Faculty Mobile Computing at Rensselaer

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Faculty Mobile Computing at Rensselaer

• Sharon Roy
• Director, Academic Computing Services

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Student Laptop Requirement

• 3-year voluntary pilot program
• 1998 highly recommended
• 1999 required of all freshmen
• 2000 second year of requirement
• 2001 first refresh
• 2002 full deployment

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Student Mobile Computing

• Laptops required for freshmen and sophomores
• IBM ThinkPad T20
• Configuration and training sessions
• Skills assessment and short courses

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Software Included
Windows 98Microsoft Office Pro 2000Visual
CMaple 6 (symbolic algebra program)SolidWorks
(a CAD package)MapInfo ProNational Instruments
LabViewInternet Explorer/Netscape
CommunicatorNorton Anti-virus software
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How do students use their laptops?

• Courses
• Research
• Communication
• Collaboration
• Recreation
• Portability makes it all easier.

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First-year courses using laptops

• Math
• Physics http//www.rpi.edu/wagnerdj
• Introduction to Engineering Analysis
  http//links.math.rpi.edu/devmodules/bicycle
• Engineering Graphics and CAD
• Computer Science
• Chemistry and Chemistry of Materials
• Humanities and Social Sciences
• Architecture

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From Pilot to Requirement

• 1995-1998 designated sections
• Math I and II
• Physics I and II
• Introduction to Engineering Analysis
• Students and faculty volunteered for the program

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Fall 1999 Challenges

• All large-enrollment freshman courses
• Courses with some sophomores and juniors
• Faculty preparation
• Short time from decision to delivery

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Fall 2000 Challenges

• Adapting sophomore courses
• Reaching skeptical faculty
• Growing software needs

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Faculty Mobile Computing

• Putting laptops in the hands of faculty
• Sponsored by Provosts Office
• Matching funds from department or school
• Priority to those teaching or preparing to teach
  laptop courses

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Faculty Workshop
Faculty sharing ideas (and doubts!)
Learning from early adopters
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Why laptops?

• Report from Laptop Implementation Team
• Keynote from David Brown
• Examples from the pilot program

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Learning from peers

• Early adopters not always good role models
• Departmental peer use important source of
  knowledge
• Later adopters need more support
• Technology as a time sink
• Ease of use, templates, adaptability

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Adopting Innovation

• Innovation adoption theory and research
• Knutel studied technology adoption as a process
  (1998 dissertation at U.Mich.)
• Awareness
• Cognitive evaluation (conceptionalization,
  evaluation, information seeking, attitutude
  formation)
• Persuasion and Decision
• Implementation
• Confirmation

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Rensselaer Advantages

• Computer Calculus
• Computing Across the Curriculum
• Engineering Graphics and CAD
• Wide and deep adoption of technology since 1990

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Reports from the Classroom

• Old and Evolving Paradigms in Math,H. McLaughlin
• Studio Classes in Architecture, M.Mistur
• Studios and Laptops in Physics, P. Casabella
• Laptops and Studio IEA, J. Brunski

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The McLaughlin Questions

1. How have instructors changed or improved their
   course goals by involving laptops in instruction?
2. How have instructors assessed the value of using
   laptops in their courses?
3. How have instructors increased their efficiency?
4. What do the students think?
5. What time is given up to the use of laptops?
6. What have other schools done?
7. What can we learn from outside sources?

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Breakout Groups

• Chem-Materials
• IEA
• IT
• Comp Sci
• Math

• EMAC
• HSS
• Management
• Physics
• Architecture

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Goal Formulate Fall Plans

• Class visits
• Demos by IDEA consultants
• Consult with ACS staff Software selectionWebCT
• Discussion among departmental colleagues
• Report to group on Day 2

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Follow-up Activities

• Departmental initiatives
• Faculty release time and summer salaries
• Hands-on training for new laptop users

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Ongoing Support

• WebCT templates
• Workshops
• User group
• Seminar series

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WebCT support with first steps

• Give easy access to syllabus and assignments
• Provide access to scholarly resources.
• on-line reserves and other library resources
• access to data on students time
• Promote self directed learning.
• Enable students to be involved (engaged) with the
  course content.
• Create opportunities for students to be knowledge
  builders.

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Advantages of the Web

• Communication
• 24 hour Access to Resources
• Exploring - knowledge seeking
• Critical thinking - evaluation
• Build resources - knowledge building
• Collaborative learning
• Enable the instructor to shift roles from sage
  to mentor/tutor

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Advanced Features

• Progress Tracking
• Student Management
• Timed, On-Line, Automatically Graded Quizzes
• Access Control

• Course Backup and Transfer
• Course Welcome Page
• Tip of the Day
• Page Design Tools

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Evaluation

• Faculty survey
• Student survey
• Return to the McLaughlin Questions
• More needed, but we need to make sure we are
  asking the right questions

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More Information

• About our support of WebCT www.rpi.edu/dept/acs/
  workshops/
• About Mobile Computing at Rensselaerwww.rpi.edu/
  dept/acs/siguccs/mobilecomputing.pptwww.rpi.edu/
  dept/cis/web/laptops/

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Questions?