As promised, below are the rest of the tips for getting started with technology:

• Do not assume all students are tech whizbangs.

  Many have discussed the juxtaposition of “digital natives,” aka, students, and “digital immigrants,” aka, many instructors.  Consequently, the general perception is that students are tech-savvy, multi-tasking individuals who can do anything and everything technological without blinking an eye.

  However, plenty of case studies will point out that many students can be surprisingly tentative, nervous, and tech-averse.  Even if students are adept with texting or downloading MP3s, they do not come to your class automatically ready to blog about course topics or eager to create a digital story based on their analysis of War and Peace.

  Be honest and open with your students.  Even if you are comfortable with the technology, you may need some time to adjust to the new approach, and your students may need even more time and guidance to adjust.  Everyone can benefit from a “we’re in this together” approach.

  Additionally, you might consider asking students about their previous experiences with technology-enhanced learning.  Unfavorable past experiences can predispose students to be resistant to future encounters with technology in their courses.

 

• Be prepared for things to deviate from expectations.

  Using a tech tool for the first time is like using any other tool for the first time: Unpredictable things can happen.

  We all know technical difficulties can occur at any time.  Planning ahead and testing help ward off major snafus, but some glitches may not be discoverable until a course goes live.

  Try to remain calm and go with the flow.

  Adopt the attitude that if some aspect does not go quite as planned, then it is a learning experience.

  Instructors are always evaluating their teaching by assessing what works and what does not work. Stir the use of technology tools into your usual reflections upon your teaching.  If something technology-oriented does not work as anticipated, learn from it, and do it differently next time.

 

• Consider re-thinking some approaches.

Technology often requests that you re-think some established ideas.

For example, how do you define cheating on an online quiz?  Classic deterrents to cheating on auto-graded quizzes are the use of pools to randomize questions and the application of time limits.  Despite such tactics, motivated, determined students can find ways to look up or share answers.

Maybe you could re-think this kind of cheating.  Maybe the goal is for students to spend maximal time with the content–no  matter what form that might take.  Maybe referencing books and notes is not all bad. It depends on the content and the learning goals.

Yes, technology can facilitate some kinds of cheating. Nonetheless, students who prefer cheating to studying will always find ways to cheat, even if they are in the room with the instructor.

 

• Think of technology as just another family of teaching tools.

Try to think of technology as just another tool or method in your established portfolio of teaching tools and methods.  In and of itself, technology is neither good nor bad, magical nor toxic.  The way technology is used is the key.

Ever since technology burst upon education, it has been examined in isolation, perhaps because of its newness, its novelty, its steep learning curve, its variety, and its constant change.

However, by separating technology from established instructional methods, we risk making it seem bigger, scarier, and more difficult to incorporate into teaching and learning than anything other tool or approach.

For those who are new to teaching with technology, using such new tools may still feel that way.  The good news is that they are learning and experimenting despite it all!

Going forward, technology would, ideally, be examined and studied alongside other teaching tools and methods.

 

• Be open to growth and change.

Technology is constantly changing. New possibilities present themselves before we feel comfortable with what was “new” five minutes ago.

Teaching is similarly dynamic.  Instructors are continually reflecting upon their teaching and striving to make it more effective.

Combining these two active and productive fields means growth and change are always on the horizon. The more you work with technology, the more comfortable you will become with the changes and the more adept you will be at identifying which tech tools can effectively help you and your students achieve your teaching and learning goals.

Instructors feel pressure to incorporate technology into their teaching: institutional pressure, collegial pressure, student pressure, and societal pressure.  If you are an instructor who is not particularly comfortable working beyond word processing and e-mail, then technology can quickly become a bête noire.

Below are the first five of ten tips for getting started. The tips are borne out of my experiences working with a variety of instructors with a range of technology skills and affinities. The goal is to make the prospect of teaching with technology a little less daunting and the bête a little less noire.

The progressive thinkers who post regularly to this blog have expansive, forward-thinking ideas that will likely form the basis of future teaching and learning. Those contributors may find this list too provincial.

While I agree that the ideal marriage of technology and education involves rethinking from the ground up, I am not looking in that direction here.  My hope is to encourage those who are starting to walk.  After you walk, you will be ready to run, and then you will fly with the wing walkers.

• Be sure that content and learning objectives are always your guides. Technology is not the end product nor is using technology the goal. Technology is a tool that is effective only when it helps your students achieve the learning objectives. Technology can be the catalyst for learning.Before you consider using blogs, wikis, or any other technology tool, think carefully think about your content and the learning goals.
  • Is there a goal that your students often have trouble achieving?
  • Is there a task your students regularly have a hard time realizing?
  • Is there an activity your students do not practice enough in class?
  • Are there materials you have always wanted your students to access but that have not been available?

  If you answered yes to any of these questions, then technology may be able to help.

  Even though the advice to avoid using technology for technology’s sake has become trite, it remains sound.  Better to pass on technology than to tack it on to you course because you feel you have to in order to keep up with the times. 

• Know that one size does not fit all. You know your content, and you know what it takes for students to learn in your course.  Consequently, with your expertise and some exploration, you can identify the kinds of technologies that can potentially help you teach and help your students learn.Like other teaching approaches and tools, a tech tool that works swimmingly for art history may not be at all effective for political science.  Be inspired by what others are doing, but try not to feel like you have to do the same thing. Never stray from the needs of your content.

 

• Start small if you feel tentative.Instructors do not have to start integrating technology into their courses by completely re-working everything from a to z.  Using tech tools is not an all-or-nothing choice.Everyone is at a different place on the tech-savvy spectrum.  No matter where you start, you have plenty of room to grow.
  • Start small.
  • Identify and try a technology tool.
  • Become comfortable with one technology tool.
  • Note how you learned and how you became comfortable with that technology tool.
  • Evaluate that technology tool’s effectiveness.
  • Gain confidence.
  • Repeat the process.

  The first venture is usually the most difficult.   After navigating and surviving once, you will be calmer, more confident, and better equipped to consider other technology tools that can help you and your students achieve more learning goals.

 

• Plan ahead.Generally, planning and developing prior to launching contribute significantly to the effectiveness of technology-enhanced instruction.Ideally, time would be available to
  • Think through the teaching and learning needs.
  • Learn and reach a comfort level with the technology.
  • Plan carefully your use of technology.
  • Test your technology piece (so you can identify kinks and troubleshoot as many problems as you can before students find them).

  Realistically, time is a luxury. You may not have time to design, develop, and test your technology before your course starts, so you have no choice but to develop as you go.

  If you do have a choice, then start planning and developing before launching. My guess is that if you were to ask instructors who have implemented technology-enhanced instruction both by developing ahead of time and by developing while teaching, they would recommend developing ahead of time if at all possible. 

• Become well acquainted with the technology you are using.You do not have to become a card-carrying member of the Best Buy Geek Squad, but you will feel more sure of yourself if you attain a comfort level with your technology tool before asking your students to use it.Even though UTA offers many resources for tech support, your students will ask you questions about how to post comments to your blog or how to record a clip with Audacity. Completely unforeseen questions will arise.  They always do.  At that point, of course, you can take time to research or call upon tech support.  If you can help with the basics, though, everyone benefits.