From Chalk To Bytes: The Digital Classroom

The sound of chalk on a blackboard is something you rarely hear on many campuses these days. That's because more and more professors use technology to distribute course materials, issue grades and enhance communication with students. For centuries, teachers have lectured to students and taught by writing things down. But software used by many schools, colleges and universities is making the dialogue between teachers and students more wired than ever. Philip Wirtz, a professor of decision sciences and psychology at The George Washington University (GWU), presents some complicated material during his statistical modeling and analysis class. To help students follow along, he uses a software program called Blackboard to share slides, which students download before class. "It's really just sort of a mechanism for coordinating what would otherwise be paper in the course," Wirtz says. But it's not just about saving trees. "It's a one-stop shop where students can come and get absolutely any access to me, any access to the teaching assistants," Wirtz adds.