Toward a Rational Approach to Technology

Technology and distance learning have become the new catch phrases of American higher education, especially at two-year colleges where teaching is the primary mission. One result of this development is that faculty members and students frequently have access to the very latest teaching tools, meaning that learning is taking place by means, and in places, unimaginable just ten years ago. But another, less positive result is that students can become disconnected from the college as a physical entity, while faculty members can feel pressured to incorporate technology that doesn’t fully mesh with their teaching styles.

The question colleges must ask whenever they bring new educational technology onto campus is, “Why are we doing this?” If the answer is, “To help faculty members teach and students learn,” then that latest innovation is probably a good thing. But, if in all honesty, the answers have more to do with impressing stakeholders, keeping up with the Joneses, or increasing the bottom line, then everyone concerned should regard that technology as suspect. The point is not that technology is bad; much of it is quite useful, but technology should be embraced for what it can do for students, and not merely for its own sake.

This presentation is designed particularly for community college teaching faculty and academic administrators. The presenter is a 20-year veteran of community colleges and a long-time academic administrator whose department has been at the forefront of his college’s technological revolution. He is also a regularly featured columnist for the popular Two-Year Track segment in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Thus he brings to the topic not only a wealth of experience, but also a great deal of wit, insight, and good humor.

To find out more, email Ed Leach or call (480) 705-8200, x233.