Critical Factors for Ubiquitous Computing Karen Petitto –Instructional Technology Specialist,...

Critical Factors for Critical Factors for Ubiquitous ComputingUbiquitous Computing

• Karen Petitto– Instructional Technology Specialist, Asst. Professor of

Educational TechnologyWest Virginia Wesleyan College

• Stephen G. Landry– Chief Information Officer,

• Seton Hall University

• John L. Oberlin– Associate Vice Chancellor for Information Technology

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

What Is Ubiquitous What Is Ubiquitous Computing?Computing?

Stephen G. LandryStephen G. Landry

Chief Information Chief Information OfficerOfficer

Seton Hall UniversitySeton Hall University

• Ubiquitous Computing refers to programs aimed at making a computer available to all members of a learning community.

– Goal: To ensure everyone in the community has access to necessary learning materials, many of which are computer or network based.

– As a practical matter, these programs usually involve ensuring that all students have some form of laptop computer and access to the Internet

What is Ubiquitous Computing?What is Ubiquitous Computing?

What is Ubiquitous Computing? What is Ubiquitous Computing? (cont.)(cont.)

• There is no single ubiquitous computing program that meets all needs or situations.

• Variables to consider include:– Student Owned vs. Institution Owned– Uniform Hardware vs. Minimum Requirements– Fixed Replacement Cycle vs. Variable

Replacement Cycle

Student Owned vs. Institution OwnedStudent Owned vs. Institution OwnedUniform Hardware vs. Minimum RequirementsUniform Hardware vs. Minimum Requirements

Fixed vs. Variable Replacement CycleFixed vs. Variable Replacement Cycle

• How institutions choose among these options will depend on institutional practice and culture– Public vs. Private– Large vs. Small– Research vs. Liberal Arts– Elite vs. Non-Elite

Institutional Practice and CultureInstitutional Practice and Culture• Large Public Institutions:

– Often have complex regulations regarding hardware acquisition, and so may focus on student ownership.

• Small Private Institutions:– Non-Elite Private Institutions: May adopt the model

of institutional ownership in the hope of gaining a competitive advantage

– Elite Private Institutions: May assume most students own computers and therefore adopt an ownership requirement (e.g., 90% of incoming Dartmouth students report having a computer that meets their minimum requirements)

Models of Ubiquitous ComputingModels of Ubiquitous Computing

• Institutional Ownership / Uniform Hardware– E.g., Wake Forest University

• Standard Hardware / Replaced Every Two Years• Financed through tuition and fees

– Required fees can be included in computation of state and federal financial aid.

– Institutional financial aid pool often increased to ameliorate added financial burden

• High degree of uniformity eases technical support and curriculum development

Models of Ubiquitous Computing (cont.)Models of Ubiquitous Computing (cont.)

• Student Ownership / Minimum Specification– E.g., Sonoma State University (Sonoma, CA)

• Institution specifies minimum hardware requirements

• Students are required to purchase a computer that meets institution’s specifications

• Institution may recommend models and/or negotiate institutional pricing

• Institution may offer financing • Institutions often outsource laptop repair and

support• Replacement / Upgrades at discretion of student

But we have computer labs …But we have computer labs …• Computer Labs have a number of

limitations

– Limited Access: Studies show commuter students average fours hours a week on campus outside of class

– Lack of Convenience: Students must conform the way they study to lab hours and regulations

– Depersonalization: Students are unable to personalize lab computers. Students cannot adapt the computer to make their common tasks more convenient or trust the computer will be in the same state when they return.

But we have computer labs …But we have computer labs …(cont.)(cont.)

• How and where do YOU like to work?– In your office? At home? On the road?– At 1:00 AM? At 6:00 AM?– Do you like convenient access to your reference

materials? Books? Articles? Library materials?– Do you like to have coffee or a soft drink while you

work? Do you like to listen to music?– Do you like to walk away from the computer for an

hour or two and pick up right where you left off?• If computer labs are so great, why do we typically

provide faculty and administrators with individual computers?

But desktop computers provide But desktop computers provide more bang for the buck…more bang for the buck…

• Do they really?– What value do you put on mobility?– Do your students typically study in one place?

• Their dorm room? Their home? Their parents’ home? Their friends room? The library? Classrooms? The cafeteria?

• MAYBE ALL OF THE ABOVE? Are your students “academic nomads”, traveling around the campus and its environs with their possessions in their backpacks?

– What about wireless networks?

Mobile Computing at Mobile Computing at Seton Hall UniversitySeton Hall University

• Seton Hall University’s Mobile Computing Program is an innovative academic program involving three components:

– Access: The University licenses the use of a laptop computer to all undergraduates as part of their tuition and fees

– Curricular Integration: The University provides support and incentives to faculty to use technology in innovative ways to enhance teaching and learning

– Network and Support Services: The University provides the infrastructure and support services that enable the effective use of technology in teaching and learning

Mobile Computing at Mobile Computing at Seton HallSeton Hall (cont.) (cont.)

