How To Affordably Implement the Imperative for Computer Enhanced Learning and Avoid Dumbing Down the Curriculum David G. Brown Professor of Economics, VP and Dean International Center for Computer Enhanced Learning Wake Forest University Annual Meeting of the Association of American Colleges and Universities Washington, D.C. January 21, 2000

Outline of Remarks What the Imperative? Really, Why Are Faculty Doing It? What’s Being Done Ways to Afford Computers for All Students Your Comments and Discussion

What is the Imperative? Logically, add on computers should help The Maxim Different Strokes for Different Folks Collaborative Learning Works Students are demanding it (perhaps because their learning habits differ) Faculty are demanding it

Really….. Why Are We Exerting So Much Effort to Add Computer Enhancements to Our Courses?

93 Courses 36 Universities 143 Professors 26 Disciplines

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 January, 2000 From Anker Publishing David G. Brown, Editor

THE WAKE FOREST PLAN THE WAKE FOREST PLAN F96: IBM 365XD, 16RAM, 100Mhz, 810MB, CD-ROM, 14.4 modem F97: IBM 380D, 32 RAM, 130Mhz, 1.35GB, CD-ROM, 33.6 modem F98: IBM 380XD, 64 RAM, 233 Mhz, 4.1GB, CD-ROM, 56 modem F99: IBM 390, 128 RAM, 333 Mhz, 6GB, CD-ROM, 56 modem F99: IBM 390, 128 RAM, 333 Mhz, 6GB, CD-ROM, 56 modem Thinkpads for all New Every 2 Years Graduation Printers for all Wire Everything Standard Software Full Admin Systems IGN for Faculty Keep Old Computers New People 50% Faculty Trained 85% CEI Users 98% +15% Tuition ~$1500/Yr/Student 4 Year Phase In Pilot Year Now 4 Classes Plan for 2000 Order at---

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

A Course Required of All Freshmen Wake Forest University What’s Being Done?

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 FIRST YEAR SEMINAR The Economists’ Way of Thinking: Students = 14 All Freshmen Required Course Syllabus Tape wA

Students State Criteria and Rate the Sites Double Jeopardy Quizzes

Abridged Transcript of Chat Session in Class via AOL Instant Messenger

One Page Essay, Improved by Classmate and Alum Comments on First Draft

Comparative Advantage: Wake Forest vs. Stanford Athletics Final Paper with Instructor’s Comments in Red The world would be much more efficient if every country and every company had an advantage over every other country or company. Your first sentence needs another phrase such as “in different products.” This would allow everyone to specialize in what they are best at and the world would be much more efficient. Sadly the world is not this simple so we are forced to look at comparative advantages. A comparative advantage is a specific trait, characteristic or action that you Here you change from talking about countries to talking about people are least disadvantaged at.... Graded papers are returned to all students. Grades are sent privately.

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

Results Compared to Other First Year Courses (Student Response to Brown’s FYS Over 5 Terms)

How Can Colleges Make Ubiquitous Computing Affordable for All Students?

8 BASIC MODELS OF UBIQUITOUS COMPUTING (Ordered by total cost, starting with the most expensive) All + Powerful + Laptops + Annual Refresh UMCUMC Refresh Less Frequently WFU WVWCWFUWVWC Substitute Desktop Computers USAFAUSAFA Provide One Computer Per Two Beds ChathamChatham Specify Threshold Level SSU UNCSSUUNC Substitute Network Computers Provide Public Station Computers BCBC Teach with Explicit Assumption of Access

WAYS TO REDUCE START UP COSTS Annual Lease Phase in by classes Phase in by programs Phase in by type of program Phase in by category (faculty, students, staff) Hand me down Loaner Pool

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

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