1. The Use of Technology in Education
Dr. H.E. (Buster) Dunsmore
Purdue University
Department of Computer Science
PowerPoint slides created by Paula Perkins
© 2005, Purdue University

2. 40th Anniversary
Recently, Purdue’s Department of Computer Science celebrated its 40th Anniversary

3. Purdue Computer Science began in 1962
No computer on campus
Programs were punched into cards and driven to Indianapolis
End of each day - programs came back to campus on green bar paper

4. Purdue’s First Computer
Fall 1963, Purdue University
got its first computer on campus
Enormous – size of this room
Vacuum Tubes
Transistors
Air Conditioning

5. How Much has Technology Changed in 40 Years?
Computers are now 1000 times faster
Computers now store 1000 times more information

6. Forty years….
Forty years ago they could not have imagined today’s handheld computers
What will next forty years bring?
Cannot even imagine…

7. What is Technology? Technology is Objects:
Tools, machines, instruments, weapons, appliances - the physical devices of technical performance
Technology is Knowledge:
The know-how behind technological innovation
Technology is Activities:
What people do - their skills, methods, procedures, routines
Technology is a Process:
Begins with a need and ends with a solution
Technology is a Sociotechnical System:
The manufacture and use of objects involving people and other objects in combination

8. Should We Use Technology in Education?
Plan should clearly identify learning goals to be achieved through technology
Technology should support instructional learning goals -- integrated into instruction in meaningful ways
Technology should be used for challenging, long-term projects that promote students' higher-order thinking skills

9. Technology In the Classroom

10. Re-inventing the Blackboard
Blackboard was technological breakthrough
Greenboard
Whiteboard
Slides
Transparencies
Sound recordings
Video
Computer
Specialized software
Internet connection

11. Reality Check… Not all classrooms have needed equipment
Some faculty fearful of using such technology

12. How can we make things better?
Make Technology:
Pervasive
Natural to use
Wireless
Effortless
Easy to use a little or a lot
Provide standard desktop for instructors
Make it easy to combine methodologies
Blackboard, transparencies, video..
Provide technical staff
“Security blanket”

13. Ideal Situation Multiple computers Multiple screens
Fast and reliable Internet connections
Technical Staff & Software
Create slides
Create demonstrations
Create animations

14. Obtaining, Organizing, and Using New Technology
Classrooms, labs
Wireless networks
Technology vendors
Partnerships with the private sector

15. Student Technology Laptops PDA’s Wireless system connections
Digitized video
Cell Phones
Text Messaging

16. Technology Outside the Classroom

17. Technology Outside the Classroom
Concept is relatively new idea
Forerunners:
Library
Telephone
Collections of reserved materials
Tutors
Help desks

18. Current & Future Technology
Current Technology
Class Website
Description
Syllabus
Reading Material
In-class presentation material
Assignments
Video
Grades
FAQ’s
Future Technology
Digitized lecture video
Video Conferencing for “office hours”
Beyond imagination

19. Technical Staff & Software
Make the use of technology outside the classroom easier
Create and administer:
Websites
Video
Grades
FAQ’s
Electronic bulletin boards
Chat rooms

20. Online Student Service Websites
Register for classes
Pay tuition
Research term papers
Take Internet classes
Check grades
friends
Build own website
Much much more…

21. Distance Education

22. New Concepts…
“Distance Education”
“Distance Learning”
“E-Learning”

23. Trends in Distance Education
More people interested in:
Supplementing education
Getting degree
Non-credit education
Industry and Military interested in cost-effective ways to train
Becoming more expensive to provide traditional classrooms and labs
Technology available in homes, libraries, community centers becoming very sophisticated
Trends would all seem to converge with Distance Education – people taking classes without going to class

24. Overcoming Problems Problems: Making it possible thru:
Delivering information
Controlling progress through class
Conducting labs
Helping students with projects & papers
Testing
Making it possible thru:
Internet
Web
DSL/Cable access
Desktops, laptops, PDA’s

25. Value added by Instructor
Providing websites, slides, demos, animations is not enough
Most critical component - Instructor
No technology will replace human interaction
Instructors can “read” students in classroom
Instructors can provide further explanation
Instructors can guide discussion in a different direction

26. How can we make progress?
Deliver instructor via digitized video (but live is best)
Synchronous – Provide interaction via communication devices
Asynchronous – Archived video, video FAQ’s, occasional access to Instructor

27. Administration Problems
Situation
100 students taking class…
All beginning on different day…
working at different rates of speed…
ending on different day…
Suicide!

28. Making it Work Multiple entry and exit points (course modules)
Technology in the classroom will adapt easily to Distance Learning
Websites, digitized video, FAQ’s etc. viewable anywhere ... not just in classroom
Need technical staff help
Use common format/structure for web-delivered courses

29. Student Technology on Campus
What students have:
Laptops
PDA’s
Cell Phones
Much more advanced technology
They want to be able to link into system to get this information
What campuses need to provide:
Common areas with wireless hook-ups
Upload/download
Check calendars
Virtual Library
Internet

30. Blurring of Administrative and Instructional Support
History – separate computers in separate buildings
Because of networks and remote access, no longer reason to keep separate
Barriers to integration:
Inertia
Security concerns
Some degree of different functionality (administrative still has some large data processing applications)

31. BREAK
BREAK (15 MIN)

32. Technology Problem Solving (30 min)
Prof. Dunsmore will present several Technology scenarios.
Participants will suggest concerns, problems, difficult issues, easy-to-solve issues, and potential solutions.

33. Technology Problem Solving
University is planning a new building for Horticulture - to be used in part for faculty offices, student study areas, and classrooms.
University has no computer network backbone - just a single Internet connection in the administration building.
What technology should be included in the new building?
How can it be supported?
How can it be used?

34. Technology Problem Solving
Technology may not always be appropriate in every educational setting.
What limits should be placed on its use?

35. Technology Problem Solving
What partnerships with the private sector could best help develop education technology?
What about hardware and software companies?
What about other "high tech" companies?
What about more traditional "low tech" companies?

36. Technology Problem Solving
How can administrators get the most out of education technology?
How can faculty get the most out of education technology?
How can students get the most out of education technology?