Learning Centers 2.0: Enhancing Student

Learning With Technology

Craig Lamb Center for Distance Learning

& Lisa D’Adamo-Weinstein

Northeast Center

Directors of Academic SupportSUNY Empire State College

Pre Conference Description

Wikis, iPods, blogs, texting, second life… our students are using technology in ways that make our heads spin. The purpose of this institute is to get a handle on these technological innovations to help our students learn better as they engage with our learning centers.

Focusing on current theories and best practices in enhancing student learning through technology, attendees will learn about new advances, engage in activities, and plan how to implement technology to enhance learning assistance on their campuses.

This institute is appropriate for learning assistance, tutorial services, and developmental education faculty and staff who develop curriculum, workshops, and other resources for students.

What We WON’T and WILL Do Today…

What we WON’T do• We won’t – be selling or actively promoting any fee-

based products – we focus on free• We won’t be giving in-depth hands-on tutorials on

specific hardware or software• We won’t be encouraging or promoting any one

approach, methodology, or practiceWhat we WILL do• Expose you to a variety of resources to help you

enhance and engage students in their learning and learning assistance

• Engage you in thinking about how you might best use technology to enhance learning on your campus.

Our Good Ideas for Implementing New Technologies on Our CampusesCreating Knowledge Together With Technology

www.nclca2008.pbwiki.com

What’s a Wiki?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY

Agenda

• Overview of today’s institute & introductions• Activity #1• General & Research-based Tech Facts

• How Technology Is Being Used In Higher Education & Learning Assistance – Some Examples

• Activity #2• Grounding Ourselves in Theory & Best Practices in

Learning Assistance & Technology Use• What are we doing at ESC – Some Examples• Activity #3 • Questions & Follow-up Discussions• Additional Resources

ACTIVITY #1 – Wildest Dreams…For Technology & Learning Assistance on Your Campus

What kinds of technology are you currently using? What kinds of technology are your students using?What do you have to support tech at your institution?What goals do you have for enhancing student

learning?

Directions: Don’t be burdened by constraints – what (related to technology & the delivery of learning assistance programs & services) do you wish you had, could learn, has been on your “To Do” list that you haven’t had the chance to get to?

List 10 things – Your Ultimate Wish List

General TECH Facts

•The state of Michigan now requires all high school students to take at least one online course to receive a high school diploma.• Schools like University of Maryland are issuing iPhones to some students. •Stanford is hiring students to design mobile applications to aid new students (campus maps, college phone directories, menus etc…).•University of Maryland's Smith Business School is handing a free BlackBerry to each student so they can learn to manage the 24/7 access to data and people they'll be expected to deal with as executives. (Forbes online, 1/2006)•Some colleges are going text-less… 40 Places for College Students to Find Free Unabridged Books Online

More tech facts

• A PhD from Carnegie Mellon, using a Wii controller, created an interactive white board for $1000’s less than the typical cost.

• Language departments are loaning out iPods for foreign language skill development.

• 100 ways to use your iPod to learn and study better. http://oedb.org/library/beginning-online-learning/100-ways-to-use-your-ipod-to-learn-and-study-better

• The use of Netflix’s “Watch it now” function is entering some art courses so students are not watching movies during class time.

• Wiki’s instead of textbooks? A Boston College professor has his students in control of the course wiki. Also used to develop exam questions.

• Purdue’s Boilercast system – audio, video, image, and PDF files from class is recorded and can be automatically downloaded to students’ computers. (Now using iTunesU)

RESEARCH on Technology on College Campuses

• Over 75% of students have personal laptop computers and over 60% of students have personal desktop computers

• More than 76% have some type of MP3 music player (does not count phones, PDA’s, or other combined devices.)

