Teaching in the Computer Classroom

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It is no secret that technology brings new challenges and opportunities into the classroom. If you are unfamiliar with using technology, however, you can take comfort in the fact that the best way to teach with computers is to put your pedagogical goals first and to let technology help you fulfill them.

Still, there are a number of recommendations that can help to make teaching with computers more successful. In general, you should think of computers as a way of fostering learning which is based on participation, dialog and collaboration. Computers can also help with the delivery of information and with the implementation of exercises, but the latest manifestations of networked computer technology and the most rewarding pedagogical strategies tap into the potential for computers to facilitate interpersonal contact and active learning.

To this end, you may want to think about these tips, issues and activities:

General Strategies
Here you'll find hints about integrating computer-assisted tasks into teaching.

Instructor Authority
Computer-assisted teaching can mean redistribution of instructor authority. Still, you can maintain an allegiance to your own teaching disposition.

Real-Time Interactions
In real-time exchanges, students participate more freely than in traditional discussion and receive valuable practice in reading and writing.

Asynchronous Discussions
These forums allow threads of discussion to develop between participants, allowing students to see how positions are modified through dialog.