Just because you can do a thing...

The International Herald Tribune tells us about software that allows professors to record their lectures so that students can download them onto an iPod or other MP3 player. Cool, yes, but before colleges and universities rush to adopt this technology, they might want to consider this Carnegie Mellon study which investigated what educational benefits, if any, accrue from the use of iPods in university classrooms. In short, lecture recordings boost student satisfaction but there is no evidence yet that they improve learning outcomes. iPods can be used effectively when an instructor first defines a clear educational objective and devises a use for the iPod which meets that objective. It's the same with any type of instructional technology -- it's a means, not an end.

Jonathan Potts