Reflection #5 - Kevin Bartz

As I look back upon last class's lesson on technology in the classroom, I cannot help but think about how many resources are available for teachers and students alike.  It is easier than ever to research a lecture topic, create a neat looking worksheet for class, or communicate with another person for help.  Virtually every aspect of teaching and studies have been touched in one way or another by technology, most likely for the better.  However, I do not think that technology can replace the invaluable benefit that is provided by face-to-face contact.  From my experience, online classes distance the students from the material.  Furthermore, it is harder to pay attention and memorize lecture material when watching a computer screen, as opposed to when actually sitting in a classroom with other human beings.  Technology can be helpful, and can add color, but the key is to avoid overly substituting some common-sense teaching practices.  For one, kids should be in a classroom with a teacher.  That is something that I feel very passionate about.  Although certain cases exist in which classes can be taught effectively online (basic mathematics classes and other commonly required college courses), my overall belief is that nothing can replace the value of a real classroom with real people.  The idea is the same for teaching.  I hate it when teachers rely heavily on PowerPoint presentations, email, and other technologies when administering their classroom.  If you have an update, say it in class AND email it so people don't forget.  If you're teaching a lecture on new material, use the slide show as a reference, not as The Alamo (figuratively speaking, of course).  It is easy for students to become lost in the cold, sterile environment that technology tends to create.  These are all things that I hope to remember if and when I become a teacher.  It is a shame that not every professor I have had is aware of this, but one can only hope that they get the message sooner rather than later.  The key to all of this is balanced diet.  The right mix of emails, slide shows, online resources, and videos will make the physical experience of class all the more rewarding.  It is a blessing that nowadays, students and teachers can take class home with them.  It is also a curse.  In high school, I would have loathed the idea of having to check an email account every single day.  The same is true for the middle school and elementary school version of me.  Teachers need to be sure to keep track of what they are expecting of students, and how much they are providing their students.  The last thing any instructor wants is for their class to feel drowned in material and resources.  Only during college did I become accustomed to the responsibilities of work in the modern digital era.  Being plugged in 24/7 is something that, in my opinion, should wait until that part of student's lives.