Technology on Our Campus: Technology 101 Trish Dillenbeck Naomi Pabon Heather Schoff University at Buffalo

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Technology 101: HOT TOPICS FOR TODAYS TECHNOLOGY Institutional Spam Blogs and Online Communities Distance Learning Portable Media Devices Access

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Institutional Spam: importance Spam: electronic unsolicited junk mail or postings. Generally spam is advertisements of products sent out over a mailing list or group. Institutional spam is a term coined for spam filtered through higher education institutions.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Institutional Spam: Importance With technology growing spam has become a large problem in higher education. Spam is affecting colleges because their networks are open to the public network. Colleges share their information and publish addresses on departmental Web-pages and in Web-based campus directories.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Institutional Spam: IMPORTANCE Colleges are less likely to block these spam messages because they are concerned with violating principles such as academic freedom, privacy and the First Amendment. Violating these principles make it difficult for colleges to block their messages.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Institutional spam Spam has become a nuisance and a fact of life. Students, faculty and staff blame officials on their campuses for allowing spam on the campus mail network. Individuals on college campuses spend more time deleting the spam messages and adding filters to block the spam. Spam eats up space on college network bandwidth.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Institutional spam: Solutions Set up a website for students who have complaints about spam that will have answers to questions & articles to assist in dealing and avoiding spam. Getting rid of spam completely is impossibly at this time, however setting up blocking filters on campus network to eliminate the most obnoxious spam (i.e. pornography). Installing firewalls to block spammers from searching campus servers for open relays from which to distribute spam. Offering alternative filtered mail service for unwanted spam.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff INSTITUTIONAL SPAM: issues In order to fight the battle with institutional spam two things are necessary: –Money –Expansion of network bandwidth The issue with these two things is that in order to expand the network money is key. With spammers constantly changing their methods to gaining s from organizations and colleges spending money to eliminate spam and then having continuously update is a ongoing problem.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Blogs and Online Communities Blog ( n) : Online Journal; network of online journals Blog ( v) : To post an entry in an online journal; to log on to an online community Online Community ( n) : a site that allows individuals to network in the form of online journaling, social networking sites, bulletin boards, chatrooms or any other interactive websites.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Blogs and Online Communities: Recent Developments Recent Trends: MySpace and YouTube allow videos to be posted. Other sites are beginning to offer video sharing capabilities. The definition of online communities keeps changing –There is a rise of interactive community-like websites such as wikipedia.org. Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that anyone can update. –Many shopping websites provide feedback forums for customers to leave their feedback and comments. –Yahoo! News and other forums also allow for reader comments.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Popular Online Communities

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Blogs and Online Communities: Importance Students frequent these sites; some of these sites were started by college students. The popularity has grown exponentially The ways to use these mediums has grown exponentially as well: news, fashion, and cooking are just three of an unlimited amount of topics that people have access to due to blogs and online communities

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Blogs and Online Communities: Issues Plagiarism: It is difficult to trace the origins of items posted online, as well as to verify authenticity. Access: Some campuses/individuals cannot afford internet. Networking Errors: we cannot control the internet or the connections; relying too much on these sites can be detrimental on days that internet connection is down. If too many people access it at the same time, the system will be clogged with users making it go slower. Privacy: We may or may not be able to control how information is disseminated and kept accessible to only those we want to see it. Quality v. Quantity: There is an overwhelming amount of quantity and a lack in quality of work being shared. Also, this has started to affect the way students write. Some students have spent years blogging, creating an informal and unprofessional approach to writing.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Blogs and Online Communities: Benefits Utilizing the medium many students already enjoy using can enhance the educational outcomes: –Blackboard and similar educational software that utilize file sharing and other blog-like activities have a tremendous success rate. –Technology can increase efficiency in conducting and assessing research. –This can facilitate the journaling component that many First- Year Experience courses have. –Online threads can facilitate co-curricular conversations –Supplemental information can be distributed at a much lower cost

