Journal #1

"Professors adjust their methods to reach technology-savvy generation"
By Eleanor Yang Su

This article mainly discusses how this new generation or what they call now "generation y" of college students uses new technology everyday and in every part of their lives. It also discusses how teachers are adjusting their teaching methods to this new generation by using online conference rooms for questions and class discussions, "clickers" which students use in a 500 student lecture class to answer the professors' questions, and other savvy technology.
I definitely can relate to this article when the author brought up the fact that students are now becoming more 'multitaskers'; such as talking on the cell phone while logging into his/her computer or doing a homework assignment, etc. I can see all the benefits that new technology has brought to our generation and society. We can definitely communicate to others in a more convenient and faster way. However, with more innovations of technology, the more multi-tasking we will become, and less focused we become.
Upon reading this, I ask myself:

How will schools and universities adjust to new technology being used daily in their classes/classrooms?
Although students and people in general can easily become distracted with their computers (straying away from the lecture by going online, playing games, etc.), teachers and professors will obviously be aware of the distractions that may occur. With that in mind, teachers/professors will definitely have to modify their teaching methods for lectures to gain their students' attention/focus.

How is learning/understanding a course effective when students are using computers or other type of technology during lectures?
I believe new technology will help engage students during the lecture. As stated in the previous question, students will become distracted with the new devices rather than focused on the lecture. However, I see technology as a new method of teaching. It's an additional resource that students can use to help give them a better understanding of their class (i.e. e-mailing teachers/professors when questions about the course arise, using interent for research, devices used in the classroom to make the class/lecture more interesting).