Implementing new technology into the classroom
Technology can instantly revolutionize the way we communicate. The way students learn changes with it.
The recently released iPad may the next wave of the future — it allows users to access the internet and store complete books on a single device. Many CMU instructors already use BlackBoard for online class discussions and posting course material.
It’s not farfetched to envision students in the near future using e-readers or tablets for every class.
This is CMU’s chance to get ahead of the game.
Challenging professors to use textbooks that are available via iPad format and creating university-related applications would give CMU a leg up over other higher-ed institutions around Michigan.
Students are already accustomed to using technology in the classroom.
Many bring laptops to class and use smartphones; technology has become a powerful force in education.
Some universities are already changing the way they teach, anticipating the future.
Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania plans to provide first-year students with iPads as part of their education.
According to the school’s Web site, this access to technology is to give students “the technological skills you’ll need in the 21st-century workforce.”
This technology wouldn’t be cheap, initially. But compared to a few semesters of spending a couple hundred dollars on text books, e-books would likely make reading much cheaper.
The basic e-book for Amazon’s Kindle, on average, costs $9.99.
By providing the opportunity to download books versus purchasing the hard copy, CMU would better prepare students for the ever-evolving working world, just like Seton Hill.
An iPad or something similar would make perfect sense for the classroom.
Students would no longer have an excuse for not having their textbook or checking their e-mail on a regular basis.
All of that could be done from one device that weighs less than 5 pounds, saving students from hauling around bags full of thick textbooks.
The paper saved by reading electronically is a move in favor of sustainability.
The university has already created smartphone applications, bridging access between students and the university.
Why not encourage iPad usage as well? Look for avenues to explore e-book technology and openly promote it on campus and roll out a plan over the next 2-3 years.
CMU may be smaller than the University of Michigan or Michigan State, but here’s a chance to take the initiative and be a leader in education.
This is a perfect opportunity to stand out from other universities and attract students that will be a force in tomorrow’s work place.
The future is coming — quickly. CMU has the chance to move right along with it.
