Academic Information Sharing Through University Technology

1. Academic Information Sharing Through University Technology By Sam White and Chris Nelson

2. Overview • The topic that we chose is the ways in which class related information is being shared on college campuses • How this information sharing has changed the college experience.

3. Overview • We broke this down into two main groups • Technology related to class registration • Innovations in class material sharing

4. Overview • We chose these subjects because they demonstrate the progress from: • Getting into a class • Learning from the class • Completing work from the class.

5. The Registering Process

6. The Registering Process • There are three main steps taken to register for classes. • Find classes that the student is interested in taking • Discuss these choices with an advisor • Sign up/Register for these classes

7. The Registering Process • The Old Way… • Class registration used to be done by paper. • Every semester, professors would publish, through the university, a booklet that would have the classes and times for every class.

8. The Registration Process • Talking things over with an advisor. • In the past, it varied in difficulty to get in touch with an advisor. At the beginning of the year, students would be given their professors office hours and phone numbers to be able to reach them. This varied in difficulty depending on the school and its practices.

9. The Registration Process • In the past, registration was a huge pain. • Without computers, students had to be manually added to class rosters. • Schools would have days when tables would be set up for each class and students would stand in line and wait to be added to classes.

10. The Registration Process • In the past, registration was a huge pain. • This method of registration was complicated, time consuming (usually 5+ hours per student), and frustrating. • i.e. Waiting in line for 30+ minutes to not get into a large class.

11. The Registration Process • In the past, registration was a huge pain. • A large facility, such as a field or sporting gym, was needed facilitate so many people. • Such a large group in an area created much confusion, and lots of planning to hope for a well executed event.

12. The Registration Process • In the past, registration was a huge pain. • Overall: Manual registration was a waste of time with very little knowledge of what was open to take, and what was not.

13. The Registration Process • The Internet Registration • University Websites provide a listing of courses offered, time available, and how many seats are left in the class. • This current information is valuable to students when preparing to register for class.

14. The Registration Process Student Central – One of the Onyen Services that allow students to do pretty much anything online. • Check Course Availability • Register for classes • Grade Summaries • Schedule • Analysis of academics

15. The Registration Process • With a central website such as this, students are able to gain instant gratification with regards to everything that needs to be done with registration, which eases the process for everyone. Both student and staff.

16. The Registration Process • The one thing that sites such as Student Central do not cover, is how the professor teaches, and what kind of grades are given out.

17. The Registration Process • Word of mouth on professors. • Students always want to take the class with the best professors. • Traditionally, this was done by word of mouth, asking around. • Now, in addition to asking around, students have access to various services that offer information on professors.

18. The Registering Process • Ratemyprofessor – A free internet service that allow students to post comments on their professors and rate them according to Easiness, Helpfulness, Clarity, Hotness, and Overall Quality. • Pros – Easily accessible and free. Gives peer analysis. • Cons – Less credible sources. Tend to be broad ratings and comments. No grade summaries. Only covers professors that students have commented on.

19. The Registering Process • Pickaprof – An internet service that students pay for by the semester to receive grading reports and peer reviews on a professor. • Pros – Grade percentages for every class a professor has taught. Covers every professor in the university. Has more credible peer reviews. • Cons – You have to pay for it.

20. The Registration Process • Overall, the registration process has been significantly changed for the better with the introduction of technology. • The once painfully long registration has turned into a 30 minute, at most, blitz to see who can get their classes first.

21. Technology in the Classroom

22. Technology In The Classroom • The way that class materials are being shared has changed greatly now that text, pictures, and multimedia presentations can be widely distributed without as much effort. • i.e. – This PowerPoint presentation.

23. Technology In The Classroom • Blackboard • A system that allows students to log into their class accounts to access information from their professors. Students can: • Access posted class materials • Receive announcements from professors • Turn in assignments • Receive feedback from assignments

24. Technology In The Classroom • Photographs. • Professors no longer have to carry hard copies of slides or transparencies to class because digital copies of presentation material can be made available over a network. • This allows them to be hands free, as well as making the information available to their students for studying purposes.

25. Technology In The Classroom • Media • Online repositories of images, audio recordings, and multimedia files deliver the same advantages to students as systems like Blackboard. • Electronic Media Cooperative offers students access to content that the professor selects for the course.

26. Technology In The Classroom • These services allow students to more fully immerse themselves in the learning process, and better relate in class learning with out of class studying. • Allows references to be made back to lectures.

27. Technology In The Classroom • Communication • Student and Professor • Computers have greatly aided the communication between the student and the teacher. • Class, office hours, and a rare phone call used to be the only ways to get in touch with professors. • Now, there is a wide array of additional ways to get in touch with your professor.

28. Technology In The Classroom • Communication • With internet and other new technologies, contact to instructors is much easier for both parties. Some of these technologies include: • Email • Message boards • Instant Messaging

29. Technology In The Classroom • This communication improvement has enable professors to make announcements, clarify assignments, and answer questions with much more convenience.

30. Summary • The addition of computers has greatly improved the university setting not just for the student, but also the professor. • Computers have improved existing parts of college life, like registration, and created new ways to learn and interact with people.

31. Summary • While few of the innovations discussed here have tremendously altered the way that a student learns, collectively they have greatly changed the college experience.

32. Summary • From our perspective, while it may take time to learn how to use some of these technologies, the overall gain greatly outweighs any difficulties encountered, and the connectivity between students, teachers, and information gained has greatly improved the college experience.