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Distance Learning Distance learning is an increasingly important focus for educational institutions; especially with the internet being so prominent on American college campuses. Distance learning is education and training off campus or away from the source of instruction and information.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Distance learning: importance Providing knowledge to a wide-range of subjects and diverse populations of students. Although the internet is readily available distance learning encourages motivation and dedication away from the classroom; therefore completion rates can be much lower for distance learning than in the classroom.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Distance Learning: benefits Advantages to Distance Learning: –Interactive The internet is two-way and allows one-on-one and group communication Fosters a learning community atmosphere –Flexible Course material is always available Internet is readily available Information and messages can be easily sent to individuals or shared over the internet with an entire class

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Distance Learning: BENEFITS –Functional Ready access to text, image and audio –Cost and access Providing instructional materials online is relatively inexpensive.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Distance learning: ISSUES Existing courses cannot be transferred to the internet therefore developing courseware for internet delivery is needed and required. Although distance learning is considered flexible and functioning technology is constantly changing, updating and advancing. –With this constant change it is not only necessary that the institution be up to date, but the students would as well, putting an added cost to distant learning.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Portable Media Devices Laptops –Many students have started to carry laptops to class to take notes –Some schools give laptops to students as freshman –Easy to travel with and connect to the internet Jump Drives –Tool to transfer material from computer to computer –Small and compact with a large amount of space Digital Cameras –Many digital cameras can also function as video recorders and sound recorders. –Many are equipped to plug into computers to transfer files, play slideshows and videos.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Portable Media devices: Hybrids Cell Phones –Popular cell phones can carry these following functions: video recording, sound recording, photography, games, song composing (mostly used to create ringtones), MP3 file sharing and listening, calendars, notes, to-do lists, watching television programs and other videos, and Bluetooth (digital connection that facilitates hands-free and wireless connection) iPods and other MP3 players –Many of these music devices combine the flash drive and the walkman. You can play videos, games, –Podcasting: the broadcasting of subscription-based radio programming via itunes (the file sharing network that is designed to work with iPODs).

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Portable media devices: ISSUES Cheating –With cell phones and cameras that allow text messaging and the capabilities to take pictures students take advantage of these tools and use them for cheating purposes. Isolation –Cell phones and iPods are two tools that are used to isolate students from one another. –Talking on the phone between classes or text messaging rather then talking to people face to face. –iPods can be seen in peoples ears walking around rather then communicating or interacting.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Portable Media Devices: ISSUES Dependability –Society has become so dependant on technology that where ever we go we see cell phones stuck to their ears, people wirelessly connected to the internet. –We are so dependant on these tools that if something were to happen we would not know what to do. –Technology has become a main part of our lives.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Access Wired Campus –Todays college campuses are wired to the internet. –Students take full advantage to having 24/7 internet access. –With a wired campus students, faculty and staff allow for constant communication and the ability to always find information.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Access: Issues Wired campus –Professor vs. Laptop Students bring their laptops to class to take notes and with the access of wireless tend to connect to the internet rather then paying attention. Professors worry that as wireless networks and laptops become ubiquitous, students will direct about as much attention to the front of the room as airline passengers do to a flight attendant reviewing safety information. –Constant Access With a society that is familiar with constant internet access we have become so dependant to the internet.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff ACCESS Software Change –January 2007 Microsoft released newest software for computers. –Software's are always changing and updating providing new opportunities for both students as well as the institutions. –With these changes new opportunities are available, and this includes distance learning.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Access: issues Software change –With software changes institutions need to be updating and staying with the changes as they happen. –Therefore these software changes require: Additional staffing to test, and update these changes. Additional fiscal resources to provide these updates.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff ACCESS: issues Financial Constraints –With all the changes to technology current students who fall into the Millennial generation desire the newest additions. –Both students and institution feel pressured to conform and provide the most up to date technologies.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff Technology as a whole Although it is an important tool, technology has constraints on the development of students. However, technology and the internet provide post-secondary education with opportunities for improving instructional quality, student access and productivity.

University at Buffalo-T. Dillenbeck, N.Pabon, H. Schoff References Do Not Fear the Blog (11/18/2005). Fed Up With Spam: Irate students and professors want colleges to crack down, but doing so is difficult(9/27/2002). Stop Chasing High-Tech Cheaters (5/25/2006). Student Success in College: Creating Conditions That Matter (5/18/2005). The Fight for Classroom Attention: Professor vs. Laptop (6/2/2006). Will the Internet Transform Higher Education? (1998).