Ever-increasing use of computers on university and college
campuses demonstrates the need for educational opportunities for faculty
interested in integrating technology into the curriculum. Society is
making demands as never before, because technology has changed not only
work and the knowledge required to perform work but also national and
international economics, demographics, and the structures of society.
Faculty have acquired an obligation to understand technology and to
convey that knowledge to their students, whether in the classroom or in
Web-enhanced courses. Going along with the faculty commitment,
universities and colleges have a duty to ensure that users and
specialists alike have all the necessary assistance as they undertake to
gain skills with the technologies they will use every day. As the
electronic learning systems become more prevalent, specific support
enterprises will have to undertake key activities to ensure high-quality
faculty development opportunities.
How do faculty acquire the skills necessary to develop
technologically-enhanced instruction? Some faculty have the intellectual
ability and creativity to acquire and develop these skills
independently. Many faculty do not. While some faculty readily adapt to
using instructional technology in their classrooms, many others are
either unable or unwilling to embrace new technologies. This reluctance
may be due to a fear of the technology, lack of ideas about where and
how to use the technology, or very often, lack of access to the
technology.
Another large question is: when there is a need to create
learning materials that stimulate student interest and measure student
achievement, how do faculty present a quality curriculum that integrates
technology? Because of the way in which technology is permeating our
lives, it probably is safe to say that people will embrace a technology
that is accessible, functional, and useable. An environment that
encourages the use of technology will include opportunities to learn
about technology, to explore educational implications, to discuss design
issues, to obtain mentoring, to make the technology fit into the faculty
work environment, and so on.
Web-enhanced courses, for example, can provide educational
experiences that learners might not otherwise have: access to many more
resources including simulated diagnostics and situation training along
with other interactive activities. Rather than having an instructional
designer or technologist prepare the Web-enhanced environment, it is my
contention that faculty should assume this responsibility themselves. In
order to teach well in a Web-enhanced environment, faculty need the
responsibility for developing and maintaining the Web site. Providing
guidance on what constitutes good design, assistance on what kind of
electronic assignments work well and so on certainly are in the purview
of the support individual or team. Experience with diverse teaching
strategies and Web-enhanced curriculum will result in solid
instructional events and activities that
Success with these kinds of instructional events and
activities can be achieved when faculty are assisted to develop
technology solutions appropriate to their discipline and curriculum. The
tone of events focusing on technology solutions needs to be at the same
time upbeat and low key. Overwhelming individuals with too much
information or too much glitter when they are not ready to receive it
does not constitute a sound instructional strategy. As the use of
information technology becomes pervasive, some members of the faculty
are plunging ahead using technology to enhance their teaching. Others
are cautious and wonder just how--in the long run--technology will
influence their current methods of teaching.
Faculty development efforts should be about creating and
facilitating learning experiences that promote the acquisition of
specific knowledge and skills. In "The changing face of instructional
technology centers," Joan Mitchell tells us that "the use of technology
in education will be stimulated when training and support are offered,
multimedia collections exist, and equipment is available in a supported
environment."1
Provision of such an environment will go a long way toward infusing
faculty with enthusiasm for technology-integration that will make the
learning experiences for their students more efficient, effective and
appealing.
How such an environment evolves depends very much on
support personnel who must employ sound philosophical and pedagogical
reasoning that will make the learning environment valuable and
worthwhile. The authors of "Reclaiming instructional design," state that
"the technology of instructional design, like other technologies, is not
a natural phenomenon. It is man-made, designed to serve our needs."2
This technology of instructional design will require that learning
opportunities are available. Technical competence, solid understanding
of educational rationale and instructional goals as well as the ability
to provide training on hardware and software applications are critical
elements in faculty development support.
Until recently, at Winona State University, one of the
primary faculty development activities related to technology occurred in
the form of "Web Camp." Web Camp is an eight day event that focuses on
providing interested teaching faculty with opportunities to explore
curricular enhancements through website creation, organization and
display of information, consideration of new and different teaching
strategies, along with trying out various means of electronic
communication. Web Camps occurred to advance web-enhanced instruction as
a means of promoting learning by providing access to course material,
interaction between students and instructors, opportunities to test
learning, and access to information outside the objectives of the
classroom. Deliberately, members of faculty from different disciplines
are brought together in the Web Camp setting. This mix ensures that
ideas are shared across subject matter and that new relationships are
established.
Through a series of tutorials and lessons, "campers" are
introduced to and learn software applications that enable them to
develop websites they can use to enhance their courses. Guests are
invited to stimulate discussion about Internet searching, what
constitutes characteristics of a good website, issues related to
copyright and electronic resources, campus web policies and so on.
Presentations by colleagues who have been using web-enhancements in the
classroom generate great interest. Throughout Web Camp there is an
ongoing philosophical and practical discussion regarding how a
subject-specific course website might (or not) provide a valuable
enhancement to more traditional classroom teaching. Intentionally, Web
Camp is not about training, although that is a by-product of the
experience. Rather, Web Camp is about learning, enhancing, creating and
interacting with software, ideas and other people and making an
important discovery: faculty have an obligation to explore and come to
grips with customizing and managing the instructional processes of
integrating technology into teaching and learning.
Web Camps take place in a studio classroom, with computers
positioned around the perimeter of the room, thus leaving the center of
the room open for easy transit and communication. Web campers are placed
so that novice computer users sit next to and in between those with more
experience. This kind of arrangement enabled participants to call on
their neighbors as a way to experience peer teaching and collaborative
learning. If additional help is needed, and it often is, one or the
other of the consultants is asked to lend assistance or provide an
answer. Plenty of practice and development time is built in to the
schedule following each tutorial and lesson so that participants have
the opportunity to apply their newly-acquired skills to designing a
website. Consultants, who demonstrate the tutorials and lessons, are
available throughout the eight days of each Web Camp to offer one-on-one
coaching, answers, suggestions, recommendations and other assistance as
required by individuals campers.
