For Better or Worse? My Experience of Teaching in the “Smart Classroom”

I was my pleasure teaching in the “smart classroom” during my first quarter in The Collins College of Hospitality Management  at Cal Poly Pomona.  The classroom installs four Apple TVs, which enable professors and students to stream the same (or different) content on four different screens.  And yes, if you wonder, there is an app for this “smart classroom.”

I think this is a very “cool” classroom.  It definitely provides more flexibility for professors and students.  To name a few examples, I was able to stream class lectures using the SlideShark app on my iPad, making it easier for me to walk around to engage with different groups of students or answer students’ questions.  When we were having a guest lecture session via Skype, I was able to keep one or two screens for the guest speaker (Skype) and at the same time, showed students relevant content on other screens. 

The “smart classroom,” however, is not always working for the better.  There were also a couple of times when Apple TVs did not function well (e.g., when Apple upgraded the iOS system).  I ended up giving a lecture without any visual assistance.  There were also a few times when SlideShark dropped from AirPlay too often.  I had to download the lecture file to a desktop and teach with a mouse and keyboard in the front.  To some extent, such technology failures remind me the challenges every service worker faces in the hospitality industry.  In front of the unexpected, we have to remain calm and come up with a creative way as soon as possible to fix the problem(s).

The biggest challenge actually comes from classroom control.  Because students were sitting in groups and they were “everywhere” in the room, I had to keep my attention on every corner of a big classroom no matter where I was standing.  I also needed to pay more attention to voice projection and repeat students’ questions every time before I gave the answers.  While I could walk towards those students who were wandering to “remind” them that they were being watched, I had learned soon that I should not move too often.  Otherwise, I would be “too busy” walking around, and those paying close attention might feel “too busy” following me.

Looking forward, I will continue teaching in the “smart classroom” during the winter quarter.  I am very happy about that, but at the same time, I would like to hear your feedback and suggestions.  If you have taught in a similar setting, what works for you? What lesson(s) do you learn?  Or, if you have attended a class in a similar setting, what do you like or dislike the most?  What suggestions will you make to your professors or guest speakers to enhance your learning experience?

Relevant discussion:

Learning while Tweeting: Why Not? 

Interested in a Sales/Marketing Position? You’d Better Start Tweeting

Traditionally, companies promote sales by initiating one-way, and often persuasive messages to influence buyers’ purchasing decisions, but social media has destroyed the “one-to-many-communication” model. And because of that, if one wants to work in the field of sales and marketing, s/he must know how to communicate effectively on social media.

Well, many people have already been active on Facebook and Instagram. Isn’t it enough? Probably, at least they know how to “talk” as a customer. The challenge is B2C (business-to-consumer) communications are very different from C2B (consumer-to-business) and C2C (consumer-to-consumer) communications because everything posted on a company’s Facebook page or Instagram profile must reflect a brand’s or a company’s core value. Do you notice any differences between the Facebook messages posted on McDonald’s page and the ones on Chick-fil-A’s page?

A good sales/marketing manager must also know how to measure and document the ROI (return on investment) of a company’s effort on social media marketing. Very likely, most internet users do not even pay attention to how many friends they actually engage on social networking sites. If that’s the case, can they determine if a B2C communication strategy is working or not based on measurable outcomes?

Additionally, a good sales/marketing manager must go beyond Facebook and Instagram. At a minimum, s/he must also be active on LinkedIn and Twitter. According to the Wall Street Journal, Twitter now has over 230 million monthly active users. Some companies have already gained great success in promoting sales on Twitter. For a hotel, Twitter can be an “easy and inexpensive way to get in touch with its audience and to form community bonds.”  

If you still feel doubt about Twitter, let’s hope the following Bloomberg video will add some weight to my argument. In your opinions, what are the important skills that a sales/marketing manager should possess in the social media era? What can a candidate do to better prepare himself/herself for the challenges facing sales/marketing managers these days?


References:
The picture was downloaded from Guladigital.com.

Learning while Tweeting: Why Not?

Using smartphones in class?  Don’t students have enough distractions?  Doesn’t tweeting or texting make students disrespectful to the professor in class?

As a professor myself, I certainly understand how distracting a smartphone can be to a student in class, but at the same time, I also believe using smartphones and tablet computers can enhance students’ learning experience if they are used appropriately.  Here is my experience.   

When I taught at Texas Tech, I had a strict policy that prohibits students from using laptops and cellphones in class.  I adopted the same policy when I first moved to Syracuse University (SU).  It made sense at that time because I wanted students to engage with me in face-to-face and verbal discussion. 

Time has changed, however.  When I developed and taught the social media class at SU and RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology).  I turned to the opposite direction.  I requested to teach in a computer lab.  Students were encouraged to used laptops, smartphones, and tablet computers, and they were required to tweet during class.  I administrated class discussion on Twitter.  Afterwards, either a student or I would summarize the class discussion on Storify.  Students could refer to class discussions (notes) on Storify at any time.  It seems to me students were engaging on Twitter.  In the end, they also became very familiar with Twitter as a communication tool, which was also one of the learning outcomes of the class.  I have found it very helpful by allowing students to use tablets or smartphones in class. 

Will students take advantage of the lenient policy?  What if they also check on something that they are not supposed to, such as writing a none-class-related post on Facebook or shopping online?  I take it this way – if students are good at multi-tasking, which means they are able to engage on Twitter and do other things at the same time, I respect them and let them continue what they are doing in class.  If they are not participating, I will “pull” them back to the class by asking them to elaborate what is said on Twitter. 

