Redesigning Courses and Curricula in the Information Age Keynote Address at the 1999 Distributed Learning Workshop,Concordia University, River Forest, Illinois July 12, 1999 By David G. Brown WFU VP and ICCEL Dean May 18, 1999

I think we’re here because... Our profession has new gardening tools. We want to learn which ones will be useful in stimulating growth in our own gardens.

Beliefs of 91/93 Vignette Authors Pedagogy and Philosophy Interactive Learning Learn by Doing Collaborative Learning Integration of Theory and Practice Communication Visualization Different Strokes for Different Folks From Interactive Learning Forthcoming July, 1999 From Anker Publishing David G. Brown, Editor

Steps toward Redesign Recognize that you are redesigning a course, not learning technology for its own sake. Identify beliefs and objectives. Learn about the tools and techniques available. Match activities and settings. Implement! What do you want to do? What Tools are available? Redesign Your Course!

Types of assignments and/or lectures that seem to be most effective? Want to give your student more of what? Your philosophy of teaching? Idea behind your course? Metaphors for your role? Diagram? What Works For You? Now your answer to

FIRST YEAR SEMINAR The Economists’ Way of Thinking A Course Required of All Freshmen Wake Forest University

COURSE OBJECTIVES To understand a liberal arts education as an opportunity to study with professors who think by their own set of concepts To learn how to apply economic concepts To learn how to work collaboratively To learn computer skills To improve writing and speaking skills

Learning is enhanced by-- Collaboration among Learners Frequent student/faculty dialogue Prompt Feedback Application of Theory Student Self Initiatives Trustful relations Personal & Individual Teaching

Brown’s First Year Seminar Before Class –Students Find URLs & Identify Criteria –Interactive exercises –Lecture Notes – dialogue –Cybershows During Class –One Minute Quiz –Computer Tip Talk –Class Polls –Team Projects After Class –Edit Drafts by Team –Guest Editors –Hyperlinks & Pictures –Access Previous Papers Other –Daily Announcements –Team Web Page –Personal Web Pages –Exams include Computer –Materials Forever

Computers Enhance My Teaching and/or Learning Via-- Presentations Better--20% More Opportunities to Practice & Analyze--35% More Access to Source Materials via Internet--43% More Communication with Faculty Colleagues, Classmates, and Between Faculty and Students--87%

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

Typology of Tools & Techniques From Interactive Learning, Anker Publishing, 1999 (forthcoming) Web Pages for Course Materials Group and Individual Asynchronous Discussion Groups Hyperlinks to Related Materials Simulations Team Projects Self Paced Exercises Citations to the Web (URLs) Multimedia Presentations Lecture Notes on Line Computer Skill Exercises Course Shell Electronic Gradebook Dynamic Syllabus

The Big Three Tools for Collaborative Learning #1. #2. Web Pages (for each course) #3. Internet URLs

When Teaching Proceeds on the Assumption That All Students Have Reasonable Daily Access to the Internet Contact becomes Continuous. Students expect messages between classes Team assignments increase Papers & Talks often include visuals Departmental clubs thrive Student Portfolios Emerge Students teach faculty Access to college continues after graduation

Lessons Learned Computer knowledge is a boon to student recruitment, retention, self-confidence. Computer knowledge is highly valued by students & prospective employers Computer availability throughout the student body attracts new faculty Computer challenged students learn basic skills quickly, without special classes Disciplines use computers differently

Lessons Learned Greatest benefits are what happens between classes, not during classes. Greatest gains from computing come from “the big three.” Standardization speeds faculty adoption and eases the pressure upon support staff. Standardization saves class time. Student groups are larger and more active. Faculty migrate to the student standard very quickly

David G. Brown Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, N.C http//: fax: