1. The Internet and Higher Education: Silicon & Fiber Replacing Bricks & Mortar
Prof. Burks Oakley II
Assoc. Vice President for Academic Affairs
University of Illinois
May 20, 1997 1

2. Challenges to Learning
Students in introductory courses need rapid feedback, while they are working on a particular subject.
Students need to have access to TA’s and faculty when they are studying – not the next day.
Teamwork is important, but it is often difficult for team members to meet outside of class. 2 2

3. Challenges to Learning
We recognize the importance of active learning, but it is not easy for faculty to incorporate active learning exercises into their courses.
Students need sense of community.
Retention in many courses is too low, and needs to be increased. 3 3

4. Challenges to Learning
Place-bound adults need access to university courses to keep their job skills current or to advance their careers (life-long learning, continuous learning).
What can we do to limit costs and to increase faculty productivity? 3 4

5. How to Address these Challenges?
We believe that networked computers and appropriate software can provide the answer to this question
We call this approach “Asynchronous Learning Networks” (ALN)
See: 4 5

6. Sloan Center at UIUC
We have received financial support from the Sloan Foundation and from Chancellor Aiken & Provost Faulkner to implement the Sloan Center for Asynchronous Learning Environments (SCALE).
We now are integrating Asynchronous Learning Networks (ALN) into courses in many different curricula.

7. SCALE – Revised Courses
During the Spring 1997 semester, we supported over 90 undergraduate courses in 8 different colleges.
Most of our efforts are aimed at “on-campus” learners, but we are starting to develop on-line courses that can be taken by “off-campus” students.

8. What is an ALN course? Access to networked learning materials
Interactive course materials
Simulations and multimedia
Homework and quizzes
Access to people via the Internet
Subject matter experts (faculty, TA)
Other students (peer-peer interactions) 7 6

9. What software is used in an ALN course?
World-Wide Web browsers
Mosaic, Netscape, Internet Explorer
Asynchronous conferencing
FirstClass, Lotus Notes
WebCrossing, Allaire Forums
Proprietary courseware & software
Including Word, Excel, PowerPoint 8 7

10. What is needed to get started with ALN?
Motivation
Time – to learn, to develop materials
Institutional support structure
Access to hardware and software
Quality training
Administrative recognition 9 8

11. Preliminary ALN Results
Increased retention – fewer drops
Improved test performance
Very positive student evaluations.
More efficient use of faculty time – increased “transaction density”
Need for quality training and support for both faculty and students 10 9

12. Improved Retention
Average of previous 7 semesters in ECE 270 – 12.8% drop rate (ranging from 9.4% to 19.0%).
Spring 1995 semester – we observed a 6.6% drop rate.
See: IEEE Transactions on Education, 39: (1996). 11 10

13. Impact on Course Grades
ECE 270 – Fall 1994 – 2 “traditional” sections, 3 “computer-based” sections:
Course
Grade
Computer-
Based
Traditional A B C D E
17.4%
31.8%
35.6%
6.8%
8.3%
38.1%
26.0%
21.5%
6.6%
7.7% 12 11

14. Evaluation of ALN courses at UIUC - Fall ‘96
Data collected from students
1033 post-course surveys (23 courses)
14 student group interviews
Data collected from faculty
17 post-course interviews
37 post-course surveys
Two courses’ use of conferencing monitored 13 12

15. Ease of Participation 93% of students found conferencing easy to do.
86% of students reported few problems in using the web.
90% of students reported that computer access was only a minor problem.
“It’s just a matter knowing where and when to get a computer”

16. ALN Promotes Greater Communication
64% of students reported increased communication with their instructors.
43% of students reported increased communication with other students.
57% of students reported an increase in the quality of the interactions with their instructors. 14 13

17. ALN Promotes Greater Communication
92% of faculty reported increased interactions with students.
88% of faculty reported increased quality of interactions with students.
All TA’s interviewed reported improved communication with students. 15 14

18. ALN Promotes Greater Communication
Student: “I learned much more than I ever had due to the high interaction between student-student and student-teacher.”
Faculty: “I believe the quality of my interactions with students was the highest I have ever experienced.” 16 15

19. ALN Increases Access to Information “Information when you want it”
“personal control of information”
“study material was easy to access”
“Web was great supplement to lectures”
“I could pay more attention in class and worry less about taking notes” 17 16

20. ALN Enhances the Learning Environment
80% of students rated their overall experience good, very good, or excellent.
ALN enables students to “be more prepared for class,” gives them “a lot of time to learn out of class,” and allows them “to work at own pace”. 18 17

21. Students Like: “asking questions that couldn’t be answered in class”
“better understanding of different points of view”
“the ease in getting in touch with the professor”
“talking more to my peers” 19 18

22. Implications for the Future
Students and faculty will need increased access to networked computers both on- and off-campus.
Faculty will need assistance in using new learning technologies and in developing new networked courses.
There will be an on-going need for quality training and support. 20 19

23. Implications for the Future
We will see more inter-institutional cooperation in course development and implementation.
These ALN technologies will break down barriers and lead to a new type of distance education.
These technologies also will be used by off-campus individuals in life-long learning. 21 20

24. The Internet and Higher Education
Prof. Burks Oakley II
University of Illinois
phone:
web: 22 28