experiential learning cycle outside of our traditional classroom. It served to both acquire new
knowledge and to make connections to prior knowledge. As a concrete experience, Emmit
promoted observations, served as a laboratory, provided primary text reading, problem sets, and
examples. For abstract conceptualization, Emmit extended lecture outside of the classroom,
distributed papers to all class members, and helped organized projects. For active experimentation,
Emmit served as a laboratory, aided field work, projects and homework. In reflective observation,
Emmit was especially strong serving as a log and journal for both teacher and students of semester
long activates, continuing classroom discussion to almost every day of the week, promoting
brainstorming between students and teacher, and providing a forum for questions outside of
normal class hours (Svincike and Dixon, 1987).
Semester long activities were organized around three projects. Each project was designed to
meet some or all of the course objectives. The first project was designed as a group activity.
Groups were formed before the end of the third class meeting and project reports were due at
midterm. The basics of the project was the construction of lesson plans for using technology in a
classroom with access to only one computer (or maybe no computer). In class activities leading up
to this project’s due date were designed around this topic. They included presentations by two
guest
instructors. Both presentations were lessons about organizing activities in a one computer
classrooms (Dressel, 1982).
Each group presented to the class the results of their work on this project. All projects were
of high quality. As usual, Emmit was used to allow everyone to comment on the in-class
presentations. The following comment is typical of the student reactions to this assignment.
I learned quite a few things from doing and observing the presentations
given during our last class. The first thing that I learned is that we are all on
different levels in our knowledge and abilities on using computers. Our group
consisted on a couple of intermediates, and an expert. We learned a lot about using
computers in the classroom from our expert, Mike, and I want to publicly thank him
for that experience. Each exposure I have to this new technology, increases my
confidence and encourages me to incorporate computer lessons into my curriculum.
The purpose of the second project was to put every student into the role of teacher in a
technology setting. Students were required to work individually on this project. Time was set aside
during the last six class meeting for students to “Teach using Technology.” As everyone came to
expect, our list server,Emmit, was used to collect reactions to this teaching project. I was
Effective Teaching, Page 6
impressed with the great variety of these presentations. This activity allowed my students to
connect their prior knowledge of teaching to their new knowledge of using technology in their
classrooms. I learned more from them in this activity than my students learned from me.
The third project was designed to allow students to focus their semester long activities
toward improving technology based skills. Early in the semester, students met with me to set
personal goals for their achievements in this class. Soon afterward, a one page paper was due to
specify a semester long project that would demonstrate progress toward their personal goals.
Students could choose to work individually or as a group. About half the students worked
individually, about half formed groups. All groups were interdisciplinary (Murray, 1995). This
project served to focused students on the objectives of this class. It allow them to participate in
establishing goals for learning and for evaluation of their progress.
As a strategy for learning, this project included aspects of motivational, cognitive and social
theories as presented in the College Teaching course. From the motivational view, satisfaction was
provided by goal-setting, self-appraisal, and clear-positive-immediate feedback. Confidence is
satisfied by sequenced content, connecting success to personal effort, and appropriate levels of
difficulty and challenge. For relevance, students selected their topics of current interest, and were
allowed to use their own personal experiences or case studies. As a cognitive strategy it met
students needs for organization, planning, monitoring and regulating. From a social context,I
learned more about my students. It provided for diversity and interests, created an environment for
me to share responsibility with my students, and engaged in regular feedback. It helped regularly
checked for student understanding, encouraged peer learning and collaboration. It created a safe
environment were students and I could take risks, learn form our diversities, and reduce status
differences. (I didn’t understand how well this activity worked until I wrote about it today!)
I will mention only one other class activity that I feel added to the diversity of our learning
experience (Chism, 1994). Our class made a field trip to the New Orleans Center for Math and
Science (NOCMS). We were hosted by three instructors of NOCMS, which offers classes in
grades 10, 11, and 12 to students throughout the New Orleans Public School system. We met in a
computer lab that is actively used as a classroom. I feel this was a great experience for my
students--to see first hand and to hear first hand accounts from teachers using “Computers in
Education” everyday. As was typical of many of our classes, comments posted to our list, Emmit,
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gave multiple perspectives of this class meeting and allowed lessons learned to be reinforced for
So where did the real learning take place? Again, using Emmit, most students provided
feedback on their overall experiences in this class. These are some of my students comments
The real learning took place, for me, when I actually had to sit down and do
the projects. I learned a great deal from my classmates and enjoyed the exchanging
of ideas through the e-mail. I found myself sharing so many things I had learned in
class with my colleagues at work, my students and their parents. By giving us the
freedom to try out things on our own, I feel we all learn a great deal more than if
you had just given us the manuals to programs and shown us how to do everything.
The knowledge I gained throughout this semester has continued and will continue to
carry over to my own classroom. I find myself already giving my students more
time at the computer.
Having the course syllabus accessible over the web was very helpful to me.
I liked the way it was a living document (always changing). I usually would look it
up on Sunday night to be ready for class. The Class web page was also helpful.
Being able to e-mail assignments was wonderful and I enjoyed reading assignments
from classmates. What I appreciated the most was how the class was organized to
meet the needs of all the students no matter what their previous experiences were. I
think that we were all able to grow in our skills and knowledge. I think the "real
learning" in this class was in the open exchange of ideas and knowledge between
you, the guest speakers, classmates and the vast amount of information available
through the internet. I would definitely recommend this class to others.
I came to this class a near computer moron, and was instantly intimidated by
the level of some of the people in the class. Had you not been so easy-going and
accepting of all knowledge levels, I probably would have dropped, thinking this
class was above my skill. Your links in the syllabus were wonderful. I never had to
worry that I did not understand a term, there was always a link that I could go to
and learn. The syllabus itself was a godsend. It was so easy to keep up on the
current work, not to mention looking back for reference. The use of the computer
itself to read the syllabus, add links, check out whatever picture you put in, etc.,
was an excellent way to become accustomed to the computer and what it can do for
you. As for where the real learning took place, for me it was whenever I was in
front of a computer, whether that was in your classroom or mine. I found myself on
a regular basis taking what I had heard or picked up in class, and bringing it to my
classroom. Sometimes this was a great new web site or an activity that someone
shared. Most often I increased my knowledge by sharing learned information with
my students. (They always know something else!) This was a true learning class
because of the hands-on capability of the computers.
With the permission of my students, a small scale research project was conducted. Data
were collected during the fifth week of class. A summary of the results are included here.
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