During the 2009-10 academic year, Miami University will face the challenge of integrating new classroom technology while staying within a tight budget.
"Budget cuts are definitely affecting technology, but we're working so that students will experience the smallest impact," said Hitash Naik, coordinator of technology and computer support for the School of Education, Heath and Society.
Miami has relocated training workshops to a training Web site to save money, according to Cathy McVey, senior director of strategic communication and planning for IT Services.
"We're moving our software training programs to a very up-to-date online course, Lydia.com," McVey said. "Any Miami student or staff member can use the site for free."
Not every new technology breaks the bank. Free communication software is very popular, according to Glenn Platt, marketing professor and co-director of the Armstrong Institute for Interactive Media Studies (AIMS).
Twitter, Facebook and podcasts are free communication applications that transfer easily to the classroom, according to Platt.
"I put the basics on podcasts so students have more time in the classroom for hands-on experiments," Platt said. "It works well for the students and for me."
Students in the School of Education, Health and Society often use podcasts to present an assignment, according to Naik.
"In some cases, podcasts can replace written projects," Naik said. Miami senior Dori Bahir wishes classroom podcasts were more widely available.
"I've never used podcasts in the classroom, but it's a good idea," Bahir said. "If professors had extra information or needed the students to have a good background, a podcast would work as a great refresher."
Rose Marie Ward, a kinesiology and health professor, said she uses free technology to encourage ideas and inspiration.
"This summer I used Twitter in my graduate classes," Ward said. "The students would twitter once a day, sharing research questions and feedback with other students. This feedback would often generate new questions. Students have told me that they enjoyed using Twitter and will continue to use it."
According to Naik, the face of education is evolving to include much more technology.
"Some classrooms have Smartboards, which are interactive whiteboards, which allow a teacher to write in digital ink," Naik said.
The School of Education, Health and Society is experimenting with new technology in the classroom, according to Naik.
According to Naik, the school uses Team Sport, a big presentation screen hooked up to several laptops.
"Students can pass files and collaborate on a project easily while working from central screen," Naik said. The School of Education, Health and Society also uses Backpack Units, a collection of technological equipment that enables the owner to carry on a class anywhere in the world, Naik said.
Ward said the future of education is electronically-displayed textbooks, whether online or in a device like Amazon.com's Kindle that stores and displays books on its 6-inch screen.
According to Naik, paperless textbooks will be a reality in the near future.
Senior Dave Yousavich said he looks forward to textbooks becoming easier to use and more affordable.
"Online textbooks are very interactive; you can underline and highlight easily," Yousavich said. "They would also become cheaper for students."
Sophomore Jessie Riley sees computers in classrooms as a potential distraction from a professor.
"I don't take my computer to class because I would end up getting on Facebook and not paying attention," Riley said.
Platt stressed the importance of education over having every new technology.
"In the midst of all the change, we must remember that technology is not a substitute for good teaching," Platt said. "We have to realize when it's appropriate to use and when it's not."
