Boston University is gaining a reputation for its tech-savvy research and on-campus options, yet some professors in traditional subjects said they are still wary of using projectors or multimedia programs in their classrooms, sometimes to the dismay of some of their students.
College of Arts and Sciences anthropology professor Thomas Barfield said he believes human contact cannot be replaced as the best way to connect with a class.
“[PowerPoint] is really good for maps, charts and all kinds of things, but if you really want to grab an audience’s attention, speak to them directly,” Barfield said.
The hassle and technical difficulties that come with multimedia presentations deter Barfield from relying on them, he said.
“Technology: It breaks down and the class is waiting around,” Barfield said. “If you’ve got a piece of chalk in your hand, then you’re ready to go.”
Though equipment problems persist and some late-adapters continue to resist computer-aided classes, BU Media Group staff coordinator Doug Bartlett said the use of technology by a wider range of professors on campus has increased significantly within the past 10 years.
“Ten years ago, there were less than 5 [LCD projectors] on campus and they were only used by the science and technology professors,” Bartlett said. “Within three or four years, I started getting calls from religion professors, and that’s when I realized this technology is being used by everyone.”
Bartlett also said professors may refrain from using technology because there are bureaucratic issues within BU that make obtaining and using the technology both difficult and confusing.
Some professors also choose not to make slides of their lecture materials available to students because doing so adds to their work schedule and they are uncomfortable posting the slides on the Internet.
“If you post [lectures] online, it’s a question of access,” Barfield said. “Do you want to post them to the entire world?”
Although BU provides a secure network for professors to post their lectures, some said they still worry about the privacy of their work.
“Sometimes that’s one of the things about the Internet that people haven’t thought about,” Barfield said. “What if you’re lecturing about something controversial, and you’re making an argument for a class to debate, and the class might know what you’re talking about, but that doesn’t mean the world does.”
Students said they prefer when professors use slides because the lectures become more visually memorable and the notes are written out. Some also noted the projectors and computers have an ideal time and a place and are better suited for larger lecture halls than tight-knit discussions.
“I actually find the visual accompanying the slide to be helpful,” CAS freshman Alexandra Novak said. “I’m a really visual learner so I remember things by seeing them, so seeing it will really help me.”
While students said they appreciate the ease of accessing notes online or the visual appeal of slide shows, not all professors are jumping at the chance to put their work on PowerPoints.
“The role of technology is to foster student learning as I see it,” CAS history professor Jon Roberts said. “I’ve never been able to convince myself that things like showing pictures and slides help facilitate student learning, but I could be wrong.”
