Academic Information Academic Information Sharing Through University Sharing Through University

TechnologyTechnology

By Sam White and Chris NelsonBy Sam White and Chris Nelson

OverviewOverview

The topic that we chose is the ways The topic that we chose is the ways in which class related information is in which class related information is being shared on college campusesbeing shared on college campuses

How this information sharing has How this information sharing has changed the college experience.changed the college experience.

OverviewOverview

We broke this down into two main We broke this down into two main groupsgroups• Technology related to class registrationTechnology related to class registration• Innovations in class material sharingInnovations in class material sharing

OverviewOverview

We chose these subjects because We chose these subjects because they demonstrate the progress from:they demonstrate the progress from:• Getting into a classGetting into a class• Learning from the classLearning from the class• Completing work from the class.Completing work from the class.

The Registering ProcessThe Registering Process

The Registering ProcessThe Registering Process

There are three main steps taken to There are three main steps taken to register for classes.register for classes.• Find classes that the student is Find classes that the student is

interested in takinginterested in taking• Discuss these choices with an advisorDiscuss these choices with an advisor• Sign up/Register for these classesSign up/Register for these classes

The Registering ProcessThe Registering Process

The Old Way…The Old Way…• Class registration used to be done by Class registration used to be done by

paper.paper.• Every semester, professors would Every semester, professors would

publish, through the university, a publish, through the university, a booklet that would have the classes and booklet that would have the classes and times for every class.times for every class.

The Registration ProcessThe Registration Process

Talking things over with an advisor.Talking things over with an advisor.• In the past, it varied in difficulty to get in In the past, it varied in difficulty to get in

touch with an advisor. At the beginning touch with an advisor. At the beginning of the year, students would be given of the year, students would be given their professors office hours and phone their professors office hours and phone numbers to be able to reach them. This numbers to be able to reach them. This varied in difficulty depending on the varied in difficulty depending on the school and its practices.school and its practices.

The Registration ProcessThe Registration Process

In the past, registration was a huge In the past, registration was a huge pain.pain.• Without computers, students had to be Without computers, students had to be

manually added to class rosters.manually added to class rosters.• Schools would have days when tables Schools would have days when tables

would be set up for each class and would be set up for each class and students would stand in line and wait to students would stand in line and wait to be added to classes.be added to classes.

The Registration ProcessThe Registration Process

In the past, registration was a huge In the past, registration was a huge pain.pain.• This method of registration was This method of registration was

complicated, time consuming (usually complicated, time consuming (usually 5+ hours per student), and frustrating.5+ hours per student), and frustrating.

i.e. Waiting in line for 30+ minutes to not i.e. Waiting in line for 30+ minutes to not get into a large class.get into a large class.

The Registration ProcessThe Registration Process

In the past, registration was a huge In the past, registration was a huge pain.pain.• A large facility, such as a field or A large facility, such as a field or

sporting gym, was needed facilitate so sporting gym, was needed facilitate so many people.many people.

• Such a large group in an area created Such a large group in an area created much confusion, and lots of planning to much confusion, and lots of planning to hope for a well executed event.hope for a well executed event.

The Registration ProcessThe Registration Process

In the past, registration was a huge In the past, registration was a huge pain.pain.• Overall: Manual registration was a Overall: Manual registration was a

waste of time with very little knowledge waste of time with very little knowledge of what was open to take, and what was of what was open to take, and what was not.not.

The Registration ProcessThe Registration Process

The Internet RegistrationThe Internet Registration• University Websites provide a listing of University Websites provide a listing of

courses offered, time available, and how courses offered, time available, and how many seats are left in the class.many seats are left in the class.

• This current information is valuable to This current information is valuable to students when preparing to register for students when preparing to register for class.class.

The Registration ProcessThe Registration Process

Student Central Student Central – One of the Onyen – One of the Onyen Services that allow students to do Services that allow students to do pretty much anything online. pretty much anything online. • Check Course AvailabilityCheck Course Availability• Register for classesRegister for classes• Grade SummariesGrade Summaries• ScheduleSchedule• Analysis of academicsAnalysis of academics

The Registration ProcessThe Registration Process

With a central website such as this, With a central website such as this, students are able to gain instant students are able to gain instant gratification with regards to gratification with regards to everything that needs to be done everything that needs to be done with registration, which eases the with registration, which eases the process for everyone. Both student process for everyone. Both student and staff.and staff.

The Registration ProcessThe Registration Process

The one thing that sites such as The one thing that sites such as Student Central do not cover, is how Student Central do not cover, is how the professor teaches, and what kind the professor teaches, and what kind of grades are given out.of grades are given out.

The Registration ProcessThe Registration Process

Word of mouth on professors.Word of mouth on professors.• Students always want to take the class Students always want to take the class

with the best professors.with the best professors.• Traditionally, this was done by word of Traditionally, this was done by word of

mouth, asking around.mouth, asking around.• Now, in addition to asking around, Now, in addition to asking around,

students have access to various services students have access to various services that offer information on professors. that offer information on professors.

