This is the second installment in a three-part series addressing computing issues on campus. Tomorrow's story will look at whether graduating seniors have the necessary computer skills to compete in the workplace.
In the not too distant future, students may find themselves downloading data and creating computerized images in class instead of copying notes off of the chalkboard.
Many professors are sensing that technology can make class time more productive and are restructuring their teaching methods to incorporate new technologies.
"[Faculty are] looking toward interactive learning instead of lectures," said Lawrence Moore, associate professor of mathematics and chair of the steering committee of the Sulzberger Lab at the University's Center for Teaching and Learning.
The center's lab educates faculty about video digitalization, CD-ROM recording and use of the Internet. About 150 faculty members and graduate students have used the lab this year, Moore said.
"Our experience has been that having faculty use technology in the classroom... leads to a change in their view of the learning process," he added.
Trinity College is also moving toward increased technology use in the classroom, said Melissa Mills, assistant dean of computing.
Improvements include connections to Dukenet in more than 20 classrooms and mobile audiovisual carts, equipped with computers and projectors, available for faculty use, she said.
Some professors say that technology is needed to enhance their teaching. "Duke has lagged behind in making resources available," said Steve Nowicki, associate professor of zoology. Computer hookups and CD-ROM equipment are commonly found in classrooms at other universities, Nowicki said.
In some cases, interactive problem-solving technology can help faculty observe and understand how students learn, Moore added.
Edward Tower, professor of economics, recently designed a macroeconomics course which utilizes such interaction. Students waste a lot of time by merely copying lecture notes from a chalkboard, Tower said.
"They need to get into the computer lab and work on problems themselves," he said, explaining that students need to understand how economists' software works in order to be competitive in the marketplace.
Some faculty, however, are content with their current methods of pedagogy. "I really prefer when I teach to use words and the chalkboard," said Rick Fehon, assistant professor of zoology.
But some professors feel that improvements in classroom technology make classes more interesting. "I ask students to develop specific computer models and run simulations to describe a physiological process," said Craig Henriquez, assistant professor of biomedical engineering. "It's a way for me to bring principles to life instead of [using] dry equations."
Classroom technology may even reach the point where the presence of a teacher is not necessary. In addition, students in distant locations may have increased opportunities for collaboration both among themselves and with professors.
Henriquez has created a World Wide Web page to communicate with his students outside of class. "We have a way of getting information to and from students that is better than just a handout," he said.
Nowicki added that he might spend his office hours having more in-depth discussions with students if he can answer their questions over the network. "Digital office hours would make interaction better," he said.
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