Re-engaging Students by Teaching from the Middle and Back of a 500-seat Lecture Hall
Abstract – To better engage with students, especially in a large traditional classroom, one should consider teaching from multiple locations within the classroom, not just in the front. In classes where computers can be used to project material to the front of the classroom teachers should consider wireless peripherals or computers to achieve dynamic content delivery from beyond the podium. A variety of technologies were examined here, with wireless Wacom drawing tablets paired with either Apple or Windows computers, Miracast-enabled Windows tablets, and Doceri’s Whiteboard mode on Windows tablets and Apple iPads yielding the best results. The Wacom Tablet and Apple Trackpad were found to enable greater engagement of students, from the front to the rear of the classroom. More rigorous tests with the other technologies is to be carried out in the future.