Some of you might think the “Mind of a Dean” has been far too quiet in the last several months. Others of you may be glad of that fact. However, a lack of words doesn’t mean there have been a lack of thoughts. The Mind of a Dean has been actively considering many thoughts and formulating words to help express them.
But sometimes it’s nice when the words of others help reflect our thoughts. As you consider your policies for classroom etiquette, the following article in The American Prospect might help you grasp the struggles students have to focus on paying attention in class.
http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=a_crisis_of_attention_and_intention
I found the details of the Ivy League school easily replaceable in our context by the importance of attention to the things of God, Bible, and ministry. For instance, in Senior Bible Seminar this year, I told the students that no laptops would be allowed to be open during class, because I wanted eye contact and interaction. The students responded well without complaining.
In some classes, that might be an unnecessary request, but in this course, it was essential.
One of our sister colleges has the following policy on notebook computers for its faculty to consider: “Computers can be a powerful aid to learning or a terrible distraction. It is up to you to decide whether or not students are permitted to use notebook computers in your class.”
Most of our discussion of notebook computers has to do with misuse. But the article I referred to above talks more about the real problem, which is lack of attention. And I think that if students are paying attention, the notebook can be a tremendous asset to the student’s learning.
So the question for discussion is this, “What do you do in class to grab and keep the attention of your students?”
David,
I did an informal survey in Worldviews and Ethics at the end of the semester asking students to be honest about their use of computers during class. More than sixty percent said that every time they were using the computer they spent more of that time(80%)checking e-mail, instant messaging and the like and not taking notes, checking online for information about the topic of the day, etc. So I continue to be concerned about the real value of laptops in class. I endeavor to engage the students that I see using their laptops while in class, but they all admit that most of the time they are doing other things. Few are really taking notes or “looking things up” online. It is a serious issue. Thanks for the words of encouragement.
Wanting to keep their attention and hearts,
Micheal J. Curtice, Th.D, Ph.D.
I thought the article cited was certainly to the point. The passivity of TV is essentially the problem. I am seriously thinking of banning computers for Early Church History in the fall. There is just so much unfamiliar detail that it is something that can easily lose or bore them, regardless of how skillful the lecture, reading or other parts may be. I intend to compensate by having the lecture out there ahead of time so they can print it out and take notes from there. By contrast, I am hoping to expand computer use in Contemporary RM. This is the one nice thing about Greek; moving to activity becomes pretty obvious. As I have said before to my classes, the only computer I am interested in is the one between their ears (it even has automatic updates).
C J
Major-league ditto to CJ’s entry!