Building the Case for---Ubiquity

StandardizationLaptops

Brand Name

Thoughts of David G. BrownVP (WFU) and Dean (ICCEL)

November 11, 1999

WHYCOMPUTERS?

WHY COMPUTERS?…the institutional answer

• Communication! • Level Playing Field• After College Use• Faculty/Students Demand Them• Customized/Personalized• Digitized Scholarship

WHY COMPUTERS?…the faculty answer

• Interactive Learning• Learn by Doing• Collaborative Learning• Integration of Theory and Practice• Visualization• Communication• Different Strokes for Different Folks

WHYUBIQUITY?

With Ubiquity---The Culture Changes

• Mentality shifts-- like from public phone to personal phone.

• Teaching Assumptions shift-- like from readings are on reserve to everyone owns a copy of his/her own.

• Timelines shift-- like from “our class meets MWF” to “we see each other all the time and MWF we meet together”

• Students’ sense of access shifts-- like from “I can get that book in the library” to “I have that book in my library.”

• Relationships shift-- like from a family living in many different states to all family members living in the same town

WHYSTANDARDIZATION?

WHY STANDARDIZATION?

• Communication Utility! (George Gilder)• 99% Reliability A Must in Classroom• Buddies Share Hardware & Knowledge• Better, Cheaper Support Systems• Marketing Advantages• Faculty “Trusts” Equality of Access

WHY PORTABILITY?

Distinctive Opportunities Available Only in Laptop Settings

• Faculty are always available• Students expect messages between classes• Student PowerPoint talks are common• Team assignments increase• On site data collection & essay writing• Papers often include visuals, even motion• Study at best location, not limited to dorm• Continuous contact

Distinctive Opportunities Available Only in Laptop Settings

• Students take computers to faculty offices and their study mates.

• Quick exchange when machine is broken• Fewer computer labs are needed• Departmental clubs thrive• Student Portfolios Emerge• Students teach faculty• Access to college continues when abroad and after

graduation

WHY BRANDNAME?

Why Brand Name? (Laptop Plus)

• Here Today. Here Tomorrow!• Brand attracts students (associates w quality)• Brand attracts recruiters (dominant in business)• Maximizes student self confidence• General Contractor (full service)

– Responsible for interfaces (compatible w servers)– Available in every crisis (full service)– Diversity of strategies (e.g. big server, small client)

• Size enables flexibility

Actions Toward Capitalizing on Ubiquity, Standardization, and

Portability• Ask more of students! (new day)• Encourage students to use computers in their

non-course life (as well).• Design activities that start before class and

extend beyond class.• Expect students to bring computers to prof

office, to friend’s dorm room, adjunct prof.• Add Fieldwork

Continued...

• Explore team taught courses, especially between departments and schools

• Facilitate continuing contact with students after course and after college

• Require all students to submit in class answers (so none coasts)

• Structure rewards for collaborative projects• Recognize that old limits of lab availability are gone.

Continued….• Create student portfolios• Other things equal, design projects that may be

completed on the laptops as well as in computer labs

• Put students and faculty on same software systems, especially email

• Study the competition • Use students to train faculty.

Continued…• Expect slower students to repeat in class demos, etc.• Revitalize departmental clubs• Consider offsite studio labs (in the garden)• Get more students studying abroad• Recognize the laptop as a portable presentation tool (both

faculty & students)• Use anytime, anywhere access by students--including in

class (updated info)• Don’t use laptops where they don’t make sense