In response to Richard Appelbaum's comments:
I shared some of the same concerns expressed by Richard when I first heard
faculty (both service-learning and others who use instructional technology
to enhance teaching) state that students felt safer stating their
viewpoints through the electronic venue. Shouldn't our students be
learning to exchange ideas face to face, even when these ideas are
controversial or critical of their classmates' opinions?
Unfortunately, many students--and I'm speaking generally here, not
exclusively about service-learners--do not feel so empowered. They are
either unsure of themselves, or intimidated by controversy, or more
reflective than verbal, or simply unaccustomed to being active learners who
engage with the material and with their classmates. The various
educational technologies enables these students who would otherwise be
silent to have a voice in the conversation. According to faculty reports,
students' increased participation through chatrooms, listservs, networked
writing environments, and so forth, often lead to improved in-class
discussion and collaboration as well.
I agree with Richard's core points: How do we develop active learners? Do
our traditional methods/systems of education really foster active learning?
In my experience, instructional technologies ARE helping students to take
more ownership of their education, as well as making some positive impacts
on service-learning instruction.
Michele James-Deramo
Director
Service-Learning Center
202 Major Williams (0168)
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
540/231-6947
deramo@vt.edu (work) / jamesderam@aol.com (home)
http://www.majbill.vt.edu/SL/index.html