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Dramatic and constant changes in technology—from nanotechnology
to quantum computing to using crystals and holograms to store information—are
creating "a great frontier for higher education," according to Diana
G. Oblinger, Senior Fellow with EDUCAUSE Center, University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Those changes are also posing challenges for
private colleges and universities in information technology (IT), Oblinger
said during her plenary presentation at the Presidents Institute. And
greater changes and challenges lie ahead. "In this so-called 'information
age,' today's youth think and operate differently from adults—to
them, computers aren't technology, the Internet is better than TV, reality
is no longer real, doing is more important than knowing, Nintendo is
preferred over logic, multi-tasking is a way of life, and staying connected
is essential," she noted. Because this new generation is making its
way to college campuses, institutions must be ready, Oblinger cautioned.
She presented a framework for institutional
leaders to think about when tackling IT challenges—among
the most pressing being funding, faculty development, distance education,
e-learning environment, IT staffing and human resources, IT strategic
planning, and online student services.
Oblinger's framework to solve these IT problems
includes five overarching areas—vision,
services, infrastructure, organization, and process—each
of which include questions and action items which must be addressed.
She encouraged higher education leaders who are struggling with these
and other IT challenges to use the framework to determine which areas
need attention on their campus.
Vision
"Vision is the first thing that needs to happen" for a college president
to begin dealing with these challenges, Oblinger said. Campus leaders
must decide what they want to achieve (i.e., improve access to education,
increase capacity for more students, transform the teaching and learning
process) and then set goals (i.e., academic excellence—using IT
to provide high quality learning, leading-edge research, and efficient
administrative services). Next, they must gather support for their vision.
"If an idea is in your head but no one else shares the same vision,
it won't happen—you
need buy-in," Oblinger observed.
Services
"Deciding which IT services will be offered and how they will be delivered
is a huge undertaking," she said. Among the service delivery issues
are student services, advising, career services, library services, IT
support, instructional design, strategic alliances, and quality assurance.
For example, decisions must be made as to which services (i.e., admissions,
registration, course selection) are available online, whether there
are clear "owners" for different services, and whether to partner with
other institutions or companies to provide services.
Infrastructure
"This, too, is a massive category," said Oblinger. "It's not just about
having the technology and the IT staff—you
must also develop a financial and policy infrastructure," she said.
"Campus leaders must secure sufficient funding to support IT without
undercutting traditional programs, determine how much help-desk support
to provide, and decide whether to have a refresh plan for hardware and
software." In addition, she said they must address policy issues, such
as setting standard criteria for security and privacy, determining whether
faculty workload needs to be redefined in an IT-intensive environment,
and setting policies for copyright/licensing.
Organization
"This is a tricky issue because determining where IT fits in the organizational
chart tends to mess up the boundaries between organizational and governmental
structures," Oblinger said. For example, decisions must be made as to
whether the IT department should be centralized with all the staff in
one shop or decentralized and spread throughout the campus. And other
questions must be addressed: "Should the Chief Information Officer be
a cabinet-level position? What will the CIO's role be—strategist,
bridge builder, implementer, communicator, or change agent?"
Process
This phase includes ensuring that all groups are involved, allowing
sufficient time for discussion and debate, identifying champions, communicating
consistently, reinforcing key messages, and involving the entire management
team. During the process phase, Oblinger stressed that campus leaders
"need to include the right set of participants—get
their 'buy-in'—communicate
what's happening constantly, move the process along quickly, and be
responsive to questions or problems that arise."
"The real key is the people side of the equation,"
Oblinger concluded, "In the end, dealing with IT challenges and change
is not about information technology—it's
about people."
One
President's Perspective on Technology
William R. Haden, President, West Virginia Wesleyan College
When
West Virginia Wesleyan College President William R. Haden began
his crusade to introduce technology into the classrooms, his
first step was to seek support for his plan among campus leaders.
During a Presidents Institute session,
Haden explained how he ensured that all the pieces of the technological
and organizational puzzles came together-finding the dollars,
building the physical infrastructure, keeping pace with competitive
developments (e.g., universal access, online admissions applications),
maintaining a technical staff, and helping faculty members develop
necessary skills.
First, he sought "buy-in" from his senior
advisors-ensuring that they agreed with the goal of providing
universal access and standardized computers to all students
and faculty members. Together they developed a comprehensive,
strategic technology plan. Next, they set a series of benchmarks
to ensure they moved forward and met the goals bit by bit. Finally,
they formed a consortium with other institutions to share administrative
computing, reduce costs, and have access to the best possible
system.
"With a comprehensive approach, we've
been able to stay the course and not be caught by fads or financial
difficulties," Haden said. "Comprehensiveness, coherence, and
long-term investments are key, and having good people around
is still the best answer."
West Virginia Wesleyan College provides
every student and faculty member with a laptop computer that
is replaced every three years, charges a $700 fee (not included
in tuition) to cover costs, and requires that all students and
faculty members use the technology provided. "We made a pragmatic
and morally correct decision that if our students were to be
prepared for the 21st century, they must be comfortable with
technology," Haden said.
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The
Technology-Enabled Classroom
S. Faruq Ahmed, Principal, and P. Richard Rittelmann, Executive
Vice President
Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann Associates
The
integration of technology into pedagogy requires that the planning
for "technology-enabled classrooms" be done with careful understanding,
said Rittelmann and Ahmed during a Presidents Institute concurrent
session.
The panelists, as principals in an architecture,
engineering, interior design, and research firm, have been involved
in several projects upgrading science buildings, including Hiram
College's (OH) Gerstacker Science Hall. Their specialty is creating
technology-enabled classrooms, teaching laboratories, and study
spaces. The Hiram Science Hall, for example, features rooms that
can be used for small group, large group, and individual teaching;
configurable space that is easy to change and can be used for
a variety of activities; and technology such as Internet connectivity,
multimedia capabilities, and video conferencing/distance education.
"Classrooms should no longer be designed
as one-size-fits-all," the panelists said. "Flexibility and utilization
have only recently been adequately defined in terms of the new
technology. Classrooms—particularly in small colleges, which
strive to create enriched courses—need
to provide flexibility in teaching methods so that various technology
systems can be used and the room reconfigured as required." Rittelmann
and Ahmed cautioned that these flexible classrooms present major
challenges for equipment and campus maintenance groups. The near-term
cost of the facilities will increase, equipment and software will
be a major expense, and all the technology equipment must be integrated
within the architecture, they said. However, "technology-enabled
classrooms have a significant positive effect on student achievement
because, among other things, they encourage cooperative learning
and stimulate increased teacher and student interaction," Ahmed
said.
In addition, using technology in instruction
means that "learning materials can be provided to match learning
styles, self-paced learning allows students to be their best,
and class information extends beyond time and space—learning
is not confined to the classroom," Rittelmann added.
The panelists predicted that technology,
including personalized user services, will become ever more prevalent
in higher education, and the requirements for student education
will vary greatly, requiring increasingly individualized attention
in terms of technology and the learning environment.
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Independent
The Council of Independent Colleges
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tel: (202) 466-7230 • Fax: (202) 466-7238 • e-mail: cic@cic.nche.edu
• www.cic.edu
Last updated: May 30, 2001
Copyright © 2001 The Council of Independent Colleges
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