International Business School

“The Educational and Business Implications of Ubiquitous Computing”

By David G. BrownVP and DeanIntl Center for ComputerEnhanced LearningWake Forest UniversityDecember 8, 1998Toronto, Canada

• 3600 undergrads, 92% residential

• 1300 SAT + Rhodes Scholars

• 2400 Med, Law, MBA, PhD

• $750M endowment

• North Carolina

• 28th US News Ratings

• 1997 Natl Debate Champions

• ACC Basketball with Tim Duncan

THE WAKE FOREST PLANF96: IBM 365XD, 16RAM, 100Mhz, 810MB, CD-ROM, 14.4 modemF97: IBM 380D, 32 RAM, 130Mhz, 1.35GB, CD-ROM, 33.6 modemF98: IBM 380XD, 64 RAM, 233 Mhz, 4.1GB, CD-ROM, 56 modem

• Thinkpads for all• New Every 2 Years• Own @ Graduation• Wire Everything• Standard Software• Standard Template• IGN for Faculty• Keep Old Computers

• 40+30 New People• 50% Faculty Trained• 75% CEI Users• +15% Tuition• 4 Year Phase In• Pilot Year• Plan for 2000• Now 3 cohorts

Consequences for Wake Forest• +Applications & Acceptances

• +SAT Scores & Class Ranks

• +Retention & Grad Rates

• +Satisfaction & Learning

• +Faculty Recruitment

FIRST YEAR SEMINARThe Economists’ Way of Thinking

A Course Required of All Freshmen

Computers Enhance My Teaching and/or Learning Via--

PresentationsBetter--20%More Opportunities toPractice & Analyze--35%

More Access to SourceMaterials via Internet--43%

More Communication with Faculty Colleagues, Classmates,and Between Faculty and Students--87%

From the times of

Craft Guilds & Small Townswe have “known” that ---

• Most learning is collaborative

• Frequent feedback increases learning

• Loyalty-to-group motivates learning

• More time on task usually means more learning

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

The paradigm shift is the increase in team learning, in collaboration as the standard method for study and work

It is not computers!

Computers are means only.

Lessons Learned

LESSONS LEARNED

• Develop Multiyear Plan, Set $ Limit, Match

• Focus Decisions upon 4 or 5 basic themes

• Focus Plan Upon Communication

• Utilize strict project management

• Expectations need management

LESSONS LEARNED

• Treat Computers as Annual Budget• Buy Well Known Brands• Most sunk costs can be ignored• Standardization pays Big Time• Outsource Internet Access• Be prepared to outsource challenges• Avoid Printers• Send Old Computers with Graduates

LESSONS LEARNED

• PC’s are only 10% of the Challenge (support/networks/policies/train/expose)

• Reliability is critical, especially Help Desk

• Train on Need-to-Know

• Employ Students

• Emphasize the Big Three Uses

• Adjust decisions frequently

GOOD LUCK---THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE ENDLESS.THE RISKS, SUBSTANTIAL.THE REWARD, GREAT!

Positioning for the Future

• What are your institution’s strengths & weaknesses

• How do you determine your place in an electronic world?

• What will be your primary student markets--program areas? Degree credit? Geographic span? Age?

• What are the appropriate delivery technologies next year? 5 years? Etc?

• What is a realistic staffing plan? Outsourcing? Support personnel? Executive leadership?

• What institutional partnerships make sense?

Why Computers?AN ACADEMIC VIEW

• Communication! Communication!

• Level Playing Field

• After College Use

• Faculty/Students Demand Them

• Customization/Personalization

• Digitized Academic Scholarship

Why Computers?A BUSINESS VIEW

• Facilitates easier & quicker entry-exit

• Generates sales metadata

• Snags return customers

• Accesses more markets

• Hastens throughput

• Shrinks middle bureaucracy

Ways to Provide Universal Access

• Desktop Computers• Network Computers• Public station computers• Specified Threshold• Annual Lease• Phase in by classes• Phase in by programs• Hand me down• Loaner Pool

BIG ISSUES

• Laptop vs Desktop vs Network

• Standard vs Threshold

• Single Vendor vs Multiple Vendors

• Buy vs Lease vs Student Buy

• Learning Space vs WebCT Vs ???

• Cold Turkey vs Pilot

BIG ISSUES

• Communication vs Presentation vs Analysis vs Access to Internet

• Virtual Courses vs Hybrids

• Academic vs Administrative

• Consortia vs Going It Alone

• Today’s Students vs Alums Also

• Mandatory vs Optional

In these times, the PRIVATE college niche is CUSTOMIZED and PERSONALIZED education

• By learning style• By teaching style• By geography• By subject• By ability• By disability

• By time when free• By calendar start date

Profile of Winners in 2010THE DIFFERENTIATORS

• Broker with Access to Best “Investment” Vehicles (like insurance & financial advisers)

• Local Chapters of Colleague Learners (like Weight Watchers & local churches)

• Outplacement Visibility and Success (like successful farm teams)

• An Aura That Exudes Self Esteem (Dale Carnegie once again)

The Choice is Yours!The Past?

The Future?

David G. BrownVice President and DeanInternational Center for

Computer Enhanced LearningWake Forest University

Winston-Salem, N.C. 27109336-758-4878

e-mail: brown@wfu.eduhttp//:www.wfu.edu/~brown

fax: 336-758-4875

Presidential Ideas About Learning

• Trust Theory• Infectious Enthusiasm• Rational Civility• Education as Servant of Society• Different Strokes for Different Folks• More Talented Than You Think• Liberal Arts• Education Throughout Life