Jennifer Salgado, a second-year Medical College of Georgia neuroscience student, can attest to the advantages of modern teaching technology.
“We can access lectures and other resources 24 hours a day, which is great for graduate students busy with research projects,” she said.
MCG’s new neuroscience graduate program provided Dr. Darrell Brann, professor and associate director of the Institute of Neuroscience, a prime opportunity to introduce the latest technology in teaching. The coursework covers cellular and molecular neuroscience, nervous system development, sensory systems and regulatory systems that control functions such as breathing and metabolism.
“There’s a need for better training in the diverse, multiple skills neuroscience graduates need to succeed in obtaining a faculty position,” Dr. Brann said. “We believe technology can facilitate the learning experience and is thus an important part of the equation.”
He highlighted the program’s use of WebCT course sites, computer performance systems and Tegrity Campus, a digital recording technology, in an article on teaching and technology that appeared in the March issue of Advances in Physiology Education. The article also covered the design of the neuroscience curriculum and its focus on translational neuroscience training.
WebCT, a learning system used at universities nationwide since 1996, manages online courses. Tegrity, the recording software used at MCG, enhances WebCT by providing unlimited access to the classroom experience.
The Department of Medical Technology brought Tegrity to MCG in spring 2003. Other departments in the School of Allied Health Sciences adopted it shortly thereafter, and Dr. Brann introduced it to the School of Graduate Studies in 2005. The software was adopted in January as a campuswide Enterprise solution for online and distance education.
Tegrity records classroom lectures using a simple Webcam with a built-in microphone. The recording can be paused at any time during the lecture. After the lecture, the recording is uploaded to the Tegrity server, and the course director pastes a Web link on the WebCT course site for student access to the recording.
“The course evaluations and student feedback indicated that Tegrity greatly improved the students’ learning experiences. The students were unanimous in viewing Tegrity as a valuable resource,” Dr. Brann said.
One of the
software’s most popular features is an index that synchronizes the video lecture
to the instructor’s PowerPoint slides. Students can select which slide they
wish to review, and the lecture begins at that point.
“Tegrity is different from any other teaching technology I’ve seen,” Ms. Salgado said. “With other programs I used, you had to search for the section of lecture you wanted to listen to. Tegrity gives you an index so you can go directly to the section you want.”
Students also can seek specific sections, pause, access help, control the volume and print slides from the presentation.
“I go back and watch at least part of every lecture,” said Daniel Mandel, a second-year neuroscience student. “It’s a wonderful thing.”
Mr. Mandel said students do not abuse the technology, dismissing the idea that virtual lectures encourage absenteeism. “There’s always one or two classes you’re going to have to miss and it’s helpful on those occasions,” Mr. Mandel said. “But it’s by no means a replacement for class.”
Tegrity also provides software support for TabletPC, which lets professors
write directly on their PowerPoint slides using a digital pen. The instructor
can select pen color and line width, creating a mechanism for emphasizing key
points in the lecture.
“When we review the lecture, we see the professor drawing on the slide in real time,” Mr. Mandel said. “We can see as they say this point is important and they underline that sentence—it really drives the point home for me to hear it and see it pop up on the screen.”
The software also provides a variety of memory triggers, far surpassing that of a binder full of notes.
“In addition to hearing your professor’s voice, you see their facial expressions and their hand movements. It all helps you remember what’s being said and which parts are important,” Mr. Mandel explained.
MCG has obtained a license for a digital notes feature allowing students to use a digital pen with a notebook or tablet PC. The digital notes will synchronize with the Tegrity recording, allowing students to go back and select sections of their notes they wish to review.
“Technology incorporation in the classroom is a vital tool enhancing teaching effectiveness and the learning experience of our students,” Dr. Brann said. “MCG is demonstrating itself a leader in the use of such technology.”
Kim Miller