• Current Model: IBM ThinkPad i-series computer– 700Mhz Celeron, 13” TFT Screen, Built-in 802.11b

wireless networking, 10/100 Ethernet, 56Kb Modem– Computer is replaced every two years

• Current Technology Fee: $675 per semester• Bundled software includes: MS Windows ME, MS

Office 2000, SPSS, Maple V, various utilities• Bundled services include:

– Technology Help Desk, PC Repairs, Loaner Computers

– Network Services, including wireless network access from most academic and public spaces

Critical Success Factors Critical Success Factors Seton Hall UniversitySeton Hall University

• Create a campus-wide technology plan– Aligned with institutional strategic plan– Creates compelling vision for how technology will support

the institution’s mission and goals– Focused on student experience with technology– Includes a long-range budget– Deals with implications of centralization and

standardization of technology planning, acquisition, and support


• Executive sponsorship is vital– Obtain buy-in from “Iron Triangle” of Chief Executive

Officer, Chief Academic Officer, and Chief Financial Officer

– Create cross-divisional consensus for ubiquitous computing by engaging admissions, student affairs, career services, development, and other campus support units


• Faculty engagement is equally vital– Provide faculty input into planning– Provide incentives and support targeted at particular

needs of faculty; reward faculty innovation; remove disincentives to faculty engagement

– Provide multiple ways for faculty to become engaged; include both “top down” and “bottom up” approaches

– Set bar for entry low; focus on communication aspects of ubiquitous computing before transformational aspects


• Phase in implementation over time– Establish good pilot projects– Be sure to pilot the environment you are trying to

create• Mobile Computing Pilot Projects ’95, ’96, ’97• “Z” (“Mobile”) Sections of Classes restricted to students in

Mobile Computing Pilot Program

– Establish quality project management


• Develop necessary infrastructure and support services– The network is communication backbone of ubiquitous

computing; be sure networks are stable and scalable– Anticipate increased demand for all types of support– View students as prospective support professionals


• Establish long-term budget for technology– Explore combination of means to fund initiative

• Tuition increase• Technology fee• Reallocation / budget reductions in other areas• Capital infusion from quasi-endowment

– Develop clear replacement strategy– Shift to operating rather than capital budgets– Lease rather than purchase technology


• Explore partnerships and alliances– Use “total cost of ownership” models to make case

that lowest purchase price may NOT be lowest overall price

– Seek partnerships that provide highest quality program and lowest overall cost


• Assessment is important– Assessment helps with

• Initial buy-in• Tactical adjustment of program• Long-term changes in faculty support

– Be sure to have clear goals to assess– Be sure to ask the right questions

• Definitions of success may vary

Why Ubiquitous Why Ubiquitous Computing?Computing?

Karen PetittoKaren PetittoInstructional Technology

SpecialistAsst. Professor of

Educational Technology

West Virginia West Virginia Wesleyan CollegeWesleyan College

Universal AccessNetwork/Laptop

InformationResources

Training andSupport

SuccessfulTechnology

Plan

The volume of new The volume of new information is information is

increasing at such a increasing at such a rapid pace the class rapid pace the class

of 2002 will be of 2002 will be exposed to more exposed to more information in one information in one

year than their year than their grandparents grandparents

encountered in a encountered in a lifetime.lifetime.

Technology is Technology is a competency a competency

that is that is required in the required in the

workforce. workforce. Over 95% of Over 95% of

those those employed use employed use

technology technology daily.daily.

Faculty EngagementFaculty Engagement

Small group demonstrations

Individual training sessions - JITT

Web-based support documents

On-call support with emphasis on training and not just fixing problems

Software installation

Hardware upgrades

Goal – Information Literate Faculty

How does Information How does Information Technology enhance the Technology enhance the liberal arts classroom?liberal arts classroom?

