Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Discipline Specific Teaching Support A Presentation at the Annual Conference of the National Learning Infrastructure Initiative San Diego, CA January 29, 2002 Sally Jackson, University of Arizona David G. Brown, Wake Forest University

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Support for Learning minimal media multi media information interactivity text graphics soundanimation chat tutorials models virtual worlds

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Two Cultures EDUCAUSE Review, July/August 2001, pp TECHNOLOGY CULTURE Centralized Focused University centered Driven by technology agenda Accustomed to “service” model FACULTY CULTURE Balkanized Diffuse Discipline centered Driven by the disciplinary agenda Accustomed to research team model

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Illustrative Faculty Subcultures each with its own intellectual agenda and disciplinary preferences Humanities Social Science Art & Music Natural Sciences Education

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Humanities Patient time-horizons Often beyond copyright Comparative analysis Searching new perspectives Language as well as thought Multi-cultural Essay based Word processing

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Social Sciences Frequent teaming Bias toward interaction Preference for action Rapid obsolescence Costly databases Data-based decisions Statistics

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Fine & Performing Arts Visual & aesthetic Confluence & harmony Motive & meaning In search of the “never- before” Massive storage need Portfolio management Judge progress instead of absolute achievement Positive reinforcement

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Educational Disciplines McKeachie & Gamson Bloom & Gardner Inferiority complex Positive reinforcement, not competition In US, state-centric

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Natural Sciences Driven by hypothesis testing Large processing power Fluent with instrumentation Data based decisions Comfortable with teams Internationally connected Taxonomies & classifications

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Disciplinary Agendas Objectives Expected outcomes Developmental challenges Performance standards Example: “structured dialogue protocols” not just interaction support, but support for “knowledge-building discourse”

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Breakdown of “Service” Model Faculty come with a specific agenda, looking for relevant support Ed tech units respond with a list of “services” supported Faculty may simply be bewildered by the misfit between their own goals and what service units offer Example: Optical materials

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Integrated curriculum defines the relationships among these Disciplinary agenda defines a set of core concepts and principles “Devices” illustrating concepts or embodying principles are planned Supporting the Optics Faculty

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Software designers work with scientists to develop architecture for each device Programming team implements data structures and algorithms as required Possible input & data Algorithms Computed values Supporting the Optics Faculty

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Multimedia specialists work with scientists and programmers to develop user interfaces representing different applications for the device Possible input & data Algorithms Computed values Supporting the Optics Faculty

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Instructional design specialists develop effective instructional settings for objects developed to support active inquiry One underlying device can generate many tools One tool can be used in many lessons designed for many different purposes Possible input & data Algorithms Computed values Supporting the Optics Faculty

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Important Shifts From seeing investment in teaching as competitive with research to seeing deep connections between teaching and research agendas From supporting individual faculty in improving their own practice to assisting disciplinary groups in advancing a shared agenda From focus on providing “services” to focus on joining faculty-led development teams

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Responding to Faculty Subcultures Focus on clusters (with similar mentalities) Identify subject matter specialists (like lib) Co-sponsor guest speakers with depts Appoint Academic Computer Specialists Staff via joint faculty appointments Emphasize teaching strategy before theory Consider non-tech, as well as tech, strategies Joint, faculty-led projects Continual review of change in disciplinary culture

Discipline Specific Support NLII January 29, 2002 Discipline Specific Teaching Support For more information: Sally Jackson, University of Arizona David G. Brown, Wake Forest University