Very soon, I will be teaching in The Collins College of Hospitality Management at Cal Poly Pomona.  I feel fortunate that I can teach in the “smart” classroom, which can be controlled with an iPad and has multiple screens.  I am encouraged to replace the professor-centered idea with a student-centered pedagogy.  It doesn’t matter what subjects I am teaching, I will definitely encourage students to use smartphones and/or tablet computers to interact with me, in addition to face-to-face conversations.  I am looking forward to trying out new educational apps and new teaching tactics in the “smart” classroom.  Please stay tuned for more updates.

In the end, I would like to share with you a Wall Street Journal video, which is also about using smartphones in classroom.  In your opinions, should students be allowed to use smartphones in class?  Why or why not?  What are the best practices for professors to engage with students in class?

Relevant discussion:

The Challenges of Using Social Media in Teaching

Teaching Social Media in Business Schools: What Needs to Be Covered?

Text Messages that Teach: A Great Example of Entrepreneurship in the Mobile Device Market

Can a Tough Cell Phone Policy Teach Teenagers Cell Phone Etiquette?

Still Feeling Reluctant to Adopt a Social Media Strategy: Please Think Again

Reference:

The picture was downloaded from Kellimarshall.net 

Social Networking at Age 13: Why Not?

LinkedIn announced two updates, according to The Wall Street Journal.  First, LinkedIn introduced verified university pages, providing new cyber space for applicants, current students, alumni, faculty, and staff to engage with one another.  Second, LinkedIn dropped the minimum age for the website to 13 (14 in the U.S.).  Facing these new changes, some people are concerned about whether teenagers should be allowed to access an additional social networking site.  They ask: will it be early?

I completely understand where the criticism comes from.  Many teenagers are already allowed to use a variety of social networking sites.  Recently, Twitter even completely removed the restriction on age limit (used to be 13 or older).  LinkedIn was established as the social networking site for professionals.  What is good for teenagers to spend additional time on another network?  Also, will it be too early for teenagers to get engaged in the professional world?

When it comes to career preparedness, I always believe the earlier the better.  If I were a parent of teenagers, I would be glad to see my kids “hanging out” on LinkedIn.  The university pages can be very helpful to teenagers when they need to make an informed decision about majors and colleges.  Besides verified university pages, teenagers and college students can also check out pages for their dream employers and get a feeling of the organizational culture.  The more they know about their dream employers, the better they will understand the employers’ expectations, which will help them make a better plan for their career. 

If I were an admission officer in a university or a recruiter for a company, I would also be glad to talk to a teenager on LinkedIn or just any social networking sites.  While students need to make informed decisions, universities and companies also need to assess the “fit” between the candidates and the job/organization.  Many universities and companies have already been actively engaging with the candidates on other social networking sites, why not on LinkedIn as well?

Besides these two, what other changes do you see on LinkedIn? What is your experience with the changes?  Please share your experience and thoughts with us.

Relevant discussion:

Can You Carry a Good Conversation? The Basic of Social Networking

Making Personal Connections in Job Search

Tactics of Seeking Jobs on Social Media

Career Preparedness: How Early is Too Early?

Reference:

The picture was downloaded from CarpetBaggery

Last week, I visited Google LA Office with a friend.  We went there to pick up his Google Glass.  Supposedly, I should talk about my experience with the Glass, right?  But in fact, I would rather share with you my reflections on the tour.

I arrived 30 minutes ahead of schedule, but two Google associates had been waiting for me and my friend in front of the office.  They told me they were in the Google Glass Team.  In the LA office, there are about 20 members in the team.  Each team member is also part of the 3000+ “explorers” selected by Google to test the prototype.  For now, the Glass is only available (and tested) in the U.S. market.  Google seeks feedback from the explorers for product improvement.  Google also analyzes what people talk about the product on the internet.  During our visit, the associates spent two hours showing us step-by-step how to operate the Glass.  We were encouraged to spend as much time as we wanted until we felt comfortable with the Glass.

If you really want to hear my true opinions about the Glass, I must admit that I am not very excited about the current prototype.  It needs more improvement before it can become the next big thing.  I, however, was impressed with this innovative idea and Google’s effort on the product.  

Based on visits to Google (I also toured the Google Campus in Mountain View two years ago), it is not difficult for me to figure out why this company is doing so well in the market.  Today, almost 80% of smartphones being shipped in the global market operate on the Android platform.  As of August 17, 2013 (Saturday), Google’s stock is selling at $856.25 a share; Apple and Microsoft are selling for $503.10 and $31.80 a share respectively.  

What makes a company successful?  Besides other contributing factors, it appears to me that a company’s success must root in its ability to provide useful solutions for human beings.  Microsoft was very successful when it introduced Windows, allowing people to “communicate with” computers using the easy-to-understand “human languages.”  Apple became the most admired company when it introduced iPhone and iPad.  Today, both companies are still doing very well, but investors are showing concerns of their future.  At a point when a company is no longer able to provide innovative approaches to solve real-life problems, the halo around the company fades.  I am glad to see Google is very serious about the Glass and is actively seeking feedback from customers.  Because of that, I am expecting to see big improvement of the Glass soon.   

In the end, I would like share with you a 60 Minutes Interview by CBS.  It features Bill Gates on how he views technology and innovation.  I hope more companies and institutions will focus on research that helps people solve real-life problems.  Regardless how “small” a problem may look like, an innovative solution may have big impact to people’s lives.

Do you believe innovation is the key for success in business?  If so, where do innovative ideas come from?   

Relevant discussion:

Great Entrepreneurship Ideas Must Root in Useful Service 

Creating an Organizational Cultural that Nurtures Freedom of Thinking 

To check out more pictures about my tours of Google, please visit:
Facebook Album - Tour of Google LA Office

Facebook Album - Tour of Google Campus in Mountain View