Angela Morales
Class Notes/ Carnegie Grant
English 189
Fall 2005
Weeks 1-2 (August
31-September 9)
Objectives
This marks the beginning of my class notes and observations
in the study of how technology such as computers and computer programs such as
PowerPoint play a role in the classroom, especially as it applies to
developmental students in English Composition. Last semester I observed Chris
Juzwiak’s 189 English class, and I discovered how online teaching and the use
of
As for my own teaching background, I have taught developmental English, although I did not use computer technology in my own classes. I relied on traditional teaching methods of presentation: I wrote on a chalkboard, I used the textbook on a daily basis, and I graded each quiz/homework assignment by hand. I made individual conferences a mandatory part of my course requirements, and I graded many students’ papers in their presence. The extent of my use of “technology” consisted of using the overhead projector—I would project a blank outline onto the screen and ask the class the fill in the details as a group.
My success with this type of traditional teaching was, in my opinion, acceptable but by no means spectacular. Students, for the most part, progressed onto the next level. There were some students, however, who did not pass the class and who showed little desire to do so. These were the students whom many teachers refer to as “struggling” students—those people who have consistently failed at every academic situation they’ve encountered and who have been branded as either “failures” or “learning disabled” or even (and I don’t use this term lightly!) “brain-damaged.” I always thought there must be a better way to reach these students and help them to become more literate, but I had found no clear answers.
I have now begun to accept the fact that we are living in the computer age. Much to my dismay and sadness, many people no longer read, nor are they expected to. More and more, we must teach to those students who have been raised by the television and who have spent much of their youth playing video games and surfing the internet. So that we may communicate with these students effectively, I now believe that, as teachers, we must be willing to use computer technology in the classroom. Students are by nature now accustomed to staring at a screen when they seek information. Many students need additional stimulation of colors, photographs, animated objects, and even music to help keep them become engaged. I would guess that this form of “big-screen” learning especially applies to developmental students, since the majority of them have been less often exposed to “high culture” or experiences through theater, literature, and discussion. I still believe that a textbook must provide the foundation for the course, and that students can be taught to appreciate writing and literature through the use of technology, not as a replacement for it.
With that long-winded introduction, I will now record a few observations about my first week of teaching:
First Day
As I walked into my new 189 class on the first day of the semester, I realized that there is a real difference between a developmental class and a higher-level composition class. From the moment I walked into the room, I noticed many students were slouching in their chairs with their hands dropped at their sides. Other students were hunched over their notebooks with their foreheads resting on the heels of their hands. The rest of the students seemed to be in some other blank zone, staring patiently at the front of the room, just waiting to see what new facets of boredom they’d encounter this semester. They tapped their pencils and chewed gum. They averted their eyes when I greeted them. The body language seemed to translate to “repetitive failure.” “What now?” they seemed to be thinking. “This class will be just like the last one—a boring waste of time.”
First Week
Chris begins his class with an impressive PowerPoint introduction. He uses colorful dragon slaying images and tells students how they will conquer the various writing beasts. I really enjoyed watching the students as they experienced this very unique introduction. I considered using Chris’s slideshow, but I knew I couldn’t pull it off effectively. I opted instead for my traditional class introduction: taking roll, going over the syllabus, discussing basic requirements and asking students to do an in-class essay.
Class went by quickly, but it was nothing special. Next semester I would like to set a stronger tone from the first moment of class—one that is more welcoming and more colorful. This could certainly be accomplished through a slideshow introduction, though it could also be done through any exercise or presentation that simply surprises students and catches them a little off guard. I’d like students to leave the first class feeling excited to return. I’d look students to be excited to buy the book and get busy studying.
Computer Lab
On Fridays our class meets in the Computer Lab Classroom. I had been looking forward to Fridays—a day when students can have some hands on experience and work at their own computers for an hour. Students seem to enjoy this change of scenery, and I’ve seen Chris use the time very effectively. I plan to follow Chris’s model of having them take a vocabulary quiz in the first 10-15 minutes and then work on a writing assignment for the remainder of the time.
Chris attended my first Friday class to help me with any
technical problems. I was relieved to have that back-up, as he was able to
repair some glitches with my website and help get students signed into the
course. I tried to provide an introduction to the various components of
Week Two: The Real
Work Begins
This week I wanted to introduce students to the concepts of
brainstorming, outlining, and the beginning stages of paragraph writing. I
began the week by using a Pwpt. Slideshow that Chris uses. The slideshow simply
shows an animated “clustering” activity using bright colors and bubbles. It was
quite engaging when I viewed it last semester and Chris seemed to have much
success with it. I was quite excited to try out the presentation in my own
class, so I was very disappointed when I found that was faltering a little, and
that my own delivery of the slideshow felt a little forced. To be honest, I
felt like a fraud. After all, I hadn’t
created this lecture, and though it was quite wonderful, I wasn’t able to get
the pacing right. I watched as students’ eyes started to glaze over, and they
got the “T.V. at
Observation!
I learned two important things this week. 1. I must be diligent about revising Chris’s slides so that they have my imprint on them—that, or I need to create my own version of them, using his slides as models. 2. I really enjoy writing on the board! Although I love the beauty and precision of the slides, I like the spontaneity of writing out an exercise and letting the class help to create their own lessons.
Second Lab Day
I knew it was bound to happen, but I didn’t think that the computers give me trouble so soon into the semester. I was well prepared and ready to have students take their first vocabulary test, but when students logged in, all the computers were freezing and logging them automatically back off again. Though I don’t expect it to happen often, I learned that I should be prepared for such potential headaches and that I should have a good back-up plan. Fortunately, I was able to present another slide show, and I had students work on their outlines. The class went surprisingly well, and we simply postponed our quiz for the following Friday.
Overall Evaluation
Though I felt a little overwhelmed by new materials these first few days, I think that the class is off to a good start. I’ve accepted the fact that lectures may not be perfect, and that I should think of each class as a work-in-progress.