Teaching with Technology

Marketing Education Review, Volume 19, Number 1 (Spring 2009)

Leighann C. Neilson (Queens University, Ottawa Canada)

POST: Lynn Barnsback

The paper discusses this professors program, the New Tools Briefing (NTB), how it was designed and works. Identifying much the same need we all have, “how to equip our “digital native” or “netgen” students to deal with successive waves of new technology” she developed a program, primary for marketing classes, to address the need.  It is an active learning exercise which, rather than introduce a succession of products, “helps students learn how to assess new   approaches to marketing, including the use of new communication and information technologies”.  It provides a framework for assessment, therefore the learning is not obsolete after the technologies have changed. The lesson is the process and skills learned rather than the subject, or as she puts it “the theoretical knowledge should outlast any technology specific learning.”  The author notes that while she teaches marketing, she often has non marketing (36%) and non business majors (26%) in her class. She believed it can be adapted to other subjects without much effort.

 The NTB is a team based experience including an oral presentation and written report. A list of topics provided by the teacher, and student groups choose one (no duplicates). Through research they answer a detailed series of questions. In addition there are a series of lectures on diffusion of innovation theories – she uses Rogers’s text (2003) – to help support the assignment. A reading list is also provided for each topic to get them started.  Interestingly, she also includes a training session in the library to help develop literacy skills. This would appear remedial however her assessments at the end of the year clearly indicate that the students appreciated and “need” it. It appears this activity gives them a feeling of confidence once they see the plethora of information on the subjects. The presentations are 45 min (up from the original 30) and include a one page hand out that is later included in final testing.

 NTB is an interesting approach to solving some classroom problems: it allows for current, up to the minute information to be included in class; “takes advantage of the many-to-many model of teaching”; alleviates some of the technical pressure off the teacher. The programs emphasis on independent research provides practice in technology evaluation a valuable skill in the marketplace. The value of real world skills application was repeatedly considered valuable by the students during their class evaluation. 

 The author noted, only briefly, the influence of different cultures in the classroom presentations. I think this is interesting, given the student population in the metropolitan DC area. A presentation using smell came across this distinction when using Playdoh and Crayons- these smells were not universally identifiable as had been thought by the presenters. Although not part of the technology learning, this type of active learning and group interaction is always thought provoking and instructional.

 In discussing the obstacles of the program, the author identified the most obvious to many “of a certain age” the attitudinal barrier. Many teachers are not “digital natives” like the students they teach and can feel “under-equipped”. She feels it is more important to be willing to learn with the students, and alert to emerging technologies, rather than proficient. Managing the list of topics and teaching “a theoretical framework for thinking about the subject matter” are the important jobs for her.

 The NTB follows a somewhat familiar pattern in teaching. This does not make it less valuable however. The group project is the core of many classes due to its inherent learning attributes. The framework used to present and initiate the NTB projects is very well thought out, especially the NTB utilization of the Rogers 5 attributes (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, observability). The “Tools” provided a step by step guide for the thought process without obscuring the learning opportunities. This is a wonderful guide to including a project in a classroom environment. I would be interested to learn more about optimum group size and class size as well as I am sure there are some limitations not discussed.