Ubiquitous Computing:
Why and How
ICCEL Conference on Affordable
Models of Ubiquitous Computing
June 23, 2000
By David G. Brown
VP, Dean, and Professor of Economics
Wake Forest University
http://www.wfu.edu/~brown and brown@wfu.edu
http://www.vcsu.nodak.edu/offices/itc/notebooks/other.htm
http://thenode.org/ltreport/list.cfm?Subj=26&Loc=LTR
8 BASIC MODELS OF
UBIQUITOUS COMPUTING
(Ordered by total cost, starting with the most expensive)
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All + Powerful + Laptops + Annual Refresh UMC
Refresh Less Frequently WFU WVWC
Substitute Desktop Computers USAFA
Provide One Computer Per Two Beds Chatham
Specify Threshold Level SSU UNC
Substitute Network Computers
Provide Public Station Computers BC
Teach with Explicit Assumption of Access
WAYS TO REDUCE
START UP COSTS
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Annual Lease
Phase in by classes
Phase in by programs
Phase in by type of program
Phase in by category (faculty, students, staff)
Hand me down
Loaner Pool
WHY COMPUTERS?
WHY UBIQUITOUS?
WHY STANDARD?
WHY PORTABLE?
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 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
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%
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
WHY
PORTABLE?
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
WHY PORTABLE?
Academic Reasons
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Continuous Contact
More Collaboration
Greater Faculty Availability
Greater Sense of Ownership
More Flexibility: On site data collection &
essay writing. In class use.
• Study at best location, not limited to dorm
WHY PORTABLE?
Administrative Reasons
• Stronger Recruitment/Retention
• Quick exchange when machine is broken
• Fewer Computer Labs: More Space for
Other Activities
• Built in refresh mechanism
• Access to college continues when on
vacation, abroad, and after graduation
The Big Six
#1. E-mail
#2. Web Pages (for each course)
#3. Internet URLs
#4. Lotus Screen Cams
#5. PowerPoint with Audio
#6. Microsoft Word with Comment
Actions Toward Capitalizing on
Ubiquity, Standardization, and
Portability
• Ask more of students! (new day)
• Encourage students to use computers in
their non-course life (as well).
• Design activities that start before class and
extend beyond class.
• Expect students to bring computers to prof
office, to friend’s dorm room, adjunct prof.
• Add Fieldwork
Continued...
• Explore team taught courses, especially
between departments and schools
• Facilitate continuing contact with students
after course and after college
• Require all students to submit in class
answers (so none coasts)
• Structure rewards for collaborative projects
• Recognize that old limits of lab availability
are gone.
Continued….
• Create student portfolios
• Other things equal, design projects that may
be completed on the laptops as well as in
computer labs
• Put students and faculty on same software
systems, especially email
• Study the competition
• Use students to train faculty.
Continued…
• Expect slower students to repeat in class
demos, etc.
• Revitalize departmental clubs
• Consider offsite studio labs (in the garden)
• Get more students studying abroad
• Recognize the laptop as a portable presentation
tool (both faculty & students)
• Use anytime, anywhere access by students-including in class (updated info)
• Don’t use laptops where they don’t make sense
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?
BIG ISSUES
• Communication vs Presentation vs
Analysis vs Access to Internet
• Virtual Courses vs Hybrids
• Academic vs Administrative
• Consortia vs Going It Alone
• Today’s Students vs Alums Also
• Mandatory vs Optional
BIG ISSUES
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Laptop vs Desktop vs Network
Standard vs Threshold
Single Vendor vs Multiple Vendors
Buy vs Lease vs Student Buy
LearningSpace vs CourseInfo vs
WebCT vs Other Mgt Systems
• Cold Turkey vs Pilot
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