The result was that some students became bogged down using the computer. Faculty stories also suggest that using computers to break down barriers between students and teachers can sometimes unintentionally impose new obstacles. Ultimately, however, the best uses are those that close the psychological distance between teacher and student. E-mail, for example, provides greater opportunity for students to raise questions while allowing them more flexibility to do so. Multimedia demonstrations decrease distance by bringing clarity to concepts that are essential to understanding and appreciating the material.
Professional literacy leads students to join faculty as members of the discipline.
As students and teacher come closer together, communication moves more smoothly. However, many faculty warn that sometimes technology can unintentionally increase the gap between student and teacher. For example, some discovered to their dismay that their beautifully prepared computer presentations resulted in students sitting passively in the dark with no real opportunity to interact with the teacher. They subsequently revised their courses to integrate computer presentations with other kinds of activities. Teachers are the critical element, not the technology.