• Number of types owned by students… (cell, computer, music device, gave device, PDA, Smart phone)

3 devices – 31% 4 devices – 33% 5 or more – 22%

• More than 80% have interacted with at least one social network community (facebook, myspace, etc…)

• More than 82% have used a Course Management System (CMS), with more than 46% saying that they have use a CMS many times every week

• About 61% of respondents agree that IT within a course improved their learning

• Over 40% said that they are more engaged a course requiring ITSOURCE : Educause

http://connect.educause.edu/library/abstract/TheECARStudyofUnderg/45075

What about Technology for use in Learning Centers?

Tech Basics Links

• Commoncraft plus myesc

Social Networking!!!

• Facebook – Travis LRNASST recent dialogue• Personal• College Learning Center• Specific Groups

• Other Student Community Spaces• Empire State College

• Orientation & Community Building - Center for Distance Learning

• Content Sharing & Workshops - Northeast Center

Students Teaching Students

• Do It Yourself for students - http://www.instructables.com/

• Student designed Wiki’s, blogs, etc…• Garbage writing

• PENN STATE – iSTUDY project within the Angel Course Management System (students helped to refine) http://istudy.psu.edu/index.html

Podcasting and other audio

• iTunesU• Stress management links - • Time Mgnt links

YouTube for Academic Skills Videos

• Mind Mapping exercises http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvnbKEHOQIY

• Time Management series – student created http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hQGDgBIKrw

• Study Skills videos – student created http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXRPoenPd8E

• Note Taking skills – student created http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ-jvsCkR1U&feature=related

• TeacherTube – YouTube for Teachers http://www.teachertube.com/

Second Life Ohio University Second Life Campus

Ohio University Second Life Campus Learning Kiosks - Multiple "Learning Kiosks" at the "Learning Center" provide a scalable method for building modularized learning with a variety of support resources and media. Each kiosk will hold unique learning content for blended or stand-alone learning experiences.

More on Second Life…

• EdBoost Second Life Experiment - a nonprofit tutoring and academic support organization in Los Angeles were the first group to participate in the Campus Second Life program. They are trialling the use of Second Life to teach Computer programming. Students use the building and scripting tools that are include in the Second Life platform to develop basic computer and programming skills - building interactive objects, vehicles and gadgets, and animations and gestures.

ACTIVITY #2 – Focusing on Just ACTIVITY #2 – Focusing on Just One ThingOne Thing

For Technology & Learning Assistance on Your Campus

Directions: Using your wish list, what is your number one interest/priority? You can determine this based on your center/college’s constraints, $$$, time (workload, seasonal demands, etc.), staff desires/access, student needs, access to technology, etc.

Defining your top priority…Major idea/goal/priority… Narrowing it down…

List at least 3 components related to this idea/goal/priority –1.2.3.

What research/people/resources/etc. do you need to connect with to get a start on making your idea/goal/priority a reality? Outline some of the first steps you need to take.

Quotations to Consider

“The particular characteristics and needs of each individual institution drive the organization of [academic support] programs, the format of service delivery, the overall management and operation of the program and the methods of program evaluation.”

- Casazza, M. E. & Silverman, S. (1996). Learning Assistance and Developmental Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. p. 71

“In addition to background, aptitude, ability to learn quickly, and the desire to learn, students need persistence, flexibility, and a willingness to cooperate with instructors’ demands and institutional policies if they are to succeed in college.”

- Maxwell, M. (1997). Improving Student Learning Skills. H&H Publishing: Clearwater, FL. p. 135

Student Skills

AcademicSupport Services

Grounding Ourselves: From Virtual Worlds to Our Real World as Learning Assistance Professionals…

• Colleges are exploring, integrating and infusing technology into every aspect of the college experience.

• Learning & Tutoring Centers need to adapt and be on the cutting edge of learning support with technology as a way to enhance and engage students in the learning process.

Therefore, we must consider … “How should technology be used in

learning assistance/academic support?”

CAVEAT – Keep PEDAGOGY before TECHNOLOGY.

Technology Enhancing LearningWhat you should consider …

• Pedagogy & Learning Theories need to DRIVE technology use in academic support programs & services not the other way around.

