IMPLEMENTING TEACHING WITH TECHNOLOGY the Acadia Experience

Acadia Advantage How 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 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 computers September, 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

1989

1990

1996

Switches Ethernet Hub Ethernet to ATM Ethernet to ATM ATM Backbone ATM Backbone Unix and Netware Servers Unix and Netware Servers Router Ethernet to Internet Ethernet to Internet Firewall

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

Learning Environments Face to Face Laboratory Library Distributed

IBM 365 XD ThinkPad !Intel Pentium 133mHz CPU !24 MB RAM !1.35 GB hard drive !6X speed CD-ROM !IBM Ethernet card !Optional 33.6 fax/data modem !External 3.5” floppy drive !Soundblaster compatible sound adapter !Internal microphone and speaker The Notebook Computer: Hardware

The Notebook Computer: Installed Software !Windows95 !Office97 Professional (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access) !Netscape Communicator Adobe Acrobat reader Pegasus mail !McAfee Virus Scan 95 !HTML Assistant Pro !Multimedia !Network applications

Hardware and Classroom Issues !Classroom Design !Data Projectors !Docking Station !Laptops

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 Mainstream Faculty Non/Late adopters /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 Courseware Management 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) writings 730 tests in languages writings 140 tests in other disciplines 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) 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 training 3. Students build job skills as they receive their undergraduate education 4. Increase in on-campus employment 5. Increased interaction among students and faculty

IMPLEMENTING TEACHING WITH TECHNOLOGY the Acadia Experience