A multiple choice question appears on the projector and all of the sudden you hear the clicking of 34 different remotes — each click representing a vote from a student in the class. Steve Weissman stands in the front of the class and after he closes the poll a chart is displayed on the screen. The results are surprising. After a short moment, Weissman initiates an engaging discussion about the results.
Weissman teaches Energy Regulation and the Environment and several other courses here at UC
Using iPad’s in the classroom opens many new and exciting opportunities. They are portable, easy to use and there are a wealth of apps. One of the challenges that we have encountered though, was finding an app that would allow faculty to not only present Powerpoint files, but annotate them during class. To our excitement, Explain Everything appears to fit that need.
Box.com Icon
“What is ‘The Cloud’?”
I’ve been asked that question many times. It sounds friendly, but to many people it is a confusing term. “The Cloud” is a term that refers to things being done, or saved on computers in a remote location. These computers are called servers and since they can be miles away from where you are, you need internet access to use it. If you have used Google Docs or even Gmail in the past, then you already use The Cloud. As people begin to juggle their work computers, home computers, smartphones and tablets, cloud computing is becoming more convenient and valuable. It allows you to keep all of those devices in sync without having to carry around a portable hard drive. All you need is an internet connection.
Image taken from Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Group_of_smartphones.jpg
Campus Technology has a very interesting article on how smartphones can be both a teaching tool and a distraction to students. Titled, Smartphones: Teaching Tool or Brain Candy?, they discuss how faculty can use phones as a asset teaching while giving ideas for managing phones in the classroom.
Here at UC Berkeley law we have a slightly different situation. Since almost all students have laptops, smartphones or tablets, faculty members must deal with these kinds of technology questions daily. While a smart phone may signify a distracted student, it could also show that a student is researching a topic, or making a note to themselves about something in class. We tend t0 think of these devices as being used for social/entertainment purposes and may not be aware of what kind of potential they have as productivity and learning devices. It’s important to communicate to students what your expectations are for their use of technology in your class. Is it ok for them google search topics in class, or even use Wikipedia?
Clickers are a great tool for creating in-class discussions and improving student engagement. This workshop will offer hands-on training with clickers and discuss effective techniques for using them in the classroom. We will also look at web based polling tools that can be used in place of clickers.
Available Dates
Feb. 8, 1pm – 2pm
Feb. 9, 1pm – 2pm
Sign Up – Please specify desired date
Learn the basics of bSpace. This introductory workshop will go over adding a syllabus and resources into your course website. We will also discuss the features of bSpace along with some best-practices for using it.
Available Dates
Jan. 26, 1pm – 2pm
Jan. 27, 1pm – 2pm
Feb. 1, 10am – 11am
Feb. 2, 10am – 11 am
Sign Up – Please specify desired date
As an introduction to RedDot, we will go over how to login and update a webpage. Skills covered in this workshop include, editing text, adding links and submitting changes to the workflow.
Available Dates
Jan. 27, 10am – 11am
Feb. 3, 1pm – 2pm
Sign Up – Please specify desired date
Is Pen Ultimate a notebook, or a digital whiteboard app? The answer is both. As a notebook or notepad replacement, Pen Ultimate sports extremely smooth handwritten text. Paired with a stylus, it’s likely the closest you can get to feeling like you are writing directly on your iPad. Pages are intuitively grouped into notebooks, that can be customized with different types of paper. Plug your iPad into a classroom projector cable and it transforms into a digital whiteboard. Read the rest of this entry »
Digital Teacher’s Tool Kit: Flash Drive
Small, Portable, Storage
Before class begins, a professors walks into his classroom to set up. Having requested a laptop from Media Services, he finds it set up on the podium, plugged in and ready to go. With only a few minutes before class begins, he quickly pulls out his flash drive, plugs it into the computer and a couple seconds later has his Powerpoint on the screen ready to go.
Professor Herma Hill Kay poses a question to her students about how one determines a home state in child custody matters. After a brief discussion about the days assigned reading, she decides to highlight several factors that will guide her students through the material. Instead of standing up and walking over to the whiteboard to write out her points though, she quickly jots down her notes on her iPad using her finger. The transition between discussion and presentation is seamless. Read the rest of this entry »