Week 4 - Drill Software

Notes on Emerging Technologies Article:

I think that in some cases the students that are enrolled in university, and prospective university students sometimes have a greater level of experience and expertise when it comes to technology just because of the world they are growing up in. Although some professors do embrace new technology in the classroom, I feel like they might be a little bit behind the knowledge of the students because they have to learn how to use the technology, and then learn how to use it in a way that is beneficial and interesting to the students. Again, I know this is not the case of all professors, but when I'm sitting in a class and my professor is fumbling to work the A/V equipment... it totally defeats the purpose of trying to implement it into the class anyways. I find that by the time they get it up and running, I've already lost my attention and concentration. When there is a giant pause in classroom flow as professors try to set up the equipment, the media they originally thought would enhance the topic they were talking about doesn't because we've already forgotten what the professor was talking about in the first place.

When the article looks at why instructors should embrace technology in the classroom it talks about internal motives, but I fear not all professors are university are there primarily to teach. Research is a primary concern for many professors (and rightfully so), and I don't think some of them think about the way they are delivering information in class or whether that information is interesting for the students or not.

Although students' learning experiences may be motivation enough for some professors to take courses to upgrade their tech skills, there has to be alternative motivation in the form of rewards or promotions as well. We talked about this in lecture and in tutorial, and to be honest... even just as a student trying to balance the various parts of my life on a daily basis, I am usually more motivated to prioritize my schedule in a way that puts the events in which I make money or advance as a person or professional before something else.