By: Keltie Pratt
As teaching assistants (TAs), we often have to adapt to new styles and methods of teaching. As we are not the primary instructor of the course, we often have little say in the development and methodology of the course(s) we are assigned. We are, however, an integral part of the education process of the students, and it is our job to bridge the gap between student and professor and to stay current with the newest methods of teaching. With the exponential growth in technology, it is no shock that TAs and professors alike are beginning to see a larger place for technology in the classroom. In order to engage our students, it is imperative to begin to integrate these advances into our teaching practices. The incorporation of technology in the classroom provides many pedagogical advantages that cater to the learning styles of students while serving course learning outcomes.
Some scholars argue that traditional teaching practices are no longer adequately preparing students for the complex, hands-on tasks that will be presented to them in the work force (Barjis et al., 2012). Many jobs require a greater focus on how to use current technology in order to be successful, and without this focus being taught in the classroom, students who are leaving academia will struggle to find a job they are adequately prepared for. A possible solution to this problem is to implement more active learning activities into the class curriculum. Barjis et al. (2012) suggest that game-based learning and simulation approaches are two ways that students can be actively involved with the course material while learning through methodologies that are familiar to them. For example, the virtual reality platform Second Life has recently been implemented by various educational organizations to offer distance education, course registration, and online library resources (Barjis et al., 2012). Resources such as Second Life allow students to engage in educational activities in a way that is current and up to date with advancements in technology. Student engagement is crucial to gaining a complete understanding of course material. Additionally, it provides a platform that most students are comfortable navigating, and thus, it can be an effective tool for encouraging student participation. A primary benefit of implementing such a tool would be that it provides a unique way to communicate course material while tapping into the technological mind-set that many of today’s students possess.
Online polling tools are another innovative teaching practice that is being implemented in the classroom. Tools such as Poll Everywhere, Flisti, and Micropoll, for example, are great to implement into both large and small classes. They offer the ability for students to participate and engage in the class material while remaining anonymous. Additionally, this feature allows the professor to generate large-scale discussions based on the results of the poll, especially if some students are not grasping the material. In contrast, in a traditional classroom setting, professors cannot reliably gauge how well the entire class is grasping certain concepts, which makes both the teaching process and learning process more difficult. Implementing polling tools can be especially important when trying to engage the students who are shy or prefer not to speak up in large groups since they allow them to participate in the discussion without compromising their confidence. One of the best features of a tool such as Poll Everywhere is that it works to incorporate technology (i.e., phones and computers) in the classroom instead of fighting their presence. These tools embrace the reality that technology is now strongly integrated into our society. Additionally, they allow students to reflect on the course content and to generate feedback (Khairnar, 2015). Not only can these tools be incorporated into lecture material, but they are also a great resource for TAs to use when leading tutorials.
Incorporating technology into the classroom can be beneficial provided it has benefits beyond staying up to date with the growth of the technological industry. Schmid (2008) discusses numerous pedagogical advantages to using technology in the classroom. As previously mentioned, using technology improves the engagement and enhances the motivation of students. Additionally, technology aids in the facilitation of learning (Schmid, 2008). Schmid (2008) reports that students enjoy the use of technology as it allows for the presentation of material / information in various formats. Furthermore, Schmid (2008) also reports that technology accommodates various learning styles. In addition, the use of technology increases the likelihood of promoting learning for each and every student, which is useful for large class sizes where it can be difficult to check in with the students to ensure they understand the material. Ultimately, such approaches allow for a more holistic learning approach. While it may not benefit everyone, it does allow for the course material to be presented in various ways, which may increase the likelihood of retention.
While Schmid highlights a number of benefits to incorporating technology into the classroom, he also outlines various challenges. For instance, this method of teaching may prove to be overwhelming for some students. The use of technology may enable the professor or TA to present more information during class time than would be the case if traditional teaching methods were being used. This would, understandably, make it challenging to understand and absorb all of the information that is being presented. It would be the responsibility of the professor or TA, in this situation, to understand the limitations of their students to ensure that they are not experiencing a heavy cognitive load. Also, it would be important to know when technology supports the course learning outcomes and when it would be preferable to use traditional teaching methods. However, one possible solution to this problem would be to ensure that traditional materials (i.e., handouts) are always available to students should they prefer that method of learning.
Current TAs are in the unique position of having grown up during a time when technology was becoming more prevalent in society, while still being taught through traditional methods. As such, we can contribute to bridging the gap between old and new teaching strategies and position ourselves as resources for both our professors and our students. Incorporating technology into classroom teaching practices works to make both professors and students more media literate (King, 2014), which in turn, provides a richer overall learning experience for the students. It is important to note, however, that the use of technology alone could disrupt the learning process if the tools selected (i.e., Second Life, Poll Everywhere) do not align with the learning outcomes of a particular course (Barjis et al., 2012). While platforms such as Second Life may not be relevant to all courses, under certain circumstances employing a technology-driven tool can be a great step towards increasing student engagement, which plays a crucial role in gaining understanding of course material. Overall, the advancement of technology has provided a multitude of new ways that we can convey course information to our students. While not every tool makes sense in every teaching scenario, there are plenty of options for creating an engaging classroom environment. Additionally, through the incorporation of various technologies, we can reduce the impact of the technological generation gap between professors and students. By eliminating or at least reducing this gap, students and professors can find common ground on which to discuss course material. This will be imperative to the students’ and professors’ success during the school year. Incorporating innovative practices in the classroom is crucial to providing a holistic learning experience.
References
Barjis, J., Gupta, A., Sharda, R., Bouzdine-Chameeva, T., Lee, P. D., & Verbraeck, A. (2012). Innovative teaching using simulation and virtual environments. Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge, and Management, 7, 237-55.
Khairnar, C. M. (2015). Advance pedagogy: Innovative methods of teaching and learning. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 5(11), 869-72. doi: 10.7763/IJIET.2015.V5.629
King, S. B. (2014). Graduate student perceptions of the use of online course tools to support engagement. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 8(1), 130-32.
Schmid, E. C. (2008). Potential pedagogical benefits and drawbacks of multimedia use in the English language classroom equipped with interactive whiteboard technology. Computers & Education, 51(4), 1553-568. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2008.02.005