Education has always relied on technology. Dating back to the However, in a country which struggles to maintain basic literacy In contrast to the corporate world, where computers are seen as Is technology training supposed to be an end in itself? Or UCLA is a good example of an institution which relies on Certainly, students use computers to conduct academic affairs The Internet, which we all surely use, offers a tremendous array Faculty members use computers to conduct scientific research, Aside from PowerPoint presentations and class Web sites, Across the board, schools and teachers remain short on hardware Regardless of how many computers and projectors are available, Moreover, I would venture to guess that few professors at UCLA How can our professors and lecturers be expected to teach with Of course, technology has caused important incremental changes. Still, modern technologies should improve the overall classroom At UCLA, at least some people are working to make current The portal offers two components, a computer center which offers According to Pieter Lechner, manager of the Visualization The portal seems to represent a useful integration of learning A far cry from a PowerPoint presentation with slides that depict And while PowerPoint presentations may be better than chalkboard At UCLA, professors and lecturers have the technological However, there are limits to what technology can do. Technology may be able to transform a good lecture into a great
invention of the paper and pencil, technology has revolutionized
the education process.
rates, it is difficult to see how technology has actually improved
the learning environment.
tools, the education system has struggled to define the role of
technology.
should technology only be used to enhance the rest of the learning
experience?
technology to function, but has yet to reach a digital nirvana.
ranging from submitting undergraduate applications to selecting
classes.
of knowledge, but requires patience and training to be used
effectively.
manage their classes, and communicate with colleagues across the
globe, but undergraduate students lost in massive lecture halls
rarely see any really revolutionary use of computers as a tool to
help them learn.
students have yet to see a true integration of technology and
learning.
““ according to the California Teacher’s Association,
our state remains ranked 50th in computers per student.
managing large numbers of students while integrating technology can
be very difficult.
have ever taken a course on how to integrate new technology into
their lectures.
technology if they have not been taught themselves?
Students no longer have to struggle with handwritten handouts or
ancient “ditto” copies. Textbooks designed with
computers boast rich graphics and benefit from modern color
printing.
experience, rather than simply streamline school business or serve
as examples of what will be in the future.
technologies impact students directly. Run by the Academic
Technology Services office, the Visualization Portal is a project
which aims to literally immerse students in a digital world.
the latest modeling software and a Trimension virtual reality
display which surrounds users with a 24-foot screen.
Portal, “You’ll (understand) a lot quicker looking at a
model than reading about it in a textbook.”
with advanced technology. Professors can now take their students
through the ancient Myan ruins, fast forwarding them through
thousands of years, as if they were really there.
the same information in a less effective way.
scrawls, they do little more than organize existing
information.
facilities at their disposal, and should try to develop curricula
which uses this technology to immerse students in rich multimedia
environments.
one, but no amount of technology can bring a bad lecture ““ or
a student sitting in one ““ back to life.
