For my third source, I wanted to go back to scholarly sources! I searched on Google Scholar, “How teaching online and in the classroom can work together.” I found a really great book excerpt called, “Teaching Naked: Why Removing Technology from Your Classroom Will Improve Student Learning,” written by Jose Bowen. I chose this source because I wanted to find information to explain how learning online and in a classroom can work together instead of just opposing each other as has been a theme in my past two sources. I wanted to find a “happy medium” that would also answer my follow up question as well. The main focus of this excerpt, is to show how using technology outside of the classroom can benefit students and teachers during face to face class time.
In summary, Bowen starts off by saying how powerful/beneficial technology can be for students but that it shouldn’t be in the classroom itself. “The real advantage of the new educational technologies is that they can force students to engage with the material outside of class, and thereby expand the time and quality of discussion in class.” (Bowen 1) Bowen argues that simply posting readings and videos online for the class is not enough. These things should be posted prior to class time, including a required response from the students not only from themselves but by responding and communicating with other peers’ responses. In this way, the professor can see that the students are putting in the work and the students can be “rewarded” positively. These can also create great visuals for students ahead of class time in order to work productively in small and large group interactions and discussions.
“The future classroom is not a lecture hall. If a student is going to sit passively and listen to a lecture (or watch a film), they don’t need to do it with us in the room.” (Bowen 3) Bowen argues this point from the excerpt to show how valuable interactions between students, teachers, and peers are. If students are investing their money and time into their education, using technology outside of the classroom will allow better time spent in the classroom, meaning all of the lectures should be online outside of scheduled class time.
I think that Bowen’s argument is extremely valid! I found exactly what I was initially looking for in this source to a) see a teacher’s perspective on technology use in the classroom/online and b) how the two can work together efficiently. The information in this excerpt helped me understand how to answer my follow-up question about how learning online and in the classroom can work together. The only thing I find myself going against the grain in, is the fact that not all students are motivated for class. If the lectures and assignments are due/required completion before class time, is there any type of motive to show up for the physical class? I could see students taking the teacher’s intentions out of context and making class time seem optional. I’m interested to research students motives for in class time after watching videos or completing assignments previous to the physical class!
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