Enhancing the Academic Experience with Technology

1. Enhancing the Academic Experience with Technology David G. Brown VP and Dean (ICCEL) Professor of Economics and Former Provost Wake Forest University http://www.wfu.edu/~brown Hampden-Sydney November 6, 2001

2. Outline for Next Hour • Wake Forest’s 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 @ home

3. IBM Laptops for all Printers for all New Every 2 Years Own @ 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 THE WAKE FOREST PLANIBM A21m, Pentium III, 700 Mhz, 20GB, 14”ActMatrix, 196MB, Re-writable CD56k modem, 8MB Video Ram, 10/100 Ethernet, Floppy, USB&Serial&Parellel&Infrared Ports ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2001

4. Communication-Interaction

5. Consequences for Wake Forest • +SAT Scores & Class Ranks • +Retention & Grad Rates • +Satisfaction & Learning • +Faculty Recruitment ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2001

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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 Brown’s First Year Seminar ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2001

9. ----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!!!

10. CommentsQ & ALunch

11. How has the computer changed teaching and learning? • It’s 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!

12. Reasons 150 Professors Added Computer Enhancements • Communication-Interaction • Collaboration-Teams • Controversy-Debate • Customization-Diversity • Consultants-Adjuncts

13. 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

14. 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://www.wfu.edu/~brown brown@wfu.edu

15. Concepts Behind Wake Forest’s 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.

16. Faculty Development Programs that Work …at Wake Forest University • The Instructional Technology Group---disciplinary MS&PhD’s, hired and housed in each department, spend full-time helping faculty and students use technology. • STARS---Student Technology Advisors help individual faculty members enhance their teaching with technology • Blackboard Listserv---Active faculty users of our Course Management System exchange questions, answers, challenges, insights, successes, and frustrations

18. Students Serving Others Non-Profits K-12 Schools Businesses Residence Hall Students

19. 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/

20. Poster Session Each SemesterSTARS & Faculty Display/Demonstrate Results Art History Religion Business Physics

21. 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? Positioning for the Future Write down an ACTION for when you get home!

22. David G. BrownWake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, N.C. 27109336-758-4878email: brown@wfu.eduhttp//:www.wfu.edu/~brownfax: 336-758-4875 ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2001