The most obvious purpose of the Web Camps is to provide
faculty with an opportunity for concentrated and intense development
time of a web site devoted to one or more courses. A second purpose
could be described as making the effort to encourage and foster the
development of social connections between and among individuals and
groups. To that end, Web Camps feature demonstrations and discussions
on
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specific parts of software and hardware applications
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incorporating technology into student curricular and
co-curricular experiences
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humanistic social activities
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access to and creating extensive electronic resources
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informative, accurate Web sites
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interesting, interactive multimedia
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easy navigation.
Concentrating on these features means that faculty
participants learn that the key to enhancing learning and personal
development is not simply for faculty to teach more and better, but also
to create conditions that motivate and inspire students to devote time
and energy to educationally purposeful activities, both in and outside
the classroom.
Web Camp is a dedicated development time (eight days,
seven hours in length) set aside for creative purposes with consultants
available to provide whatever support is necessary. The primary
intention is that faculty participants become comfortable with new
teaching/learning approaches and technology-integration as quickly as
possible. Obtaining a reasonable comfort level is critical because it is
the faculty, finally, who will design and manage how
technically-mediated instruction will occur, ideally in a way that
introduces new power and responsibility to the learner. I share George
Connick's and Jane Russo's contention that "this is an exciting but
unfamiliar role for faculty and students alike, and one that is not
without its share of risk."3
By assuming this role, faculty participants gain experience in teaching
with and through technology while simultaneously redefining and
enlarging the scope of the pedagogies they endorse. Web Camps are hosted
by several consultants who have knowledge of web page creation,
image-editing software, useful technologies and how interactive,
pedagogically-sound activities can be developed. Consultants are
available throughout the eight-day camp and after to provide assistance
to campers.
To keep the learning curve to a minimum, software
applications chosen for use during Web Camp are Microsoft FrontPage™ and
JASC’s PaintShop Pro™. FrontPage is a powerful program that requires
little experience beyond understanding basic wordprocessing concepts and
electronic mail, as well as having some knowledge of the Internet and
its capabilities. Because familiar concepts are used, little time has to
be devoted to formally teaching software. Rather time is spent using the
software to create a learning environment. FrontPage is integrated in
such a way that working with tables, forms, and hyperlinks as well as
inserting images and multimedia files can be done with one software
package.
PaintShop Pro™ is software that campers use during Web
Camp to create their own graphics or edit the graphical creations of
others. Adding images to web pages can greatly enhance the impression
made on viewers of the website. While used by many professionals,
PaintShop Pro remains easily accessible for those with little experience
in the field of graphics production and editing. PaintShop Pro™ offers
easy and reliable ways to edit and tidy the image files that result from
using the digital still cameras as well as flatbed and slide scanners
that are available during Web Camp and after.
Web Camp is a busy and intense time (but very rewarding)
for both consultants and participants. High levels of enthusiasm and
cooperation, mean that the challenge of getting through the curriculum
is easily met. Specific activities that occur at Web Camps include:
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identifying instructional goals
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determining appropriateness of specific technology to
achieve academic goals
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designing a good Web site
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providing assistance with assessment and evaluation
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enforcing the idea that technical and instructional
support is available
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working with digital cameras and scanners
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experimenting with adding audio- and video-clips to Web
pages
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working with graphics, both still and animated
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creating and using frames
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developing forms
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exploring online testing
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gaining an understanding of copyright and campus Web
policies
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experimenting with discussion groups
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other technologies: streaming media, NetMeeting,
WebCompass, etc.
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"Show and Tell" sessions at which all participants are
encouraged to demonstrate their achievements
Campers who participate in the Web Camps are expected to
bring along with them the basic outline for a web project. In general,
projects have revolved around a course that is scheduled for the
upcoming academic year. With wordprocessed files on floppy diskettes,
faculty participants are able to use the copy-and-paste function to
greatly ease the transition to web page creation. Much time is devoted
to encouraging campers to employ a reliable organizational structure
both at the server and browser levels. So much time can be saved if this
effort is made.
The emerging Information Age is calling for different
learning environment than that of the Industrial Age. Much larger
amounts of information are being screened and assimilated. Greater
numbers of students arriving on campus are older bringing with them
significant experience and accomplishment. "To remain employed in an
unpredictable job market," says Elizabeth Tebeaux, "students can no
longer depend on the future relevance of today’s technology, which is
becoming outmoded by the growth in knowledge stemming from
technology."4 For this reason, universities are having
to acknowledge that technology is gaining momentum and validity as
learning is being transformed. As a result, synergy and collaboration
are being elevated as technology becomes fully integrated into
learning.
As the result of information technology, changes in the
learning environment are possible, desirable and achievable. The advent
of ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) networking protocols offers the
possibility of rich, interactive learning opportunities employing
multimedia, streaming audio and video, standard academic journals now
available online and so on. Every day, new information resources become
available that benefit active and flexible learning. With all of these
possibilities, it seems wise to follow the trend to create a
technologically-enhanced environment, geographically confined or
otherwise, that permits people to transcend both distance and time
barriers to the educational process. Web Camp events and continuing
support through one-on-one and small group encounters, seem to have made
a significant contribution toward creating a truly flexible learning
environment, one shaped by careful thought and articulated in such a way
that all members of the campus community are excited by the prospects
for the future.
