Transcript Higher Education and the Evolution of Technology May 20, 2008 University of St. Thomas Catherine Lennox, Kathrine Russell, Gretchen Switalski & Jenny Tran.

Higher Education and
the Evolution of
Technology
May 20, 2008
University of St. Thomas
Catherine Lennox, Kathrine Russell,
Gretchen Switalski & Jenny Tran
A Day in the Life
Imagine the student of the future, waking up to a
wireless alarm clock tuned to their favorite digital
radio station. With the press of a button the
student turns on a multimedia monitor which
provides the morning news, E-mail, instant
messenger, and daily calendar. Before leaving
their residence hall room, the student picks up the
latest model of a multimedia mobile phone and
starts their walk to the student union with a video
phone conversation with their mom.
Wait a second…
Take a step back to present time. While these
technologies may seem far-fetched, the rapid
technological advances made over the past 20
years have significantly impacted college
students and the student affairs professionals
who support them.
…back to the present.
Technology is an integral part of our daily
lives. The television, the computer, the
Internet, E-mail, and the cell phone can
sometimes be taken for granted as normal
and convenient; however, these
technologies were each considered
advanced and forward-thinking when they
were first introduced…
Television
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A 1957 Ford Foundation Report predicted
that the television would advance education
and had the potential to eliminate literacy
Televisions have become common place on
today’s campus: in most classrooms,
campus centers, and nearly every
residence hall room
Television: Benefits
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Quick access to news and media
Enhanced visual learning
An additional way to advertise campus events:
television sets in public areas of campus and
campus television stations
Provides students with the opportunity to develop
programming and deliver messages via the
television
Broadcasting concerts and speakers via the
campus television station for students who could
not attend
Television: Challenges
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The media’s portrayal of what college will
be like
Installation of television sets across
campus and the more recent occurrence of
flat screen televisions on campus
Lack of student socialization as a result of
individual television sets in each residence
hall room
Television: Implications
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Cost: providing students with television access
and repair services
The range of stations available: cable vs. network
television
The emergence of flat screen, mountable
televisions will require accommodation in each
residence hall room
Student Affairs is charged with counteracting
inaccurate portrayals of college on television
The Computer
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In 1942, the digital computer was invented
by college professors to process difficult
mathematical equations
The personal computer was introduced in
the early 1980s and became commonplace
in the early 1990s
The Computer: Benefits
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Greater access for students with disabilities
Ease of creating professional documents and
presentations: advertising and marketing student
programs, developing brochures and pamphlets
to recruit future students
Creation of digital student records
Storage of documents and older files for simple
retrieval
Computer: Challenges
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Access for staff and students
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Cost placed on universities to provide and
maintain computers for each staff member, and
to develop computer labs, help desks, and/or
laptop programs for students
Proficiency
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Keeping staff and students trained and current
with technological advances
Computer: Implications
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Campuses need to make computers
available and affordable
Necessity of Information Technology
departments for updates and maintenance
Funding and budgeting for a help desk
Using students as a resource to staff a help
desk
The Internet
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During the 1960s-1980s, the computer evolved
to a form of communication with the Internet
Then, in the 1990s the World Wide Web
became a conduit for mass Internet access
Recent data suggests more than 85% of college
students use the Internet daily
Individuals ages 18-24, the traditional-aged
college student, have the highest rate of Internet
use
The Internet: Benefits
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Departmental Web Sites: Increased access to
general information
Streamlined Services: Registration, Orientation,
Personal and Academic Counseling, Directories,
Student Organizations: Event calendars,
recruitment, advertising, student leadership
elections
Community Building: Blackboard, Facebook, My
Space, Instant Messaging
Staff: Ability to target communication toward a
greater number of students
The Internet: Challenges
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Unauthorized Activity
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Illegal downloading and file sharing have led to
lawsuits from the Recording Industry Association
of America against college students
Hacking and privacy issues
Addiction
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Gambling, gaming, shopping
Depression, isolation
The Internet: Implications
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Support for access to music with strict
policies regarding illegal activity
Awareness of the warning symptoms of
internet addiction
Structured support services such as
personal counseling for students and
Internet resources available via the
university web site
E-mail
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During the 1960s-1980s E-mail began developing
for intercampus use
In the early 1990s, E-mail access and usage
increased with the development of the World
Wide Web and institutions began assigning all
students and staff with a personal E-mail address
In the mid to late 1990s E-mail became the official
mode of communication on many college
campuses
The first e-mails were text-only and grew to the Email available today with full graphic capability
E-mail: Benefits
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Increased speed of communication and
information dissemination
Ease of obtaining contact information for students
and staff
Electronic documentation of communication for
future reference
The use of listservs for inter-campus messages to
students as well as for professional development
and communication between institutions
E-mail: Challenges
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Ensuring computer access for all students
Overwhelming volume of E-mails
Increased anonymity resulting in greater potential
for harassment
Students don’t always check E-mail: they prefer
newer and faster modes of communication
including text and instant messaging.
E-mail can be perceived as informal, causing
students and staff to disregard respectful
language and punctuation
E-mail: Implications
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E-mail is becoming outdated as students
turn to other methods of communication
Institutions are turning to other ways of
reaching students: web portals, text
messaging, instant messaging
Increased and enhanced E-mail
functionality: calendar, automated
reminders, spam control, and more!
The Cell Phone
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Introduced in 1981, the Nordic Mobile Telephone (NMT
system) was the first fully automatic mobile phone
Until the late 1980s mobile phones were used primarily as
car phones, however with the fast-paced advancement of
electronic development, cell phones have quickly
transformed into palm sized communication devices
In addition to higher quality, smaller size, and affordability, the
cell phone is now capable of text messaging, e-mail, internet
access, radio transmission, mp3 player, and photo and video
messaging
Cell phones are no longer for the elite, users include
everyone from school children to senior citizens
The Cell Phone: Benefits
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Emergency Notification System & Services
Campus Safety: students can quickly call
for help instead of trying to find an
emergency blue light or telephone
Advertising campus events
More information at fingertips
Podcasting events and speakers to reach
out to more students
The Cell Phone: Challenges
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Creation of new rules, policies, and guidelines surrounding
cell phones use
Cell phones have facilitated the making of private matters
public and the improper dissemination of copyrighted data
Text messaging is leading to poor interpersonal and written
communication
Student in residence halls are not walking down the hall to
talk to friends, just text or call them
Cost can create social divides
The decreased importance and expense of residence hall
landlines
The Cell Phone: Implications
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The cell phone is quickly becoming the main
method of communication for and with students:
allowing them to check e-mails, receive campus
activities updates, emergency warnings, access to
internet, podcasts of campus events, and sharing
of information and documents
Campuses are beginning to offer university
sponsored cell phone plans, as well as cell phone
recycling programs to promote sustainability
Technology Common Themes
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Different levels of proficiency and access among
students and staff lead to a technological divide
New technology allows students and staff to be
both producers and consumers of information
Overuse of any form of technology can result in
social isolation and inhibit the development of
interpersonal skills
Multimedia devices are increasingly becoming
one, providing students and staff one device for
all of their technological needs
“Instead of technology driving the
innovation, we need to have more
conversations about creating the best
learning environments and the ways in
which technology can enhance those
environments.” (Kruger, 2005, p. 104)
Reference List
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