Paperless Teaching ?! Presented by Holly Hofmann 2009 Tech Fair West Los Angeles College

THE FUTURE Can you hear your grandkids asking… “What’s a tree house?” “What’s a copy machine?” “What’s toilet paper?”

Imagine Saying to Students:  No, I don’t have any ‘copies.’ Download it to your cell phone or laptop. Right now. It’s also up front on the projection screen.  Take your ‘pop quiz’ before you come to class.  your essay to Turnitin.com where it will be scanned for plagiarized material before I read it.  The lesson you missed last class is online on my website.

Without paper, instructors can:  Give tests and quizzes  Deliver Homework  Collect Homework  Deliver Lectures, Links, and Resources  Moderate Academic Discussions  Chat informally with students  Maintain an online grade book which is accessible to students, or not, as you like.

Give Tests and Quizzes  Etudes NG  Blackboard.com, SurveyMonkey.com  Dianahacker.com (English exercises)  Publisher Websites  There may be subject-specific web sites for your discipline.

Deliver and Collect Homework  WLAC’s ADX program puts material directly on our website  Web 2.0 applications such as Facebook, Wordpress, Mac websites, Angelfire websites  and Text Messaging Delivery (can attach documents, files, etc.)  ETUDES NG

Deliver Lectures, Links, and Resources  WLAC’s ADX program puts material directly on our website  Web 2.0 applications such as Facebook, Wordpress, Mac websites, Angelfire websites  and Text Messaging Delivery (can attach documents, files, etc.)  ETUDES NG

Moderate Academic Discussions and Chat Informally with Students Social networking sites are ideal for either formal or informal (asynchronous) discussions and/or synchronous chatting. Examples: Facebook, Ning, WordPress, Blogspot Also ETUDES-NG

~Store Grades Online!~  Snapgrades.net is a fantastic resource that I’ve been using for 4 years. Snapgrades.net  Limited (free) or full yearly membership ($45…so worth it!)  If you want, students can log in and see their grades any time  You can print out sign in sheets, grade reports, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions Q: Does it take a lot of time to set these things up? A: It varies, but once you set it up, it’s done…permanently. No more copy requests! Q: Will any of this cost me money? A: Not much of it. Most is free.

FAQ (2) Q: Will having my curricular materials online make them vulnerable to theft? A: Inasmuch as your classroom materials are already vulnerable, yes. What’s worth more to you, completely secure intellectual property, or 2 extra hours of free time a day?

FAQ (3) Q: What if a student can’t afford the machine to access the online data? A: They can come to your office and get a copy, perhaps that you printed out on a recycled “backside.” Long term, most students will have access to these machines, if only at school.

“It’s Not Easy Being Green!” Stage 1: Awareness 1-2 semesters  How Much Paper do I use? What/how could I do without? Stage 2: Greenie1-3 semesters  Develop paperless lessons and online materials.  Get resources from other paperless teachers.  Start using backsides. Stage 3: Greener1-3 semesters  Continue refining paperless techniques. Stage 4: Green! (As Paperless as Possible) ∞  Enjoy your newfound leisure!

Potential Problems Discuss!

Additional Resources Dennis Angle’s PresentationDennis Angle’s Presentation, National Technology Plan, post004.html “I’m such a cool cat now that I’m a paperless teacher!”