I have a recurring dream, or rather a nightmare: I arrive to my classroom for the first day of the semester only to find I am in a “dumb” classroom. I look around. There are blackboards crowding every wall, lined by nubs of chalk. The room is already filled with students; they stare expectantly as I fumble around. No computer. No projector. No overhead. No idea what I’m going to do. Reluctantly, I pick up a piece of chalk and begin to write something illegible on the board. The chalk screeches like a harpy and I wake.
Ok, so I just made that up; I don’t really have that nightmare. But I do think about those unfortunate souls lost to the rooms whose contents contain only enough wiring to turn the lights on. I mourn for them and pray for myself – pray that I’ll never be in their situation.
The TAs from Dr. Barton’s 656 (Teaching College English) course last semester talked at length about the divide between tech-enabled and tech-disabled classrooms. My colleagues’ consensus seemed to be that teaching in a tech-disabled environment was doable; the instructor only needs to prepare more: have more copies made, prepare more transparencies, find hard copies of pictures to show, et cetera. But not me.
I hate to be pessimistic, but I’m not sure I could enjoy teaching in that environment. I’m sure I could teach in that environment, of that I’m positive. However, the thought of not being able to employ the technologies my students are intimate with, which I use to engage them in productive ways, makes me cower in terror. Of course, there are the sayings: “every obstacle is an opportunity in disguise”; and “nothing breeds creativity like necessity.”
I suppose these sayings should comfort me and uplift my soul. And were I actually in the predicament of having to teach without technology, they might. Unfortunately for me, I am an excessive worrywart; and I cannot let sleeping dragons go un-prodded. So the question remains until a situation arises that forces me to an answer. Inevitably, that time will be when I am looking for jobs and unable to own any preference.
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This happened to me once, I had a few things planned that involved the smart technology, and when I got to my classroom it wasn't working. It totally threw my whole lesson plan out of whack. I couldn't believe how dependent I had become in the few short months I had been using it to teach. Luckily, I had some grammar worksheets to keep the students occupied, but it really rattled me. I didn't have a smart classroom my first semester, and looking back now, I can't believe I ever lived without it. Of course, I didn't know what it was like to have one at the time. Hopefully, the smart classroom will always work, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared for the day when it doesn't.
ReplyDeleteI try to tuck a few exercises like Kari's scavenger hunt or copies of an wordiness article from Dr. Abartis in my teaching bag for that just-in-case situation. As much as I incorporate technology in my lessons, I do not like to rely on it. Students have learned for ages without technology; they can survive a semester of English in a "dumb" classroom. But, like you, I would rather not be challenged with that possibility.
ReplyDeleteWell, my first day in ENGL 191 last semester, I planned to introduce students to the course using the smart classroom. Among other things, I was going to show them where to find things in D2L; I was also going to open the syllabus from D2L and walk them through it since I don't print the syllabus for students anymore.
ReplyDeleteD2L went belly up that day. Fortunately, I had one copy of the syllabus with me, and we were able to walk through it using the Elmo. (I had printed that syllabus at the last minute -- I'm not sure why.) In any case, the implosion of D2L that day also gave me the opportunity to talk about what to do if the technology doesn't work.
Even so, this class was a high risk class, and they needed the introduction to D2L. I ended up filling in on that training over the next week or so. I can tell you, though, that since that day, bringing a printed syllabus into the classroom has become a standard backup for me -- even though it was just a fluke that I'd printed a copy that day and brought it to class.
I suppose everyone at some point has the experience of showing up planning to use technology and finding out that it doesn't work. That's when our flexibility and ingenuity are so important to us.
ReplyDeleteIt's also interesting, like Sue said, how quickly we become dependent on technology. It wasn't that long ago that I was giving lectures without powerpoint. Now I can't imagine what that would be like.