Journal 1

Eleanor Yang Su writes in the Union Tribune an article called, "Professors adjust their methods to reach technology-savvy generation". For many reasons, this is a hot-button issue. Both students and teachers have different investments about this topic. It reminded me of a Sociology Professor I had who would never get mad if a cell phone rang in class. He would just simply say, "It's a part of life now, I need to get used to it." Really? Do we just need to get used to sidekicks and cell phones ringing in class, or students who loudly type while anyone is speaking, or my favorite...the student who is listening to their Ipod on "low" even though we can here it two rows back? This article addressed various aspects; from the students who use technology in every activity including class and homework to teachers who are finding ways to keep their students engaged while they continue to live in their technological world. One part of this article really disturbed me. Nigan, a student, stated that she limits her online chatting during class. Oh, well thank you! If we can't pass notes in class or talk to our neighbor, why is it acceptable to chat online while attending class? I understand that technology is now one with almost every activity, but I have seen too many times students who teachers think are taking notes while they're really playing on-line poker.
QUESTIONS:
1. How do we combat the issue of lap-top use for notes and lap-top use for personal while in the classroom?
Fortunately, I want to teach Kindergarten, so I don't think this will be an issue, but it does need to be addressed because it is a problem that is escalating. I think that unless it's a course specifically designed to incorporate on-going computer use, they shouldn't be allowed. I, who admits to having the worse handwriting possible, still can not use that excuse for not wanting to write notes. If a course is designed to use computers, the teachers should put the freeze on it, where the students can only work on what the teacher has set up. Call me old fashion...but I think it works!
2. How do teachers create an online friendly class without completely going online?
I agree with the article when it stated that web pages can be used for preparing students for lecture notes. However, I don't agree with the online test taking. I personally have never learned as much from an online test as I have with a test that I had to take in a classroom due to the fact that I always took it in a group. I think that have online resources is crucial to student learning, but we don't need to spoon feed our students. For example, I have had professors that posted lecture notes before class and left them up even during the online test period. The answers were right there. If we publish online notes or PowerPoint's, I think it should be in a one week window period.