Annals and Auguries of

Michigan AstronomyA Perspective on How Things Have Changed and How They May

Be Changing

UndergradSAS formed

AHSO remodeled

DO renovation began

First real web browsers

The Internet

Sept 2000

Hired as Lecturer

F ‘00 UM

homepage

IT information

included where

to find a

computer, how

to browse the

world-wide

web, and

phone

numbers for

dialing in to the

Merit network

Department Homepage

Department

Directory15 faculty

11 researchers/post-

docs

21 grads

6 staff

53 total

Courses F00

101

102

CTools was CourseTools

Other items of noteMost students could use Word, but needed

the guides for Mozilla and Pine. Some used

Eudora or Mulberry. Many were ok with the

command line. They could not use Excel

without help.

“Peer Instruction” for physics

Discussion sections were 22 students

Our planetarium had 50 seats, and…

A Spitz A-1

2003

Began planning

renovations of the

planetarium.

Planetarium closed

spring break

2004…

2004The planetarium re-opened officially September

1

2004 UM homepage

Department Homepage

Peopl

e

18 faculty

15 researchers &

post docs

20 grads

10 staff

63 total

Classes with Websites

CTools

Additional Notes

25 students per discussion

No guides are needed for email, web

browsing, Word. Students have heard of

Excel, some can use it for graphs. They know

where their files are saved. Some have

trouble with command line

We added Quizdom clickers a few years latter

2009, The International Year of

Astronomy

New Classes

Lab curriculum

entirely

planetarium

based

Detroit

Observatory

ATS visit

Laid

groundwork for

viewing nights

UM homepage

Department homepage

People18 faculty

17 researchers

and post docs

30 grads

10 staff

70 total

Additional notes

Students are “digital natives”. Their umich account is not

their first email address. They learned PowerPoint in

elementary school. They’ve heard of Excel, but anly a few

can make a graph in it.

i>Clicker replaces Qwizdom.

SAMS is the preferred gradebook

Now – UM homepage

Department Homepage

People28 faculty

21 Researchers and

postdocs

24 Grads

10 Staff

83 Total

CTools

Cloud Services

Additional Notes

Students need no help with email, web, photos, text…

BUT they forget to save and have trouble finding files.

They still have no idea how to use Excel…

John William Waterhouse Consulting the Oracle 1884

What’s Next?ECAR 2014 Student And Faculty Technology Research

Studies

http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ss14/Eig1406.pdf

90% of students will have a smartphone by the end of

2015

UM is working to ensure cellular and wi-fi coverage

throughout campus

Canvas

Learning

Analytics

Adaptive, Interactive, Digital

Learning Tools (E2Coach)

Shared Object Repositories

Textbooks??Students still prefer hardcopies, BUT cost stops many

from buying a new book. Many skip the book altogether.

Publishers have merged, gone bankrupt

Expect a shift to digital & supporting material

MOOCs??Good training tool for things like computer programing,

basic introduction, and classes that require conversation,

but not hands on (you can’t actually blow up a virtual

chemistry lab)

Potentially a good recruiting tool

Good tool for testing techniques

Tools are not solutions

Learning happens when learners engage.

Do not ask “what can I do with this new technology”, ask

“what technology would make it more likely that that my

students will engage?”

Past Predictions…

“Books will soon be obsolete in the public schools.

Scholars will be instructed through the eye.” - Thomas

Edison in The New York Dramatic Mirror “Evolution of the

Motion Picture”, July 1913

Veritasium: “This” will Revolutionize Education

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEmuEWjHr5c

Only 7.5 minutes!

http://www.slideshare.net/aquillam