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Silva, Christina (11 July, 2006). “Podcast Craze Hits Classrooms,” The Boston

Globe.

Overview

The relationship between technology and learning is often the source of great optimism and great debate. Few would contend that computers actually make students smarter, but this doesn’t mean the allure of technology in the classroom lacks substantial purchase on the minds of educators.

Many Boston-area colleges, notes Silva, are pushing professors to record their lectures as downloadable digital files that students can then listen to on their MP3 players and computers. The assumption is that podcasting will make lectures more accessible, and therefore students more readily-able to continue mining them for all their worth.

Of course, there is the obvious rebuttal that students will only be more encouraged to skip lectures and discussions, thinking they can ‘cram’ the material into their minds through their earphones at their own convenience. According to Donna Qualters of The Center for Effective University Teaching at NortheasternUniversity

, “If the purpose of what you are doing is to give them some information quickly, then podcasts are great. My fear is that podcasts are going to replace the lecture. And then, of course, kids are not going to go to class, and they will miss the benefits of that.”

TuftsUniversity, BostonCollege

, Worcester State College, and MIT (among others) have used the practice for three years now. But other schools and faculty are sometimes hesitant to jump on board. In addition to the above concerns, there is the added issue that creating and editing the files takes considerable time on the part of faculty. Moreover, what is socially ‘hip’ is not necessarily wise for education.

Even still, John Warner of UMass-Lowell, said that in the recent years in which he has used a digital recorder the average grade-point average among his Chemistry students rose considerably. Samanta Baime, a sophomore at EmersonCollege, said podcast lectures would be of help to her if she had to miss class for illness, but that such practices are not always relevant to the nature of the course – such as theater classes.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

1. What is the current use of technology in classrooms at your college, or the college attended by your children?

2. Are you aware of cases in which MP3 files have helped students revisit/listen to lectures and learn things they might otherwise have missed?

3. If you are an educator, would the digital availability of your lectures be a helpful opportunity for your students or an unhelpful distraction?

4. How many students, on average, have access to MP3 players?

5. Are you aware of other faculty who have had relative success/failure with this practice?

Implications:

Enthusiasm for new classroom technologies must be met with moderation and discernment. Academicians who fear irrelevance are inclined to embrace new opportunities such as pod-casting as short-term fixes for student apathy. In some cases, such devises may be of real assistance. However, a ‘progressive’ pedagogy is no guarantee of authentic teaching and learning.

Christopher S. Yates cCYS

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High School Students are Robbed of iPods

Moser, Douglas A (14 March, 2006). “High School Students are Robbed of iPods.” The Gloucester

Daily Times.

Overview

What is a high school to do when increasing numbers of students are bringing MP3 players to schools? One immediate problem is that the expensive, desirable gadgets are often lost or stolen, which makes for a rather cumbersome administrative/disciplinary issue. The average price of a 60 gigabyte Apple iPod, for example, is $400.

In many cases schools do not allow these devices. But this doesn’t stop students from slipping them out of their bags at lunchtime, and even in class. Students such as Stacey Polizzia, have learned that one can “slip the earphones of your sleeve to your ears,” thereby savoring the musical entertainment without risking the attention of the teacher.

Cell phones are also difficult to control, but are not stolen as often.

Teachers and administrators are caught in a difficult bind: banning such devices outright leads to a disciplinary situation that is difficult to enforce, but failing to address the problem also invites a glut of distracting issues, not the least of which is a handicapped learning environment.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

1. Does your child, or teenagers you work with, own an MP3 player?

2. Does his/her school have restrictions on its use?

3. Do you communicate with your youth about responsible use of such devices?

Implications:

Saying ‘no’ to technological devices is a rarity in our culture, particularly when they are slick products that consumers feel entitled to have. The burden on schools would be lightened if parents took the initial steps of limiting their youths’ access to cell phones and MP3 players. Short of this, schools will have to take on the time-consuming effort of enforcing bans. Such devices pose not only the problem of potential theft, but are distracting and unhealthy in an educational environment. This is an unpopular, but necessary position to hold.

Christopher S. Yates cCYS