Electronic LibraryElectronic LibraryThe first word in Information Technology is ‘INFORMATION’

• 24 x 7 Electronic Access• Over 10,000 full-text research titles available• Electronic Reserves• Real Audio Server• Yes, we still have books, a lot of books…

Great Literary WorksGreat Literary Works

Gutenberg Bible

The Grenville Library, British Library, digitized by the HUMI Project, Keio University, March 2000

The Works of Geoffrey ChaucerThe Works of Geoffrey Chaucer

• Canterbury Tales• The Knight’s Tale

(RARE) PR 1850 1561x

Special Collections, Golda Meir Library

University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

Art HistoryArt History• http://www.louvre.fr/louvrea.htm

MusicMusic

Science LaboratoriesScience Laboratories

• Students actively participate in the scientific method…

Science LaboratoriesScience Laboratories

…or investigate new learning tools

The The ClassicClassic Essay Essay

The The Classic Classic EssayEssay

Emerging TechnologiesEmerging Technologies

• Mobile Computing Predominates

• Ubiquitous Wireless Access

• Web-based course materials

• Online conferencing for faculty and students

• Poised for future developments

• Collaboration

Ubiquitous Computing at a Large Ubiquitous Computing at a Large Public Research UniversityPublic Research University

John L. Oberlin Associate Vice Chancellor for Information Technology

University of North Carolina

at Chapel Hill

Implementing Ubiquitous Implementing Ubiquitous Computing at Computing at UNC Chapel HillUNC Chapel Hill

• Before 1998– No computer standards on campus– No commitment to adequately fund or life-cycle

instructional technology– Minimal commitment to computer support– History of large but ad hoc use of teaching and

learning programs with technology– Limited but effective commitment to supporting

basic instructional technology

How Did This Happen?How Did This Happen?

• Several years of faculty and administrative debate over the need for a student computing program

• Chancellor Michael Hooker called for the investigation of the viability of a student computing program.

• Information technology units reorganized under a Vice Chancellor and CIO

• Final proposal received the endorsement of the Chancellor, Faculty Council, Provost, and Student Body President, and Board of Trustees

Strategic Planning ProcessStrategic Planning Process

• Assessment:– personal computing systems in the College of Arts

and Sciences– trends in student ownership of personal computers– student computer labs and computer classrooms

• Implementation:– Volume based best value RFP for personal

computers– Creation of the CCI steering committee

Why Require Student Why Require Student Computers?Computers?

• Students were buying them anyway. – Need to provide viable support– Need to solve social equity problem– Need to lower the acquisition cost

• Faculty obstacles to adopting instructional technology– Need for faculty to count on students having

viable minimum computer– Need for faculty to have viable computers and

viable support of instructional technologies

Why Mobile Computing?Why Mobile Computing?

• The need to be “able” to use computers in the classroom

• The cost of scaling student labs is prohibitive

• The cost of scaling computer classrooms is prohibitive

Planning and ImplementationPlanning and Implementation• Executive working group• Assessment of current environment:

– Who has computers? What age? What level?– What is the network environment? – What support programs are in place and what is needed?

(faculty and technical support)

• RFP for hardware:– A commitment to a single vendor– A very competitive process– Based on volume from all faculty and students– A “best value” bid

Planning and ImplementationPlanning and Implementation• CCI steering committee:

– Nine subcommittees, 120 participants, faculty, staff, students

– Committed to program before we had all the answers

• Entitlement program for Arts and Sciences:– Central funding for faculty and teaching assistants– Entitlement, not requirement for faculty– Funded through and administered by central IT

organization

• Pilots– Pilots are for logistics, not for academics

Ordering, Distribution and Asset Ordering, Distribution and Asset ManagementManagement

• Automated online ordering system:– Four models available on web, integrated into the

FRS system – Models updated twice each year

• Student Distribution:– Distributed to students during summer orientation– Orientation very important to managing support

cost– Passwords, email, web space, policy orientation

Distribution and Asset Distribution and Asset ManagementManagement

• Faculty Distribution:– Entitlement program– Three year life cycle– Distributed by department (1/3 of A&S per year)– Orientation, training, delivery, installation,

migration, etc.

• Asset Management:– Central administration of program– Only responsibility of end user is to not loose

computer

Technical Support and Technical Support and MaintenanceMaintenance

• Information Technology Response Center– Commitment to handle 70%-80% of all calls on first

contact (80,000 contacts per year)– Commitment to refer unresolved problems directly to

someone who can solve them– Commitment to guarantee follow-up on referrals– Relies on Remedy problem tracking and resolution

software system– Many schools and departments participate, more joining

all the time– The single greatest social change on campus as a result

of the CCI

Technical Support and Technical Support and MaintenanceMaintenance

• Control Center– Combination of Operations group and Network

Operations Center – Physical and electronic security, system

monitoring, remote management, 7/24 availability

• Computer Repair Center– Same day service– Walk in or on site service calls– Full warranty and insurance repair center– University staffed

Critical Success FactorsCritical Success Factors

• Ubiquitous computing is not really new, the commitment to do things well is what makes the difference

• Ubiquitous computing doesn’t integrate technology into the curriculum, it only makes it possible

• Ubiquitous computing doesn’t solve everything, it does make most things better

• The most important implementation committee is the communication committee

• There are many values to the program, to best way to doom the program is to over sell the benefits

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