Refining the Vision for UNIMAS
David G. Brown
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, N.C., U.S.A.
Some Thoughts Starters, January 22, 2002
TWO BASIC THEMES
• FOCUS on key concepts!
• Stress LEARNING, not technology
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2002
OUTLINE OF REMARKS
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Define Quality Teaching-Learning
Cite Proof that Technology enhances quality
Explain the Wake Forest Strategy
Demonstrate my personal teaching
Discuss Why Wake Forest Has Computerized,
Standardized, Etc.
• Suggest Implications for UNIMAS
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2002
• Discussion
•Globalization
•Diversity
•Progressive Culture
•Quality Education
What do high quality professors do?
(more than low quality professors)
Write down 3 or 4 phrases!
Exchange answers with a neighbor!
(this is active learning)
What do high quality professors do?
[American Opinion---List #1]
1. Become competent in their field &
project that competence to students
2. Trust that their students are capable &
project that trust to students
3. Plan
What do high quality professors do?
List #2. Teaching Strategies
Interactive Learning, 1999
Teaching with Technology, 2000
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Interact frequently with students
Promote student-to-student collaboration
Stimulate controversy and debate
Use adjunct professors
Provide different strokes for different folks
These five strategies are the FUTURE of teaching & learning!
What do high quality professors do?
List #3. Good Practices-Effective Teaching
[Chickering-Gamson, 1967]
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Good practice encourages contact between students and faculty.
Good practice encourages cooperation among students.
Good practice encourages active learning.
Good practice gives prompt feedback.
Good practice emphasizes time on task.
Good practice communicates high expectations.
Good practice respects diverse talents and ways of learning.
If computers facilitate these seven good practices---then computers
can result in higher quality professors and learning.
Research Results
• University of Central Florida--Hybrid courses win! (the 80-20 rule)
• 18,844 students at 71 American Universities--More “good practices” for wired students!
• 150 professors at 50 Research Universities--Interaction, Collaboration, Debate, Custom, Adjuncts!
• Virginia Polytechnic University--Calculus failure rate cut by 44%!
• Seton Hall University--More self-exploration, contact, feedback, learning!
Future of
Teaching &
Learning
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Personal. Customized. Interactive.
Student-Centered Curriculum
Teams of Professionals to Support Learning
“Houses” instead of Disciplines
Hybrid Courses (80-20 and 20-80)
Loose-leaf Collections of Course Components,
instead of Textbooks
THE WAKE FOREST PLAN
IBM A21m, Pentium III, 700 Mhz, 20GB, 14”ActMatrix, 196MB, Re-writable CD
56k modem, 8MB Video Ram, 10/100 Ethernet, Floppy,
USB&Serial&Parellel&Infrared Ports
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IBM Laptops for all
Printers for all
New Every 2 Years
Own @ Graduation
31.000 Connections
Standard Software
99% E-Mail
Start 1995, 4 Year Phase In
+15% Tuition for 37 Items
+40 Faculty and 30 Staff
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2002
CONCEPTS BEHIND PLAN
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Students First
2 Layers: Threshold +
Rapid Change
Communicate/Access (Not
Present/Analyze)
• Standardization
• Academic Freedom
• Nomadic Learners
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2001
CONCEPTS BEHIND PLAN
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Dominant Use After College
Empower Existing Units
Eager Faculty
Students Change Agent
Exposure, Not Mandate
Partnership
Marketable Difference
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2001
Consequences for Wake Forest
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+SAT Scores & Class Ranks
+Retention & Grad Rates
+Satisfaction & Learning
+Faculty Recruitment
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2001
Computers Enhance My
Teaching and/or Learning Via-Presentations
Better--20%
More Opportunities to
Practice & Analyze--35%
More Access to Source
Materials via Internet--43%
More Communication with Faculty Colleagues, Classmates,
and Between Faculty and Students--87%
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2002
Computers allow people---• to belong to more communities
• to be more actively engaged in each
community
• with more people
• over more miles
• for more months and years
• TO BE MORE COLLABORATIVE
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2002
FIRST YEAR SEMINAR
The Economists’ Way of Thinking:
• To understand a liberal arts education as an
opportunity to study with professors who think by
their own set of concepts
• To learn how to apply economic concepts
• To learn how to work collaboratively
• To learn computer skills
• To improve writing and speaking
Students = 15
All Freshmen
Required Course
Communication-Interaction
•1247 emails
•One Minute Quiz
•Muddiest Point
Collaboration-Teams
•2 Students Submit 1 Answer
•Edit Rough Draft Papers
•Name 3 Most Helpful Students
WHY COMPUTERS?
…the institutional answer
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Communication!
Level Playing Field
After College Use
Faculty/Students Demand Them
Customized/Personalized
Digitized Scholarship
WHY UBIQUITOUS?
• Mentality shifts-- like from public phone to personal phone.
• Teaching Assumptions shift-- like from readings are on
reserve to everyone owns a copy of his/her own.
• Timelines shift-- like from “our class meets MWF” to “we
see each other all the time and MWF we meet together”
• Students’ sense of access shifts-- like from “I can get
that book in the library” to “I have that book in my library.”
• Relationships shift-- like from a family living in many
different states to all family members living in the same tow
WHY STANDARD?
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Communication Utility! (George Gilder)
99% Reliability A Must in Classroom
Buddies Share Hardware & Knowledge
Better, Cheaper Support Systems
Marketing Advantages
Faculty “Trusts” Equality of Access
WHEN WAKE FOREST STARTED OVER WITH
A NEW TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY, WE
SOUGHT OUT A PARTNERSHIP WHICH--1.
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Attracted quality students, faculty
Caught the attention of academia
Accepted total responsibility (general contractor)
Responded to our customized needs
Promised high priority delivery of service
Provided insurance for unforeseen challenges
Enabled many options
Would connect us with their worldwide partners
Was eager to partner with us
Implications for UNIMAS
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Provide Internet connectivity to every professor
Support electronic communities & publication
Teach on the assumption of student access
Emphasize the simple uses of technology
Stress the communication function
Standardize whenever possible
Collaborate with other international universities
Provide e-mail address for every student
Select a comprehensive partner for long term
David G. Brown
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, N.C. 27109
336-758-4878
email: brown@wfu.edu
http//:www.wfu.edu/~brown
fax: 336-758-4875
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2002