Speech to National Collegiate Honors Council 1994

Enhancing Honors Learning with Computers

Robinson's Rule

The implementation of new technology must fundamentally alter the flow chart of an activity or the technology is not being used to its best advantage.

Good Education

• Quality Content/Structure
• Interaction between student and instructor
• Interaction among learners
• Frequent and Relevent Feedback

Computer Teachers

• Adaptable to Each Student
• Infinite Patience/Max Feedback
• Visualizations/Simulations are Basic Components
• Easily Interdisciplinary
• Not very philosophical, nor receptive to personal concerns

Future Education

• Teacher as Mentor/Coach
• No Discipline Boundaries
• No Talking Heads (Or Few)
• Multimedia: Video, Data, Voice
  • There is only data
• No "Courses" (?)

Today's Capability

• Electronic Communication: Voice, Video and Data
• Electronic Enhancement of Audio/Visual Technology
• Electronic Access to Data and Libraries

Communication

• Electronic Mail
• Local: Document Exchange and Notes
• Internet: Notes
• News, Listservs, IRC, et al
• World Wide Web, CWIS's
• User Friendly, Not Weenie Friendly!

Audio/Visual Today

• Presentation Software
• Compel, Powerpoint, Persuasion, Action
• Overheads Come to Life
• Add Video, Audio
• Capture from TV, Radio, etc.
• But Be Legal, Please
• Students Can Do This Too
• Video Conferencing Too

Adventures in Data Analysis

• Combined Computers and Statistics Course
• Use Internet resources, PC or Mac based applications
• "Write" their paper using presentation software
• Guest Speakers (Could be Remote)

SDSU Course

• 18 Hours of Video Tape Sold in Bookstore
• Network Connections for E-Mail and Discussion Groups
• International Practioners Participate in the Discussions
• Regular Textbook Too

Student Response

• They Love It
• They Report Feeling There is More Contact with Faculty Than Normal Classes
• They Continue to Use the Techniques They Learned
• Remember
• You Must Start With Education Objectives and Determine How Technology Can Help You Achieve Them -- Not Start With Technology and Decide What You Can Teach With It

Things To Do

• Need an Honors Only Computer Lab
• All Students and Faculty Must Have E-Mail, Can Start Own Listserv/News Groups
• Look For Ways to Combine Efforts Among Faculty

Things To Do

• Need to Develop Faculty and Student Gurus Who Can Help
• Need to Identify Campus Resources That Can Help (Weenies, Artists, etc)
• Need to Convince Students and Faculty that You're Serious!

Things To Do

• Work Toward Interactive Computer-Based Instruction of Basic Tasks
• Think about Ways to Provide Your Students with Modems to Dial in From Home (?)

Future

• Do we Require our Students to Own PCs (or Macs or Whatever?)
• Where Do We Draw the Line Between What a Computer Does Best and What a Professor Does Best?

The End

The Trick is to Get Your Faculty to Dream About What They Would Like to Do, Today and Tomorrow, and Odds Are They Can Already Do It If They Have the Will......