Technology In The Classroom

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, traditionally in-person courses were forced to make the difficult decision to transition to an online format. Thankfully, there have been significant improvements in online technology platforms and programs that advance the virtual learning experience. For example, technologies like Flipgrid, Kahoot, Nearpod, and Zoom are widely available to enhance the learning environment for students and teachers alike. Extant research on online learning has resulted in mixed reviews. For example, Glenn (2018) points out that students who may not normally participate in an in-person learning environment can no longer blend into the back of the classroom, as participation is incredibly important to advance in the e-learning environment. Further, students may feel intimidated when it comes to reaching out to professors when they are not able to meet with them in person. Conversely, and perhaps more positively, Glenn highlights that e-learning, asynchronous options make it possible to complete schooling with a job and family demands. Further, Yamagata-Lynch (2015) found that, in her graduate level online course, that students felt the online environment gave them the chance to be a more active learner and student. Given the ubiquity of online learning and the use of programs and technologies in the classroom, it is essential to understand students’ experiences and perspectives in these digital environments to ensure pedagogical practices align with the needs of learners. As such, we sought to explore students’ experiences with technology in the classroom to advance this area of research. Specifically, we will systematically examine students’ experiences using multiple programs and technologies during a 300-level class. We will use an embedded mixed methods design to obtain survey data on students’ preferences and barriers using Nearpod, Flipgrid, Zoom, and ReggieNet. We will also assess their perceptions of whether these programs or technologies advanced their learning throughout the semester. These technologies will be used synchronously and asynchronously throughout the semester. The class is comprised of 24 (21 female) junior and senior undergraduate students majoring in psychology. The students will receive class credit for completing the surveys. In this ever-changing and unsure time in education, it is crucial we understand how online education aids or hinders students’ learning and for those students to get the chance to reflect on their experiences in real time. This study will contribute to the literature on undergraduate college students’ experiences with technology in the classroom and seeks to inform future pedagogical practicehttps://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/urs2021psych/1005/thumbnail.jp