Technology, Teamwork, and Teaching meet in the classroom

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Technology, Teamwork, and Teaching meet in the
classroom

• Sandra Poindexter
• Steve Kurncz
• Choton Basu

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Todays Agenda

• Modeling fun in the classroom
• Integration strategies
• Student opinions a student interview
• Your opinions poll results
• Impact on the future

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Convergence of new and well-used
Technology
Classroom
Teaching
Teams
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For 50 points
What is the common term used for asynchronous
digital communication?
E-mail / Bulletin board
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For 50 points
What is a common term used for synchronous
digital communication?
Chat
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For 50 points
A file that accompanies an e-mail is called a(n)
____________.
attachment
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For 50 points
What is it called when students ask questions or
offer comments in class?
Participation
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For 50 points
When students work in a group it iscalled
________-based learning.
team
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For 100 points
What is the theme of EDUCAUSE 2000?
Converging/Emerging in the 21st Century
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For 100 points
What is the title ofthis presentation?
Technology, Teamwork, and Teaching meet in the
classroom
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For 100 pointsWhat university do these two
presenters represent?
Northern Michigan University
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Motivations

• Recognition that students possess valuable
  knowledge to share

• Desire to motivate student learning

• Personal interest in technology

• Make teaching more fun

They might know more than me
Avoid What do I have to do to
Buy more toys
Does learning have to be painful?
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Team contribution

• Selection - Instructor chosen teams
• Preparation - Team training
• Incentives - Team competitions
• Atmosphere Casual
• Responsibility - Class minutes taken by rotating
  teams and posted to web site

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Interactive teaching contribution

• Acceptance - of diversity in knowledge levels,
  personality types, and learning styles
• Weaning - Using other resources besides the
  instructor and textbook as a source of learning
• Fact finding - for decision-making
• Analysis - current events online articles
• In-class assignments
• Out of class lectures

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Technology contributions

• E-mail client
• File attachments
• Course website
• Internet
• Presentation software

• Laptops
• Server space
• Digitized pads
• Technology-friendly rooms

What do you notice about the items on this list?
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Technology contributions

• E-mail client
• File attachments
• Course website
• Internet
• Presentation software with voice for pre-class
  viewing

• Laptops
• Server space
• Digitized pads
• Technology-friendly rooms

Tech
Classroom
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Redesign of classroom

• Group focused room
• replace rows of desks facing forward with group
  tables
• spread out tables
• conference room setting

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Redesign of classroom

• Students face each other, not instructor
• Minimize instructor station as focal point
• Adequate workspacenot a small desktop
• Encourage talking

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Take technology in stages
Supplements
Course Management
Communication
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Early results

• Student anxiety at outset, but this mixed
  acceptance grew into a liking
• Elevated student expectations of instructor
  mutually demanding
• Confusion as to actual expectations on
  assignments and in-class exercises

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Assessments methods

• Learning styles / personality types
• Student evaluations
• Exit survey analysis
• Grades
• Average grade increment
• Standard deviation in grades reduced

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So what do the students think?
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Student Opinion
Every class in the CIS field should be taught
like thisMy first experience with this style
of teaching, and I enjoyed it much more than the
typical class.
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Student Opinion
New technologies stressed in the class were as
important for me to learn as the course material.
Without web integration this would not have been
possible.
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Student Opinion
I really like working with a team. The
interactive learning experience is much easier to
retain than just plain lecture. Team members
help me learn new skills and keep me motivated.
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Student opinions on peer learning
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Student opinions on interactive teaching
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Student opinion on tech. integration
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Workload Distribution

• 70 of work team-based
• 30 of work individually-based

Higher than even designated on course syllabus
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Results of the audience poll
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What you think
Students are responsible first for their own
learning, but also for aiding the learning of
other students.
Your mean response ??
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What you think
Students can accurately learn from each other.
Your mean response ??
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What you think
Posting lecture notes on the website before class
discourages student preparation and attendance.
Your mean response ??
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What you think
Using technology or group exercises in class take
too much time away from course content coverage.
Your mean response ??
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What you think
Traditional lectures provide facts better than
interactive classroom exercises.
Your mean response ??
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What you think
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Modifications for the future

• Better explain education paradigm changes
• Assess team problems with quicker intervention
• Clarify exercise objective in writing
• Written agenda at outset of class
• Post material to web page a minimum of 30 hours
  in advance of class

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Thank you

• Sandra Poindexter spoindex_at_nmu.edu
• Steve Kurncz skurncz_at_nmu.edu