By Jason Woods, News Staff

In a study conducted by the University of Houston Department of Health and Human Performance, students’ performance in traditional lecture classes was measured against performance in the same classes offered in a hybrid format, integrating online resources into the learning process, such as lecture material being available online. The results showed that on average, students earned at least one full letter grade higher in the class which integrated technology.
‘I always do better in classes where the material is on Blackboard as well,’ said Jordan Turgeon, a sophomore chemistry major. ‘It helps to have a backup source to go to outside of the class.’
Previously, when a student missed lecture, he or she would have to rely on classmates to provide notes, assignments missed, or occasionally feel the sting of having lost a day of information. But with the increasing reliance on online media within classrooms, students have found an alternative which brings them up to speed in class-or forego lectures entirely at times.
‘Blackboard has been a lifesaver many times,’ said Ian Martin, a junior journalism major. ‘Sometimes when you can’t make class, you can get the assignments or syllabus or lecture notes from there, and I don’t know what I would do without that resource,’
Renata Nyul, director of Northeastern public relations, said most of professors at Northeastern use Blackboard to post information ranging from class notes to up-to-date grades for students.
Ryan Fox, president of the Student Government Association, said Northeastern is behind in on the technology curve in some ways, but actively looks into closing those gaps.
‘We’re always advancing in a variety of ways, and we recognize there are gaps [in the technology available to students] which limit us, and we’re trying to bridge those gaps,’ Fox said. ‘The university has been slow to embrace technology in some ways, and I think they are only now doing it, because the students have been a driving force behind it.’
Some students said online resources save them time and labor on taking notes otherwise. ‘ ‘
‘I can just take my laptop to class and follow the notes on my computer along with the professor,’ said Meaghan Fox, a senior English major. ‘It saves me having to print them out and waste a bunch of paper or having to write them down.’
Others said they use these online resources instead of attending class at times.
‘My genetics [course] lecture notes are all online, and she teaches straight from them,’ said Stan Goldstein, a sophomore biochemistry major. ‘So I can miss that class sometimes, and make it up on my own time.’
Some students said the technology available to them simply makes their job easier and faster, and gives them the best advantage.
‘We have brand new equipment in the music tech labs,’ said Chris Meenen, a sophomore music industry major. ‘We could do the same work without that fancy of equipment, but it would be slower. I’d learn the material still, but now I’m getting the best education from it.’
Nyul said Northeastern was an early adopter of iTunes U, a section of iTunes devoted to the distribution of education related content. Individual colleges post their own content, each with its own page. Northeastern’s page includes information about the school, Boston, and various majors. Nyul also pointed to applications for the Apple iPhone that are available for students to download. Currently there are applications for Northeastern Athletics, as well as an application for prospective students from the Admissions Department.
And while many praise the new opportunities afforded by technological advances the university has provided, others recognize their limitations and look forward to improvements.
‘Northeastern is looking into a lot of opportunities to expand the technological offerings we have available,’ said Ryan Fox. ‘We’re pushing for a lot more online content, possibly online classes, as a way to bridge the gaps for people that may be on co-op or out of the area and would still like to participate in classes.’
But technology aids students in their pursuit of studies in unconventional ways outside the classroom as well. ‘ ‘
‘A lot of people say Facebook is just a big waste of time, but it can be really helpful,’ said Alexis Holmdal, a sophomore civil engineering major. ‘You can use it to find people in your major or your classes, in case you miss an assignment or have a question or something.’
Holmdal said the site helps sift through the large number of people at Northeastern to find exactly who and what you’re looking for.
‘It’s just a really good way to get in touch with people, when otherwise I wouldn’t even know where to begin,’ she said.
To many students, the second nature of technology is so present that it is hard for them to imagine the alternative.
‘All these things, texting, Facebook, Twitter-they’ve all become so common it’s hard to think of life without them,’ said Lea Daigle, a sophomore mechanical engineering major. ‘Whether people think about it or not, these technologies are a big part of not just our lives, but how we get our college work done. We e-mail our professors questions when otherwise we wouldn’t be able to get in touch with them. We get our notes and assignments from blackboard, and then we turn them in on www.turnitin.com.’
‘A lot of people think we’re always on these sites, like Facebook or Twitter,’ said Holmdal. ‘But they don’t realize they might hav some legitimate purposes. I don’t really know about Twitter, it’s kind of new, but I bet they’ll figure out some way to incorporate a good use into that.’
While Twitter may be a relative newcomer to the world of social media, it’s already become deeply ingrained in students’ and professors’ lives alike. Several professors, such as Dan Kennedy, a professor of journalism, regularly use Twitter to engage others in academia and students. And some say Twitter is the next generation networking tool.
‘Just as Facebook became an important networking tool, so has Twitter,’ said Samuel Bradley, a professor who teaches aspects of social media at Texas Tech University. ‘Look for quality people, such as professionals in your field or college professors, they’re likely to tweet something relevant.’
Bradley called Twitter an informal networking tool, which allows people to introduce themselves into circles very easily, and make useful connections.
‘If the people you connect with on Twitter aren’t adding value, then move on,’ said Bradley.
Ryan Fox said there are currently two projects in progress to enhance the digital offerings on campus, though declined to give specifics about either project.
‘They are in the early stages, they are a way to enhance communication on campus between the administration, faculty and students,’ Ryan Fox said. ‘We’re working towards these solutions so it will be easier to get information out to the students.”

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