Lessons Learned: Balancing the Costs and Benefits of Technology University of Calgary, May 26, 1999...
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Transcript of Lessons Learned: Balancing the Costs and Benefits of Technology University of Calgary, May 26, 1999...
Lessons Learned: Balancing the Costs and Benefits of Technology
University of Calgary, May 26, 1999
By David G. Brown
Vice President, Wake Forest University
Dean, International Center for Computer Enhanced Learning
• 3600 undergrads• 92% residential• 500 each: Med, Law,
MBA, PhD• $800M endowment• Winston-Salem NC• Baptist Heritage• Tim Duncan (ACC)
• 1300 avg SAT• 29th USNWR • Top 35 Privates in
Barron’s Guide• Rhodes Scholars• 1997 National Debate
Champions
THE WAKE FOREST PLANF96: IBM 365XD, 16RAM, 100Mhz, 810MB, CD-ROM, 14.4 modemF97: IBM 380D, 32 RAM, 130Mhz, 1.35GB, CD-ROM, 33.6 modemF98: IBM 380XD, 64 RAM, 233 Mhz, 4.1GB, CD-ROM, 56 modem
F99: IBM 390, 128RAM, 333 Mhz, 6 GB, CD-ROM, 56 modem
• Thinkpads for all• New Every 2 Years• Own @ Graduation• Standard Template• IGN for Faculty• Keep Old Computers
• 75% CEI Users• +15% Tuition• 4 Year Phase In
1999 Software Load
Netscape 4.5, Dreamweaver 2, SPSS 9, Maple V 5.1
Windows 98, MS Office Prof 97
Consequences for Wake Forest
• +SAT Scores & Class Ranks
• +Retention & Grad Rates
• +Satisfaction & Learning
• +Faculty Recruitment
With Ubiquity---The Culture Changes
• Mentality shifts-- like from public phone to personal phone.
• Teaching Assumptions shift-- like from readings are on reserve to everyone owns a copy of his/her own.
• Timelines shift-- like from “our class meets MWF” to “we
see each other all the time and MWF we meet together”• Students’ sense of access shifts-- like from “I can get
that book in the library” to “I have that book in my library.”
• Relationships shift-- like from a family living in many different states to all family members living in the same town
8 BASIC MODELS OFUBIQUITOUS COMPUTING
(Ordered by total cost, starting with the most expensive)• All + Powerful + Laptops + Annual Refresh
• Refresh Less Frequently
• Substitute Desktop Computers
• Provide One Computer Per Two Beds
• Specify Threshold Level
• Substitute Network Computers
• Provide Public Station Computers
• Teach with Explicit Assumption of Access
WAYS TO REDUCE START UP COSTS
• Annual Lease
• Phase in by classes
• Phase in by programs
• Phase in by type of program
• Phase in by category (faculty, students, staff)
• Hand me down
• Loaner Pool
WHY COMPUTERS?…the institutional answer
• Communication!
• Level Playing Field
• After College Use
• Faculty/Students Demand Them
• Customized/Personalized
• Digitized Scholarship
WHY COMPUTERS?…the faculty answer
• Interactive Learning
• Learn by Doing
• Collaborative Learning
• Integration of Theory and Practice
• Visualization
• Communication
• Different Strokes for Different Folks
Computers Enhance My Teaching and/or Learning Via--
PresentationsBetter--20%More Opportunities toPractice & Analyze--35%
More Access to SourceMaterials via Internet--43%
More Communication with Faculty Colleagues, Classmates,and Between Faculty and Students--87%
Lessons Learned
LESSONS LEARNED
• PC’s are only 10% of the Challenge (support/networks/policies/train/expose)
• Most sunk costs can be ignored• Expectations need management• Develop a comprehensive plan first, and
quickly match it with a multiyear financial plan
LESSONS LEARNED
• Standardization pays rewards well beyond those anticipated; non-standard configurations require 3-4 times support
• Students/Faculty want specific computer training that is centered around a task-at-hand; general classes don’t work well
• Be prepared to outsource challenges• Don’t wire to every seat• Use the internet for course materials
LESSONS LEARNED
• Reliability is critical, especially the Help Desk
• Provide academic units staff of their own & plenty of equipment without hassle
• Improve communications weekly; rumors fly faster
• Spread the gains from & ownership of innovation throughout all units
Lessons Learned
• Contact becomes Continuous.• Students expect messages between
classes• Team assignments increase• Papers & Talks often include visuals• Departmental clubs thrive• Student Portfolios Emerge• Students teach faculty
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
Lessons Learned
• Computer knowledge is a boon to student recruitment, retention, self-confidence.
• Computer knowledge is highly valued by students & prospective employers
• Computer availability throughout the student body attracts new faculty
• Computer challenged students learn basic skills quickly, without special classes
• Disciplines use computers differently
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
Lessons Learned• Greatest benefits are what happens between classes,
not during classes.
• Greatest gains from computing come from “the big three.”
• Standardization speeds faculty adoption and eases the pressure upon support staff.
• Standardization saves class time.
• Student groups are larger and more active.
• Faculty migrate to the student standard very quickly
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
BIG ISSUES
• Laptop vs Desktop vs Network
• Standard vs Threshold
• Single Vendor vs Multiple Vendors
• Buy vs Lease vs Student Buy
• CourseInfo vs Web Course in Box
• Cold Turkey vs Pilot
BIG ISSUES
• Communication vs Presentation vs Analysis vs Access to Internet
• Virtual Courses vs Hybrids
• Academic vs Administrative
• Consortia vs Going It Alone
• Today’s Students vs Alums Also
• Mandatory vs Optional
Positioning for the Future
• 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?