A recent perusing of an article by Gouri Banerjee entitled “Using Social Media in Small Colleges” (http://www.aaceconnect.org/group/socialmedia/forum/topics/using-social-media-in-small) made me think of a well-known character from the original Star Trek series. Who doesn’t remember the cranky, transporter-shy doctor, made famous by DeForest Kelley and reprised by Karl Urban? Dammit, Jim, I bet he would have refused to get a cell phone, and probably let his email on the Enterprise build up for months (and bribed Uhura to check it for him once in a while).
There are always going to be people who refuse to use the newest technologies — or even the not-so-newest technologies. However, there are many who do not use tools that are available not because they are afraid of them or hate them, but only because they do not know how to use them. Education is certainly the key — not necessarily for the students, but for the educators.
Thinking to the situation at the college I work at, there are yearly gatherings of the instructors and staff — a perfect forum for these tools to be highlighted. Not in lengthy workshops, but as short bites between speakers, kept short, sweet, and interesting. Think: Superbowl Commercials. Who doesn’t love those commercials? Even if it ends up being the worst game ever, I can’t recall turning off a game early — you never know when there might be a cute dog-saves-horse or talking baby or dancing lizard ad that might otherwise be missed.
Even so, there will always be those that run flailing from whatever is new (trains? I’ll take a horse! telegraph? This letter will do just fine!). My advice for those frustrated that not everyone is embracing the new communication technologies is not to waste your energy on those so set, and to openly offer assistance to colleagues who are interested.
And remember — McCoy might not have been fond of that transporter, but I bet he knew those shuttle crafts inside out. To be honest, you’ll never see me step foot in, on, or around EITHER. I’d rather walk.
I agree that being educated about this technology is critical to seeing its value and applicability. I think it remains to be seen whether it improves student learning or not.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to figure out how it can be used to develop critical thinking skills. With being a beginner at knowing about the technolgies we are seeing in class, I can see how they can be used to present information. But, I need more experience and information from others as to how these technologies can be applied to the "higher" level competencies such as synthesizing and evaluating information.
Any ideas?
About dear Dr McCoy, let's be fair. Obviously he had issues but what about all those cool High Tech healing instruments he used weekly? The real issue is working within his comfort zone where he understood how and why these things worked. Isn't that what we are talking about in class, opening up new comfort zones to help students learn more effectively? Besides, just maybe, McCoy knew more about that transformer than many others. The idea of being suddenly just a pile of molecules floating around in space and then being re-formed in human flesh once again is not a comforting thought. And I would like to remind you the dear Dr. McCoy was a sensitive guy--like me! Avdah
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