Join Us! Technology in the Classroom Discussion

Discussion: Technology in the Classroom — Wednesday, August 15 from 12 noon to 1pm

Grab your lunch and join us for an informal discussion of technology in the classroom. What works and what doesn’t? Does technology enhance or distract from teaching and learning? And what about assessment? Any cool new tools you want to share?

In advance of the discussion, we ask that you please take a few moments to read the following articles that will help frame our discussion. This discussion will be held using Adobe Connect web conferencing and integrated telephone conference call to a toll-free number. If you would like to receive instructions for joining this session, please email Amy (ald120 at psu.edu). This session is free and open to all who wish to participate.

“A Tech-Happy Professor Reboots After Hearing His Teaching Advice Isn’t Working”(Chronicle of Higher Education, 2/12/12) http://chronicle.com/article/A-Tech-Happy-Professor-Reboots/130741/ 

Kansas State University anthropology professor Michael Wesch, who made a splash 5 years ago with the video “A Vision of Students Today” (4.6 millions views on YouTube), has spoken widely about “tech-infused” methods of teaching. After receiving feedback that it’s not working for some professors, he’s not “swearing off technology… but he has a new message”: “It doesn’t matter what method you use if you do not first focus one intangible factor: the bond between the professor and student.”

“How ‘Flipping’ the Classroom Can Improve the Traditional Lecture” (Chronicle of Higher Education, 2/19/12) http://chronicle.com/article/How-Flipping-the-Classroom/130857/

“As its name suggests, flipping describes the inversion of expectations in the traditional college lecture. It takes many forms, including interactive engagement, just-in-time teaching (in which student respond to Web-based questions before class, and the professor uses this feedback to inform his or her teaching, and peer instruction.”

One of the goals of the Connect & Communicate Series of online programming offered by the PaLA College & Research Division is to help foster a community of academic librarians in Pennsylvania. Thus, we are launching the series with a discussion we think would interest many and opening it to all. But, we still want to hear from you! Please continue to share your ideas for programming topics, speakers, or formats here: http://goo.gl/IljHr . If you would like to be emailed directly about upcoming events, you may provide us with your name and email address here: http://goo.gl/4urXl .

Save the date of the next Connect & Communicate Series program!

Presentation: Information Literacy in an Age of Algorithms by Kristen Yarmey, Digital Services Librarian, University of Scranton
Tuesday, September 11 from 11am-noon