Ulysses: Creating a Ubiquitous Computing Learning Environment

Robert W. Mantha, Ph.D.Vice doyen / Associate Dean

Faculté des sciences de l'administration Université Laval, Québec, QuébecCanada, G1K 7P4

robert.mantha@fsa.ulaval.ca

The need for change

• Mounting pressure from the community to ensure that graduates of our business administration programs are well prepared for the challenges of an increasingly wired world

• Two goals for our students:– Understand information technology (ICTs)

and its uses within a business organisation.

– Learn to learn with the help of information technology.

How to meet these goals?

• Adding computer courses to our programs will not reach the objectives

• We need to integrate the use of computer technology within the curriculum

• The use of ICTs must become second nature to the student

• We need to create a learning environment where the use of ICTs becomes ubiquitous and pervasive.

A solution: Ulysses• Ulysses was an ambitious undertaking to

integrate the portable laptop computer into the physical environment of the business school as well as into the curriculum.

• Three perspectives:

– Managerial (resources)

– Technical

– Pedagogical

Managerial perspective• The Faculté des sciences de

l'administration, Université Laval:– Public institution, founded in 1924, one of 17

schools/facultés on campus (32,000 students)

– Offers Ph.D, Masters/MBA; Undergraduate/BBA and continuing education programs in management education (AACSB International- accredited)

– Approximately 4,500 students, 90 full time faculty

– In 1997 recognized the need to renew the building and facilities (circa 1950) as well as the undergraduate BBA program to meet the educational challenges before us.

Ulysses Characteristics• Recommended laptop computer for all

(students and faculty)

• Possession of a laptop is mandatory for all entering full-time BBA students, and 3 streams of the MBA (600 students per year since 1999

• IBM is the manufacturer of the recommended laptop

• Local credit union is the financial institution offering student loans in addition to the Ministry of Education of Quebec.

Ulysses Characteristic• Students pick up their computer during

their "Ulysses Day"– Welcome day to School– Take possession of their computer– Information on the use and caring of their

computer, the intranet, etc.

• Workshops on tool use are available prior to start of session and during the session

• Joint purchase in Canada from IBM of 10,000 units/per year– approx C$3000 / US$1900, including taxes, software, accessories and 3yr warranty– below discount prices.

Ulysses day: information kiosks in cafeteria

Computer boxes by seats assigned to students

Taking possession of their computer

Ulysses Characteristics• The student cooperative on campus sells

the computers to the students• Laptop pre-loaded with all software and

parameters needed to be operational out of the box within our environment

• School's own staff offers the technical support and warranty service within the school

• Laptop loan program available while laptop is being repaired

• Faculty are supplied with a laptop, paid 60% from the school's budget, 40% from the faculty's own discretionary budget.

Outcomes• Overall renewal of all courseware and

teaching materials• Enthusiastic support from the business

community– 4M$ contribution to building

• High exposure in the press and media (press, radio, television); two prizes won (FIQ and CIPA)

• 30% increase in BBA enrolment in Fall 1999, maintained in 2000 and 2001

• Increase of C$ 700K / US$440 of the school's operating expenses (support staff: technical and pedagogical).

Ulysses: media interest

Technological perspective

• 1800 students with laptops (by year 3)• 100 laptops for faculty and teaching staff• 100 Mbps ATM switched network• 2,500 network ports within the school

(classrooms, study and common areas)• 17 wired classrooms ('U' shaped and

standard)• Teacher console with desktop and A/V• Intranet for all courseware materials• Tools on-line: discussion forums, class

interaction and course management.

A classroom setting (amphitheater- 195 seats)

Technical Support• Two support desks for students:

– Technical support (computer repairs, system configuration, network connections, software problems) + web site

– Pedagogical support (how to use the computer in a learning environment, software use questions, multimedia support) + web site

• Support for faculty:– Just in time support in class or in their office

– Training sessions

– Helping with the integration of tools into the classroom and curriculum

Pedagogical perspective• What the student sees (initially): the

computer

• What we see: communications, connections, community

• Learning is fundamentally a process of communication

• This technology is fundamentally a means to enhance communication

• The focus thus has to be on transforming how we communicate in a learning environment.

Pedagogical impacts• Extended use of the computer outside of

the classroom (study areas, cafeteria)

• Heavy use of communication tools: discussion forums, e-mail, chat (ICQ) by students

• Complete renewal of class materials

• Creation of a Web site per course which may include, course outline, course materials, bibliography with links, discussion forums, exercises, quizzes, and multimedia materials.

Pedagogical impacts• There are fewer office hours with

professors– contact is on an on-going basis via discussion forums and e-mail; can be time-consuming…

• Students participate on an on-going basis during the week, in course topic discussion forums

• Students support each other• Students are much more comfortable

with the use of ICTs• Implicit resetting of student expectations

with regards to the role of the instructor and use of classroom time– a challenge.

Pedagogical questions…• If we believe that the education of first-

time/undergraduate university students is best accomplished in a campus setting

• If we believe that a ubiquitous computing environment with a rich communications infrastructure and well constructed pedagogical materials add value to the education of our students

• What then is the role of the instructor/professor and what are the impacts on classroom activities: from sage on the stage to guide on the side ?

Pedagogical challenges• What can we learn from distance

education using ICTs, when we create an ICT rich environment for our on-campus students?

• Is it easier to implement problem based learning, learning by doing, active learning in a campus setting when we introduce ICTs? How?

Success factors in implementing Ulysses

• Have a clear vision of the objective

• Repeat the message, over and over

• Build a solid support team

• Get student and core faculty support

• Get community support (business)

• Get university management support

• Find the proper partners

– manufacturer

– financing

– distribution and technical support.

Factors for success• You need at least two key people:

– project manager, for the logistics

– instructional technology coordinator for faculty support

• Plan at least 1 year in advance (weekly meetings)

• Involve program directors and staff, department chairs, communications staff

• Head the project with a trusted person from the school's management team.

Critical Success Factor: Faculty Support

• Need a teaching support team: coordinator + student assistants

• Need on-demand, just-in-time coaching and training

• Need to keep close tabs on progress: faculty are learning and discovering all the time– they will have problems…

• Have well publicized workshops (even if few will come initially)

• The instructor/professor is your support team customer: keep him/her happy.

Conclusion• Ulysses was/is a major undertaking; but

well worth the effort• Requires intensive coordination and

support from university, students, staff and the business community

• It has the potential to transform how we teach, learn, and communicate within a campus-based teaching/ learning environment

• The goal is to improve the quality of our programs and the preparedness of our students for careers in the knowledge economy.

To learn more...

www.fsa.ulaval.ca/ulysse