Professors, Make Way For The Podfather
Mar 20th, 2006
So many schools are now using iPods as learning devices, the innovation no longer qualifies as news. Though it was first deemed revolutionary when colleges began offering lectures for students to download on the 'musical' devices, the trend grew so fast that it seemed just about everyone was doing it.
But some schools are taking things further…and it may not be the schools you expect. How about a rural college nestled within the mountains of Georgia?
Students at Georgia College & State University can use their iPods for much more than class lectures now: they can also download movies cited on the syllabus, enjoy podcasts of frequently asked questions, and benefit from having the correct pronunciations of vocabulary words in foreign language courses immediately available. And still, the innovators are just getting started.
"The more you free up your classroom for discussion, the more efficient you are," said Dorothy Leland, the school's president.
[On the other hand]: While iPods can be useful tools for reviewing coursework, some critics argue donning a pair of earphones is not the same as actively engaging with material in a classroom setting.
"Learning is through interaction, discussion, critical questioning and challenging of assumptions," said Donna Qualters, director of the Center for Effective Teaching at Northeastern University in Boston. "Those cannot be duplicated on an iPod – you have to be there to experience that learning."
The seemingly uber-traditional GCSU has led the way in developing methods to integrate iPod technology into college curriculums. These "iDreamers" are working to cram as much as the college experience as possible into these tiny portable devices. Well, what do you expect from a university with a professor known as "the Podfather?"
What do you think? Are these innovations improving the quality of education, as the iDreamers claim? Or does technology interfere with traditional values? Would you want to take, or teach, a course where students used iPods as a primary tool?
(Photo Source: McMaster University)
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