• How certain technologies can enhance learning…• BENEFITS to LEARNERS

Learning is flexible, accessible, and tailored to a variety of learning preferences. Students can explore, have choice, & engage/create using different modalities.

• BENEFITS to COLLEGE OVERALL & LEARNING CENTERBeneficial in both face-2-face and technology enhanced

mediums. One does not necessarily have to replace the other – center and college missions as well as learner needs drive the blended use of these learning engagements.

• BENEFITS to LEARNING/TUTORING CENTER STAFFMaximize resources (human and time), training options open

up, F2F interactions can take on depth when students come into the center having gone over the “basics”

Successful Academic Support Services Include…

• Proactive interventions,• Supportive environments,• Personalized support systems,• Small group tutorials,• Development of students’ basic learning skills,• Teaching of study skills and learning strategies in the

context of academic content courses,• Opportunities to interact in informal settings and

develop personal relationships with faculty, and • Opportunities to experience success.Adapted from:

Maxwell, M. (1997). Improving Student Learning Skills. Clearwater, FL: H&H Publishing.

Casazza, M. E. & Silverman, S. (1996). Learning Assistance and Developmental Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Keep these best practices in mind as we look at best technology practices

Technology & Learning Theory

• Richard Mayer’s "Human-Computer Learning" and "Multimedia Learning" research from UC-Santa Barbara http://www.psych.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/mayer/index.php

• Paivio’s "Dual Coding Theory" http://coe.sdsu.edu/EDTEC640/Modules/module1/dualcoding.htm

Underlying themes… • Memory can be improved and learning can be increased when

multiple senses are engaged. (Text - Audio - Video - Interactive Video)

• Learning is increased when as many “learning variables” are controlled by the learner (EX: Student chooses to listen to a presentation instead of watching it… choose to watch a play instead of reading it…)

What Have We Done @ ESC???

• What kinds of technology are WE currently using? • What kinds of technology are OUR students using?• What do WE have to support tech at OUR institution?• What goals do WE have for enhancing student

learning?

Our environments – Online & Face-to-Face/Blended

Empire State CollegeMission& Commitments

The Mission of Empire State College• Empire State College enables motivated adults, regardless of geographyregardless of geography or life life

circumstancecircumstance, to design a rigorousrigorous, , individualizedindividualized academic program and earn a college degree.

The Commitments of Empire State College• To support self-directedself-directed, intellectually curious learnerscurious learners who collaboratecollaborate with faculty

mentors.

• To document, evaluate and award credit for an adult’s prior college-level life learning.

• To offer each student an array of learning experiencesarray of learning experiences through independent study, seminars, short-term residencies, and online courses.

• To develop, implement and assess new approaches to learning that recognize the new approaches to learning that recognize the strengths and needs of adult learnersstrengths and needs of adult learners.

• To provide access to degree programs at multiple locations in New York state and access to degree programs at multiple locations in New York state and abroad, and through the World Wide Webabroad, and through the World Wide Web.

• To expand degree opportunities for adult learners through partnerships with employers and unions, government agencies and the armed forces, and community organizations and educational institutions.

TECHNOLOGY CURRENTLY IN USE

Interactive and/or Content-based• Course Management Systems – ANGEL

Advantages – Open to all students, many new features (Virtual Office Hours, whiteboards, etc…) Disadvantages - Requires training and comfort with online environment, some areas not yet “turned on”

• COMMUNICATIONSElluminate & Horizon WimbaInstant Messaging & Live ChatVirtual Meeting space

Advantages and Disadvantages vary across college, users, etc.

• Piloting with podcasting, vodcasting, second life,

WORKS IN PROGRESSUsing Technology to Support Academic Skills

Development in a Course Management Environment but not Courses

AURAL/AURAL/AUDITORYAUDITORY

KINESTHETICKINESTHETIC

READ/READ/WRITEWRITE

VISUALVISUAL

MULTI-MULTI-MODALMODAL

ACTIVITY #3 – Making Your PlanACTIVITY #3 – Making Your PlanFor Technology & Learning Assistance on Your Campus

Directions: In Small Groups – review your focus and flesh out what you can do to take action – develop your action plan with your group.

