Class Chat

Every year thousands of students take introductory courses in U.S. History at UT Austin. This spring Prof Jeremi Suri is experimenting with an online version of the U.S. History since 1865 survey course. He and his students will blog about the experience of digital teaching for readers of Not Even Past.

By Asаad Lutfi

It’s not easy to wake up at eight in the morning especially with a cozy blanket over you and a comfy pillow under your head – I’m sure we all put up quite a fight. What astonishes me every time I wake up for my history class with Dr. Suri, is that unlike my previous morning classes, the web based class promotes interaction at a time when only birds can be heard chirping.

Having lived the greater part of my life getting spoiled in private schools in Pakistan, I have had the privilege of experiencing a variety of teaching and learning methods. The subcontinent, India and Pakistan, having been under the British rule for hundreds of years, is unfortunately still very dependent on the British when it comes to education. Though at the grassroots we are forming our own curriculum, higher education is still totally dependent on British Educational Boards. Pakistani education is characterized by private tutoring and personalized attention leading to a system of teacher-dependent learning. I came to America two years ago and I still have a lot to learn before I get accustomed to the teacher-independent learning system, as I will call it, that is prevalent in universities here.

One may argue for and against both, but what amuses me as I wake up every morning for my history class, is this new form of online education that never fails to captivate me. We are fortunate enough to be part of a generation that has seen the rise of technology that has transformed the world within the past 20 years. Not only do we not use paper maps anymore, we have gone so far as to replace human interaction with text and emails. But can we go far enough to say that online classes will revolutionize the learning experience by providing instant, low cost education designed for convenience? Attending a class in bed is something we would all love to do but what about the distractions at home? Do we actually learn as much as when we go to class? YES.

The class chat between the students and the teaching assistants leads to many fruitful discussions that are uncommon in a normal class setting. Not only that, it also helps people who are intimidated by the thought of speaking out in front of 300 other students. I believe that asking questions is the key to learning. The online class platform not only promotes discussion between the students, it also allows the teaching assistants and the teacher to have a better idea of the mentality and direction the students are heading.

The self-based learning system not only captivates its audience, it also promotes independent learning and research. Being only a click away, students can look up any event and topic they want to learn about within minutes without the fear of the professor’s disapproval. My former history teacher did not let us use any electronic devices in class. In contrast, the online platform, in my experience, promotes web surfing and research. This makes the online class a whole new experience for me. It alters my learning strategies and makes me focus on something I would like to do much more than I do in my classes — research.

I think the online learning platform can help raise the literacy rates and promote education through online means in third world countries like Pakistan. I would also note that, it could be the key to promoting learning for girls in Pakistan who are from families that are against sending their daughters to school. I believe that with affordable electronic devices or even a library that lends out laptops or tablets in the rural areas of Pakistan, we can solve the huge problem of education for women in the rural areas of Pakistan. I think a more educated Pakistan along with other third world countries would resolve a lot of broader problems.

It is certainly a big step to move away from the classroom but with the online classes at our disposal, I think it is about time that we should acknowledge the beginning of a new era of education and give it a try.

Every year thousands of students take introductory courses in U.S. History at UT Austin. This spring Prof Jeremi Suri is experimenting with an online version of the U.S. History since 1865 survey course. He and his teaching assistants, Cali Slair, Carl Forsberg, Shery Chanis, and Emily Whalen will blog about the experience of digital teaching for readers of Not Even Past.

By Emily Whalen

Some scholars wince a little when they hear the words “online class.” But what if online education wasn’t meant to supersede traditional teaching methods? What if online tools enhance the student experience? Instead of increasing the quantity of enrolled students, what if we increased the quality of the course through the use of online learning?

Emily Whalen. Courtesy of the Joan Neuberger.

Emily Whalen talking during the filming of the first online lecture on January 21, 2016. Courtesy of the Joan Neuberger.

The first week in our new, online US History survey course was a whirlwind, but the teaching team and the studio team have both entered with open minds. We all feel a little bit like we’re a part of a thrilling new experiment and that air of excitement and flexibility has carried over into our interactions with the students. The first few classes were not without slight hiccups—technical difficulties for one or two students as they learn the new engagement tools—but for the most part, we’ve had positive results.

The biggest feature for many students to adjust to, and for the teaching team to navigate, is the Class Chat. During lecture, students have a chat room open in another window, where they can talk to their classmates, ask TAs questions, and respond to prompts that Prof. Suri asks them throughout the lecture. Few students in lecture halls tapping away at laptop keyboards are only taking diligent lecture notes – many are answering emails, checking social networks, and messaging each other, much to the lecturer’s chagrin. With Class Chat, we are trying to ensure that multitasking students engage in multiple tasks without diverting their attention away from the course. In the last class, Prof. Suri asked students to share ways in which war had affected their lives, at the start of a section about how the Civil War shaped the social and cultural landscape of the American South. Students chimed in with their responses and the TA moderating the chat was able to share some of their answers on screen – something the students really enjoy! It was also eye-opening for us to see the amazing diversity of our UT student body unfold in real time. For the students to get a sense of the rich variety of their peers’ backgrounds was an additional benefit –and one that’s not easily achievable in a lecture hall.

Students share some of the ways that war has affected their lives. Courtesy of the author.

Even better, Class Chat seems to be cultivating a congenial, supportive atmosphere among the students. We see students answering each others’ questions, reinforcing their own learning, and creating a unique collaborative environment during lectures. Students can immediately ask their peers if they’ve missed an important point in lecture or where to find next weeks’ readings. This way, students can improve their note-taking and immediately reinforce the salient points in Prof. Suri’s lecture. Last class we had a student create a Facebook group for the course to facilitate group study throughout the semester.

Students ask each other questions during the lecture. Courtesy of the author.

Of course, some questions are worth stopping the lecture for – and we’ve had students pose some really insightful questions already in our first two lectures. This is where the “Ask the Professor” feature comes in handy. In our first class, Prof. Suri discussed the effect slavery had on the Southern economy in the early years of the American Republic. Using the “Ask the Professor” button, one student asked Prof. Suri to clarify what he meant by the difference between working for a wage and working for survival. As Prof. Suri responded to the question, he realized that the distinction between the two wasn’t as clear-cut as his lecture had suggested. The student was able to see Prof. Suri reassess and refine his phrasing to better reflect that ambiguity. It was a wonderful illustration of the ways these interactive tools create dialogue and benefit scholars as well as students.

One goal of this course was to harness the multitasking abilities of our students and demonstrate a participatory approach to knowledge to make the class both more interesting and more educational for them. Just a week in, we’re realizing that it’s a tremendous educational experience for the teaching team, too!

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