Hi Jim:
One problem with lots of new classroom technology was that the
equipment was being installed by staff people who do not teach.
For example, a projector would be installed in the middle of the
room and aimed forward. This meant that the screen was hung in
the middle, in front of and obscuring the blackboard.
In a similar fashion, graphics tablets were fixed into a computer
monitor position. They are useless in that position with the
exception of crude movements like circles and X-s. I teach in a
classroom with a graphics tablet in that position and have never
seen any evidence that it was being used.
Here was our solution to the installation problem. Whenever we
refitted a classroom then we arranged to have someone who would
be teaching with the equipment be present when the equipment was
installed to make sure that the setup was usable.
So in our classrooms, the projectors are not installed on the
midline. They are installed to project to the left or right side
of the blackboard so both can be used at the same time.
I think the combo of projection and "boardwork" on a tablet could
be very effective. I may try to have the tablet repositioned.
(It is in a classroom in another building.)
Ken
PS - The worst installation I have seen was the following. A
department decided to try a "smartboard." The smartboard was
installed literally in front of the middle of the chalkboard.
The smartboard was then enclosed in a locking wooden cabinet to
protect its delicate contents. One needed to get the key from
the departmental secretary. (The key was promptly lost, of
course.) When the two doors of the cabinet were opened then the
rest of the chalkboard was obscured. And then a projector was
installed. The screen was hung in front of the smartboard.
There was blank wallspace to the right of the
screen/smartboard/chalkboard unit.
On 1/7/2011 12:45 AM, Jim Clark wrote:
Hi
The link to Khan Academy prompts me to ask whether anyone uses graphics tablets
in their teaching? We have a few classrooms where projection screen covers
much of blackboard, complicating switching between computer display and
blackboard. I'm thinking primarily of teaching stats, where both are helpful
(e.g., to show spss commands and output on screen, perform calculations on
blackboard).
Any thoughts on tablets or alternatives would be welcome.
Take care
Jim
James M. Clark
Professor of Psychology
204-786-9757
204-774-4134 Fax
[email protected]
--
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Kenneth M. Steele, Ph.D. [email protected]
Professor
Department of Psychology http://www.psych.appstate.edu
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608
USA
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