Using the Technology--for Learning’s Sake
By David G. Brown, Wake Forest University
@Dalhousie University
September 14, 2000, 2:30-4:30 PM
How the Laptop Program Has
Changed Wake Forest
THE WAKE FOREST PLAN
F96: IBM 365XD, 16RAM, 100Mhz, 810MB, CD-ROM, 14.4 modem
F97: IBM 380D, 32 RAM, 130Mhz, 1.35GB, CD-ROM, 33.6 modem
F98: IBM 380XD, 64 RAM, 233 Mhz, 4.1GB, CD-ROM, 56 modem
F99: IBM 390, 128 RAM, 333 Mhz, 6GB, CD-ROM, 56 modem
F00: IBM A20m, 500 Mhz, 11GB, 15”ActMatrix, CD-ROM, 90 modem
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Thinkpads for all
New Every 2 Years
Own @ Graduation
Printers for all
Wire Everything
Standard Software
Full Admin Systems
IGN for Faculty
Keep Old Computers
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40+30 New People
75% Faculty Trained
85% CEI Users
99% E-Mail
+15% Tuition
~$1500/Yr/Student
4 Year Phase In
Pilot Year
Order at--Plan for 2000
http://iccel.wfu.edu
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2000
Consequences for Wake Forest
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+SAT Scores & Class Ranks
+Retention & Grad Rates
+Satisfaction & Learning
+Faculty Recruitment
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%
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, 2000
With Ubiquity--The Culture Changes
• Mentality shifts-- like from public phone to personal phone.
• Teaching Assumptions shift-- like from books in the
public library 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 “maybe 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 town
Wake Forest University
Faculty Engagement
Environmental Imperatives
• Universal Student Access to
Computers
• Reliable Networks
• Multiple Opportunities for Training
and Consultation
• Faculty Ethos that values
Experimentation and Tolerates Falters
Beginning Assumptions
• Start by enhancing an existing course, not
total redesign!
• Use only techniques that can be learned by
faculty in less than an hour!
• Expect network reliability and access to
knowledge help when needed!
• Recognize that no experiment can
jeopardize the success of a student cohort
(Garden Metaphor)
I think we’re here because...
Our profession has
new gardening tools.
We want to learn
which ones will be useful
in stimulating growth
in our own gardens.
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2000
Concepts Underlying Strategy
• Eager Faculty
• Faculty Ownership
• Centrality of
Educational Theory
• Communication &
Conversation
• Hybrid Instruction
• Friendly Sharing
• Flexibility
• Diversity among
Disciplines
• Non-threatening
Innovation
• Patience
The Big Five
#1. Continuous Communication
#2. Repetition
#3. Controversy and Debate
#4. Different Strokes, Different Folks
#5. Outsider Involvement
The Low Hanging Six
 Email & Listservs
 URL addresses (in syllabus)
 Annotations within word processed documents
 Powerpoint “lecture outlines”
 Mini-movies that show successive computer screens
 Practice quizzing prior-to-class (via WebCT)
Agencies for Encouraging Use
• Academic Computer
Specialists
• Computer Enhanced
Learning Initiative
• Committee on
Information Tech.
• The Academic Tech
Initiative
• Deans & Department
Chairs
• Information System &
the Help Desk
• Student Technology
Advisors
• Residence Hall Tech
Advisors
• Library Trainers
• Business & Industry
Advisory Group
Ways to Exchange Information
• Swap & Share
• Benchmarking Trip
• Workshop by OffCampus VIPs
• Computer Tip Talk
• Best Practices
Conference
• National Computer
Meetings
• Training On Call
• Summer Workshop
• CAI Newsgroup
• File of Best Local
Practice
Others Ways to Stimulate
Computer Use
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Standard Software and Equipment (Threshold)
Standard Filing System
Well-defined Academic Policy
Portability: Classroom, Home, Vacation, Abroad
Use Outside the Classroom
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
Lessons Learned
LESSONS LEARNED
• Early investment in extensive multimedia
may be more fun than useful
• Chat sessions are rarely productive
• Threaded discussions work only when the
topic is narrowly defined, controversial,
and the response is time limited and graded
• Powerpoint is often abused and overused
Lessons Learned
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First Focus Upon Communication
Undertake achievable goals
Contact becomes Continuous.
Students expect messages between classes
Team assignments increase
Papers & Talks often include visuals
Departmental clubs thrive
Student Portfolios Emerge
Students teach faculty
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2000
Lessons Learned
• Computer challenged students learn basic
skills quickly, without special classes
• Disciplines use computers differently
• The Internet is the place to put electronic
class materials (WebCT)
• Start with Learning Objectives, Not
Technology
• If Email is always up, everyone will be
happy
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2000
Lessons Learned
• Greatest benefits are what happens
between classes, not during classes.
• Greatest gains from computing come from
some of the simplest applications
• Standardization speeds faculty adoption
and eases the pressure upon support staff.
• Standardization saves class time.
• Student groups are larger and more active.
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2000
Main Impact of Computers
Upon Learning in College
• Student Self Confidence is Shaken When They
Aren’t Computer Savvy
• Availability of New Methods of Teaching &
Learning has greatly increased how much and
how we think about effective teaching.
• Different strokes for different folks-individualization w/o necessarily personalization
• Community is strengthened in every way!
[Always in Touch]
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2000