Today I will meet my second class. Yesterday's class went well; we went over the syllabus and course expectations. I tried to make them laugh.
I teach one of my classes in the most technologically advanced classrooms I've ever seen. It's amazing, and a little intimidating. There is even a remote control laser pointer. Okay, I know, not the most technologically advanced article in that classroom, but really the strangest and most foreign to me. Not that I've never seen a laser pointer, I totally have (my sister's dog goes nuts for them), but I've never seen one in a classroom.
Think of all the things I could do! I could stand in front of the students and laser point at the projected computer screen. I could point at the white board thing I have. I could point at the mysterious boxes of bottled water in the corner of the room (I told the students that the water is for us, in case of emergency; we'll all hunker down). Technology is. Something?
Well. I'm not sure, but the class is also unique in the way it's set up. Two rows of connected desks, stadium seating, swivel chairs. It all feels very, very professional.
This, however, makes sense, as my classroom is in the College of Business building.
The class I teach today is in GS (General Classroom South), a decidedly older building, with technology an unlikely affair. It's going to be interesting to see how my two classes are affected (or not) by technology this semester. I'm interested in whether the technology will help them pay attention more, help them become involved in discussion, and generally feel more at home in the classroom, or if it turns out to be a hindrance.
I know I'd need many more classes and much more time for my investigation to be anything but anecdotal, but still.
