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Title:
Measuring the Impact of Technology on Learning
Convener:
Fred Gaudet - GWCC
Facilitator:
Fred Gaudet - GWCC
Attendees:
Fred Gaudet - GWCC, Alan Levine - MCLI, Gloria Stahmer - GWCC,
Doyle Burke - MCC
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Discussion:
- learning@maricopa.edu
has a section on measurement (p. 13).
- Does technology impact the speed of learning, retention, and quantity of learning?
- Do grades measure learning; is learning measurable?
- It is important to ask whether technology has an impact on learning.
- What does technology do in the learning process?
- Can we measure applications of technology in the teaching/learning process?
- Is technology an enabler or an inhibitor?
- Can learning be measured?
- How can we know that learning has occurred?
- Something is measurable, but what?
- What is measurable?
Performance-based activities seem to be measurable
Concepts are more difficult to measure
Easier to measure skills
Can technology be measured in assessing skills development?
- Why do we want to measure whether technology enhances learning?
So much hullabaloo over cost
Some faculty are questioning whether technology is worth it
- What is the alternative to technology use?
- Shift of the question: While it is apparent that technology won’t go away, the question is what impact it will have on the society (academic society).
- Is it appropriate to measure the impact on the teaching/learning process as opposed to measuring learning?
- Faculty may or may not use technology. Will students rise up and make demands of faculty?
- Question: where do we put our scarce resources?
- Report: some chairs have ordered faculty to use technology. Some faculty use an outline program, but question the effectiveness.
- Is it possible to assess outcomes? It depends. Outcomes may be vague.
- Some students like PowerPoint because the faculty member is more organized.
- An array of possibilities may be more effective.
- Question: What is the alternative?
- It is important to help faculty plan to use technology effectively.
Much of instruction is a focus of "Me, the transmitter of information."
- Shift: How does technology facilitate learning?
- We still have to assess learning, but there is talk of third-party assessment.
- Is there any research that suggests that technology makes learning worse? (None reported.)
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