Technology for teaching is a big deal now; the U of Minnesota collects about a $100 per undergrad each semester for educational technology, and lots of parts of the U are working on clever ways to spend the money. Lots of this quite properly passes the Philosophy Department by, since philosophy's mainstays have been conversations and essays, and the good thinking that's happening in philosophy teaching is largely about: better conversations and better essays.
Nevertheless, there's a worry -- an unfortunately nebulous worry, in two parts. Part one: some new technology may make enough teaching difference that it will separate the departments that matter from the the departments that just think they matter. So far, nothing has made that kind of difference -- but it can't be ruled out. Part two: some new technology will make enough difference in the common context of discussion that only those who take account of that technology will count. Google has maybe come closest to making that difference, so far. But the millenium is young.
Posted by shea0017 at September 30, 2004 8:19 PM