If technology causes change, abandon it!

I am not sure if I should grab my belly and laugh, or slap my forehead and groan, at this article in the Deseret News.

From the article:

“The students thought they were getting everything because I was putting PowerPoint notes online, but they were missing all the discussion that was happening in the classroom,” Wight said. “They were unwittingly fooled into thinking they could get by in the class without ever coming to the classroom.”

So why throw away a technology just because it looks like adapting that technology may change the way we do things? I agree with the instructor, a student is probably not going to get what they need from a few slides. But why take away that avenue of instruction because some students will stay home? Chances are the students will quickly realize that notes aren’t enough, and come back to class. Learning comes from interaction. But it seems silly to limit the ways students can access information, just because some students skip class.

“Now, Wight refuses to put his class notes online, revoking the luxury that had become just one more excuse for absenteeism.”