RESEARCH AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
CORE COURSE PROPOSAL
FEBRUARY 2000
I
A.
B.
C.
D.
Recommendations
The ad-hoc Research and Information Technology (RIT) core committee
recommends to the core committee approval of:
The Research and Information Technology course, as proposed in this document.
IDIS designation for the RIT course.
An RIT coordinator, a faculty member with a 2-course reduction and summer stipend.
An RIT implementation team appointed by the provost to develop and pilot the detailed
course materials, starting work summer, 2000 and completing work summer, 2001.
II
Catalog Description
IDIS 110 Research and Information Technology (1) F, S. Core.
A first-year introduction to the computer and to college-level research skills,
making full but discriminating use of current electronic information technology and
the resources of the Hekman Library, with a discussion of the cultural impact of
computer technology and the ethical responsibilities of its users.
III
Expanded Course Description
A. Objectives
To engage the students’ imaginations regarding information technology; to introduce students to
the basic concepts of computer hardware and software; to familiarize students with the potentials
of the computer as a “universal appliance,” capable of storing, locating, transferring,
manipulating, analyzing, and presenting information; to acquaint students with the resources of
the Hekman Library and various discipline-specific research strategies; to familiarize students
with criteria for the critical evaluation of information sources; to cultivate wisdom in students so
that they establish a viewpoint from which one can make ethically responsible judgments
regarding the appropriate use of information technology.
Exemption via test; no transfer credit.
B. Syllabus
Introduction [1 week]
How has the computer changed the way an individual interacts with the world?
The Computer
Definition of a computer (The anatomy of a computer) [2 weeks]
 Definition of a computer from a user’s perspective (based on use)
 Definition of a computer from a specialist’s perspective (based on design)
Networks (Communication between computers) [2 weeks]
RIT Course Proposal




Types of networks
Types of interaction
The physical infrastructure
Issues arising because of the social impact of computers on users
Impact of the Computer
Changing nature of information (The Digital Library) [2 weeks]
 Information theory
 Digital libraries
 Databases
 Changing nature of research
Modeling reality with computers (Multimedia literacy) [2 weeks]
 Examples of modeling reality
 Digital representation of reality
 Types of multimedia
 Issues
Moral and Ethical Impact of the Computer
Moral and ethical considerations [2 weeks]
 Reformed perspective on technology
 Social implications
 Psychological implications
Critical evaluation of technology [2 weeks]
 Limitations and possibilities
 Criteria for evaluating technology
C. Class Structure
There are several components to the course: plenaries, breakout sessions, a web-based
textbook, and tutorials. Table 1 shows the coordinated structure of the components.
Table 1: Course Structure
Plenary Session
Breakout section
(Introduction)
(Critical Evaluation)
Tutorials (skills)
Introduction
CIT
Basic Operating
Systems
Spreadsheets
Word processing
Definition of
Computer
Problem-solving
Algorithmic thinking
Universal appliance
Networks
Information systems
Databases
Implications
Locating resources,
Information organization,
Search strategies
Internet: Email,
listservs, web
navigation
Multimedia literacy
Scanning, digitizing,
graphics, sound, video
Changing Nature
of Information
Modeling reality
with Computers
Moral and ethical
considerations
Critical evaluation
of technology
Case studies,
Discipline-specific
implications
Psychological
implications
Library
Web search
Library
databases
Digital Library
Library
resources
Web publication
Presentation software
2
RIT Course Proposal
Six mass plenary sessions will be scheduled during the semester, led by our best faculty who
are experts on the plenary topics. The plenaries will engage the student’s imagination and
introduce them to the fundamental concepts they need to understand information technology.
During the weeks between plenaries, faculty will lead breakout sessions for classes of around
25 students in a computer laboratory. Breakout sessions will begin to introduce students to
critical evaluation of technology. Students will be given hands-on experience with the
technology as well as more personal contact while discussing perspectival issues. Breakout
instructors will be drawn from across the disciplines. Each instructor will be encouraged to
use discipline-specific examples to make the concepts more real for the students. A professor
from the history department might show how she uses an Internet database to look up
historical documents; a music professor might demonstrate the input/output system of the
computer by composing a short musical score in class. Critical evaluation will be stressed in
the breakout sessions – the instructor will lead students toward discerning use of appropriate
technology.
