Re: [ED-TECH] The New York Times: Laptops Are Great. But Not During a Lecture or a Meeting.

Scott,

Thank you for your reply to the New York Times article on tech in the classroom. Your references are great. They add a lot to the discussion. And thanks for sharing it with the whole Ed-Tech list. Others will appreciate it as well.

- Bill - 

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From: Evans, Scotney D.
Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2017 9:50 AM
To: Vilberg, Bill
Cc: ED-TECH@LISTSERV.MIAMI.EDU
Subject: Re: [ED-TECH] The New York Times: Laptops Are Great. But Not During a Lecture or a Meeting.

 

Thanks for sharing Bill. This is an issue I struggle with every semester, but I try to have open conversations with students about it so we can create a shared agreement about how laptops will be used in class. Creating a learning community and keeping them engaged is on us, with or without laptops. 

I suggest people have a look at this for an alternate viewpoint: https://medium.com/@thisissethsblog/no-laptops-in-the-lecture-hall-1847b6d3315 

No laptops in the lecture hall – Seth Godin – Medium medium.com How about this instead: No lecture hall.

"The solution isn't to ban the laptop from the lecture. It's time to ban the lecture from the classroom." -  Seth Godin

Also, we need to critically evaluate the "growing body of evidence" used in this clickbait story. The "science" behind these claims are shaky at best, so don't ban laptops because you think the evidence is clear - its not. Catherine Prendergast dissects some of the studies here: https://twitter.com/cjp_still/status/934291194976391169 and here: https://twitter.com/cjp_still/status/934491136776957952 and here: https://twitter.com/cjp_still/status/934545845034405888 

Catherine Prendergast on Twitter twitter.com "The third study that we are told "unequivocally" proves that laptop use in the classroom harms student learning also doesn't mention disability once. (Thread ...

Catherine Prendergast on Twitter twitter.com "Let's take a look at the original study that said that pen and paper note-takers learned more than those taking notes with a laptop. (Thread) https://t.co/sg3F8HkIFO"

Scot

------------------------

Scot Evans, Associate Professor

School of Education and Human Development | Department of Educational and Psychological Studies 

Engagement, Power, & Social Action Research Team (EPSA)

Acting Director, Office of Civic and Community Engagement

Editor, Collaborations: A Journal of Community-based Research and Practice

5202 University Drive, MB 312 | Coral Gables FL 33146 | Telephone: 305.284.4142 | Twitter: @evanssd

On Nov 26, 2017, at 8:20 AM, Vilberg, Bill <bill.vilberg@MIAMI.EDU> wrote:

Ed-Tech members,

Every professor creates the best learning environment for students. Some allow or fully embrace electronics in the classroom while others do not allow electronics to be used. Here is an interesting article listing research supporting the exclusion of electronics. If you don't let your students use electronics in class, you might share this article with them to explain, in someone else's words, why you are doing that. If you allow electronics you might share this as a warning of some of the limitations they might encounter.

Laptops Are Great. But Not During a Lecture or a Meeting.
The New York Times

A growing body of evidence shows that college students generally learn less when they use computers or tablets during lectures. That is probably true in workplace meetings, too. Read the full story

Shared from Apple News

Sincerely,

- Bill -

[ED-TECH] New faculty learning communities open for applications

Ed-Tech members,

If you have not participated in a Faculty Learning Community in the past, consider applying for one of the exciting groups planned for this Spring.

• Media-Based Assignments: Leveraging the Adobe Creative Cloud suite and other software to enable students to create and edit images, data visualizations, audio, video, and multimedia projects.
• 3D Printing/Maker Technologies: Incorporating opportunities for students to transform course content, projects, and new ideas into physical models, sculptures, and mechanisms.

The short application is due by December 15, 2017. Read the Veritas announcement at https://tinyurl.com/ybt4v5my and go to https://tinyurl.com/ycdxhrek  for the full program description and application form.

- Bill - 

William (Bill) Vilberg

Assistant Director of Learning Platforms

Information Technology

University of Miami

305-284-3944

Re: [ED-TECH] The New York Times: Laptops Are Great. But Not During a Lecture or a Meeting.

