Paperless Classes

Let me start out by saying that kids not only love the Internet, but they also love drawing on paper, coloring, cutting, scrunching, etc. with paper. So in grades k-4, I think paper is essential. I know kids love to create using the computer, but they also love to create the traditional way as well. As students get older, they will be better able to succeed in paperless classrooms, probably by junior high. By the time students reach college, they will be used to these types of classrooms. In fact, the combination of face-to-face classroom exchange plus the online exhange will make them better communicators.

Paperless classes would improve my role when I teach information literacy classes to community college students. I would still have to create assignments and readings, but these would be online. In fact, for several years, preparation has all been online. Paperless classes would be more time efficient as comments can be easily added in Word. Currently the class assignments are paper, but I can see this changing quickly.

We use a class management system, so in essence, we are in the paperless classroom. Grading, presentations, and resources are just a part of the this system. The syllabus is online with the assignments, so students have access to this information 24/7 (as long as they can find a computer or a fairly new cell phone). Assignments are turned in electronically. The only problem is the dog can no longer eat your homework. Of course, the computer can crash, the class management system may hiccup, but all in all, it’s efficient.

Paperless classrooms enhance, from my experience, the instructor-student relationship. It’s more work for the instructor, but the student is better motivated from the steady communication. The student can post questions about assignments after office hours or write a question to the class. This means that instructors will need to rethink their office hours and will need to check the class discussion board instead of the regular office hours (which they will still have). Class discussion and questions may not end at the end of the regular face-to-face classroom period. So, yes, it’s a challenge because students will expect more. .