The Education of the Nintendo Generation

Thought Starters for the VCU AnticipatorsOctober 15, 2003

David G. Brown

Wake Forest University

My Objective for This Session------

To Get Each of You to Change Your Personal Behavior this Afternoon & Next Week (maybe even longer) because of an insight that you have reached for yourself

Wake Forest University, 2004Wake Forest University, 2004

2

Introduction• Like The Education of Henry Adams we are always

tempted to extrapolate from past--- instead of gaining the best perch from the past to peer into the future.

• Congratulations for making the time for visioning! Technology is the facilitator, not the commander.

• Think where Academe/Virginia/VCU could be 20 years from now & envision what actions taken this year & next might help get there

• Start with Expectations of the Nintendo Generation

3

Expectations of the Nintendo Generation (& Beyond)

• Customization. Adapt to Learning Styles, Educational Objectives, & Lifestyle Choices. Self-centered Universe.

• Access--- instantly, globally, publicly

• Trial and Error. Constant simulation. Induce theories.

• Specialization. Balkanized. Teams.

Dependency.

Wake Forest University, 2004Wake Forest University, 2004

4

Think Long-Term!

Universities Adapt!

70/85 institutions that pre-date 1520 are universities!

Wake Forest University, 2004Wake Forest University, 2004

5

If Not In The University, Where Will Society...

• Certify & Label New Talent?• House “out of season” Ideas?• Motivate New Learners?• Evaluate Information?• Archive Ideas?• Nurture Values and Cultural Sensitivities?• Induce Young People To Invest In Themselves?• Protect Maturing Learners & Experimenters?• Form Friendships and Networks?• Build Public Monuments & Provide Parks/Events?• Attract Quality Jobs?

Wake Forest University, 2004Wake Forest University, 2004

6

Brown’s 1st Year Seminar

• Before Class– Students Find URLs &

Identify Criteria– Interactive exercises– Muddiest Point– Lecture Notes– E-mail dialogue– Cybershows

• During Class– One Minute Quiz– Computer Tip Talk– Class Polls– Team Projects

• After Class– Edit Drafts by Team– Guest Editors– Hyperlinks & Pictures– Access Previous Papers

• Other– Daily Announcements– Team Web Page– Personal Web Pages– Exams include Computer– Portfolio– Materials Forever

Wake Forest University, 2004Wake Forest University, 2004

7

Reasons 150 Professors Added Computer Enhancements

1. Communication-Interaction

2. Collaboration-Teams

3. Controversy-Debate

4. Customization-Diversity

5. Consultants-Adjuncts

www.ablongman.com/professional/catalog/academic/product/1,4096,0205355803,00.html

www.ankerpub.com/books/brown.html

8

• IBM Laptops for all• Printers for all• New Every 2 Years• Own @ Graduation• 31,000 Connections• Standard Software• 99% E-Mail• Start 1995, 4 Year Phase In• +15% Tuition for 37 Items• +40 Faculty and 30 Staff

THE WAKE FOREST PLANIBM R40, Intel 2.2GHz Processor, 40GB Harddrive, 512 MB RAM

15”ActMatrix Screen, CD-RW/DVD, 56k modem, 32MB Video Ram, 4 4Mbps Infrared, 10/100 Ethernet, Two 480Mbps USB Ports

Standard Load Includes—MS OfficeXP Professional, Dreamweaver, SPSS, Maple, Acrobat, Photoshop, Shockwave, Flash, IBM Record Now Real Producer & Player, Media Player, Windows XP Moviemaker, ATT dialer,Apple QuickTime, Mozilla 1.3, IE, Symantec AntiVirus, Windows XP Prof

Wake Forest University, 2004Wake Forest University, 2004

9

Computers Enhance My Teaching/Learning Via--

PresentationsBetter--20%More Opportunities toPractice & Analyze--35%

More Access to SourceMaterials via Internet--43%

More Communication with Faculty Colleagues, Classmates,and Between Faculty and Students--87%

Wake Forest University, 2004Wake Forest University, 2004

10

Computers allow people----

• to belong to more communities

• to be more actively engaged in each community

• with more people

• over more miles

• for more months and years

• TO BE MORE COLLABORATIVE

Wake Forest University, 2004Wake Forest University, 2004

11

New Business Strategies

• Customize and Individualize• Acquire and Use Metadata• Outsource (eliminate middle managers, reduce data

entry)• Partner. Integrate vertically. Merge.• Sell “high prestige, high recognition” branded services.• Become an entry portal & establish lifelong connectives. • Market Big Time

Wake Forest University, 2004Wake Forest University, 2004

12

The New UniversityBricks and Mortar Stay--including health clubs

Brokers Emerge--the most common function

Entrepreneurship Thrives--focus required

Libraries Become Resource Centers--help

Confederations Flourish--mergers too

International Alliances Multiply--not only distance ed

Schedules Metabolize Around Commencement

Outsourcing Expands--services and courses

Funding Diversifies--mix public and entrepreneurial

Databases Center Around the Student--my.yahooWake Forest University, 2004Wake Forest University, 2004

