Status of Ubiquitous Computing [Lessons Learned So Far] David G. Brown Professor/VP/Dean/Former Provost Wake Forest University Karen R. Petitto Instructional Technology Specialist West Virginia Wesleyan College
Ubiquitous Computing Defined “…all teaching proceeds on the assumption that all students and faculty have appropriate access to the internet.” David G. Brown (editor), Ubiquitous Computing, Anker Publishing Company, Bolton, MA,
Over 100 notebook colleges and universities Sixty-one Lessons Learned Cited by 12 Pioneers Acadia (Canada) Clayton Dartmouth Drew Drexel HEC (Canada) Hong Kong Minnesota-Crookston RPI (Rensselaer) Seton Hall Strathclyde (Scotland) Wake Forest
Hierarchy of Ubiquity All “Own” Identical Laptops + 2-Year Refresh All “Own” Identical Laptops All “Own” Threshold Laptops All “Own” Identical Desktop Computers All “Own” Threshold Computers All “Own” Network Computers All Have Access to Threshold Computers All Have Access to Public Computer Labs Teach with Explicit Assumption of Access
Progress Toward Realizing the Full Learning Potential of Ubiquitous Computing Increments of Equipment
Learning Potential of Ubiquitous Computing Increments of Equipment
THE WAKE FOREST PLAN IBM A30, Pentium III, 1.13GHz Processor, 30GB Hard Drive, 384 MB RAM 15”ActMatrix Screen, CD-RW/DVD, Floppy, 56k modem, 16MB Video Ram, 10/100 Ethernet, USB & Serial & Parellel & Infrared Ports IBM Laptops for all Printers for all New Every 2 Years Graduation Connections Standard Software 99% Start 1995, 4 Year Phase In +15% Tuition for 37 Items +40 Faculty and 30 Staff Standard Load Includes— MS Office, Dreamweaver, SPSS, Maple, Acrobat, Photoshop, Shockwave, Flash, Net Meeting, Real Producer & Player, Media Player, Windows XP Moviemaker, Apple QuickTime, Netscape & Explorer, Netscape Calendar & Communicator, Windows XP Professional
Communication - Interaction
Computers allow people---- to belong to more communities to be more actively engaged in each community with more people over more miles for more months and years TO BE MORE COLLABORATIVE
Research Results ,844 students at 71 American Universities--- students at more wired schools actually reported more student-faculty contact, cooperation among students, and active learning. The Big Three Student Uses – with professors and classmates –Internet for class-related materials –Word processing
WVWC Model IBM ThinkPad – entire campus has same model 3 year lease Laptop + Network + Rich Electronic Library Resources = Information Technology Program Network Printers Available Very “Windows” oriented program Use of WebCT (not widespread) IBM Certified Repair Center 9 Support Staff/Faculty
How have programs changed since their inception?
The Big Three Administrative Decisions What vendor? What institutional model? Funding?
Vendor Considerations Institutional Customization Order and Delivery Length of contract (lease, buy, lease to buy, etc…) Durability of the “Box” Maintenance Teaching and Learning support
Model Considerations Response to Student Use and Expectations –Status Quo –Changing skill level –Changing work habits When, Where and How? Dynamic nature of Educational TechnologyEducational Technology Faculty “buy-in” Maintenance and Upkeep Institutional Commitment to the Program
Program Funding Sustaining Start-up Grants Endowment Losses Tuition and Fees Structures Overall cost projected to decrease –Computers, Networks, Hardware, Software
How do programs differ in management and delivery? Where is the administrative base of the program? How is the Library involved? HelpDesk issues Contract services Maintenance
What’s Ahead for Ubiquitous Campuses? Personal. Customized. Interactive. Student-Centered Curriculum Teams of Professionals Supporting Learning “Houses” instead of Disciplines Hybrid Courses (80-20 and 20-80) Loose-leaf Collections of Course Components, instead of Textbooks Electronic Portfolios for Students Wireless (802.11a) Less Infatuation with Computing
Karen R. Petitto West Virginia Wesleyan College 59 College Avenue Buckhannon, WV
David G. Brown Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, N.C http//: fax: http//:
Many primary works have been digitally archived Online resources –Literature Online A fully searchable library of more than 330,000 works of English and American poetry, drama and prose, plus biographies, bibliographies and key criticism and reference resources. Oral interpretations of the works Back to Presentation Great Literary Works