Robert Muffoletto, an educational technology professor at Appalachian State, has instituted an innovative approach to teaching by not using paper in a majority of his classes. 

Most of the work for the classes is done online through e-mail, list servers, web sites, online databases, e-mail attachments, and CD-ROMs. This form of teaching offers some unique advantages to students.

“It allows students to work independently,” Muffoletto said. “They can stop, review and pause the lesson.”

Students receive a class lecture with video examples and explanations on CD-ROM. Using a Windows program, they can play the lesson, pause the disk, and attempt to complete that part of the assignment. If they are having difficulty, they can review the instruction until they understand, or they can e-mail the teacher and request assistance. 

Classroom reading is posted on the internet and is expected to be read by everyone prior to coming to class. In class, Muffoletto likes to discuss the reading, answer any questions and explore ideas that were generated from either listserve discussions or the reading. 

He also teaches a class at Isothermal Community College, which he attends only three times a semester. Most of the students in this class are non-traditional students, who can’t attend school during the day. 

“They all do it from their home or the public library,” said Muffoletto.

He has set up e-mail chat rooms and assigned the class into small groups, each with a specific time to be in the chat room on the internet. 

For research projects, all the data gathered over the internet is compiled into an online database and then is available for analysis by any student anywhere. 

Some students may worry about the quality of education being received over the internet versus the quality of instruction received in class. 

“So far, I’ve been pretty impressed by the quality of work; it has been equal to the quality of work from my on-campus class,” said Muffoletto.

The new technologically advanced medium of communication offers a challenge for some students. Muffoletto said, “They are using computers and the internet in ways they never had to use them before.”

Although Muffoletto said that lots of students like it, some have frustrations. He said that the frustrations usually come from the novelty of computer applications utilized in class. Despite frustrations with new programs, Muffoletto said that the class “helps students that aren’t comfortable with the internet become comfortable.”

Class design is one of the most crucial aspects of the class. Classes designed to encourage student input can hold more than 15 people in a section. 

Muffoletto said, “With lots of students, not everyone contributes [in a regular class meeting], but with this design, students can’t hide, and they’re required to contribute [as part of their grade].”

The application of new technologies to the classroom will change the way the university works. 

“It will change the nature of the university,” Muffoletto said.