Teaching with Technology

Effective teaching with technology is the deliberate use of tools to bridge new concepts with students’ existing knowledge and interests, encourage collaboration, and accommodate various modes of learning. As with any teaching tool, technology should not be included just for the sake of having technology in the classroom or to follow trends. Instead, it is imperative that the tools serve a clear function in facilitating learning. I incorporate digital technology into the classroom to stress the importance of collective curiosity; my students are not only developing their critical thinking skills individually, but they are also participating in dialogues with their twenty-three classmates and constantly practicing the rhetorical strategies they are being taught.

 

One of the most valuable advantages of using digital technology in the classroom is the ease with which I can create spaces for collaboration. In my courses, students frequently contribute to shared digital documents: they use Google Docs to collect reading notes, Google Slides for interactive activities, and Canvas peer reviews for asynchronous discussions of process work. These tools allow students to compare perspectives and recognize the wealth of knowledge that they possess and can share with one another to ensure collective success.

 

I also treat my class Google Slides as hypertexts, in which I include links to supplemental materials and readings for students to explore course concepts more deeply than the fifty-minute session allows. By making them permanently available on Canvas, I incentivize students to be more present and engaged during discussions, rather than feeling pressured to frantically take notes. They can always return to the slides later, as much of the information from the lectures has already been recorded for them.

 

My strong belief in the efficacy of these practices is rooted in experiences as both a student and an instructor. Having been in my students’ position relatively recently, I remember which methods resonated most with me and my peers. One practice I have adopted into my classes—the semester-long creation of a collaborative Google Doc with notes from each class and reading—is something that I benefited from greatly in a course I took during my last undergraduate year. I also continuously assess my students’ responses to these strategies through informal discussions, SEEQ evaluations, and anonymous surveys. When I introduce a new activity, I ask students to assess its uses and limitations as they pertain to the course objectives and to the students’ own academic and professional goals. This mode of reflection simultaneously strengthens their metacognitive skills and allows me to refine my approach based on the students’ reception.

 

Over the course of each semester, I have seen improvements in my students’ ability to conduct research, analyze rhetorical strategies, and incorporate them into their own writing. In my courses, I focus on developing research and reading skills, analytical writing, and an awareness of a clearly defined rhetorical audience. I use technology to support each of these objectives. For example, I conduct hands-on activities in which I guide students through research tools such as Google Scholar and the Penn State Library databases. To emphasize the importance of rhetorical audience, I assign a writing exercise in which each student receives the same prompt but is tasked with addressing a different audience. They then share their responses with the whole class and evaluate them together, reinforcing the supportive function of the collective as they hone their ability to read critically. Similarly, when teaching logical fallacies and biases, I provide online resources and exercises for students to identify and analyze fallacies in real-world examples.

 

Frankly, some of the most effective class sessions are the ones where we set technology aside and engage in thoughtful discussions. Each class session, I try to balance the amount of time spent on technology-based activities with other means of collaboration. I include technology only when I feel it will most benefit my students for the development of critical thought, meaningful research, and the creation of a learning community within and outside of the classroom.