Conversations on Technology
Is technology fair to all students?


prepared for


The Institute on Learning Technology


part of the


 


Spring 2001

This conversation also is available from the
Learning Through Technology web site,
http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/archive/cl1/ilt/


Conversations on Technology:
Is technology fair to all students?


Question #8:
"I'm afraid that using technology won't be fair to all of my students. Have all of 
your students been able to deal effectively with your use of learning 
technology?"

 

Any method of pedagogy favors some and works against others.  Students are 
not identical.  Technology will be in the classroom and elsewhere very soon.  
Fighting it is a failing rear-guard action, much as the battle by those who 
opposed using paper and pencil since it would result in atrophied memory.  
Even if you are correct, you can't win the battle. Witness those who fought 
calculators.  You will be giving your students essential skills they will need.

 

Students do not have problems with LT.  It is mostly the faculty who have 
problems.

 

Not all my students have been able to deal  effectively with my use of 
technology, just as not all of my students have been able to deal effectively with 
my lectures over the years.  Lectures are not fair to all my students and neither 
are group work assignments.  Many students, however, benefit from the use of 
technology and they will have to learn to use the ideas and skills of our 
discipline in a technology-rich environment that they will live in throughout their 
lives.

 

Four years ago I asked my freshman students how many had used e-mail and 
accessed the web.  About 40% had.  Today nearly everyone has.  In fact it is 
mostly the non-traditional (older) students who have not.  Let's face it.  The 
world is not going to quit using computers.  If students have to learn to use 
technology in your class you may be doing them a big favor.  Most of my 
technology phobic students have thanked me profusely for helping them 
overcome their fears and getting them started.  However you have to do this 
correctly. Give students room numbers where they can get an e-mail address.  
Tell them where computer labs are and tell them that they are manned with 
people to help them.  For a couple students that were really scared I actually 
went to the lab with them the first time.  If you have a real phobic group do a 
group trip to the computer lab.  I have never had a complaint about my use of 
technology in any class that I have ever taught.

 

My students have access to all of my multimedia material on the server.

 

As with most learning, some students are faster than others at using 
technology. You have to be ready to give the slow learners extra help, but that is 
always true.

 

Nothing is completely fair.  Even text books give some students an advantage 
over others. That is the nature of living in our academic world. It would be more 
unfair to the students to not prepare them for the future they will find when they 
leave campus. They will be expected to be technologically literate. That is why 
everyone here on campus must take IT 101 or IT 102. It levels the playing field 
and we level the field more by letting students know what they need to know in 
the courses we teach and then give the resources to learn and some of the 
class time as well if necessary. It is part of preparing independent learns that 
permits us to do this. 

 

Depends on what you are doing.  If you use it in class to show animations then 
there is no problem, if you are asking students to manage the computer, 
internet, e-mail, then you should consider taking some time to teach the proper 
use.  Or get some student to do the training for you.

 

Students today are getting used to dealing with technology.  Those who have 
not been familiar have been able to learn quickly.