Not teaching naked
Posted by: Dr Ashley Tan on: February 25, 2010
Do we have to teach naked? That’s a provocative a title, but thankfully it is not the headline for another school-related scandal. Teaching naked refers to bare bones (or bare skin) teaching.
Instead, the article explores the discrepancy between what technologies professors use in class and what students expect to use:
…students and teachers have potentially different skill sets, but more importantly, we’re at the point where it seems apparent that we prefer different kinds of technologies to learn, communicate, create, connect, and participate…
The author of the article then suggests the SlideShare presentation above on how to bridge that participation gap. Know what they like and don’t like: They don’t like death by PowerPoint; they do like archivable podcasts and social media. My takeaway? Meet them where they are already at rather than build elaborate bridges that no one uses.
But there is a problem with only doing that. They are not necessarily into Google Docs or wikis or shared concept maps or even blogs. Yet these tools (and their accompanying methods) are useful now and in their future. My suggestion? Use the social bridge to connect to these tools and strategies. Meet them where they are at, but also bring them on other meaningful journeys.
In other words, it is not prudent to teach naked because the environment has changed. Put on the bits that will make your body of teaching meaningful and engaging!
