Increasing Student Engagement and Extending the Walls of the Classroom with Emerging Technologies

Abstract

Some tend to view the use of technology as the panacea people have all been waiting for, and yet, if a piece of software or technology is not used properly, it can amount to little more than a high-tech pedagogical placebo. It is important to keep in mind that technology is a means to an end and not an end in itself. The goal is to impart knowledge, increase student understanding, and develop critical thinking skills. Further, if technology can be used to create learning experiences outside the classroom or enrich the educational experience inside the classroom, then it is a useful tool. This chapter reviews case studies of three emerging technologies: clickers (or audience response systems), Maple (computer algebra system), and screencasting (using a tablet PC) that have been implemented successfully on one campus to enhance student learning.