When Tech Gets Personal

There are two kinds of classroom environments: those who embrace technology and those who choose traditional educational methods. Teachers and professors are being asked to embrace technology for classroom efficiency and productivity. But is this really the reason why classroom tech is the right move forward for education?

One of the greatest examples of personalized classroom learning aided by technology is happening in our own community. Dr. Lee Ann Kryder is a professor for the Professional Writing Minor. She currently leads 25 students in the Business Communication Track of the Program. Instead of lecturing, Dr. Kryder follows a different approach.

At the beginning of the quarter, she split up her classroom into teams. The teams were in charge of creating communication plans and deliverables for local businesses in the Santa Barbara Area. This meant communicating with professionals, using new software, and writing drafts of the material. In a traditional classroom, this would have all been done in an academic essay. Instead, Dr. Kryder is able to integrate technology into her lesson plans to create a more interactive classroom. Students are able to gain valuable, real world experience while learning how to use online tools that will transfer into the workplace.

Tools like Nectir are fruitful in classrooms like Dr. Kryder’s. Teams are able to connect on our channels and exchange ideas, information, and schedule meeting times.

Instead of asking yourself if you are willing to embrace technology, ask yourself this — are you ready to use technology to make the learning experience more personal?