The textbook for the course will be web-based, multimedia, and interactive. A number of
tutorials will be offered by CIT and library staff on various information technology skills. The
tutorials will be available on-line or taught live by CIT/library staff. Students may test out of
tutorials by taking the on-line test for that topic. The skills taught in RIT will make the course
topics relevant to the student’s lives, both in and out of the classroom. Through the
combination of all these components, the course will begin to cultivate wisdom toward
technology and its appropriate use.
D. Evaluation Methods
Student evaluation tools will include both paper and on-line quizzes. In order to pass the
course, students must complete all the on-line tutorials. Grades will be based on quiz results,
participation in breakout sessions and on-line discussions, and a term paper.
E. Methods for Integration of Faith and Learning
The RIT course will integrate a Christian faith perspective throughout the course. A
significant portion of the syllabus focuses on critical evaluation of technology using the
framework of a Reformed perspective. Information technology will be placed along with all
of creation under Christ’s rule. Students will be taught to first seek out and discern the good
in information technology that is inherent from the original creation, second, to recognize that
sin taints technology as a consequence of the Fall, and third, that we are called to be
redemptive agents in our society. Information technology forms a part of our culture and thus
is an appropriate subject for a transformational approach. Biblical principles such as
stewardship, justice, and the cultural mandate will be applied to issues in information
technology.
Perspectival issues will be tightly interwoven with specific details, so that even in discussions
of technical points, the students are aware of the underlying faith foundations that must inform
their use of information technology tools. The use of breakout sessions provides students with
a more personal touch that can help move head knowledge to the heart as well. This will be
especially important when discussing personal ethics issues. Because the course is limited to
one semester hour, students cannot be expected to achieve a fully developed perspective on
information technology. Rather, this course will lay the foundation for further work in other
courses (particularly in the major).
3
RIT Course Proposal
IV
Place in Curriculum
This course will be a required course in the core curriculum. It is intended for
first-year students and entering transfer students.
Consultation with Library and Registrar
The registrar has been consulted. Plenary sessions must be scheduled with care since only the
FAC can handle the large number of students. The head librarian is a member of the ad-hoc
committee, and he sees no significant deficiencies in the library holdings for supporting the RIT
course.
V
Rationale
A. Justification of core designation
Information technology is a central part of modern culture. It pervades almost every part of our
society, touching family life, worship, politics, work, scientific research, engineering design,
communities, art, music, and journalism, to name just a few. Information technology has
changed our language, our means of communication, our social interactions, our corporations,
and our governments. Because information technology is such a pervasive cultural influence,
every graduate of Calvin College – not just the students in technical disciplines – must be
equipped to evaluate this aspect of our world in the light of a Reformed perspective.
Information technology skills are essential for gainful employment. A majority of employers
hiring college graduates in today’s world expect some basic skills using a computer. Graduate
study often requires knowledgeable use of a computer as a research tool. Information technology,
when properly used, allows students to explore the world, and their own discipline, in ways that
would otherwise be difficult or impossible. Music students can compose orchestral scores on a
computer and hear them played back instantly. Chemistry students can simulate the interaction of
molecules and visualize the results in a virtual reality. Engineering students can explore large
design spaces and optimize under a variety of constraints. History students can quickly search
thousands of documents using a computer database query. Economics students can analyze and
test complex models of large economic systems through computer simulations.
Critical evaluation of information technology can be illustrative of a perspective on technology
and science as a whole. Information technology continues to influence students in their personal
lives. The freshness of this impact can be used as a teachable moment to enable the students to
see the broader impact of science and technology on their world. Commonplace technological
products such as the automobile or the telephone will become targets of discriminating appraisal
only after they are recognized as cultural artifacts produced by some of the same forces that now
bring us information technology products.
B. Justification of Course content
The proposed course content contains the appropriate topics. The content is a tailored subset of
the recommended components for an information technology course from the Committee on
Information Technology Literacy (Being Fluent with Information Technology, Committee on
Information Technology Literacy, National Academy Press, Washington D.C.: 1999). Because
the RIT course is only allowed one semester hour, the ad-hoc RIT committee decided to
emphasize sufficient breadth at the expense of depth. Departmental majors must supply in-depth
4
RIT Course Proposal
education regarding information technology as it applies to their discipline (building on the
foundation provided by the RIT course. The RIT course content integrates faith and learning by
providing technical content interwoven with perspectival material. The course also provides an
introduction to research skills as well as information technology skills.
