New technology in classrooms at The Falls transforms the efficiency of classrooms, and the knowledge being produced in them.
Advisors have had a lot to say about their experience with the technology changes in the classrooms. John Whitmer, who teaches astronomy at SFCC, is one of the very few science instructors to have a planetarium to use.
“I can show the way things interact in the sky without actually having to wait for night,” Whitmer said. Using the program Starry Night, Whitmer is able to project the night sky in a 180 degree dome ceiling. His students can also access the simulations shown during class on their own at home.
“I love it,” said Whitmer. “It makes it much easier to visualize and portray the concepts of space using the planetarium rather than waving around globes.”
The planetarium isn’t just used for astronomy class. Movies for the public are shown using this new technology, and over 20,000 people have come to see the movies in the dome. There is also free planetarium shows put on by the Astronomy Club.
The planetarium was funded by the 2008-2009 student government; they donated about $2,000.
In the new Falls Gateway building, new technology is everywhere. Every classroom has Crestron, a small touch screen panel controlling almost everything in the room. You can make the projection screens go up and down, as well as the blinds in the windows. Sensors that detect movement control the lights. Temperature is automatic depending on the season, and can easily be changed to meet your preference.
On the front desk next to the panel are cords to hook up almost any modern device.
Sean Cotter, the Falls Media Technologist, has been involved with almost all of the new technology done in building 30. “The goal of it all is to make it seamless,” said Cotter. “So if you haven’t seen it before, it would be obvious enough to know how to work it without being scared to try it out.”
On the first day of class, they gave no directions to the instructors about the new panels and classrooms. About 20 minutes after classes started, Cotter walked through the building seeing that almost every classroom had the screen down and was using it.
“It’s a must-have nowadays, to have this kind of technology in classrooms,” said Cotter, “As technology changes, people appreciate the new things that are offered.”
Ken Avery, a Computer Science and IT Fundamentals instructor, prefers more of the old school style. “There is a difference between having technology, and heavily relying on it, and using it correctly,” said Avery. “Just because you use technology everyday doesn’t mean you are literate in technology.”
Avery teaches his classes by not relying on technology but keeping to more dated techniques, such as writing papers and grading them by hand. “Technology is both a blessing and a curse; rarely do we hear about the negative effects, just how great it all is,” said Avery. “In the short term we get things done faster and more efficiently, but in the long term most kids nowadays can’t even write in cursive.”
“I don’t think we should rely too much on technology,” Whitmer said. “There is no substitute for the night sky, and I encourage my students to use that as a reference as much as they can outside of class.”