• What new insights and ideas to enact your plan do you have?

• Try to create a detailed “To Do” list for this project. What will you do…• While at the conference….• Immediately upon your return to the office…• 2 weeks after returning from the conference

(Week of October 15th)…• 1 Month after the conference…

Resources & ReferencesResources & References

The following slides contain links, resources, and references to a variety of technology related resources. Some of these items might be possible uses of technology to enhance student learning in a learning/tutoring center environment.

Technology “How Tos” – In Plain English

http://www.commoncraft.com/BlogsRSS FeedsWebsearch Strategies

PodcastsWhere to Access for Free

http://www.podfeed.net/

Podfeed.net is a podcast directory that helps you find podcasts, read and write podcast reviews, listen to podcasts and share your podcast with others.

AS of 9/19/08 PODFEED.NET contains:12,600 podcasts – 1,246,850 episodes - 3,531 reviews

iTunesYou don’t need to own an iPod to Use iTunesU - Free & Cost -

iTunesU• Stanford U -

http://itunes.stanford.edu/index.html

Example Learning Assistance Source from iTunes:• LSAT Logic for a Critical Thinking class or workshophttp://www.podfeed.net/podcast/LSAT+Logic+in+Everyday+Life/7816

Using Free Learning Objects

MERLOThttp://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm

FREE INTERACTIVE MATERIALS organized by discipline

Study Guides & Strategieshttp://www.studygs.net/schedule/

TECH in Develomental Education http://www.ci.txstate.edu/common/TTT.html

Supporting Internet Exploration with WebQuests:How do I design a WebQuest to meet my curriculum goals? http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/departments/studevgt/onlinsts/

Creating your own Learning Objects

• Programs like CamStudio, Captivate, Audacity, Garage Band and Camtasia can all be used to create video and audio files for podcasting and vodcasting. Advantages: Create item once, use multiple times. “First time is training, next time is reference.” Create “supportive” learning material and spend less time on teaching itDisadvantages: Tech learning curve & takes time to conceive & create.

CamStudio, Audacity - FREE Captivate, Garage Band, and Camtasia – COST

•Technology in Developmental Education (TIDE) http://www.ci.txstate.edu/tide/TIDEhome.htm

•David Arendale - Podcasting http://blog.lib.umn.edu/arend011/personal/

General & Focused “How To” Tech Training

Second Life – More Places to Visit

• Boise State University & “EDTech Island”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSMKXPjMLCkhttp://edtech.boisestate.edu/ldawley/597SL/597slsyllabus.htm

• St Paul College – video tour of 2nd Life Sitehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZyZFG74ydQ

Resources…iPods & iPhone

• Teachers using iPodshttp://media.www.dailyillini.com/media/storage/paper736/news/2007/02/28/News/Teachers.Put.Ipod.To.Work-2747399.shtml

• When iPods go to collegehttp://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0419/p11s01-legn.html

• How the iPhone works…http://youtube.com/watch?v=YgW7or1TuFk

Background on Net Gen & Tech Learning

Educause Presentation on NetGen

http://net.educause.edu/Elements/Attachments/conference/aascu08/presentation_1.pdf

Online tutor training

• http://www.ccsf.edu/Services/LAC/lern10/index.html

Webcam with Skype

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/webcam_communications/

video_software_services/&cl=us,en

How “techie” R U? - LOL

• Who owns 2 phones… one for talking and one for texting?

• Who has more than 1 computer at home?

• Who surfs the net from nervous tension when their e-mail is down?

• Who is on the web right now?

• How many of you paid full price for the iPhone when it 1st came out?

• Since we started this presentation, who has thought about checking their email?