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 OurBlook interview with Dr. Lynda Aiman-Smith, Jenkins MBA program, North Carolina State University
Please tell us how you have incorporated technology in the teaching of your MBA students.
LAS: Whether it’s face to face or online, I always try to provide a rich learning environment system for students. Learning management systems are in use everywhere and are the base of educational technology. NC State is moving to the use of Moodle, an open source learning management system that is collaborative and cooperative.
Personally, I do a lot of video podcasts which are short snippets of info that often include slides, video, music, etc. Students love this combination of media and technology. I also use Elluminate, a web-based conference tool, as well as Second Life, a virtual world where users can socialize, connect and create using voice and text chat. Second Life is a great way to develop a social presence with students who are geographically never together.
More generally at NC State and elsewhere at the college level, how are technology and social media changing education? Are there any particular new techniques you foresee coming soon?
LAS: That’s a huge question. I tend to think of technology as being on a continuum, all the while trying to provide a rich learning experience. One of the things you have to remember is to define what you mean by “technology.” Some folks use DVDs, slides and web access as technology. It’s a whole different technology if teachers are educating students in different locations. Because of where we are as a social system and the sophistication of our students, a body of tools will be employed.
The use of technology is expected by our students. Our students expect to be able to access assignments, readings and Q&A’s via some type of online technology. They expect to be able to contact and engage with faculty and teaching assistants in ways other than going to office. Unofficially, students bring in technology.
In the future, simulations that more closely resemble games will play a major role in education. Games with a purpose, such as a game developed by Carnegie Mellon that involves the use of tagging web-based images, will become more widespread. Serious games will also become very popular. These simulations will allow students to learn skills, actions and concepts within the context of a 3D multi-user game. The popularity of games will grow big time over the next 10 years.
Is there a psychological aspect to this as well as technical ... e.g., do college students learn better via technical methods, or a combination of personal and technical methods?
LAS: Personal opinions should be pushed aside here. Last year, the department of education published a report that reflected results from a meta-analysis, a study that looked at data from a variety of studies that had been done of learning environments: face-to-face, blended (some opportunity for face-to-face engagement but not all the time) and completely asynchronous. They found that the best learning environment for students is a blended situation. That is, students study the material and immerse themselves in it on their own time but also have the opportunity to engage with faculty. You can access the report at http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf
Is there a cost-savings aspect to this ... is it a more financially efficient means of teaching and learning?
LAS: Again, personal opinion should be pushed aside for this question. Several reports have been published saying that it’s not a cost savings for educational institutions. The cheapest method is to have completely asynchronous learning environments but that does require substantial development time upfront. Over time, the cost will be about the same as face to face learning.
However, there are benefits to students. They provide opportunities for education that don’t exist if you demand that everyone get together at the same time and place.
Can this teaching technology be used in high schools, junior highs and elementary schools as well?
LAS: It’s being done. All of these technologies are already being used in schools. That’s one of the reasons why our students expect it when they arrive at universities and colleges.
Are there any disadvantages to this method or the use of technology generally in education, or anything that concerns you?
LAS: From the faculty perspective, it’s a lot of learning on our end. We tend to teach the way we were taught and the majority of us grew up being lectured to. To learn how to provide info, experiences and assignments ... it’s a lot of learning on our end. The burden on the faculty from using tech classes is about 3x that of going in and talking to a class.
From a student perspective, they have to have the appropriate technology and hardware. What’s even more important is that the students who engage in these courses and use the technology have the ability to be able to structure their own time and timelines well. I’ve found that I consistently get comments from students in these learning environments that they’re so used to professors reminding them before assignments are due that they never found a way to structure their time.
(Dr. Aiman-Smith, an associate professor at NC State, has taught several courses using the new technology. She got her Ph.D. from Purdue.)
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