implementing teaching with technology the acadia experience

IMPLEMENTINGTEACHING WITH

TECHNOLOGY

the Acadia Experience

Acadia AdvantageHow it began

• The Global Library• Released in 1989• Approved by Senate and BOG in

1991• Key recommendation - Provide

access to information at the user’s preferred location on the Acadia campus

• can compete in this new and changing marketplace?

• can access the world’s knowledge?• can develop the advanced analytical skills they

need?• can adjust to different work/study

environments?• will graduate with the ability to use technology

to its fullest extent!

How can we ensure that our students:

The Vision

“The Acadia Advantage is a technologically-enhanced academic environment in which students and faculty use computer notebooks, a campus-wide network and the Internet as resources for teaching, studying, researching and learning.”

What is the Acadia Advantage?

The three Goals:• Computer literate graduates• Provision of high-end technology at

the preferred workplace of faculty and students

• Make Acadia a close follower of current information technology

Guiding Principals:

Using information technology to assist teaching, studying, researching and learning requires:

• Sound pedagogy• Continuous faculty development• technical support

How do we accomplish these goals?

• IBM ThinkPad Notebook computers

• Latest versions of software

• Training for all users

• Significant upgrade to network

• Renovations to campus facilities

At the Start

• Fall, 1995 & early 1996 investigate concept on campus and hold community consultation

• Final proposal presented at an open assembly on February 8, 1996

• Approved by Senate and BOG by first of March 1996

• Project Manager appointed April 1, 1996

The Team

• Finance• Communications• Technology• Student (Support)• Academic

• IBM - 1996 partnership for 4 years• MTT

Implementation

September, 1996• First-year students in business and

computer science receive notebooks. Also, selected students in Arts and physics

• 350 students and 43 faculty in 47 courses.• Seven classrooms wired for curriculum use.

• All residence rooms wired for data, telephone and cable

• Public area drops.

Implementation: (cont)

September, 1997• All first-year, full-time students

received notebook computersSeptember, 2000

• All full-time undergraduates use notebooks as part of curriculum

Finance

• Funding• Capital Campaign• Increased Tuition

• Contract development - IBM lease• Student contracts• Insurance

Technology

• Network and other infrastructure• Classrooms• Common areas• Residence

• 5000 data drops

• 120 kilometers of

data and voice cable

19891989

19891989 19901990

19891989 19901990 19911991

19891989 19901990 19911991 1992-31992-3

19891989 19901990 19911991 1992-31992-3 1994-51994-5

19961996

SwitchesSwitches

EthernetEthernet

HubHub

Ethernet to ATM

Ethernet to ATM

ATM Backbone ATM Backbone

Unix andNetware ServersUnix andNetware Servers

RouterRouterEthernetto InternetEthernetto Internet

FirewallFirewall

•Instructor podium•Data projector•Elmo presenter•Data and power to student desks

Learning Environments

•Face to Face

•Laboratory

•Library

•Distributed

IBM 365 XD ThinkPadIntel Pentium 133mHz CPU24 MB RAM1.35 GB hard drive6X speed CD-ROMIBM Ethernet cardOptional 33.6 fax/data modemExternal 3.5” floppy driveSoundblaster compatible sound adapterInternal microphone and speaker

The Notebook Computer:Hardware

The Notebook Computer:Installed SoftwareWindows95Office97 Professional (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access)Netscape Communicator•Adobe Acrobat reader•Pegasus mailMcAfee Virus Scan 95HTML Assistant ProMultimediaNetwork applications

Hardware and Classroom Issues

Classroom DesignData ProjectorsDocking StationLaptops

Academic

• Academic Policy• What is an Advantage (AA) course?• What about part-time students?• When should graduates be

included?• Faculty Concerns• Support• Faculty Development

• Four distinct technology oriented groups• Computing Services• User Support Centre• Ed Tech (Audio Visual)• Academic Development (AITT)

Support

User Support Centre

• Notebook load• Student training - “Care-and-

feeding”• Help Desk• Technical Support• Damages

Additional Staffing

• Computing Services - 2 full-time• User Support - 7 full-time, 7 part-

time• increased hours

• AITT - 4 full-time and 20+ students

•Sense of ownership•Process must be supported by Senior Administration but driven from within the faculty. •Bring faculty together from across disciplines whenever possible - Faculty roundtables•Outside experts encourage innovators or

early adopters.•In-house examples of successful implementation work better to encourage the non-innovators

Faculty Adoption

Innovators

MainstreamFacultyNon/Late

adopters

19961997/1998Emerging

Faculty Adoption

Faculty Development

• North American Experts• Academic Computing Specialists• Students!!

Expectations must not be aimed too high and there must be a series of incremental successes in order to encourage both faculty and student adoption.

•Faculty seminars / demonstrations

•Showcases / Workshops

•Faculty J.I.T. training

•In-class student training

•Student assistants

•Student / Staff training curriculum

•Web resources

AITT - Faculty Support

•Server Administration

•Notebook selection and configuration

•Specialized programming

•Specialized Hardware and Software

•Assessment of technologies - Trends and Directions

AITT - Technology Development

•Assessment of current applications

•Development of course materials

•Dissemination of information

•Innovative Teaching Awards

•Design of Automated Courseware Management Environment (ACME)

AITT - Pedagogy

Automated CoursewareManagement Environment(stats 1998/99)

• Used as central online location for students to get course information or participate in course discussions and tests

• 392 courses• 28 Business Courses

TESTING:Stats

• 870 unique tests (3630 total tests)

• 95000 writings

• 730 tests in languages• 70000 writings

• 140 tests in other disciplines• 25000 writings

TESTING:Features

• Full multimedia• Short answer• True/False• Multiple Choice• Long Answer• Password protected• Grading• Statistics

TESTING:Uses

• Self evaluation on topic/chapter/old exams etc.

• Exams• Lab review• Lecture review• Project sign-up• Assignments• Test banks from textbooks

(standardization)

DISCUSSION GROUPS:Statistics

• 546 unique discussion groups (959 total)

• 11170 comments• between 1 to 182 comments per

group• 12 comments average

DISCUSSION GROUPS:Uses

• Share/contribute information• General discussions• FAQ’s• Announcements• Group discussions• Student Daily Journal• Project Sign-up• Student profiles

Applications

More than notebook computers

1. Telephones for each residence student (they only pay the long distance!)2. Hands-on computer training3. Students build job skills as they receive their undergraduate education4. Increase in on-campus employment5. Increased interaction among students and faculty

IMPLEMENTINGTEACHING WITH

TECHNOLOGY

the Acadia Experience