On Monday, the first day of the semester, I plan to distribute the syllabus and then show a documentary on which I will ask students to take notes. Then class will be over. I would argue that my decision is both good pedagogy and an exemplary use of technology. Before making my case, I should first clarify that these are my first day of class plans—unless the college is closed for a snow day.

The first day of class is extremely important; especially in the type of student centered classes I teach. It is crucial to set the tone for the semester by allowing students to meet and interact with their colleagues on the first day. But what if a significant number of students cannot make it to class on the first day because Southeast Michigan is blanketed with 12 or more inches of snow? Are we to argue that an act of God should place these students at a disadvantage for the semester and, in the process, seriously harm the classroom dynamics?

The documentaries that I plan to show on Monday are all available on-line— Ancient Olympics for ancient world history, A Renaissance Education for early modern world history, and Guns, Germs, and Steel for early American history—which means that they can be viewed in the classroom and by students who cannot make it to campus. Each will provide substantive information which means that the first day of class will not be a wasted day. And each will introduce themes on which we will build during the semester.

Then, on Wednesday, when it is likely that students will be able to make it to campus, we can conduct the “first day of class” activities I had originally planned for Monday; activities for which I have already printed handouts and completed other organizational details.

I will admit that I would be skeptical if I heard a colleague say that good pedagogy and effective use of technology meant showing a documentary on the first day of class and asking students to take notes on it. Such a response exemplifies what is a problem with much of the current discussion of educational technologies. The focus is more on the specific technology than on the pedagogy purposes for adopting the technology. We too often don’t consider how various technologies can advance our educational goals or we respond as if there is only one technology being used in a single course or an entire program.

If we don’t have a snow day tomorrow, it is likely that the absentee rate in my classes will be 50% or higher. Therefore, screening documentaries that absent students can view from home is an effective use of technology. Were we not expecting a huge snowfall, I would consider this approach to be neither effective nor desirable. But the snow is coming. And it is this context—not the technology itself—that must be considered when evaluating the effectiveness of my technological and pedagogical choices for the first day of class.

During the past few days, I have been participating in a discussion on Facebook in which a friend posted the following comment that makes this point well:

“As a consumer of audio courses, I can appreciate both sides of the issue [of on-line vs. face-to-face courses]. The classes I listen to as I commute around the state are on subjects of my choice, with Shakespeare being my favorite topic. I view them as a way to hear different viewpoints. I go back and listen to certain lectures over, especially if they concern new views on favorite plays. But if I really want to delve into the work, I want a discussion with a group of people! To me, it is not the technology; it is the methodology that makes a difference.”

I know that I am hoping for a snow day tomorrow, but am prepared to use technology to the advantage of students if classes are held; even if the technology I am adopting would not be considered effective were we not experiencing a snowstorm.

–Steven L. Berg, PhD

“Evaluating Technology in Context…” was cross posted on my HASTAC blog.