Faculty find it challenging to teach students in this technologically charged environment where students are often distracted from the learning. In addition, most often students believe the educator should deliver the course material to them and thus play a passive role in the leaning.
So what can be done to bring the student back into the classroom? Furthermore, how do educators involve students in the learning? Some educators suggest that educators not be afraid of technology but rather utilize it to their advantage so student learning is engaging and enhanced (Owens 2014; Shibley 2014).
Shibley (2014) suggests that we provide students with the opportunity to drive learning. He proposes that the students rather than the educators be responsible for creating learning objects. He goes on to describe how he has used this in undergraduate courses. In one his assignments, each group of students had to create a 3-4 minute iMovie that their peers watched prior to the 50 minute class in which they taught the main concepts related to the assigned topic.
Smith Budhai (2014) recommends that students are more engaged in course content if presentations are moved to an online platform. Students connect to the content by conducting virtual presentations and receive feedback from peers and faculty on their own time. She claims that this will reduce the number of times students “tune out“ when they have to sit through lengthy classroom presentations.
According to Owens (2014), educators should embrace social media because students use it and it is here to stay. She advises that these platforms, only in the professional context, be used in an academic manner. More specifically, they are to be used to teach and share information and establish online connections with students.
References
Owens, M. (October 23, 2014). Using Social Media in the Classroom: Why There’s A Lot to Like. Faculty Focus [internet]. Taken January 11, 2015 from http://goo.gl/gb8hIH.
Smith Budhai, S. (October 27, 2014). Maximize In-Class Time by Moving Student Presentations Online. Faculty Focus [internet]. Taken January 11, 2015 from http://goo.gl/OwIq0p.
Shibley, I. (August 4, 2014). Putting Students in the Driver’s Seat: Technology Projects to Decrease Passivity. Faculty Focus [internet]. Taken January 11, 2015 from http://goo.gl/r3tkll.