Redesigning Courses and Curricula in the Information Age Keynote Address at the 1999 Distributed Learning Workshop,Concordia University, River Forest, Illinois July 12, 1999

1
Redesigning Courses and Curricula in the
Information AgeKeynote Address at the 1999
Distributed Learning Workshop,Concordia
University, River Forest, IllinoisJuly 12, 1999

• By David G. Brown
• WFU VP and ICCEL Dean
• May 18, 1999

2
I think were here because...
Our profession has new gardening tools. We want
to learn which ones will be useful in stimulating
growth in our own gardens.
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
3
Beliefs of 91/93 Vignette AuthorsPedagogy and
Philosophy
From Interactive Learning Forthcoming July,
1999 From Anker Publishing David G. Brown, Editor

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

ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
4
Steps toward Redesign

• Recognize that you are redesigning a course, not
  learning technology for its own sake.
• Identify beliefs and objectives.
• Learn about the tools and techniques available.
• Match activities and settings.
• Implement!

What Tools are available?
What do you want to do?
Redesign Your Course!
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
5
What Works For You?

• Types of assignments and/or lectures that seem to
  be most effective? Want to give your student
  more of what?
• Your philosophy of teaching?
• Idea behind your course?
• Metaphors for your role? Diagram?

Email Now your answer to brown_at_wfu.edu
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
6
FIRST YEAR SEMINARThe Economists Way of
Thinking

• A Course Required of All Freshmen
• Wake Forest University

ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
7
COURSE OBJECTIVES

• To understand a liberal arts education as an
  opportunity to study with professors who think by
  their own set of concepts
• To learn how to apply economic concepts
• To learn how to work collaboratively
• To learn computer skills
• To improve writing and speaking skills

ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
8
Learning is enhanced by--

• Collaboration among Learners
• Frequent student/faculty dialogue
• Prompt Feedback
• Application of Theory
• Student Self Initiatives
• Trustful relations
• Personal Individual Teaching

ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
9
Browns First Year Seminar

• Before Class
• Students Find URLs Identify Criteria
• Interactive exercises
• Lecture Notes
• E-mail dialogue
• Cybershows
• During Class
• One Minute Quiz
• Computer Tip Talk
• Class Polls
• Team Projects

• After Class
• Edit Drafts by Team
• Guest Editors
• Hyperlinks Pictures
• Access Previous Papers
• Other
• Daily Announcements
• Team Web Page
• Personal Web Pages
• Exams include Computer
• Materials Forever

ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
10
(No Transcript)
11
Computers Enhance My Teaching and/or Learning
Via--
Presentations Better--20
More Opportunities to Practice Analyze--35
More Access to Source Materials via Internet--43
More Communication with Faculty Colleagues,
Classmates, and Between Faculty and Students--87
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
12
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
13
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

ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
14
Typology of Tools Techniques

• Web Pages for Course Materials
• Email Group and Individual
• Asynchronous Discussion Groups
• Hyperlinks to Related Materials
• Simulations
• Team Projects
• Self Paced Exercises
• Citations to the Web (URLs)
• Multimedia Presentations

• Lecture Notes on Line
• Computer Skill Exercises
• Course Shell
• Electronic Gradebook
• Dynamic Syllabus

From Interactive Learning, Anker Publishing, 1999
(forthcoming)
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
15
The Big Three Tools for Collaborative Learning
1. E-mail 2. Web Pages (for each course) 3.
Internet URLs
16
(No Transcript)
17
When Teaching Proceeds on the Assumption That All
Students Have Reasonable Daily Access to the
Internet

• Contact becomes Continuous.
• Students expect messages between classes
• Team assignments increase
• Papers Talks often include visuals
• Departmental clubs thrive
• Student Portfolios Emerge
• Students teach faculty
• Access to college continues after graduation

ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
18
Lessons Learned

• Computer knowledge is a boon to student
  recruitment, retention, self-confidence.
• Computer knowledge is highly valued by students
  prospective employers
• Computer availability throughout the student body
  attracts new faculty
• Computer challenged students learn basic skills
  quickly, without special classes
• Disciplines use computers differently

ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
19
Lessons Learned

• Greatest benefits are what happens between
  classes, not during classes.
• Greatest gains from computing come from the big
  three.
• Standardization speeds faculty adoption and eases
  the pressure upon support staff.
• Standardization saves class time.
• Student groups are larger and more active.
• Faculty migrate to the student standard very
  quickly

ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 1999
20
David G. BrownWake Forest UniversityWinston-Sale
m, N.C. 27109336-758-4878email
brown_at_wfu.eduhttp//www.wfu.edu/brownfax
336-758-4875