Being born in the ’70s, teaching computer skills was an idea that was not yet in vogue by the time I entered junior high. Nevertheless, I went to one of the few schools that offered a class in computer programming, and I can remember hovering for hours over my workstation, glued to the glowing green type. I meticulously followed the directions to write my very own program, which would eventually - with only the click of a button - add up 2 + 2 on its own and produce the answer. (The fact that we already had calculators to perform this function did nothing to dampen my enthusiasm at the time.)

Ah, how times have changed! Technology has since become a runaway train - you can either hop on or be left in the dust.

No longer the novel idea it was in the ’80s, technology is now embedded as an integral part of almost every course offering, regardless of the subject matter. We teach students how to use the Internet and tailor their Web content to stay on top of current market trends and reach today’s consumers. What’s interesting is that we’re just now starting to apply the approaches we’ve been telling our students about to how our own courses are designed, taught and offered.

So, what do we do to keep up? From designing to teaching to marketing courses, we must use the tools available to take full advantage of what the Information Age offers.

• Design: For every subject, applicable tech content can and should be built into the course materials. Links and online resources should be included, as an appendix at the very least. Web-based tools such as wikis and discussion boards have provided new opportunities to create a record of the idea exchanges taking place in the classroom each day.

• Instruction: Nowadays, it’s more common than not to have an Internet connection available in the classroom. This provides an opportunity to move from telling to showing when we talk about marketing tools such as video tours, blogs and webcasts. Also, instructors can now easily demonstrate resources available to students.

• Course Marketing: The same way licensees use testimonials from past clients, the Internet provides a forum for students to create their own testimonials for the classes they’ve taken and what they’ve learned. Also, cross-marketing has never been easier since the introduction of instructor-moderated online courses.

I would argue that we - as course developers, instructors and providers - have a collective responsibility to “practice what we preach.” Failing to utilize the tools available means we’re missing out on opportunities we commonly encourage students to take advantage of. If we’re to provide truly “cutting edge” course content, it means making a commitment to becoming lifelong students of technology ourselves.

This website provides readers with the opportunity to discuss how the teaching and learning process is evolving in today’s tech-savvy culture. Let’s start a dialogue! How do you incorporate the use of the Internet and Web-based tools in the courses you currently teach? And, what would you like to see “built in” to the next course you teach? Comment below…ideas are welcome!

Elizabeth Hurd is a freelance coursewriter and curriculum developer. For information on your specific education and training needs, call 843-442-0441 or use the contact form to be contacted directly.