Enhancing the Academic Experience with Technology

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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

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Outline for Next Hour

• Wake Forests 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 _at_ home

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THE WAKE FOREST PLANIBM A21m, Pentium III, 700
Mhz, 20GB, 14ActMatrix, 196MB, Re-writable
CD56k modem, 8MB Video Ram, 10/100 Ethernet,
Floppy, USBSerialParellelInfrared Ports

• IBM Laptops for all
• Printers for all
• New Every 2 Years
• Own _at_ 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
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Communication-Interaction
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Consequences for Wake Forest

• SAT Scores Class Ranks
• Retention Grad Rates
• Satisfaction Learning
• Faculty Recruitment

ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2001
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Reasons for Increased Retention(a few hypotheses)

• 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

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FIRST YEAR SEMINARThe 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
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Browns First Year Seminar

• Before Class
• Students Find URLs Identify Criteria
• Interactive exercises
• Muddiest Point
• Lecture Notes
• E-mail dialogue
• Cybershows
• During Class
• One Minute Quiz
• Computer Tip Talk
• Class Polls
• Team Projects

• After Class
• Edit Drafts by Team
• Guest Editors
• Hyperlinks Pictures
• Access Previous Papers
• Other
• Daily Announcements
• Team Web Page
• Personal Web Pages
• Exams include Computer
• Portfolio
• Materials Forever

ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2001
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----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!!!
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CommentsQ ALunch
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How has the computer changed teaching and
learning?

• Its 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!
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Reasons 150 Professors Added Computer Enhancements

1. Communication-Interaction
2. Collaboration-Teams
3. Controversy-Debate
4. Customization-Diversity
5. Consultants-Adjuncts

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The Millennium Context

• 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

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WORKSHEETWhat 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//w
ww.wfu.edu/brown brown_at_wfu.edu
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Concepts Behind Wake Forests Faculty
Development Strategy

• 1. Our programs are designed to fit faculty
  culture, not the
• culture of technologists. Eagerness is assumed.
  
• 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.
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Faculty Development Programs that Work at Wake
Forest University

1. The Instructional Technology Group---disciplinary
   MSPhDs, 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

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Students Serving Others
Non-Profits
K-12 Schools
Businesses
Residence Hall Students
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• 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/
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Poster Session Each SemesterSTARS Faculty
Display/Demonstrate Results
Art
History
Religion
Business
Physics
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Positioning for the Future

• What are your institutions 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!
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David G. BrownWake Forest UniversityWinston-Sale
m, N.C. 27109336-758-4878email
brown_at_wfu.eduhttp//www.wfu.edu/brownfax
336-758-4875
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2001