How To Affordably Implement the Imperative for Computer Enhanced Learning and Avoid Dumbing Down the Curriculum

David G. BrownProfessor of Economics, VP and Dean

International Center for Computer Enhanced LearningWake Forest University

ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2000ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2000

Annual Meeting of the Associationof American Colleges and UniversitiesWashington, D.C. January 21, 2000

Outline of Remarks

• What the Imperative?

• Really, Why Are Faculty Doing It?

• What’s Being Done

• Ways to Afford Computers for All Students

• Your Comments and Discussion

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What is the Imperative?

• Logically, add on computers should help

• The 80-20 Maxim

• Different Strokes for Different Folks

• Collaborative Learning Works

• Students are demanding it (perhaps because their learning habits differ)

• Faculty are demanding itICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2000ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2000

Really…..Why Are We Exerting So Much Effort to Add Computer Enhancements to Our Courses?

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93 Courses36 Universities143 Professors26 Disciplines

http://www.ankerpub.com/

Beliefs of 91/93 Vignette AuthorsPedagogy and Philosophy

• Interactive Learning

• Learn by Doing

• Collaborative Learning

• Integration of Theory and Practice

• Communication

• Visualization

• Different Strokes for Different Folks

From Interactive Learning January, 2000From Anker PublishingDavid G. Brown, Editor

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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 modemF99: IBM 390, 128 RAM, 333 Mhz, 6GB, CD-ROM, 56 modem

• Thinkpads for all

• New Every 2 Years

• Own @ Graduation

• Printers for all

• Wire Everything

• Standard Software

• Full Admin Systems

• IGN for Faculty

• Keep Old Computers

• 40+30 New People

• 50% Faculty Trained

• 85% CEI Users

• 98% E-Mail

• +15% Tuition

• ~$1500/Yr/Student

• 4 Year Phase In

• Pilot Year

• Now 4 Classes

• Plan for 2000ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2000ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2000

Order at---http://iccel.wfu.edu

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%

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Computers allow people----

• to belong to more communities• to be more actively engaged in each

community• with more people• over more miles• for more months and years• TO BE MORE COLLABORATIVE

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ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2000ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2000

Http://iccel.wfu.edu

A Course Required of All Freshmen

Wake Forest University

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What’s BeingDone?

• To understand a liberal arts education as an opportunity to study with professors who think by their own set of concepts

• To learn how to apply economic concepts

• To learn how to work collaboratively

• To learn computer skills

• To improve writing and speaking

FIRST YEAR SEMINARThe Economists’ Way of Thinking:

Students = 14All FreshmenRequired Course

Syllabus Tape wA

Note: The ratings system used is based on asystem where 5 stars is superior and so ondown to one star. We were able to rank thesites using this system. Furthermore, thenumber of stars given to each site is based onseveral factors, including ease of use,thoroughness, ease of understanding, givinggood definitions, and attractiveness of site.While one category is not much important thanany other. It was still throughness and gooddefinitions that helped us in ranking these sites.

Students State Criteria and Rate the Sites

Double Jeopardy Quizzes

Abridged Transcript of Chat Sessionin Class via AOL Instant Messenger

You have just entered room "WFDEACON18 Chat30."nicolefys has entered the room.JeffFYS99 has entered the room….

MikePFYS99: The concept of comparative advantage says that efficiency can beobtained by specializing in those activities with the lowest opp. cost.

WFDEACON18: Comparative advantage is the relative advantage that one person orthing has over another, meaning that it is the thing that they are better at than any other,or the thing that they are the least bad at.

MRWFYS99: The concept of Comparative advantage is when 2 parties work together toaccomplish a goal and each party does what they are least bad at in order to maximizebenefits.

FYS99 Alan: When deciding who should perform an action or produce a good, eachperson should do the action in which they give up the least value of their alternatives….

One Page Essay, Improved by Classmate and Alum Comments on First Draft

Comparative Advantage: Wake Forest vs. Stanford Athletics

Final Paper with Instructor’s Comments in Red

The world would be much more efficient if every country and every company had an advantage over every other country or company. Your first sentence needs another phrase such as “in different products.” This would allow everyone to specialize in what they are best at and the world would be much more efficient. Sadly the world is not this simple so we are forced to look at comparative advantages. A comparative advantage is a specific trait, characteristic or action that you Here you change from talking about countries to talking about people are least disadvantaged at. ...

Graded papersare returned to all students. Gradesare sent privately.

Brown’s First Year Seminar• Before Class

– Students Find URLs & Identify Criteria

– Interactive exercises– Lecture Notes– E-mail dialogue– Cybershows

• During Class– One Minute Quiz– Computer Tip Talk– Class Polls– Team Projects

• After Class– Edit Drafts by Team

– Guest Editors

– Hyperlinks & Pictures

– Access Previous Papers

• Other– Daily Announcements

– Team Web Page

– Personal Web Pages

– Exams include Computer

– Materials Forever

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Results Compared to Other First Year Courses

(Student Response to Brown’s FYS Over 5 Terms)

More Same Less

How Much Learned? 2 of 3 1 of 3

How Much Time? 2 of 3 1 of 3

How Much Fun? 3 of 3

How Can Colleges MakeUbiquitous Computing

Affordable for All Students?

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8 BASIC MODELS OFUBIQUITOUS COMPUTING

(Ordered by total cost, starting with the most expensive)

• All + Powerful + Laptops + Annual Refresh UMC• Refresh Less Frequently WFU WVWC• Substitute Desktop Computers USAFA• Provide One Computer Per Two Beds Chatham• Specify Threshold Level SSU UNC• Substitute Network Computers• Provide Public Station Computers BC• Teach with Explicit Assumption of Access

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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 PoolICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2000ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2000

The Big Three#1. E-mail

#2. Web Pages (for each course)

#3. Internet URLs

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David G. BrownWake Forest University

Winston-Salem, N.C. 27109336-758-4878

email: brown@wfu.eduhttp//:www.wfu.edu/~brown

fax: 336-758-4875

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