It is widely believed that the presence of technology in  educational spaces can be both a blessing and a curse. I say technology is what you and your students make it out to be. Assessing technology and its use in the classroom is the main focus in the chapter Participation as Reflective Practice: Digital composing and Feminist Pedagogy of “Rhetoric of Participation”.  In this chapter, these authors continuously stress on and highlight the use of technology in classroom and how it can possibly enhance participation. I hope to do the same.

As a new teaching fellow, I was surprised to be on the other side of the screens during my first day of class. When I was an undergrad, I always viewed my professors to be on the other side of the globe when they stood at the front of the classroom. And now, it was me standing on the other end of the world. I looked up after frantically setting up my laptop and saw a sight I had never seen before– twenty new faces looking into the little screens in front of them instead of at the person who would be grading their work for the next four months!

At that moment, standing in front of a technology filled room (cyborgs included), I realized how much of our classroom time will be occupied by a screen, and I set my teaching goals to accommodate that. I decided to see the good and I asked myself a question: How can the use of technology during class enhance participation? According to Palmeri and Duibsar in this chapter, ” A laptop-based, face-to-face class ultimately uses digital technology as a way to augment and document (but not replace) oral, embodied interactions”(2019).

With that being said, I have come up with a small list of potential benefits of the use of technology during class, and I’d like to share.

• Students can complete research during group or individual work.
• Students may document their word faster than physical writing.
• Students are able to look up difficult words they come across during class
• Students who are not always comfortable speaking may contribute via discussion board, Google Docs, or other online platform that facilitates conversation.
• Students may feel more powerful behind a screen.
• Students are able to revisit the school site and information they need at any time.

But before engaging in any of these practices, remember to ask your students what works for them. Self-assessment is key in the classroom because students are able to reflect on their learning needs and develop them further with the assistance of the professor. In this case, the professor is the course mediator. Palmeri and Dubisar mention that “After learning more from students about what kinds of participation best enable their success in class, teachers can then go about designing flexible informal composing assignments for each week that account for students’ diverse learning needs” (2019).

Lastly, don’t stress if students aren’t participating as much as you’d like them to. Participation is putting a piece of your mind on a table in front of twenty-plus  strangers. Instead of worrying about lack of verbal participation, engage in and think about ways of technical and computerized participation. Instead of being intimidated by the presence of computers, think of them as a tool that help both you and your students engage in the best learning experiences.

So, if you ever find yourself wondering what’s going on behind those screen and empty faces, remember my small list of participation and strengths. And ask yourself: Could these be methods that promote equality and participation at the same time?

I sure hope they work for you like they did for me!