E-mail, text messaging and Web sites such as Twitter are becoming fundamental tools in how some professors communicate with students in their classes.
With increased use, certain instances have raised concerns that communication technology is too pervasive.
Political science lecturer Nancy Sims who teaches Science, Technology and Public Policy, said evolving technology plays an important part in teacher-student communication.
‘Since I am only on campus for limited office hours and to teach my classes, e-mail has opened up new communication channels,’ she said. ‘I also find that students will e-mail to discuss topics that interest them. They are less willing to do this in front of other students.’
Students who can check their e-mail with their cell phones have constant access to news and updates.
‘I check my e-mail on my phone every hour throughout the day; I feel lost without it,’ kinesiology junior Ashley Yarbrough said.
Houston Community College Southeast has started to incorporate cell-phone technology into its classrooms. HCC Southeast gave 15 biology students iPhones with which they can view, download and store class materials, instead of buying textbooks.
The college will study the effectiveness of the phones’ contribution in the classrooms and whether they improve learning. At the end of the semester, HCC Southeast will determine if this new method of learning should continue.
Web sites such as http://Twitter.com are becoming an increasingly popular form of communication in a variety of communities.
On Twitter, people use their phones or computers to write short text updates called ‘tweets.’
‘Twitter is becoming very dominant in the business world,’ Sims said. ‘In public relations, we are using Twitter to communicate with reporters on a consistent basis.’
Concerns about the pervasiveness of Twitter have risen because of a privacy scandal involving Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Michigan).
Hoekstra updated his Twitter status Feb. 5 to ‘Just landed in Baghdad,’ information that should not have been public knowledge. This alleged violation of disclosure policy caused the Pentagon to review its policy regarding sensitive information.
Many students use Twitter or similar Web sites. Yarborough said she is aware of how pervasive it can be.
‘All this technology is great, but I know Web sites like Twitter and Facebook cause lots of problems. It definitely oversteps the privacy mark,’ Yarbrough said.
Despite these concerns, advantages in technology have proven useful, Sims said.
‘I have won new business for my firm through Facebook and other social networking sites,’ Sims said. ‘Technology will only become more and more dominant.’
