Technology in education

There was an article in Washington Post this week about new technologies used in universities for student’s educational purposes. It talks about clickers – devices similar to ones used on television game shows. They first appeared about a decade ago and nowadays we can find them almost in every college (however, I still to see one.) Basically, the professor asks a multiple choice question, students answer it by choosing an appropriate button on the clicker. The response is immediate which helps the professor to understand what percentage of students has grasped the subject. Not only it provides an instant feedback whether students understood the material, but also involves students deeper in learning process. Research also shows that students like using devices and attendance goes up. Sounds great, right? Then, article went on saying that clickers soon will be substituted with laptops with applications like iclicker and smart phones. In fact, some universities already use both technologies in its educational processes. How effective is it? To what degree can professors use it and control it? I think it is complicated. On one hand, it is true; technology can make learning process more effective (if we want it of course), we can engage more and receive and immediate feedback on how we are doing. But what should we do if our neighbor chooses to use his/hers laptop or phone for personal use? How irritating must it be for the teacher? A report in the Boulder Daily Camera describes how students are frustrated and distracted by their peers watching movies, typing and doing other stuff. I experienced it firsthand. In one of my classes I have a neighbor who sends messages on the phone non-stop, in another – who chats on facebook during the whole class period. There are instances when I simply cannot concentrate on the material because I am so distracted. Whose responsibility is it to draw the line what is acceptable and what is not? I am sure the role of technology in education will only increase. There will be more computers, more clickers and other gadgets. I can understand their value in our education. I just hope that with the development of new technologies, new rules, regulations and controls of how those devices should be used will emerge.