Classrooms Receive Tech Upgrade
From the easily accessible iPads and a better wireless Internet system to the installment of projec- tors, Exeter has taken many steps towards incorporating technology into the classroom.In the past year, some teachers have found the that the gadgets do no distract students from the essence of the Harkness discussion, but rather
can enhance the experience.When Phillips Hall was reno- vated last summer, a projector, which can be connected to both iPads and computers, was installedinto each classroom.“In my classroom I use theproject the most to to show film clips from youtube downloads,” said English instructor Sarah Ream. “I have a screen also so I can show it the videos instantly. In the past we would have to go to the forum in
meyer and put on a video cassette.” “The projector units have given us the ability to play sounds and to project movies and papers,” saidEnglish instructor Lundy Smith. The improved wireless in both Phillips Hall and the Academy Building has facilitated the wide- spread use of iPads and laptops at the table. In the past many classes travelled to labs where learning became fragmented and ineffective. “This past year, after really working hard, we finally got a lap- top cart with fourteen Macbooks. It is a portable riding lab, so, instead of taking students to the lab we bring the cart to the classroom,”said Smith.“The wireless is a fantasticimplementation. The purchase of new laptops has given us the free- dom to hold writing workshops in our classrooms” he added.“This year we were really lucky to get a set of iPads for the history department” said history instructor Foley. “Having the instant internet access through the iPads has been quite an advantage over the previous desktops in the lab. In past years everyone was turned away from each other to do research and when they they came back together they couldn’t have that research right in front of them.”
“Now students can have everything right in front of them. The low profile of the iPad doesn’t inhibit the discussion in the way that a laptop would so they can be right there in the class ready to talk,” added Foley.Many teachers are finding that students are also moving towards a technological future. In many cases the majority of the class already owns a laptop, smartphone or iPad.“In my speech making class when I recorded all the speeches I used to have to walk around campus with a tripod and a huge camera and then go the library to show the video cassettes,” said Ream. “Now students can use their phones, iPads or film cameras. Technology has just streamlined the whole business.”However, some teachers feel that the rewards of iPad usage only go so far and that for the best teaching courses must rely upon numerous methods and techniques.“The majority of us look at iPads as receivers and computers as producers,” Smith said.“Kindles and tablets are great little reading tools but they don’t replace a books. Kids who use them in class have a hard time keeping up with us. They cannot scroll as fast we flip or move through the pages and they cannot annotate as easily,” said Smith. “A great many teachers use iPads for personal use to augment teaching. We can show video clips, pull up a work of art, have faster access to a dictionary. However, I know that when Mr. Griffin tried to teach a class in the fall with iPads it didn’t work out because the class was firmly entrenched in books.”Though ExeterConnect is designed to facilitate easy correspondence between students and teachers, many departments have found better alter- natives in the websites DropBox and Google Documents. Both websites allow teachers to grade and annotate drafts of essays, send them directly back to students in a wireless and environmentally conscious way.“Mr. Bremiller will paste links to grammar sites, so when students get their papers back, there is a website to immediately explain something. He can also save multiple drafts. For me, I find it easier to workshop papers digitally because I can respond automatically. The feedback is faster and you can refine what you’ve said,” said Smith. “We feel it is a better option than the portal on ExeterConnect. I bought everyone in the department instruction books on how to use it.”“It’s very easy for me to save papers to DropBox during the term and then access the when I come to write a student’s end of term com- ments,” said Foley. “This year I’ve been trying to give Exeter Connect a chance so I’ve been using the student to teacher file and students can submit their work that way.”Next year, departments plan to integrate iPads into courses more and continue to learn about online grading. Teachers anticipate the tech- nological trend of students will only increase and therefore bolster the greater opportunities of wireless and the projectors.“There has been a big interest in people signing up for lighting design courses because people like the technology,” Ream said.