Enhancing the Academic
Experience with Technology
Hampden-Sydney
November 6, 2001
David G. Brown
VP and Dean (ICCEL)
Professor of Economics and Former Provost
Wake Forest University
http://www.wfu.edu/~brown
Outline for Next Hour
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Wake Forest’s Technology Initiative
Videotapes Associated with my Class-In-Progress
Your Reactions & “Observations” after Viewing the Tapes
Your Comments and Questions ……………………Lunch
My Observations re Changes in Teaching and Learning
My Observations re the Future of Colleges
Worksheet: Where Are You With Faculty Development
Faculty Development Strategies That Work
Your notations re your actions @ home
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, 2001
Communication-Interaction
Computers Enhance
Teaching & 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
ICCEL --- Wake
Wake Forest
Forest University,
University, 2001
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
Reasons for Increased Retention
(a few hypotheses)
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Better Social Life with More Friends
Closer Connections with Faculty
Greater Sense of Relevance of Education
Less Frustration with Their Studies
More Collaborative, Interactive Teaching
Desire to Keep the Computer
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
Before Class
During Class
After Class
Brown’s First Year Seminar
• Before Class
– Students Find URLs &
Identify Criteria
– Interactive exercises
– Muddiest Point
– Lecture Notes
– E-mail dialogue
– Cybershows
• During Class
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One Minute Quiz
Computer Tip Talk
Class Polls
Team Projects
• After Class
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Edit Drafts by Team
Guest Editors
Hyperlinks & Pictures
Access Previous Papers
• Other
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Daily Announcements
Team Web Page
Personal Web Pages
Exams include Computer
Portfolio
Materials Forever
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2001
----Reactions to tapes?
----Big Thoughts re the future of
teaching and learning?
Please write down
two phrases and
share what you
have written with a
neighbor!!!
Comments
Q&A
Lunch
How has the computer changed
teaching and learning?
1. It’s caused every teacher to
rethink & redesign.
2. By increasing student options, it has increased
competition (e.g. Virginia Virtual University)
which has in turn compelled universities to pay
more attention to the quality of teaching
Our profession has been changed forever!
Reasons 150 Professors Added
Computer Enhancements
1. Communication-Interaction
2. Collaboration-Teams
3. Controversy-Debate
4. Customization-Diversity
5. Consultants-Adjuncts
The Millennium Context
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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
WORKSHEET
What are the barriers to more use of
technology by faculty?
For your own campus, allocate 100 points
among the three major barrier categories!
• _____% Faculty Need Time
• _____% Faculty Need Access to Expertise
• _____% Faculty Need to Motivation
By David G. Brown, Wake Forest University
http://www.wfu.edu/~brown brown@wfu.edu
Concepts Behind Wake Forest’s
Faculty Development Strategy
1. Our programs are designed to fit faculty culture, not the
culture of technologists. Eagerness is assumed.
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Participation, like with the library resources, is entirely
voluntary on the part of faculty.
3. We commend and reinforce faculty when they first use
even simple technology (Email + URL + CMS)
4. Reliability is assured---by standardization, compatability,
ubiquity, and help-when-needed.
Over 85% of our faculty is actively using
technology to support their teaching.
Faculty Development Programs that Work
…at Wake Forest University
1. The Instructional Technology Group---disciplinary
MS&PhD’s, hired and housed in each department, spend
full-time helping faculty and students use technology.
2. STARS---Student Technology Advisors help individual
faculty members enhance their teaching with technology
3. Blackboard Listserv---Active faculty users of our Course
Management System exchange questions, answers,
challenges, insights, successes, and frustrations
Students Serving Others
Non-Profits
K-12 Schools
Businesses
Residence Hall Students
•26 Students
•10 Hours Per Week, $9.50/Hr.
•Full Semester of Training
•Assist One Prof Each Semester
•Teach Prof to Carry Forward
•Paid Summer Internship
http://www.wfu.edu/Computer-information/STARS/
Poster Session Each Semester
STARS & Faculty Display/Demonstrate Results
Art
History
Religion
Business
Physics
Positioning for the Future
• What are your institution’s
strengths & weaknesses
• How do you determine
your place in an electronic
world?
• What will be your primary
student markets--program
areas? Degree credit?
Geographic span? Age?
• What are the appropriate
delivery technologies
next year? 5 years? Etc?
• What is a realistic
staffing plan?
Outsourcing? Support
personnel? Executive
leadership?
• What institutional
partnerships make
sense?
Write down an ACTION for when you get home!
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, 2001