The proposed course content is appropriately sized. The ad-hoc RIT committee carefully pared
down the desired list of topics to a manageable list for a one semester-hour course. The material
is balanced among the various structural parts of the course (plenary, breakout session, web-based
textbook, and tutorial) so that students gain sufficient background in each topic, but are not
overworked. At the same time, we hope that the course sparks a curiosity in the students that
persuades them to explore further how information technology can be used appropriately in their
chosen disciplines. An example of one segment in the RIT course is provided in appendix C.
C. Justification of Course structure
The ad-hoc RIT committee explored a number of possible course structures and selected a
structure of plenary sessions, breakout sessions, and tutorials. Appendix B provides a detailed
description of the other options the committee considered as well as an explanation of the
decision criteria.
D. Justification of IDIS designation
The ad-hoc RIT committee views the RIT course as one piece of a hub-and-spoke model,
illustrated in Figure 1. In this model, the RIT course plays the role of a central “hub” that
provides students with the minimal research and information technology skills and concepts
expected of all college graduates in today’s world. To this “hub” each discipline can add its own
“spokes” consisting of courses that introduce research and information technology concepts and
skills that are specific to that discipline. Other core courses can also count on the basic skills
provided in the RIT course whenever they make use of information technology or discuss it in
class. The advantages of this model are:



It “factors” the information technology related concepts and skills that are common
across the disciplines into a single, centralized course. This eliminates the redundant
curriculum development effort that seems likely if each discipline should implement its
own course. It also centralizes the task of curriculum revision that will be an ongoing
necessity in this rapidly changing area.
It ensures that all students receive a common foundation of information technology skills
during their first year in college. Subsequent courses within a student’s disciplines can
then build on this foundation, and focus on the discipline-specific applications of
information technology.
It ensures that all students graduate with an exposure to information technology concepts
and skills. The exposure afforded by this one credit-hour course is admittedly minimal,
but we hope that each discipline will add to that exposure in their “spoke” courses.
We have designated the RIT course as IDIS because this course lays the foundation for the use of
information technology across all disciplines.
5
RIT Course Proposal
Liberal Arts
Core Course
Disciplinary
Majors
Information
Technology
Disciplinary
Majors
RIT
Information
Liberal Arts
Technology
Core Course
Information
Technology
Information
Technology
Disciplinary
Majors
Information
Technology
Web Text,
Modules,
Templates,
Tutorials
Liberal Arts
Core Course
Information
Technology
Figure 1: RIT Hub-and-Spokes Curricular Model
E. Justification of RIT Coordinator
A coordinator for the RIT course is necessary for two reasons. First, the course content is
expected to change frequently, requiring more curricular attention than a standard course. The
coordinator will be responsible for updating the course herself or by recruiting current or past RIT
instructors to write new materials or modules. Second, the coordinator will recruit plenary
speakers and new RIT instructors from a variety of disciplines, organizing summer faculty
development seminars to train the new instructors and providing support during the course.
VI
Resource Allocation and Staffing
A. Staffing
The following table shows the “Day 10” fall enrollment statistics reported by the registrar for the
last nine years. The current five year plan targets enrollment at 3900 to 4100 students. The
average proportion of entering students (first year and transfers) compared to the total enrollment
is 27%. If all entering students enroll in the RIT course, the typical course size will be 4000 *
27% = 1050 students. Based on past variations in enrollment, we might expect a range of 900 to
1200 students.
6
RIT Course Proposal
Table 2: Fall Day 10 Enrollment Statistics
Year Entering Students
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
973
885
997
1,034
1,122
1,116
1,166
1,090
1,176
Total Number
of Students
4,025
3,725
3,730
3,842
3,963
4,051
4,085
4,127
4,273
First Year
Fraction of
Total
24%
24%
27%
27%
28%
28%
29%
26%
28%
The proposed class structure calls for six plenary mass sessions and seven breakout sessions with
approximately 25 students per class. This results in 35 to 45 sections (split over two semesters).
The RIT committee recommends a breakout class size of 25, not only due to current computer
laboratory size restrictions, but also for pedagogical reasons: breakout sessions must be small
enough so the instructor can interact personally with the students. The committee strongly
discourages class sizes over 30, but if budgetary constraints require it and laboratory facilities are
expanded, then 30 students per section would reduce the total number of sections to a range of 30
to 40.
Thus, in a typical year, 40 breakout sections of RIT will be required. Since each section carries 1
semester hour, the RIT course will require the equivalent of nearly 2 full time faculty positions.
