Disparate perspectives about the use of technology in the classroom have

become commonplace in higher education discussions. Opponents of such

technologies argue that they are distracting to everyone involved and can lead
to worse classroom performance, leading some to propose banning them
altogether.
Proponents of such technologies point out that some technologies can
enhance the classroom experience, and that banning technologies can hinder
the performance of students with learning disabilities, and ostracize them

Misuses of Technology
Though it’s important to acknowledge the limits of technology in the
classroom, we do not advocate banning technology altogether. One reason
not to ban laptops is that some students may have learning disabilities or
other accommodations that allow them to take notes much more effectively by
computer.

Instead, play to technology’s strengths in the classroom. For example,

researchers in hundreds of studies have demonstrated that multimedia
learning greatly increases students’ retention of course material. Multimedia
learning occurs when learners encode into their memory using both visual and
auditory information, such as when they listen to an instructor discuss
research and watch the instructor display the result of the research on the
board. Recent research demonstrates the effectiveness of multimedia
learning.
There can also be cognitive benefits to using key technological aids,
especially quizzing tools. Quizlet, a free online app, can be used both in and
out of class to improve students’ study strategies and retention of course
material.
Quizlet allows students to make flash cards or view those of other students
and use gamification (for example, matching games) to study course content.
The app also allows for self-testing, which can help them determine how and
what to study through metacognition.

 “Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids [students] working

together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important.” Even he
recognized the necessity for nuance in the use of technology in the
classroom.
Teaching PE

Despite classes being moved online, school officials still reiterated the
importance of having students do one hour of exercise every day, a decree
issued by the central government in 2016.

To comply, Xiong, the Beijing instructor, says his colleagues have “introduced a
mini-program on WeChat which provides professional training videos for
students to watch. The teachers also demonstrated exercises and advice for
students doing them” on the platform, he adds. During the online class, students
follow along with the videos, and record themselves doing the exercises and
upload the clips to the school.

Taking PE online has led to some odd—and disruptive—situations. The

screenshot above has been shared widely across the internet, stirring heated
debate over the effectiveness of “online physical education” during the
countywide school lockdown.

Live-streamed videos of teachers climbing and doing push-ups have led to

“extremely intense online PE class” becoming one of the most-searched
keywords on Weibo (the Chinese equivalent to Twitter). By Feb. 27, the topic
had amassed 170 million views and 24,000 discussions.

Most students, teachers and parents we talked to said that online education
posed challenges, especially since a core part of teaching and learning involves
in-person interactions. The challenges are compounded in communities where
there the internet connections are unstable, making it difficult for students to
access online resources.

“In these aspects, teaching PE, art and music faces the same predicament as
traditional subjects,” says Sun, the teacher in Wuhan. Online, teachers cannot
monitor all their students; instead, that pressure is spread across parents.
“Participation from parents is a major factor in the effectiveness of teaching,”
she notes. But “some students live with grandparents. It’s hard for the elders to
help and guide students along.”

Teaching Music and Arts

According to Zoe, the live courses that her brother is required to watch were
developed by the provincial department of education and its radio and television
office. But due to a lack of clear communication, many students and families
felt unprepared. “We didn’t know in advance what tools and materials were
needed, making us feel disorganized when the class began.”

For music classes, Xiong says teachers have assigned song lyrics for individual
students to sing. They then record the video and send it back to the teachers,
who edit the clips and upload the final video onto the school’s online education
platform.

As a music teacher at the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, Sun

Xiaoxi has recorded videos for her students to watch remotely. “It’s hard to
teach online through live-streaming,” she says. “Many teachers have been
trapped outside Wuhan due to the sudden lockdown of the city, and they may
not have instruments at home such as the piano, as well as access to stable
internet connection.”

Sun has found materials online about music and cut them into 20-minute videos
for her students. “We also select some simple songs around the theme of
combating the virus, and appreciate them together with our students.”