Thanks for sharing Bill. This is an issue I struggle with every semester, but I try to have open conversations with students about it so we can create a shared agreement about how laptops will be used in class. Creating a learning community and keeping them engaged is on us, with or without laptops. 

I suggest people have a look at this for an alternate viewpoint: https://medium.com/@thisissethsblog/no-laptops-in-the-lecture-hall-1847b6d3315 

"The solution isn't to ban the laptop from the lecture. It's time to ban the lecture from the classroom." -  Seth Godin

Also, we need to critically evaluate the "growing body of evidence" used in this clickbait story. The "science" behind these claims are shaky at best, so don't ban laptops because you think the evidence is clear - its not. Catherine Prendergast dissects some of the studies here: https://twitter.com/cjp_still/status/934291194976391169 and here: https://twitter.com/cjp_still/status/934491136776957952 and here: https://twitter.com/cjp_still/status/934545845034405888 

Scot

------------------------

Scot Evans, Associate Professor

School of Education and Human Development | Department of Educational and Psychological Studies 

Engagement, Power, & Social Action Research Team (EPSA)

Acting Director, Office of Civic and Community Engagement

Editor, Collaborations: A Journal of Community-based Research and Practice

5202 University Drive, MB 312 | Coral Gables FL 33146 | Telephone: 305.284.4142 | Twitter: @evanssd

On Nov 26, 2017, at 8:20 AM, Vilberg, Bill <bill.vilberg@MIAMI.EDU> wrote:

Ed-Tech members,

Every professor creates the best learning environment for students. Some allow or fully embrace electronics in the classroom while others do not allow electronics to be used. Here is an interesting article listing research supporting the exclusion of electronics. If you don't let your students use electronics in class, you might share this article with them to explain, in someone else's words, why you are doing that. If you allow electronics you might share this as a warning of some of the limitations they might encounter.

Laptops Are Great. But Not During a Lecture or a Meeting.
The New York Times

A growing body of evidence shows that college students generally learn less when they use computers or tablets during lectures. That is probably true in workplace meetings, too. Read the full story

Shared from Apple News

Sincerely,

- Bill -

[ED-TECH] The New York Times: Laptops Are Great. But Not During a Lecture or a Meeting.

Ed-Tech members,

Every professor creates the best learning environment for students. Some allow or fully embrace electronics in the classroom while others do not allow electronics to be used. Here is an interesting article listing research supporting the exclusion of electronics. If you don't let your students use electronics in class, you might share this article with them to explain, in someone else's words, why you are doing that. If you allow electronics you might share this as a warning of some of the limitations they might encounter.

Laptops Are Great. But Not During a Lecture or a Meeting.
The New York Times

A growing body of evidence shows that college students generally learn less when they use computers or tablets during lectures. That is probably true in workplace meetings, too. Read the full story

Shared from Apple News

Sincerely,

- Bill -

[ED-TECH] How do your students study/learn?

Fellow educators,

I am in NYC on a long weekend and came across a fascinating (to me) article/study on how university undergraduate students study. As an educator, it makes me wonder what I could do to better help students with their learning. Could I make changes in the course or include this information in class?

The study is based on STEM students, but the report has information for everyone, I believe. You can jump down to the findings and gain a lot of ideas, or read the whole article and check out some of the references. 

Where I found out about it:

What Do Students Do When They Study?

https://www.faculty focus.com/tools/reflections/what-do-students-do-when-they-study/

Actual report:

Examining study habits in undergraduate STEM courses from a situative perspective | International Journal of STEM Education

https://stemeducationjournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40594-017-0055-6

By the way, I have announced my retirement from UM. I will have been here 19 years as of mid May 2019. I will be retiring then and moving to Hattiesburg, MS. Some of you may still remember me as "Mr. Blackboard" and a member of the Instructional Advancement Center. I hope I have helped you all in your mission to improve your teaching and your student's learning. It has been, and continues to be, my pleasure.

Sincerely,

- Bill -