just use technology, they live it and don't even think about it. They obtain information, collaborate with friends, and generate content in a totally digital media world. In other words,