Because technology and educational research are progressing at rapid rates, faculty members may find it increasingly difficult to remain on both tracks simultaneously. With time at a premium, we sometimes feel that we have to choose one track and forsake the other. This article hopes to encourage faculty to ride both tracks by using technology as a tool for implementing good teaching practices. These research-based principles are widely accepted and endorsed throughout the undergraduate community.
Good practice encourages contacts between students and faculty.
Frequent student-faculty contact in and out of class is an important factor in student motivation and involvement. Faculty concern for students is equally important. Communication technologies such as e-mail, threaded discussion web sites, project management software, and computer conferencing allow students increased access to faculty members and shared information repositories. The same technologies can also reduce the time delay in asynchronous communication. Communication technologies can be especially helpful for students who may be shy or from different cultures or when discussing controversial or sensitive material.