Page 87 - ThePhoenix1996-97

-----------------------------------------~--------------------~-- .... NEWS Thursday, December 12, 1996 Page 7 Teachers finding new ways to teach students College The internet is fast becoming used as an integral part of many WMC ~lasses Choir By CAMERON SPEIR Chase sends an e-mail message opens the Science & Technology Beat Repor/or to the class and students respond The internet is becoming an im- by writing back. He says this tech- portant part of how students learn nique has been "100% positive." Holidays at Western Maryland College. He has found that students who Technology is playing an in- may feel shy in class feel more By GRANT RICE creasingly important role in the confident when responding in a e- News EdilOr curricula of a variety of classes in mail message. The Holidays were officially departments such as biology, com- In addition, the responses are opened at WMC last Wednesday munications, economics, English, often better thought,out than quick the 4th by the 'College Choir in history and physics. answers given during a fast paced Upper Decker. Dr. Esther Ighch, professor of discussion. The college Choir lead by Dr. biology, uses the internet to help "I find myself taking my stu- Margaret A. Boudreaux, Associate teach several classes. She puts the dents more seriously," Chase says, Professor and chair of the music syllabus and all lecture notes on her "because I see them seriously dis- department, sung a wide selection ecology homepage on the World cussing these topics in their re- of songs that incorporated Jewish Wide Web to allow students to re- sponses." and Christian traditions. view information they may have English professor Dr. Pam Thirty-seven members of the missed the first time around in Regis has also found ways to use choir sung the first tune which was class. e-mail in her classes. She often Joy to the World. Iglich's environmental health gives assignments and communi- Their voices weren't the only class homepage also includes a syl- cates with students using: e-mail one's singing out this well-known labus and class notes. In addition, messages. Regis also uses e-mail tune. Programs were handed out it contains links to other web sites to exchange papers. at the beginning of their mini-con- with information on topics studied Students in her advanced com- cert listing the lyrics to some of the in class. position class are required to evalu- songs they would perform. Iglich says these links are help- ate each other's writing assign- Boudreaux encouraged the audi- ful because they contain "stuff that ments. Regis has found that e-mail ence of over 60 people to sing even recent textbooks don't have, is a much easier way to do this. along, which many did. cutting-edge scientific data and in- She says, "It's convenient, in- The choir's second selection formation." stantaneous and it saves the mate- was Blow blow thou winter wind a The graphics included on many rials and labor involved in making musical rendition of a sonnet writ- web sites are also helpful to some photocopies." ten by William Shakespeare. The students, she says. Dr. Regis' freshman composi- choir displayed wonderful harmon- Also, "it gives people another tion classes are also using the ics and talent while performing this way, and some extra time, to ab- internet to research for their papers song. sorb the material. Different people on the death penalty. David Seydel, a biology major, learn in different ways and this is Regis says, "I didn't insist on Here a WMC student uses her electronic mail account to se~do::;~~~~~~~: commented that the music was one more way to present this ma- that but many students did any- to her teacher, saving time, energy and paper. "very beautiful." terial." way." Another song which got a rous- History professor Dr. William She is glad to see that they did. Dr. Regis would like to create lug." ing round of applause was David Chase is also using the internet in Using the internet puts less strain a more interactive, web-based He commented that students Wilcox's rendition of Jingle Bells. his teaching. His classes have on the library's resources since no syllabus. She also notes that and teachers are just beginning to With actual jingle bells in hand and at some colleges "web assignments" where they are books need to be checked out. classes over the internet. are of- figure out how to use technology. wood to simulate horses saunter- fered asked to look up a certain site on Professors emphasize that they He sees a growing role for dis- ing, the choir sung a racy and comi- Dr. IgJich remarks that "the tance learning where student and the internet and comment on what still value personal contact with cal song. Sound effects of a whip they see. students. face of education will change. I teacher are not in the same place. cracking and a horse "neighing" see it becoming much more com- He explained that this will Chase says, ''The internet is a Iglich says, "Human contact is combined together to make this puter oriented because this allows make education much cheaper place where students can find con- still important. The personal inter- selection an audience favorite. anyone to create and receive in- but, "it may be better and it may troversial, arresting, very acces- action with students is crucial, I One Jewish song celebrating sible information." think it's still the best way for formation." be worse. In any case I think you Hanukkah, which started the day He says that a web site called people to learn." She estimates that within two will always be able to make the after the event, was Mo-oz Trur, "The African-American Holo- Dr. Chase emphasizes that his to three years computer-based case that in-class learning will which again Boudreaux encour- caust," which was a web assign- internet assignments are a "supple- education will be a much bigger result in a better quality educa- aged listeners to become involved ment for his Development of Mod- mental resource." His class partici- part of her classes as she becomes tion." and sing along. The song was first ern America class, generated an pation grade still includes class dis- more comfortable with the best Continued on page 9 outstanding class discussion earlier cussion and not just e-mail re- way to use the technology to this semester. sponses. teach. Chase's favorite way to utilize All three professors see an in- Dr. Chase says that the current the internet has been through e- creased role for the internet in edu- WMC community is "part of a AD or show your mail discussions. cation. student generation that is pioneer- student I.D. WMC Student .IIFl=q Specials MAR T 74 W. Main Street treet phone 876-9977 fax 751-2091 !!Iegtmingter. :llil1Il 21157 r OPEN I A FULL I SERVICE SALON 24 HOURS for Appointment I Walk in or Call 410-848-2820