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March 27, 2008, 03:47 PM ET
Colleges Bought Classroom Technology, but Are Enough Professors Using It?
A commentary article in this week’s Chronicle raises some interesting questions about the level of technology use on campus compared to how much colleges have invested in smart classrooms, course management systems, and more.
“Time after time, when I visit a campus, read an article, or talk to colleagues, I’m surprised at how low the adoption rates of technology really are,” writes Judith Tabron, who is director of faculty computing services at Hofstra University. “The trouble is that it’s going to take a long time for academe to figure out what to do with all the technology it already has — and we need time and money to do that.”
Of course, there’s pressure to adopt even newer classroom technologies, such as Web 2.0 tools. The author urges professors, academic departments, and IT staff members to do more to encourage training and experimentation in using technology in the classroom.
“Colleges may feel that they can’t afford to provide any space and time for improving teaching,” says Ms. Tabron. “They may blame faculty members, students, or even society for a lack of innovation in education — and those charges may well be fair. But colleges unwilling to plant the seeds for change shouldn’t be surprised that they grow nothing.”
Categories: Teaching, Leadership
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