Ubiquitous Computing at Seton Hall University Stephen G. Landry CIO Presented to TLT Group April 18, 2006

Key Ideas: There is a rich array of excellent teaching and learning resources available online To take full advantage of these resources, institutions need to ensure universal access to those resources Access to the technology is necessary but not sufficient to use these resources to improve teaching and learning – support, particularly support for technology enabled redesign of teaching and learning, is needed Access to the technology has become much more attainable in the last ten years, to the point where this is a tractable issue for most institutions

Seton Hall University: Mid-Sized private Catholic-affiliated research intensive University located in suburban NJ, approx. 15 miles from NYC –Main campus in South Orange NJ –Law School in Newark, NJ –4,400 full time undergraduate students 50% live on campus / 50% commute –400 full time faculty

Strategic Planning at SHU: Following 1994 Middle States accreditation, SHU embarked on an intensive strategic planning effort resulting in the University’s 1996 strategic plan –Increased undergraduate enrollment target from 900 per year to 1200 per year –Increased scholarships / tuition discount –Launched new schools of Diplomacy and Graduate Medical Education; launched SetonWorldWide, the University’s online university with seven wholly online degree programs –Built new library and new academic building –Made a substantial commitment to technology GOAL: “To provide a technologically advanced learning environment for our students and faculty”

Implementation of Ubiquitous Computing: During planning in , faculty saw the potential of online resources to improve student learning but saw access and support as impediments to their taking advantage of these resources in their own teaching University launched its Mobile Computing Program, aimed at providing access, services, and support –First pilot in 1995 with twelve faculty in Business and A&S and twenty Business Honors students –Mandatory for all incoming first year Business Majors in 1997 –Mandatory for all incoming first year students in 1998

Mobile Computing Program: Seton Hall University’s Mobile Computing Program is an innovative academic program involving three components: – Access: The University licenses the use of a laptop computer to students as part of their tuition and fees – Curricular Integration: The University provides support and incentives to faculty to use technology in innovative ways to enhance teaching and learning – Network and Support Services: The University provides the infrastructure and support services that enable the effective use of technology in teaching and learning

Impact on Learning Environment: Mobile Computing Assessment Program demonstrates that the program has had a positive impact on T&L Benefits have come primarily through the sustained support for using technology to improve T&L –Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center –Internal Grants to Promote / Support Effective Faculty Use –Focus on Technology-Enabled Redesign of Large Enrollment Courses (along lines of PEW LCR Project) Examples: English / Psychology / Precalculus Mathematics / Oral Communications / First Year Experience (Freshman Studies) Adoption of ePortfolios in Education / English / Psychology / First Year Experience (Freshman Studies)

Implementing Ubiquitous Computing: Models of Ubiquitous Computing: –Student Ownership vs. Institutional Ownership –Standardization vs. User Choice With Minimum Specifications Examples: –Institutional Ownership / Standardization: Wake Forest University, Seton Hall University, Ontario University Institute of Technology –Student Ownership / Standardization University of North Carolina / Chapel Hill, University of Vermont –Student Ownership / Minimum Specifications Sonoma State University, Dartmouth University, RPI

Implementing Ubiquitous Computing (cont.): Ubiquitous Computing has become more attainable in the past ten years: –Hardware costs for laptops have come down (e.g., $2800 in 1996 vs. $1400 in 2006) –Costs of network hardware and bandwidth have come down (e.g., vs. $500 / mbs in 1996 vs. $50 / mbs in 2006) –Software has become more stable and supportable (e.g., MS Windows 98 vs. MS Windows XP, better virus protection / antispyware, better network and computer management software, etc.), reducing the cost of technical support –Wide variety of instructional software and content now available (e.g., Blackboard, Moodle, MyMathLab, etc.)

Implementing Ubiquitous Computing (cont.): Points to Consider: –Access: many campuses have nearly all students with laptops but aren’t acknowledging / supporting ubiquitous computing some campuses have access issues and need to develop plans to ensure their students have appropriate access to technology –But access is only one part of using technology resources to improve student learning; other parts include: Support Services Faculty Adoption / Faculty Engagement Technology-enabled redesign of courses and curricula

Future Considerations: What kind of computing is sufficient for “ubiquitous computing”? What about: handheld devices, cell phones, iPods, etc.? Is the “minimum standard” access to a Java-enabled Web browser and a reasonably fast Internet connection? If we extrapolate Moore’s Law, what will the “ubiquitous computing” environment be like in ten years? In twenty? How will colleges and their faculty respond to teaching in an environment where all students have a very small, discrete, “always on” computing device with essentially unlimited storage and bandwidth and the resources of a future Google providing a wealth of information and applications? What kinds of privacy and access to we value in our current computing environment that we don’t want to loose in the future?

For More Information Contact: Stephen Landry Seton Hall University