Although this teaching load could be borne by two faculty members, in practice the load will
probably be distributed among a dozen or more instructors, from a number of departments. The
use of the plenary/breakout structure allows for faculty members from any department on campus
to participate in the RIT course by leading a breakout session, perhaps with some emphasis on the
use of research and information technology in their own discipline. The fall semester will
probably include 25-30 sections of RIT, with the balance in the spring semester and possibly the
summer session.
Tutorial sessions will be held each week (13 total). The class size will again be limited to around
25 students due to the size of existing facilities as well as pedagogical constraints. It is expected
that three tutorials will be led by library staff and ten tutorials will be led by CIT staff.
A detailed budget is provided in Appendix D. The plenary speakers will be given an honorarium
for their services. Faculty (from a variety of disciplines) will staff breakout sessions, with
compensation provided in one of two ways. The Computer Science department will staff a
number of RIT breakout sessions, where one faculty member will lead several sections, which
clustered together would make up part of his normal load. Faculty members from other
departments that teach one breakout session will receive overload compensation for the one
additional semester hour. CIT tutorials will be led by CIT student employees and coordinated by
a CIT staff member. Library staff will lead library tutorials.
7
RIT Course Proposal
RIT Coordinator
The RIT coordinator will be a faculty member responsible for organizing the RIT course. The
coordinator would perform a number of crucial tasks:






Recruit plenary speakers
Recruit faculty members to teach breakout sessions
Provide training to RIT instructors
Serve as liaison between plenary, breakout, and tutorial leaders
Lead a team of faculty in developing the initial RIT materials
Coordinate annual development and updating of the RIT materials
Compensation would be in the form of a two-course reduction and a summer stipend (although
more might be necessary the first year).
B. Facilities
Most of the existing CIT computer laboratories are designed to support 25 students or less. Thus,
the class size will be limited to this number. The RIT course will increase computer usage
directly and indirectly. Computer laboratories must be reserved for RIT breakout sessions.
During the fall semester, up to 30 sections will each meet for one hour every other week. Two
hours of computer work and tutorials, including reading from the web-based textbook will be
assigned weekly. For 500-750 students, this will require 1000-1500 hours of computer time each
week. If all of this time was spent in computer laboratories, this would require up to 60
scheduled hours weekly in addition to the 30 scheduled hours every other week for breakout
sessions. However, this number may be reduced if many of the students do homework and
tutorials from their rooms on their own computers rather than in the computer laboratories.
VII
Assessment Plan
Two objectives will be evaluated: (1) produce students who are fluent in
information technology and research, and (2) produce this fluency across
all disciplines, not just technical majors. The Calvin Social Research Center will be used as an
independent consultant to administrate a coordinated set of surveys. Skill tutorials will include
questions crafted to provide immediate feedback to instructors (formative evaluation) as well as
direct content selection for the next course offering. Secondly, an existing survey of graduating
seniors that includes an information technology section will be used to form baseline data as a
comparison group. As students graduate under the new core curriculum, the graduate survey will
provide summative evaluation. Third, as an independent measure, a survey of employers and
graduate school advisors will be done. The RIT coordinator will be responsible for using the
evaluation results to adjust the course year by year.
VIII
Criteria for Approval of ProgramSpecific RIT Substitutes
Programs or departments might wish to propose courses as substitutes for
the standard RIT course proposed in this document. This section lays out
the guidelines by which substitute courses would be approved.
8
RIT Course Proposal
A. Core Revision Document Goals
The course must fulfill the goals and objectives mandated by the core revision document.
“An Engagement with God’s World,” the core revision document adopted by the Calvin faculty
on April 15, 1999, mandates the following components of this course:
It will
 serve as a first-year introduction to the computer,
 serve as an introduction to college-level research skills,
 make full but discriminating use of current electronic information technology and the
resources of the Hekman Library,
 include a discussion of the cultural impact of current technology and ethical responsibilities
of users.
Mandated course objectives:
 To introduce students to basic concepts of computer hardware and software
 To familiarize students with the potentials of the computer as a “universal appliance”
capable of storing, locating, transferring, manipulating, analyzing, and presenting information
 To acquaint students with the resources of the Hekman Library and various disciplinespecific research strategies
 To familiarize students with criteria for the critical evaluation of information sources
 To establish a viewpoint from which students can make ethically responsible judgments
regarding the appropriate use of information technology.
