What will the university experience be like in the year 2020? How might technology change learning, teaching and research? Will we have electronic mentors and custom fit courses? Will backpacks become a thing of the past as we turn to e-books and digital ink? Will virtual classes replace physical classrooms?
To be effective, universities must research these questions right now (no, make that yesterday)! Put the latest technology in the hands of talented students, faculty and staff and challenge them to see how then can not only enhance the university experience, but transform it.
In the Spring of 2001, I was handed a fantastic opportunity to help create a vision of the year 2015 for campus leaders at the Chancellor’s Council annual meeting. Rather than just talk about what it might be like, VP Dan Updegrove proposed that we let them experience the vision by placing 200 handheld wireless computers filled with delicious content that would illustrate our vision.
In a period of 2 months, we acquired 200 wireless iPAQ 3670’s (yes, it was better than Christmas), designed a Pocket IE version of the conference packet, created a list of PPC friendly websites for wireless browsing and loaded the devices with pictures, five UT songs, four videos and 10 full e-books and a dictionary. City maps for Austin, Houston and Dallas were created for Pocket Streets. We even made mobile versions of the academic calendar, campus maps, football schedule, and personalized student schedule and assignments.
The most exciting moment of the preparations (at least for me) was the wireless test. We hauled all the units down to the main conference room and slammed the access points with 200 simultaneous requests. While each access point could technically support 1024 clients, a limit of 70 clients provided reasonable response time.
But the real test was when we handed the devices to the conference participants. Every one received an iPAQ (for the weekend) and was given a short tutorial (or written instructions) on how to use the device. Some novices were hesitant. All save one warmed to their iPAQ.
The iPAQ experience was judged highly successful by the conference organizers. The attendees were impressed with how quickly they learned to use the device. They were dazzled with the e-books and the fact that so many could fit on one device. They played the videos and the music over and over again. Most importantly, the council members saw the power of wireless computing and learned that with just a simple tap on the screen, they really could surf the wireless internet. The iPAQs became the stars of the show by putting each attendee in the driver’s seat. Council members became participants, not passive listeners. They engaged, they learned, they experienced the UT@2015 vision first hand.
After the event, the 200 devices were seeded around campus, so students, faculty and staff could experiment with how this technology could transform the college experience. I’ll share the findings of this research in future posts.
But for now, I want to stop and ponder what the university will be like in 2020. How will technology enhance or transform the university experience? What concerns do you have relating to the virtual university?
Now why didn’t they do something cool like that at my Uni!!! That sounds great! :)
I think virtual teaching has to bridge the technology with the personal interaction attained during a face-to-face lesson/class environment.
There are some complex dynamics to consider that go far beyond the attendees being able to purely see and hear the teacher – interaction within a physical space also encounters a range of physical qualities (additional sounds, smells, temperature, texture, air space). If a virtual environment is going to succeed – it will need to encompass all these attributes at least – and technology is far from that at the moment.
The iPAQ experience sounded good as a study aid. But virtual classrooms would require a lot more processing power and memory storage.
Filled with typos and spelling errors – my previous post was typed after I just woke-up….(sorry about that!)
I so agree with you Matt. While I think “brick and mortar” universities will have to provide virtual classes to stay competitive and affordable. Yet for students who can afford the physical experience, there is something truly special there. I can’t imagine replacing my college years with an online version. Heck, half the fun of college is the social experience!
I do anticipate that virtual college experience could be more affordable (helping with the skyrocketing costs that students face today)…so perhaps, a student could pick a physical university based on their major interest, attend physical classes there and grab some virtual classes online from other partner universities.
I also think it will depend on each student’s personal learning style. Some students may excel in a virtual environment, while others do best in a physical. Matching each student’s need to their learning style will be very important for their success.
“…I do anticipate that virtual college experience could be more affordable (helping with the skyrocketing costs that students face today)…so perhaps, a student could pick a physical university based on their major interest, attend physical classes there and grab some virtual classes online from other partner universities.”
I think this approach has more of successful chance – a sort of compromise. I like this idea because it can possibly reduce the costs (as you said) – and that’s one of the hottest issues facing higher/further education today and in the future.
“I also think it will depend on each student’s personal learning style. Some students may excel in a virtual environment, while others do best in a physical. Matching each student’s need to their learning style will be very important for their success.”
Actually, this nicely raises other considerations (that I’m sure you’re fully aware of) that of student needs – and by that I mean physical needs and accessibility. Any future virtual environment has to strongly account for how students are able to use these technologies – do they have sight, hearing, or motor disabilities that aren’t supported by the new technology/technologies? It will certainly be interesting to see how things develop (very interesting stuff!)
Interesting. I wish my Uni would do something like what you described.
“I also think it will depend on each student’s personal learning style. Some students may excel in a virtual environment, while others do best in a physical. Matching each student’s need to their learning style will be very important for their success.â€
Totally! Also, virtual classes make it easier for those of us that have demanding schedules outside of school. I know I’d love it if a lot of my classes were as such, then I could still work full time with no problem.
It’s interesting to see how things change year by year. Wonder how different it will all be in about 10 years or so.
~Rea
Rea, Virtual university opportunities will be so much more accessible since they can fit into our demanding schedules…how true, how true! Makes me think of a few everyday experiences that are now made more convenient by the “virtual storefront”:
But my favorite vision is from the Matrix, when Trinity learns how to fly a helicopter thru a “just in time learning module” via her mobile phone. Mmmmmm…the virtual learning moment of my dreams!
#Dopey Keanu voice # “Whoa – I know kung-fu!”
:)