Kevin M. Johnston, Director, Michigan State University TA Programs, discusses a presentation covering some basics of pedagogical theory and teaching principles. He works through examples of classroom presentation methods that inhibit rather than enhance learning and takes a look at slide examples.

1. Technology and Teaching:
How Technology Can Improve
Classroom Instruction
Kevin M. Johnston
Director, MSU TA Programs
kmj@msu.edu

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Workshop Goals/Materials
Today, we’ll be
 Covering some basics of pedagogical
theory and teaching principles
 Working through examples of classroom
presentation methods that inhibit rather than
enhance learning
 Taking a look at slide examples

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Technology and Pedagogy
“If Technology Is the “Answer,”
What Is the Question?”
Bates & Poole, xiii

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Get Out Your Pens!
Complete this sentence : “As a teacher, I hope
technology can help me …”

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The “Larger” Continuum of
Technology-Based Learning
(Are teachers disappearing?)
Face-to-Face Classroom Face-To-Face + Distance
teaching aids e-learning (mixed) education
No E-Learning
Fully E-
Learning
Bates & Poole (2003)

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Classroom Technology and
Learning
What do we mean by Learning Theory?
Learning involves:
1) Acquiring knowledge of facts, principles, ideas,
and concepts, events, relationships, rules and
laws; and
2) Using or working on that knowledge to develop
skills. (Olson & Bruner, 1974)

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Learner-Centered Teaching
(Are we as teachers losing our “power!”)
 Includes the learner in decisions about
curriculum, instruction, & assessment
 Acknowledges, respects and accommodates
differences in background, abilities, styles, and
experiences
Treats learners as co-creators in the teaching
and learning process.
(Barr & Tagg, 1995)

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My Own Theories?
 Reinforce traditional teacher/student relationships
 Inhibit rather than enhance student learning
 Make teachers and students less effective
communicators
Even with all the new bells and whistles, classroom
presentational technology can easily:

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Power Point (or, whatever…)
General RULES:
1. Be Simple or simplify difficult material
2. Use it as a supplement, NOT the entire
presentation
3. Focus on Learning, NOT Technology

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More Important Power Point
TIPS
BASIC RULES of USEAGE
 Humans see graphics first, then text
 Keep information in a logical flow
 6 points or Less per slide/page
 Use large type Consistently –
Minimum 24 point
 Employ Other
Media/Board/Overheads if Possible

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Too Much Information?

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LGR – Global Benchmarking
To leverage global lessons, XXXX has established a
project career center that serves as the focal point for
implementing common best practices at both its XXXXX
plants and existing manufacturing facilities. Team Leaders
with international manufacturing experience – both
inside and outside XXXX – work with each program to
implement common best systems in the areas of
stamping, body, paint, general assembly, facilities, material,
information technology, purchasing, finance, business case
planning, people systems, and quality systems.
Representatives from the XXX XXXX in all phases of the
LGR Project. (See slide 46.)

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Have you ever thought…
Wow! Look at all those pictures I can use!
 I can get the WHOLE equation up on the board!
(And all at one time!)
 See how much MORE we can cover!
(With Less! Or WAIT! MORE!)

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Consider a random sampling process in which all the outcomes solely
depend on the chance, i.e., each outcome is equally likely to happen. If
the collection of all possible outcomes is U and the collection of desired
outcomes is A , the probability of the desired outcomes is:
P(A) = number of A = n(A)
number of U n(U)
Since A is a subset of U (see Set Theory), 0 < n (A)< (U) , the
probability of the desired outcomes is:
0 < P (A) < 1
Accordingly, the probability of an unwanted outcome Ā is:
P(Ā) = n(Ā) = n(U)-n(A) = 1 - n(A) = 1 – P(A)
n(U) n(U) n(U)
Statistics/Probability Theory

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Historically, three equations were of fundamental interest and exhibit
distinctive behaviour. These led to the clarification of three types of second-
order linear differential equations of great interest. The Laplace equation
2 2
d u + d u = 0
2 2
dx dy
applies to potential energy functions u=u(x,y) for a conservative force field
in the plane. PDEs of this type are called elliptic. The Heat Equation
2 2
d u + d u = du
2 2 dt
dx dy
applies to the temperature distribution u(x,y) in the plane when heat is
allowed to flow from warm areas to cool ones. PDEs of this type are parabolic.
The Wave Equation (See Next Slide!)
Partial Differential Equations (PDE’s)

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2 2 2
d u + d u = d u
2 2 2
dx dy dt
…applies to the heights u(x,y) of vibrating membranes and
other wave functions. PDEs of this type are called hyperbolic.
The analyses of these three types of equations are quite
distinct in character. Allowing non-constant coefficients, we
see that the solution of a general second-order linear PDE
may change character from point to point. These behaviours
generalize to nonlinear PDEs as well.
PDE’s continued …

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“There is more to life than
increasing its speed.”
Mohandes
Gandhi

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The Linear(?) Learning “Syndromes”
(How might technology contribute to these?)
 Content Coverage = Teaching SUCCESS!
(The Hang-On-We’re-Gonna-Make-It! Syndrome)
Avoid Going Back! Don’t Slow Down!
(The You-Should-Have-Gotten-That-Earlier! Syndrome)
Always build upon existing knowledge!
(The What-Do-You-Mean-You-Don’t-Remember? Syndrome)

24. Never, Ever Retreat!
Syndrome Two:
You-Should-Have-Gotten-That-Earlier
…The analyses of these three types of equations, elliptic,
parabolic, and hyperbolic are quite distinct in character.
Allowing non-constant coefficients, we see that the solution of
a general second-order linear PDE may change character
from point to point. These behaviours generalize to nonlinear
PDEs as well. Modern approaches seek methods applicable
to non-linear PDEs as well as linear ones. In this context
existence and uniqueness results, and theorems concerning
the regularity of solutions, are more difficult.

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To PowerPoint, or not to
PowerPoint?
 What Works? What Doesn’t?
 Any Drawbacks?
What Do Our Students Want?
Do We Give It to Them?

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Teaching media provide us with
other “voices.”
D. E. Levy, 2003.
University of Miami, Ohio.