Other criteria:
 Exemption via test
 No transfer credit
B. RIT Components
The RIT course development committee has identified the following essential components of the
course. Any substitute course must address each of the components in the standard RIT course.
Because information technology changes rapidly, this list is subject to annual change.
Topics covered in plenary sessions and web text
 networks, information systems, databases
 definition of computer, algorithmic thinking
 moral implications of technology use and information availability
 research methodology
 critical evaluation of technology
 psychological implications of technology use
 modeling reality with computers – multimedia literacy
Skills introduced in CIT tutorials
(limited substitution of discipline-specific skills may be allowed)
 Using email, including participating in listservs (subscribing, posting, and netiquette)
 Web navigation (search engines, Boolean queries, directories, URLs, and downloading)
 Basic OS use (file handling, directory operations, GUI operations, and startup/shutdown)
9
RIT Course Proposal




Basic spreadsheet skills (formulas, data entry, formatting, and charting)
Basic word processing skills (formatting, cut & paste, file formats, and importing)
Multimedia presentation (web publishing or presentation software)
Digital media (e.g., scanning, graphics, sound, or video)
Skills introduced in Library tutorials
 Hekman digital library (structure, content, comparison to traditional library)
 Research Databases (structure, database availability, search strategies)
 Web Searching (open vs. restricted, web libraries)
C. Options for tailoring RIT to specific disciplines
The following list suggests some possible approaches to a discipline-specific RIT course. Other
approaches may also be appropriate.



Separate department-based RIT course covering the material detailed above
RIT components integrated into department’s first-year course sequence
Combination of IDIS and department-specific components, such as:
 IDIS plenary sessions
 Department-based breakout sessions
 Department or IDIS skills tutorials
 Department or IDIS web text
 Department-specific or IDIS library research tutorials
IX
Ad-hoc RIT Committee
The ad-hoc RIT Committee was appointed by Provost Joel Carpenter. The
committee worked from the summer of 1999 until February, 2000. Committee
members were:
Joel Adams (Computer Science)
Dawn Bush (Calvin Information Technology)
Glen Remelts (Library)
Karen Saupe (English)
Steve VanderLeest (Engineering), chair
10
RIT Course Proposal
Appendix A: Comparison to Other Institutions
Virtually every state university requires an “information technology” course for graduation. Table
3 lists some non-state institutions with RIT requirements, with the proposed RIT course at the top
for comparison.
Table 3: Some Colleges/Universities That Have An RIT-Related Course Requirement
Institution
Course Title
Calvin
Research & Information
Technology (RIT)
1
Berry C.
Computer and Info. Literacy
2
Bradley U.
(choose 1)
Intro to CIS w/ BASIC
Comp. & Prog. w/ FORTRAN
Comp. & Society
Microcomputer Applications
West. Heritage in Global
Context
Computer Tools
Freshman Colloquium
Intro. To Microcomputers
Covenant C.
Eckerd C.
Hastings C.
Goshen C.
LaGrange C.
St. Leo
William &
Mary
Taylor U.
(choose 1)
Hrs.
Concepts
Competencies
Dept
AT, CL, EI,GI,
H, IL, LC, MM,
N, CS, S, SI
H, S, OS, GUI,
MM
PL
PL
HC, LC, SI
SI, EI
IL
EM, FH, IM, IR,
LR, SS, PS/WA,
WB, WP
WP, SS, IR, EM
ID
AT, CP
AT, CP
WA
WP, IR
WP, LR, IR, E
CS
2
1
2
CL
IL
CL
WP, SS, DB
WP, EM
WP,SS,WB,EM
CS
ID
CS
PC Applications
DS (Computing Proficiency)
3
3
2
2
OS,WP,SS,DB,N
DS (CP or SA or
IM or …)
SS
SS (advanced)
CS
MD
Computing and Info. Concepts
Computing and Info, Concepts
Adv.
CL,S,OS,N
CL + DS
(advanced)
H,S,OS,GI,N,EI,
MM
H,S,OS,GI,N,EI,
MM
3
3
3
2
1(+3)
ID
CS
E
CS
Concepts Key
Competencies Key
Dept Key
AT – Algorithmic Thinking
CL – Computer Literacy
DS – Discipline Specific
EI – Ethical Issues
GI – Graphical User Interfaces
H – Hardware
HC – History of Computing
IL – Information Literacy
LC – Limitations of Computing
MM – Multimedia
N – Networking/Telecomm.
