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The Use of Technology

in Education

Dr. H.E. (Buster) Dunsmoredunsmore@cs.purdue.edu

Purdue UniversityDepartment of Computer Science

PowerPoint slides created by Paula Perkins© 2005, Purdue University

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40th Anniversary

Recently, Purdue’s Department of Computer Science celebrated its 40th Anniversary

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Purdue Computer Sciencebegan in 1962

No computer on campus Programs were punched

into cards and driven to Indianapolis

End of each day - programs came back to campus on green bar paper

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Purdue’s First Computer

Enormous – size of this room

Vacuum Tubes Transistors Air Conditioning

Fall 1963, Purdue University

got its first computer on campus

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How Much has Technology Changed in 40 Years?

Computers are now 1000 times faster

Computers now store 1000 times more information

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Forty years….

Forty years ago they could not have imagined today’s handheld computers

What will next forty years bring? Cannot even imagine…

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What is Technology?

1. Technology is Objects: Tools, machines, instruments, weapons, appliances - the

physical devices of technical performance

2. Technology is Knowledge: The know-how behind technological innovation

3. Technology is Activities: What people do - their skills, methods, procedures, routines

4. Technology is a Process: Begins with a need and ends with a solution

5. Technology is a Sociotechnical System: The manufacture and use of objects involving people and

other objects in combination

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Should We Use Technology in Education?

Plan should clearly identify learning goals to be achieved through technology

Technology should support instructional learning goals -- integrated into instruction in meaningful ways

Technology should be used for challenging, long-term projects that promote students' higher-order thinking skills

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Technology In the Classroom

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Re-inventing the Blackboard

Blackboard was technological breakthrough

Greenboard Whiteboard Slides Transparencies Sound recordings Video Computer Specialized software Internet connection

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Reality Check…

Not all classrooms have needed equipment

Some faculty fearful of using such technology

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How can we make things better?

Make Technology: Pervasive Natural to use Wireless Effortless Easy to use a little or a

lot

Provide standard desktop for instructors

Make it easy to combine methodologies Blackboard,

transparencies, video.. Provide technical staff

“Security blanket”

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Ideal Situation

Multiple computers Multiple screens Fast and reliable

Internet connections

Technical Staff & Software Create slides Create demonstrations Create animations

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Obtaining, Organizing, and Using New Technology

Classrooms, labs

Wireless networks

Technology vendors

Partnerships with the private sector

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Student Technology

Laptops PDA’s Wireless system

connections Digitized video Cell Phones Text Messaging

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Technology Outside the Classroom

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Technology Outside the Classroom

Concept is relatively new idea

Forerunners: Library Telephone Collections of reserved

materials Tutors Help desks

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Current & Future Technology

Current Technology Class Website

Description Syllabus Reading Material In-class presentation

material Assignments Video Grades FAQ’s

Future Technology Digitized lecture video Video Conferencing for

“office hours” Beyond imagination

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Technical Staff & Software

Make the use of technology outside the classroom easier Create and administer:

Websites Video Grades FAQ’s Electronic bulletin

boards Chat rooms

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Online Student Service Websites

Register for classes Pay tuition Research term papers Take Internet classes Check grades Email friends Build own website Much much more…

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Distance Education

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New Concepts…

“Distance Education”

“Distance Learning”

“E-Learning”

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Trends in Distance Education

More people interested in: Supplementing

education Getting degree Non-credit education

Industry and Military interested in cost-effective ways to train

Becoming more expensive to provide traditional classrooms and labs

Technology available in homes, libraries, community centers becoming very sophisticated

Trends would all seem to converge with Distance Education – people taking

classes without going to class

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Overcoming Problems

Problems: Delivering information Controlling progress

through class Conducting labs Helping students with

projects & papers Testing

Making it possible thru: Internet Web DSL/Cable access Desktops, laptops,

PDA’s

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Value added by Instructor

Providing websites, slides, demos, animations is not enough Most critical component - Instructor

No technology will replace human interaction Instructors can “read” students in classroom Instructors can provide further explanation Instructors can guide discussion in a different

direction

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How can we make progress?

Deliver instructor via digitized video (but live is best) Synchronous – Provide interaction via communication

devices Asynchronous – Archived video, video FAQ’s,

occasional access to Instructor

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Administration Problems

Situation 100 students taking class… All beginning on different day… working at different rates of speed… ending on different day…

Suicide!

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Making it Work

Multiple entry and exit points (course modules)

Technology in the classroom will adapt easily to Distance Learning

Websites, digitized video, FAQ’s etc. viewable anywhere ... not just in classroom

Need technical staff help Use common format/structure

for web-delivered courses

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Student Technology on Campus

What students have: Laptops PDA’s Cell Phones Much more advanced

technology They want to be able to

link into system to get this information

What campuses need to provide: Common areas with

wireless hook-ups Upload/download Check calendars Email Virtual Library Internet

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Blurring of Administrative andInstructional Support

History – separate computers in separate buildings

Because of networks and remote access, no longer reason to keep separate

Barriers to integration: Inertia Security concerns Some degree of different functionality

(administrative still has some large data processing applications)

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BREAK

BREAK (15 MIN)

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Technology Problem Solving (30 min)

Prof. Dunsmore will present several Technology scenarios.

Participants will suggest concerns, problems, difficult issues, easy-to-solve issues, and potential solutions.

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Technology Problem Solving

University is planning a new building for Horticulture - to be used in part for faculty offices, student study areas, and classrooms.

University has no computer network backbone - just a single Internet connection in the administration building. What technology should be included in the

new building? How can it be supported? How can it be used?

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Technology Problem Solving

Technology may not always be appropriate in every educational setting. What limits should be placed on its use?

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Technology Problem Solving

What partnerships with the private sector could best help develop education technology? What about hardware and software

companies? What about other "high tech" companies? What about more traditional "low tech"

companies?

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Technology Problem Solving

How can administrators get the most out of education technology?

How can faculty get the most out of education technology?

How can students get the most out of education technology?