13

The New Professoriate

Team Research--science methods spread

Electronic Publications--most rigorous format

Paper Archiving--most enduring format

Collaborative Teaching--design teams & confederations

Adjunct Faculty--alumni & practitioners

Institutes & Centers--departments & disciplines recede

Wake Forest University, 2004Wake Forest University, 2004

14

The New Curriculum

The 80-20 Rule--not all F2F or Virtual

On Campus Distance Learning--3 in residence, 2 by

distance

Intimate F2F Classes--greater variability

Customized Textbooks--from many vendors

Learning Cohorts & Communities--essential for

motivation

Continuous Communication--before & after degrees

Student-Designed Degree--learning objectives & styles

The Math Emporium Model--one of the new models

15

CATS---the New Student

• Customization. Adapt to Learning Styles, Educational Objectives, & Lifestyle Choices. Self-centered Universe.

• Access--- instantly, globally, publicly

• Trial and Error. Constant simulation. Induce theories.

• Specialization. Balkanized. Teams. Dependency.

Wake Forest University, 2004Wake Forest University, 2004

16

Teaching in the Future

• Personal. Customized. Interactive.• Project Centered (Undergrad Research)• Course Chunks• Teams of Professionals to Support

Learning. Collaborative• Student-Centered Curriculum• “Houses” instead of Disciplines• Hybrid Courses (80-20 and 20-80)• All Virtual Courses Only For New Students

Wake Forest University, 2004Wake Forest University, 2004

17

Act Now (Circle 3 Favorites)

-Assume That All Students Have Internet Access-Assure Robust Communication Networks-Aim for 95% Faculty Voluntary Use of CEL -Identify a “Preferred” Laptop, CMS, and Software

-Teach Around Projects-Build teamwork.-Nurture “Communities of Learners”-Expand and Enrich Co-Curricular Programs

-Create Brand Identity-Nurture A Few Areas For Worldwide Prominence-Maintain Aura of Impartiality & Rationality-Rejoice in the Flexibility & Survivability of Universities Wake Forest University, 2004Wake Forest University, 2004

18

Let’s Interact!

• You cheat. • Digital blended learning. Open dialogue. Global

communication. Service to all.• Turn the learning over to the students!• Publishers are trying• Students will take classes from many insts• What about integrity?• How come to a blend?• Comparative advantage• Push teaching to students

19

David G. BrownWake Forest University

Winston-Salem, N.C. 27109336-758-4878 (478-445-4444)

email: brown@wfu.eduhttp//:www.wfu.edu/~brown

New Opportunitiesfor Tomorrow’s Colleges

in a world of e-businesses

A Presentation by David G. Brown, Dean, International Center for Computer Enhanced Learning

Wake Forest University

@ IBM’s Briefing for Higher Education Executive, Palisades, N.Y. July 26, 1999

New DayBig Changes for Higher

Education

Democratization of Access (Ubiquity)

Democratization ofUsage (Course Shells)

The economist in me says that doing business in an info-rich society will be

different• Better informed buyers (web browsing)• Better informed sellers (metadata)• More data-based decisions• Faster cycle times• Less geographic loyalty• More interactive transactions• More customization• More specialization (& outsourcing)

With Ubiquity---The Culture Changes

• Mentality shifts-- like from public phone to personal phone.

• Teaching Assumptions shift-- like from readings are on reserve to everyone owns a copy of his/her own.

• Timelines shift-- like from “our class meets MWF” to “we

see each other all the time and MWF we meet together”• Students’ sense of access shifts-- like from “I can

get that book in the library” to “I have that book in my library.”

• Relationships shift-- like from a family living in many different states to all family members living in the same town

The New Business Environment

• Many Tightknit Communities. Customer Affinity and Bargaining Groups

• Interactivity Expected. Between customer and vendor and among vendors’ customers

• Information Filters Everywhere. Challenge is gaining and maintaining customer attention

• Worldwide Specialization. Geography less relevant.

What Business Am I In?

Primary: Linking trusting clients with the best educational resources and motivating them to use them. Consolidator!

Secondary: Creating educational resources for other “consolidators” to buy

Tertiary: Selling auxiliary services such as meals, overnights, t-shirts, mailing lists

Therefore, I should---

• Focus on my comparative advantages• Strengthen ties with my natural

constituencies• Partner with organizations that can provide

outsourcers who understand my infrastructure

• Build a reliable infrastructure• Enable my “team” to be interactive 7x24

Specific Actions to be Taken---• Empower employees with equipment, training, and

support (democratize)• Partner with “IBM”• Adopt “infrastructure” usable by my clients• Use fast-loading webpages that fit all screens• KISS (both producer and client)• Collect and use Metadata• Test how easily search engines find you• Trade referrals with other sites

More Specific Actions--• Create & Join Community Networks• Act on the 80/20 and 20/80 assumption• Customize service to natural constituency• Nurture My Clusters of Learners• Offer e-mail forwarding for life• Use headliners to attract loyalty to site• Build monitored LISTSERVS-- especially before

enrollment and after graduation• Presume that all information will be shared

Basic Themes

• Heyday

• Communication

• Customization

• Collaboration

• Community

• Interactivity

• Know What Business You’re in