OS – Operating Systems
PL – Programming Language
S – Software
SI – Social Impact of Computing
CP – Computer Programming
DB – Database Creation
DS – Discipline Specific
EM – Electronic Mail
FH – File Handling/OS
IM – Image Manipulation
IR – Internet Research
LR – Library Research
N – Network/Telecomm
PS – Presentation Softw.
RW – Research Writing
SA – Statistical Analysis
SS – Spreadsheets .
WA – WWW Authoring
WB – WWW Browsing
WP – Word Processing
CS – Comp. Science
E – English
ID – Interdisciplinary
IT – Info. Services
MD – Multidisciplinary
O – Various Options
11
RIT Course Proposal
Table 4: Some Colleges/Universities That Have An RIT-Related Graduation Outcome But
No Required Course:
Institution
Requirement
Concepts
Competencies
Dept
Kalamazoo C.
CL, IL
WA,WP,PS,LR,IR,
EM
WP,EM,WB,OS,
FH
IT/WWW
Erskine C.
Information and Comp.
Literacy
Comp. Competency
Berea C.
Georgetown C.
Quantiative Reasoning
Computer Literacy
AT
CL
Grove City C.
Hanover C.
U. St. Thomas
Info. Tech. Initiative
Technology Skills
Info. Literacy & Comp.
Competency
CL
DS
CL,IL,H,S,OS
CL
WP,SS,PS,IR,
EM
DS
FH,WP,EM,LR
IT
IT
CS
IT
IT
IT/WWW
Some Colleges/Universities That “Integrate Computer/Information Literacy Throughout the
Curriculum”:
Albion C., Carleton C., Grove City C., Hope C., Houghton C., St. Johns U./C.o. St.Benedict,
U.o.t. South (Sewanee), Wake Forest U., Wartburg C., Wesleyan C., Westminster C.
Examined Colleges/Universities Not Fitting The Above Categories:
Abilene Christian U., Agnes Scott C., Alma C., Augustana C., Azusa Pacific U., Baylor U.,
Bethune-Cookman C., Bowdoin C., Brown U., Carson-Newman C., Case Western U., Central C.,,
Centre C., Coe C., Colby C., Colgate U., Cornell U., Davidson C., Dickinson C., Dordt C., Duke
U., Elmhurst C., Flagler C., Franklin C., Furman U., Geneva C., Guilford C., Harvard U.,
Huntingdon C., Illinois C., Knox C., Macalester C., Millsaps C., Morehouse C., Oberlin C., Olivet
Nazarene U., Presbyterian C., Princeton U., Rice U., Ripon C., Seattle Pacific U., St. Olaf,
Stanford U., Swarthmore C., Transylvania U., U.o. Chicago, Valparaiso U., Westmont C.,
Wheaton C., Whitworth C., William Jewell C., Williams C., Yale U.
12
RIT Course Proposal
Appendix B: Comparison of Staffing Alternatives
The ad-hoc RIT committee discussed a number of possible formats for staffing the RIT course.
The decision process consisted of three steps. First, the desired characteristics of any solution
were identified. Second, potential staffing solutions were enumerated. Third, a matrix was used
to score each solution based on how well it met each desired characteristic and the highest score
was selected.
Decision Criteria
The committee decided on six desirable characteristics for the RIT course. These are listed in
Table 5 along with the committee’s average weight (10=most important, 1=least important).
Table 5: Desired Characteristics
Characteristic
Weight Description
Effective Teaching
Persuasive Perspectives
Teachable
Administration
Flexible
Low Cost
10.0 Students learn and comprehend material, catch
passion for continued learning
9.4 Students are persuaded to adhere to a responsible,
Reformed approach to technology
7.8 Course can be staffed by variety of faculty, i.e., not
dependent on a few irreplaceable persons
7.2 Course is not burdensome to administer, is not a
problem for registrar, etc.
7.0 Teaching the course is not burdensome to instructors
4.6 Minimizes the total cost of instructors, student
assistants, equipment
“Effective Teaching” was rated as the single most important factor in selecting a staffing plan and
format for the course, over twice as important as the lowest weight, “Low Cost.”
Alternative Staffing Solutions
Six different solutions were considered for staffing the RIT course, as listed in Table 6. The table
uses 500 students each semester, but realistically, more students will likely take the course in the
fall.
