Engaging Students
Using hand held items is good, just keeping them focused on what is being taught, not going onto sights not class related.
I am trying to merge hand held devices into my lectures.. The problem is keeping them with me.. I can not see there screans
A student could use a cell phone to photograph
lecture notes on the board if he has problems
keeping up with handwriting.
I agree. It would be great to have some type of software that keeps them on whatever site we intend.
Stacie,
this would be nice as the use of websites can be a valuable learning tool yet hard to police.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
A great deal of class control as it relates to the use web-enabled handheld devices is how much respect your students have for you as an instructor.
Ask them specific questions about the website or application that you have directed them to. Of course this will require familiarity and pre-planning on your part, but it makes for less of a potential that the students will stray from the intended learning outcome.
If you can provide them with useful learning tools they can access many will stay engaged and focused. By being able to ask them specifics without having to see their device screen you will establish that it is not a game and you are not one to be played.
John,
I agree that the more we can establish this respect for our authority & for our expertise, the more likely the students will be to focus on what we are discussing & not drift off.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I don't mind students taking pictures of the white board to capture my notes. I recently found a piece of software on Google that allowed me to track certain names or search terms. Every time someone posts something on the internet about the certain term "my name" I will receive an email. You can also set up this search for subject matter to capture an article posted about something in your lecture.
The moral of the story, If you think your students are blogging about your lecture, go check it out and then ask them about it in the next class.
