Chatham College Community and Computers Pervasive Computing at a Liberal Arts College Charlotte E. Lott, Ph. D. Lynda Barner West, Ed. D. Copyright Charlotte Lott and Lynda Barner West This work is the intellectual property of the authors. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

Chatham College Overview  Student and Faculty Expectations at Small Liberal Arts College Personal Attention Face to Face contact Community of students, faculty, and staff “Everybody knows your name”

Chatham College  Small women’s liberal arts college  Founded 1869  Non-sectarian  Not traditional candidate for technology enhanced teaching  Small, discussion-oriented classes  Highly-visible, -reachable, and -approachable faculty  Emphasis on writing and research  Individualized education with senior thesis

Chatham College Perceived Conflict  Technology as dehumanizing  Isolation  Separation  Potential barrier  Some faculty are Luddites  Lack of Community

Chatham College Strategic Implications  Impact on graduates marketability  Reputation within higher education  Marketing as technologically innovative  Recruiting both students and parents

Chatham College Questions  What role should technology play? Teaching Learning Community  If we build it, will they come?  How could we inform this decision? Consult other institutions Pilot Projects

Chatham College Goals of Ubiquitous (Pervasive) Computing  Increase access to more resources  Foster greater technological skills in students  Enhance communication and collaboration  Improve student learning

Chatham College Guiding Values Technology must  Improve learning  Enhance community values Personal attention Accessible faculty  Foster intellectual community  Have neutral or positive impact on communication

Chatham College Strategies  Student laptop requirement  Academic discipline focus  Increase institutionally owned equipment  Broad, pervasive focus

Chatham College Consulting With Others  Other institutions Faculty Workshops Discussions Visits Administrators Discussions Visits  Consultants

Chatham College Informed decision  Decision to increase institutionally owned equipment  Strongly encourage student ownership  Increase personnel support and physical infrastructure  Combine Library and IT  Create a senior level administrative position  Identify ways technology could have a real and broad impact

Chatham College Systemic Change  Infrastructure Server Upgrades Network upgrade Hardware additions and upgrades  Support Faculty Staff Students  Reorganization of Information Services

Chatham College Critical Decisions: Infrastructure  Uniform Windows based mail system  Uniform network and hardware environment  Central purchasing authority  Mandatory student training  Students as support staff

Chatham College Critical Decisions: Faculty Development  Train faculty through the faculty  Existing faculty rather than new hires Credibility – commitment to academic mission Understand culture Comfort level – peer to peer  Provide ongoing and just in time training

Chatham College Pilot Projects  Incorporate technology across curriculum Computer Mediated Course Environment (CMCE)  Teach technology related courses Taking students beyond ‘power user’ of canned products

Chatham College Goals of Computer Mediated Course Environment

Chatham College Assessment Results: Student Behavior and Learning  Student course related behavior Students and Faculty: CMCE improved access to course material Students: CMCE improved communication  Student learning Students (50%): CMCE improved learning Understanding material Developing critical thinking skills Improving writing Developing information literacy skills Faculty: CMCE improved learning Developing information literacy skills

Chatham College Assessment Results: Satisfaction  Students 60-70% favorable ratings  All faculty in the pilot project were satisfied with CMCE and planned to use it again.  Increase in use of CMCE from 14 to 100 courses in 2 years

Chatham College New Technology Related Courses  Accessible to non-majors  More students to take more challenging computer related courses  Lessen Gender Gap in Computing Field

Chatham College Commercially Available Computer Course Sequence  Partnership Opportunity  10 course curriculum online line textbook, assignments and exams prompt online grading feature  Name brand certification

Chatham College Chatham Advantage  Taught by full-time faculty and long- standing adjuncts  Taught on campus as part of regular curriculum  Active learning  Guide by the side pedagogy

Chatham College Initial Assessment  Nearing end of first semester Enrollment Participation Efficacy

Chatham College Key Practices - Culture Change: Implementation  Initial Support and Vision from Administration On-going Commitment to upgrades and replacement  Information Services Staff initiated a culture of service to campus Help for Student and Faculty

Chatham College Key Practices - Culture Change: Implementation  Importance of coupling technology acquisition with a teaching learning objective Just building it won‘t bring them in  Enabling faculty leadership Faculty adopted computer mediated course environment Routine use of course shell  Leverage high impact classes Pilot program focused on first-year students Created student expectation that technology would be widely used in classes

Chatham College Why It Works  Technology must improve learning  Technology should enhance community values  Faculty trust other Faculty  Technology as a communication tool

Chatham College What would we do differently?  Go with some of the ideas faculty were excited about even though they were outside the initial decisions  Re-examine the multi-platform issue  Fill instructional technology position  More / different faculty involvement and discussion

Chatham College What Next  New Administrative Computing System  Intranet  Outside Technology Advisory Group  Look for next step-up