Table 6: Alternative Staffing Solutions
Format
Description
Plenary


Standard

Web Lecture/
Live Breakout


Totally Web
Small Groups



Modules

6 plenaries (500 students), speakers paid honorarium
7 breakout sections (20 sections of 25 students each semester),
instructors credited one semester hour per section taught
Faculty-led lecture sections (20 sections of 25 student each
semester)
6 web-based lectures (no instructor)
7 faculty led breakout sections (20 sections of 25 students each
semester)
Web–based lectures, exercises, tests
Grades assigned by RIT coordinator based on results of on-line tests
Faculty-led, intensive small group sessions (50 sections of 10
students each semester)
Faculty-led lectures (20 sections of 25 students each semester)
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RIT Course Proposal

Tech/Disc Teams
Passport Course
Interim Course
Lectures are modular so that faculty circulate among sections over
the semester, teaching one topic several times
 Team-taught by technical faculty paired with discipline-specific faculty
(10 sections of 50 students/2 instructors each)
 All incoming first-year students attend an intensive RIT course during
the Passport session before fall classes begin
 RIT is held in conjunction with Christian Faith and Contemporary
Issues (CFCI) during the interim (giving the students a total of 4
semester hours during for that interim).
Decision Matrix
A matrix was completed that scored each alternative solution based on how well it met each
desired characteristic. For example, the committee gave a high score to “Totally Web” on the
“Low Cost” characteristic, but a low score for “Effective Teaching.” Because the latter was
weighted more heavily than the former, the “Totally Web” option did not score well overall. The
committee selected the solution with the highest weighted score: the plenary option. The scores
for each option (relative to the lowest score) are shown in Table 7.
The Passport and Interim options are not listed because they were considered unworkable from a
facilities point of view. The RIT course requires around 30 hours of computer time per student.
In order to serve around 1000 students in an intensive Passport course, the Passport session would
become untenably long. Similarly, if RIT were held during the interim, every single computer
available on campus for student access would be necessary in order to serve 1000 students, to the
exclusion of all other interim course needs. Thus, the committee did not give these options
further consideration.
Table 7: Decision Summary
Format
Score
Plenary
Small Groups
Web Lecture/Live Breakout
Standard
Tech/Disc Teams
Totally Web
Modules
34%
29%
23%
16%
8%
1%
(base) 0%
As shown in the table, the Plenary format was selected. The rationale for this decision comes
directly from the criteria used in the decision matrix. The committee felt that the standard
staffing model would not work for a one-hour section because instructors could not be credited
sufficiently for the work involved for each section. By providing some of the classes in the form
of a plenary, the instructors would be primarily responsible for only the breakout sessions and
such an arrangement would facilitate recruitment of instructors. Because Calvin highly values
personal interaction between faculty and students, the committee felt that the “web lecture/live
breakout” and “totally web” models were both undesirable and perhaps even inappropriate at
Calvin. At the other extreme, the “small groups” model was attractive because of its close
interaction between students and faculty. However, this option is financially and logistically
impractical due to the large number of sections required. Finally, the “Tech/Disc Teams” and
“Modules” options were problematic in terms of continuity and administration.
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RIT Course Proposal
Appendix C: Two Weeks in the Life of an RIT Student
The example provided in this appendix is for illustrative purposes only. Students spend one hour
in class each week (either plenary or breakout) and are expected to do two hours of additional
work (either web text or tutorial).
Odd weeks:
Plenary lecture, 1 hour
Web text, 1-2 hours
Even weeks:
Breakout session, 1 hour
Tutorial, 1-2 hours
Unit: Networks
Plenary (50 min):
 Definition of a network
 History/structure of the Internet
 Examples of information systems
 Suggest implications
Web text – reinforces and expands plenary material, sets up breakout session (1-2 hours)
 Definition of network (illustrations, diagrams, optional links to more information)
 Review of Internet history/structure (optional links to more information)
 Examples of information systems, linked to feedback systems (e.g., use of cookies)
 Bibliography for optional further reading
 Suggested questions for discussion
Breakout (50 min)
 Introduction to databases (example of information system)
 Example of use, e.g. debit card – exercises involving entering information into a
database
 Discuss implications: access, privacy issues, use of information
Tutorial – Basic Internet Use (1 –2 hours)
 Open web browser and go to class page by typing URL in address window
 Click on “Tutorial 1.” Follow direction on that page to do the following:
 Unsubscribe from class listserv group
 Subscribe again to class listserv group
 Send a message to the class
 Follow links on class web page to find answers to an assigned question
 Send answer to instructor via email
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