The Registering ProcessThe Registering Process

RatemyprofessorRatemyprofessor – A free internet service – A free internet service that allow students to post comments on that allow students to post comments on their professors and rate them according their professors and rate them according to Easiness, Helpfulness, Clarity, Hotness, to Easiness, Helpfulness, Clarity, Hotness, and Overall Quality.and Overall Quality.• Pros – Easily accessible and free. Gives peer Pros – Easily accessible and free. Gives peer

analysis.analysis.• Cons – Less credible sources. Tend to be broad Cons – Less credible sources. Tend to be broad

ratings and comments. No grade summaries. ratings and comments. No grade summaries. Only covers professors that students have Only covers professors that students have commented on.commented on.

 

  

The Registering ProcessThe Registering Process

PickaprofPickaprof – An internet service that – An internet service that students pay for by the semester to students pay for by the semester to receive grading reports and peer receive grading reports and peer reviews on a professor.reviews on a professor.• Pros – Grade percentages for every class Pros – Grade percentages for every class

a professor has taught. Covers every a professor has taught. Covers every professor in the university. Has more professor in the university. Has more credible peer reviews.credible peer reviews.

• Cons – You have to pay for it.Cons – You have to pay for it.

The Registration ProcessThe Registration Process

Overall, the registration process has Overall, the registration process has been significantly changed for the been significantly changed for the better with the introduction of better with the introduction of technology. technology.

The once painfully long registration The once painfully long registration has turned into a 30 minute, at most, has turned into a 30 minute, at most, blitz to see who can get their classes blitz to see who can get their classes first.first.

Technology in the ClassroomTechnology in the Classroom

Technology In The ClassroomTechnology In The Classroom

The way that class materials are The way that class materials are being shared has changed greatly being shared has changed greatly now that text, pictures, and now that text, pictures, and multimedia presentations can be multimedia presentations can be widely distributed without as much widely distributed without as much effort.effort.

i.e. – This PowerPoint presentation. i.e. – This PowerPoint presentation.

Technology In The ClassroomTechnology In The Classroom

BlackboardBlackboard• A system that allows students to log into A system that allows students to log into

their class accounts to access their class accounts to access information from their professors. information from their professors. Students can:Students can:

Access posted class materialsAccess posted class materials Receive announcements from professorsReceive announcements from professors Turn in assignmentsTurn in assignments Receive feedback from assignments Receive feedback from assignments

Technology In The ClassroomTechnology In The Classroom

Photographs.Photographs.• Professors no longer have to carry hard Professors no longer have to carry hard

copies of slides or transparencies to copies of slides or transparencies to class because digital copies of class because digital copies of presentation material can be made presentation material can be made available over a network. available over a network.

• This allows them to be hands free, as This allows them to be hands free, as well as making the information available well as making the information available to their students for studying purposes.to their students for studying purposes.

Technology In The ClassroomTechnology In The Classroom

MediaMedia• Online repositories of images, audio Online repositories of images, audio

recordings, and multimedia files deliver recordings, and multimedia files deliver the same advantages to students as the same advantages to students as systems like Blackboard. systems like Blackboard.

Electronic Media Cooperative offers students Electronic Media Cooperative offers students access to content that the professor selects access to content that the professor selects for the course. for the course.

Technology In The ClassroomTechnology In The Classroom

These services allow students to These services allow students to more fully immerse themselves in more fully immerse themselves in the learning process, and better the learning process, and better relate in class learning with out of relate in class learning with out of class studying.class studying.• Allows references to be made back to Allows references to be made back to

lectures.lectures.

Technology In The ClassroomTechnology In The Classroom

CommunicationCommunication• Student and ProfessorStudent and Professor

Computers have greatly aided the Computers have greatly aided the communication between the student and the communication between the student and the teacher.teacher.

• Class, office hours, and a rare phone call used to Class, office hours, and a rare phone call used to be the only ways to get in touch with professors.be the only ways to get in touch with professors.

• Now, there is a wide array of additional ways to Now, there is a wide array of additional ways to get in touch with your professor.get in touch with your professor.

Technology In The ClassroomTechnology In The Classroom

CommunicationCommunication• With internet and other new With internet and other new

technologies, contact to instructors is technologies, contact to instructors is much easier for both parties. Some of much easier for both parties. Some of these technologies include:these technologies include:

EmailEmail Message boardsMessage boards Instant MessagingInstant Messaging

Technology In The ClassroomTechnology In The Classroom

This communication improvement This communication improvement has enable professors to make has enable professors to make announcements, clarify assignments, announcements, clarify assignments, and answer questions with much and answer questions with much more convenience. more convenience.

SummarySummary

The addition of computers has The addition of computers has greatly improved the university greatly improved the university setting not just for the student, but setting not just for the student, but also the professor.also the professor.

Computers have improved existing Computers have improved existing parts of college life, like registration, parts of college life, like registration, and created new ways to learn and and created new ways to learn and interact with people. interact with people.

SummarySummary

While few of the innovations While few of the innovations discussed here have tremendously discussed here have tremendously altered the way that a student altered the way that a student learns, collectively they have greatly learns, collectively they have greatly changed the college experience. changed the college experience.

SummarySummary

From our perspective, while it may From our perspective, while it may take time to learn how to use some take time to learn how to use some of these technologies, the overall of these technologies, the overall gain greatly outweighs any gain greatly outweighs any difficulties encountered, and the difficulties encountered, and the connectivity between students, connectivity between students, teachers, and information gained has teachers, and information gained has greatly improved the college greatly improved the college experience.experience.