Sunday, April 28, 2013

Blog Post #14

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Teacher Knows if You Have Done the E-Reading article was about an instrument educational tool named "Course Smart" which monitor students on whether they were reading the assigned chapters from their professors.  The article talked about the pros and cons from professors using this software.  A pro was  allowing teachers to know if their students studying habits were good or poor.  One of the cons were how some of the students could just open up his or book on the computer and then just walk away and continue to do go along with their day as if they were still reading the book.
 
Teacher Point of View
Personally, in the point of view as a teacher, I am totally against this type of software.  Mainly because to be honest as a teacher I cannot promise myself that I will actually get on the computer every day and monitor the students progress on their reading assignments.  Also, by the time students get to the college level they probably already have mastered their studying habits.  This software is kind of  too noisy for me even if I was a teacher.  Smart instrument, but too much monitoring for a college level.
 
In The Student's Point of View
In the student point of view they might see this instrument as another challenge for them too somehow trick.  Like the article said "Some students may open up their book assignment on their computer and move on with their usual day".  Furthermore, to of course some students they may see this tool as a motivation incentive.  If they already know that their professors are monitoring them they would be more serious about making sure that they read their assignment.  These type of students feel if the instrument is smart enough to monitor whether the book is opened then the software is smart enough to know whether the scroll button is being moved up and down and so on.  In other words, there are a lot of students would not second guess the "Course Smart" software.  These type of students usually are the ones who are doing their work anyway.
 
Questions for the Teacher
How would you truly know if your students were doing their readings?
How much extra time will this monitoring take as a teacher
Do you think you students would try to out smart the "Course Smart" software?
Is this tool expensive?
 
Questions for the Students
Do you enjoy being monitored constantly by your professor?
Do you like this "Course Smart" Software?
Do you score higher by using this software?
Do you prefer writing your notes down and listening to a teacher teach?
Would you try to out smart the "Course Smart" software?
 
My Comments
Overall, I think that this instrument is an ingenious idea for teachers.  Especially for those teachers who are in the lower grade levels below the college level.  Students who are at the college level are adults and adults do not like to be monitored constantly be their professors.  College students like to feel free and trustworthy until proven different.  In conclusion, as a future teacher I might be interested in utilizing this instrument, but only once in a while.  I could not promise myself that I would be faithful as a teacher with monitoring my students on a daily basis wondering if they have done my reading assignment or not.  It almost seem like cyber harassment somewhat.

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