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I currently teach a Communicating for Engineers class at NC State, and I'm enjoying the experience. I like being in front of a class, though I do my best to avoid situations where I lecture with no feedback from my students. I like to think I do a good job of maintaining a dialogue with my students.
I'm happy to be teaching now, when so much is changing in the way we view education. I think new educational technologies make it an incredibly interesting time to try to connect with students. On one hand, I too often come across a utopian view of this generation of students that imagines them all as brilliant coders/creators, developing all their own computer programs or posting brilliant footage on Youtube. Certainly, some do. But most don't. On the other hand, we have a dystopian rhetoric that portrays our students as constantly distracted and unable to synthesize or absorb more serious academic information. Certainly some can't. But most can.
I try to take a middle ground with my students. I recognize that most students aren't as technologically proficient as some think, and I recognize that they can still learn just as well despite digital distractions.
I also take a middle ground when it comes to new educational technologies. I think we too often adopt technologies in the classroom for no reason, simply because they're the "cool new thing." The consequences can be severe, since after all, if a tool cannot help us learn, why are we using it? Because it's new? Not good enough. But while I think a little healthy skepticism is good, it has to remain healthy for it to remain good. When I'm exposed to a new educational tool, I try to figure out ways it can help both me and my students. We shouldn't dismiss technology just because others have used it poorly.
I hope to update this page fairly frequently, especially as I develop a fuller teaching experience. I'm only two weeks into my second year of teaching, but I'm really enjoying it, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the semester.
Click here to see a page about my philosophy on teaching and technology.