Noelle M. Stout is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at New York University. Previously, Professor Stout taught courses at Harvard University in Cultural Anthropology, Women’s Studies, Ethnic Studies, and Film and Media. We had the pleasure of interviewing Professor Stout to discuss her experience with education technology and the importance of collaborative learning in today’s universities.
What types of online and/ or social tools have you used in your classes thus far?
At Harvard, I created course websites where students would post weekly response papers and share ideas for class discussions. In my gender studies courses, I directed students to important online communities that often defined the cutting edge of social movements and theory.
What are your thoughts on the use of educational technology for higher education?
I think it makes important information seem more contemporary and relevant for students, who tend to spend a lot of time online. I’ve found that it also encourages new forms of collaboration, as discussions that start on course websites bleed into course meetings and students can build on one another’s arguments.
There is also an important gender dynamic, because female students often need more time to formulate their opinions whereas male students feel more comfortable shouting out answers. By giving students some time to decide what they think and participate in discussions in advance of class, when they arrive they’re ready to debate more confidently. Especially in the social sciences, learning to formulate an argument or opinion, to engage in dialogue, is a fundamental component of critical thinking.
What is your opinion on note sharing, student-to-student collaboration and group learning?
I think note sharing creates critical bonds between students and allows them to build on each other’s strengths in ways that raise the performance level of the entire class. It’s an incredible resource that allows students to learn from one another.
Do you see a role for collaborative learning platforms in supplementing your students’ research and in helping them understand the concepts you teach?
Definitely, by working together and recognizing different perspectives on the same material, students can better internalize the debates and theories presented in the course. As a professor, it’s much more fun to teach a class where students have a stake in the material and can contribute to building dialogue.
Do you think GradeGuru will have an impact on the learning experience and over all academic performance of your students?
I’m confident that GradeGuru will engage students in the learning process by building on their own current interests in social networking and group learning, which will make the course more relevant. It uses modern technology to bring century old theories and ideas into contemporary life. It also gives students new opportunities to excel as note takers, and offers them a public platform to demonstrate their skills. From my end, it cuts down on the work I have to do in terms of posting notes and frees me up to facilitate learning.
Would you consider using GradeGuru as a resource in your classroom?
Most definitely!
More About Noelle M. Stout
Professor Stout is currently working on a book manuscript that explores the rise of queer tolerance discourse in post-Soviet Cuba, based on nearly two years of field research in Havana. Her documentary film, Luchando, which chronicles the lives of gay sex workers in Havana, is also on the festival circuit. She recently published an article in the Journal of Latin American Studies that tries to bridge the gap between U.S. and Cuban women’s advocates’ perspectives regarding the rise of the tourist sex trade in Cuba.
This week we had the pleasure of presenting at the 
“My roommate Lucie spent most of last night manically copying notes for a final today. Looking crazy-faced and muttering a little bit, she thrust at least ten pages– covered back and front– in my face, apparently expecting me to commiserate and make the whole wasting her life with anthropology work thing feel less terrible. All I could think, though was what a waste, she’s just going to trash those notes in twelve hours, possibly even burn them in some sort of useless gesture of finality. Irony of all ironies, 
