Two things to know about me: I really like face-to-face, embodied conversations—my teaching has always prioritized discussion—and I am not into gadgets. In the world of technology, I travel way behind the curve and tend to operate on a need-to-know basis.
However, a couple years ago I read José Antonio Bowen’s Teaching Naked: How Moving Technology Out of Your College Classroom Will Improve Student Learning. The book’s provocative title may sound like an anti-tech manifesto, but in fact Bowen argues that effective pedagogy should use technology… outside the classroom to, say, deliver content or give students chances to practice skills. This, he insists, frees up face-to-face class time for active, participatory learning.
Reading the book convinced me I need to learn more about digital pedagogy—and specifically, to become more comfortably familiar with a wider array of tech tools—if I really want to foster engaged learning. (Not to mention if I want to get a job someday in higher ed!) So this is my overarching goal in participating in the TCP+R program: to get acquainted with some useful tools, yes, but more, to be able to articulate how these can enhance learning. How they can fruitfully supplement the discussions and conversations that are (currently) the cornerstone of my teaching practice.
So concretely, what are my objectives?
1. Early next semester, in Candler School of Theology, I’ll teach a short course (14 contact hours) on conflict transformation skills. From my learnings in TCP+R, I want to choose a couple of tools to integrate into that course. As part of this, I need to be able to articulate how they contribute to course objective(s) and/or assessment. So I’ll start with the learning goals for the class and work backwards from there. (I’m considering creating an interactive syllabus—but if I go there, I need to be convinced it’ll be genuinely useful, not just a cool-looking creation.)
2. With each tool we learn, I’d like to do some brainstorming of ways to use the technology in the classroom, with particular attention to what the tool offers to enhance learning and/or assessment. Ideally, if time allowed, I’d create some kind of running document to record these ideas. (And if others are likewise interested and want to do something collaboratively, maybe we could keep it on our website…?) On the other hand, if time is short, then I’ll focus on objective #1, and this list will just be (for now) a collection of scribbled notes.