Anticipating the Future in Universities and Colleges

By David G. BrownVice President and DeanWake Forest University

Winston-Salem, N.C., U.S.A.

EDUCAUSE AustralasiaSurfers’ Paradise, AustraliaMay 21, 2001

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Outline• Your Observations about the Future• Current Practice as Harbinger

– Wake Forest University– My Own Course– USA’s Most Wired Campuses– The .com Sector

• The University of 2020 (Best Guess) – New Student Mentality– New Faculty Role– New Course Format– New Campus

• Actions for Today

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Please leave a message forme on your yellow card!

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Computers have been around for a while!What have we already observed about their impact upon how we live that is likely to shape the university of the future?

• At universities?

• In the business-commerce domain?

• About the “thinking patterns” of the new generation of students?

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3700 Undergraduate Students. North Carolina, USA500 students each in Medicine, Business, Law, Divinity, andDoctoral Sciences. Ranked 28/3000. Rhodes Scholars

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• IBM Laptops for all• Printers for all• New Every 2 Years• Own @ Graduation• 31.000 Connections• Standard Software• 99% E-Mail• Start 1995, 4 Year Phase In

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THE WAKE FOREST PLANIBM A21m, Pentium III, 800 Mhz, 20GB, 14.1”ActMatrix, 192mbRAM, Re-writable CD

56k modem, 8MB Video Ram, 10/100 Ethernet, Floppy, Lithium-ion Battery12mbps USB & Serial & Parallel & Infrared Ports, 6.7 lbs.

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Ways of Thinking AboutPresidential Campaigns and DebatesA First Year Seminar IntroducingStudents to the Liberal Arts

15 FreshmenMeet twice per weekAll with open laptops

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Brown’s 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– Chat During Lecture

• 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

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Computers Enhance My Teaching and/or Learning Via--

PresentationsBetter--20%More Opportunities toPractice & Analyze--35%

More Access to SourceMaterials via Internet--43%

More Communication with Faculty Colleagues, Classmates,and Between Faculty and Students--87%

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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

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93 Courses36 Universities143 Professors26 Disciplines

http://www.ankerpub.com/

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Beliefs of 91/93 Vignette AuthorsPedagogy and Philosophy

• Interactive Learning

• Learn by Doing

• Collaborative Learning

• Integration of Theory and Practice

• Communication

• Visualization

• Different Strokes for Different Folks

From Interactive Learning January, 2000From Anker PublishingDavid G. Brown, Editor

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A Few Lessons Learned

• Not during class

• Not faculty presentations in PowerPoint

• Not (yet) wireless

• Not wiring to every classroom seat

• Not all virtual courses

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The New Business Model

• Provide Interactivity• Use Metadata to Customize & Individualize• Outsource• Partner. Integrate vertically. Seek Correspondent

Relationships.• Sell “high prestige, high recognition” branded

services.• Become an entry portal & establish lifelong

connectives.

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New “Student” Mentality

• Learn by Trial and Error (Nintendo)

• Expect Immediate Feedback

• Accept Multi-Tasking & Channel Changing

• Use Keyboard More Than Pen & Pencil

• Keep In Touch Everywhere with Everybody

• Demand High Quality Multi-Media

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New Faculty Roles

• Provide Interactive & Group Learning Experiences

• Guide & Sequence Individual Learning Strategies

• Rate and Certify Learning Resources

• Expect Second Opinions & Open Classrooms

• Manage Corps of Adjuncts & Course Assistants

• Teach Collaboratively

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New Course Formats

• File-Cabinet-in-the-Sky for every course

• Flexible Classrooms and Seat Time

• Hybrid Pedagogy (The 80-20 Rule)

• Course Components Sold & Bought

• Trans-Disciplinary

• Different Strokes for Different Folks

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The New Campus

• Student-Centric Degrees & Data Systems

• Brokering & Packaging Course Components

• Lifelong Programming

• Trustful Learning Groups

• Bricks and Mortar Stay

• Consortia & International Alliances

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• Interactive. Collaborative

• Hybrid, Customized

• Student-Centric

• Fragmentation & Recombination

• Branded

Universities in 2020

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ACT NOW (SPECIFIC)

-Assume (faculty motion) that all students have

Internet

-Create Student Expectation of Lifetime Internet

Access

-Standardize technology to the extent possible

-Support a “Preferred” Laptop, CMS, &

Presentation

-Assure Robust Communication Networks

-Aim for 95% of Faculty Use of CEL, Voluntarily

-Budget for Electronic Databases; Create & Sell

Others

-Think Lego (small multi-purpose units)

-Build Hybrid Courses

-Create Student Portfolios

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ACT NOW (VISION)

-Maintain Aura of Impartiality & Rationality

-Build “Communities of Learners”

-Build Brand Identity

-Form Consortia and International Alliances

-Expand and Enrich Co-Curricular Programs

-Nurture A Few Areas For Worldwide Prominence

-Rejoice in the Flexibility & Survivability of Universities

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David G. BrownWake Forest University

Winston-Salem, N.C. 27109336-758-4878

email: brown@wfu.eduhttp//:www.wfu.edu/~brown

fax: 336-758-4875

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