Integrating Technology to
Enhance Learning
By David G. Brown, Wake Forest University
@ Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
May 28, 1999
• 3600 undergrads
• 92% residential
• 500 each: Med, Law,
MBA, PhD
• $800M endowment
• Winston-Salem NC
• Baptist Heritage
• Tim Duncan (ACC)
• 1300 avg SAT
• 29th USNWR
• Top 35 Privates in
Barron’s Guide
• Rhodes Scholars
• 1997 National Debate
Champions
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, 128RAM, 333 Mhz, 6 GB, CD-ROM, 56 modem
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Thinkpads for all
New Every 2 Years
Own @ Graduation
Standard Template
IGN for Faculty
Keep Old Computers
• 75% CEI Users
• +15% Tuition
• 4 Year Phase In
1999 Software Load
Netscape 4.5, Dreamweaver 2,
SPSS 9, Maple V 5.1
Windows 98, MS Office Prof 97
Outcomes
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More Freshman Applications
Higher SAT scores
Greater Yield (Offers/Enrolled)
Higher Retention (92% to 94%)
Stronger Faculty Recruitment
More National Firms Recruiting Here
Rapid Faculty Consensus
Enthusiastic Alumni
FIRST YEAR SEMINAR
The Economists’
Way of Thinking
A Course Required of All Freshmen
Wake Forest University
COURSE OBJECTIVES
• 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 skills
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
Learning is enhanced by-•
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Collaboration among Learners
Frequent student/faculty dialogue
Prompt Feedback
Application of Theory
Student Self Initiatives
Trustful relations
Personal & Individual Teaching
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
Brown’s First Year Seminar
• Before Class
– Students Find URLs &
Identify Criteria
– Interactive exercises
– 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
Materials Forever
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
Results: Compared to Other
First Year Courses
More
Same Less
How much did you learn?
2/3
1/3
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How much time did you spend?
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2/3
1/3
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How much did you enjoy the course? 3/3
The Challenge to Our Profession
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, 1999
Steps toward Redesign
• Recognize that you are redesigning a course, not
learning technology for its own sake.
• Identify beliefs and objectives.
• Learn about the tools and techniques available.
• Match activities and settings.
What Tools
• Implement!
What do
you want
to do?
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
are
available?
Redesign
Your
Course!
What’s Your Objective?
• Enrich Face to Face Course?
• Create Entirely Virtual Course?
• Develop “Virtually Compatible” Learning
Units While Teaching Face to Face
What Works for You?
[6 Ways to “tease out” your answer]
• Types of assignments and/or lectures that seem to
be most effective? Want to give your student
more of what?
• Your philosophy of teaching?
• Idea behind your course?
• Metaphors for your role?
• 3 Most Important Principles of Good Teaching?
• Diagram?
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
Principles of Good Teaching
plus an 8th
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Encourage contact between students and faculty
Develop cooperation among students
Encourage active learning
Give prompt feedback
Emphasize time on task
Communicate high expectations
Respect diverse talents and ways of thinking
Utilize a full range of learning materials
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
Metaphors for Professors’ Role
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Coach and team
Master and apprentices
Sage on the Stage
Guide by the Side
Fountain of Information
Salesperson
___________________
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
Student
Knowledge
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P
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P
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P
S
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
Time
Diagrams of a Course
Test
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
Beliefs of 91/93 Vignette Authors
Pedagogy and Philosophy
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From Interactive Learning
Forthcoming June, 1999
From Anker Publishing
David G. Brown, Editor
Interactive Learning
Learn by Doing
Collaborative Learning
Integration of Theory and Practice
Communication
Visualization
Different Strokes for Different Folks
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
Comparative Advantage: F2F vs. Virtual
[Assume you have four hours per week of each type of time. What kind
kinds of activities are best placed in each setting?]
Activity
F2F Only
Middle
Middle
Setting
Virtual Only
F2F & Virtual
Most Available Least Available
Least Expensive Most Expensive
Lecture Solioquy
Two Person Discussion
12 Person Discussion
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Simulation
Course Mechanics
Problem Solving
Integration of Concepts
Exercises w Branching
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Visualizations
Repetitions
Monitor student reading
Testing
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***=setting has the comparative advantage.
*=setting has comparative disadvantage
F2F= Face to Face
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 COMPUTERS?
…the faculty answer
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Interactive Learning
Learn by Doing
Collaborative Learning
Integration of Theory and Practice
Visualization
Communication
Different Strokes for Different Folks
WHY
UBIQUITY?
The Culture Changes
• 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 town
WHY STANDARDIZATION?
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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
WHY
PORTABILITY?
Distinctive Opportunities
Available Only in Laptop Settings
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Faculty are always available
Students expect messages between classes
Student PowerPoint talks are common
Team assignments increase
On site data collection & essay writing
Papers often include visuals, even motion
Study at best location, not limited to dorm
Continuous contact
Distinctive Opportunities
Available Only in Laptop Settings
• Students take computers to faculty offices
and their study mates.
• Quick exchange when machine is broken
• Fewer computer labs are needed
• Departmental clubs thrive
• Student Portfolios Emerge
• Students teach faculty
• Access to college continues when abroad
and after graduation
Lessons Learned
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, 1999
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, 1999
The Big Three
•E-mail
•Course Web Page
•Internet URLs
When Teaching Proceeds on the
Assumption That All Students Have
Reasonable Daily Access to the Internet
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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
Access to college continues after graduation
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
Most Productive Uses of
Technology in Teaching
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Between Classes
Repetition, especially for slower learners
Email Communications
Shared Databases
Student Presentations
Course Management
Collaborative Teaching
Simulation
Lessons Learned
• Computer knowledge is a boon to student
recruitment, retention, self-confidence.
• Computer knowledge is highly valued by
students & prospective employers
• Computer availability throughout the
student body attracts new faculty
• Computer challenged students learn basic
skills quickly, without special classes
• Disciplines use computers differently
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
Lessons Learned
• Greatest benefits are what happens between
classes, not during classes.
• Greatest gains from computing come from
“the big three.”
• Standardization speeds faculty adoption and
eases the pressure upon support staff.
• Standardization saves class time.
• Student groups are larger and more active.
• Faculty migrate to the student standard very
quickly
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
LESSONS LEARNED
• PC’s are only 10% of the Challenge
(support/networks/policies/train/expose)
• Most sunk costs can be ignored
• Expectations need management
• Develop a comprehensive plan first, and
quickly match it with a multiyear
financial plan
LESSONS LEARNED
• Standardization pays rewards well beyond
those anticipated; non-standard
configurations require 3-4 times support
• Students/Faculty want specific computer
training that is centered around a task-athand; general classes don’t work well
• Be prepared to outsource challenges
• Don’t wire to every seat
• Use the internet for course materials
LESSONS LEARNED
• Reliability is critical, especially the
Help Desk
• Provide academic units staff of their
own & plenty of equipment without
hassle
• Improve communications weekly;
rumors fly faster
• Spread the gains from & ownership of
innovation throughout all units
METAPHORS
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Automobile in the Jungle
Teenagers Learning How to Drive
1000 Times More Powerful Telephone
Learning a Second Language by Immersion
State Religion
House Calls
METAPHORS
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Cost of the Library
Students as Nomads
Rural Electrification
Key to the Library
General Contractor
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