TOPIC

Increasing access to electronically delivered instruction in the 1990's for all levels of education

EDTC6320 Project 3, Option 2

GROUP MEMBERS

Nancy Acuna
Matt Crosslin
Grant Gee
Maria Garcia-Noriega (a.k.a. Lisa)

PRESENTATION CONTENT

On page 27 of Instructional Technology: Past, Present, and Future (2nd Edition), Gentry and Csete predict that an increase in access to electronically delivered instruction will allow instruction to de be delivered independently of traditional education systems in the 1990's. Certainly, anyone that surfs the web has noticed the increasing number of online degrees being advertised (see www.directoryofschools.com). Even stores like Best Buy have large numbers of educational software programs for sale. Is this increase based on an actual increase, or just better advertising of existing systems? Did all of this happen in the 1990's, as the authors predicted, or did all of this occur more recently (since the year 2000)? Was this a result of increased access, or increased interest?

Marshall University's proposal for student technology access (http://www.marshall.edu/it/itstrat/StudentAccess.html) looks at several universities that implemented various technology requirements for their students. Among the factors examined is access. The programs were implemented in the 1990s. Without significant increases in access, most of the other factors examined would be pointless. Could anyone imagine trying to accomplish any university work with pre-1990 Internet access speeds?
"One of the fundamental elements of academic computing is to ensure universal access to hardware, software, and networks. "Universal Access" is defined as creating a method in which all students have a personal computer or workstation, typically a laptop configuration, available twenty-four hours per day for the length of the academic term. The device should have network connectivity to teachers (in and out of the lecture hall), fellow students, and the World Wide Web." (http://www.marshall.edu/it/itstrat/StudentAccess.html)
Imagine trying to present this statement to most universities before 1990. Yet, less than 10 years later, statements like this were being drafted, proposed, and brought to reality across the country. By 2005, some Universities were even looking into wireless Internet access and ways to stay ahead of technology trends. (Pirani and Salaway, http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ecar_so/ers/ERS0502/ECM0502.pdf)

Many obstacles seem to still exist for increasing access to electronic instruction. One common barrier seems to be the reluctance of faculty to embrace change. Many universities and colleges seem to be able to train a few "technology pioneers," but then they run out of money or personnel to train the rest of the faculty (The TLT Group, http://www.tltgroup.org/LTAs/Intro.htm). One solution for this problem appears to be Low Threshold Applications (or Activities).
"A Low Threshold Application (LTA) is a teaching/learning application of information technology that is reliable, accessible, easy to learn, non-intimidating and (incrementally) inexpensive. Each LTA has observable positive consequences, and contributes to important long term changes in teaching and/or learning." (The TLT Group, http://www.tltgroup.org/LTAs/Intro.htm)
Some characteristics of an LTA include (http://www.campus-technology.com/news_issue.asp?id=153&IssueDate=3/11/2004):
  • Low cost
  • Easy to learn, easy to access
  • Not intimidating to the user
  • Very reliable
Requirements for increased access have even begun to be added to national laws. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 puts strict stipulations on the use of any funds for technology use. One of these stipulations requires that states provide:
"A description of the steps your district will take to ensure that all students and teachers in schools served by the local education agency have increased access to educational technology." (http://www.myscschools.com/offices/tech/techplan/sctp2003_08/districtplans.htm)
So, not only are colleges working on increasing access to electronic education, but schools at all levels of education must now prove that they are improving student access in order to receive funding. Several states are implementing ways to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act (see The State of Texas' Technology Plan Review, The State of Illinois' Enhancing Education Through Technology, The State of New Hampshire's Action Plans and Supporting Data, and The State of Wisconsin's Information & Technology Plan for examples).

Many sources for research exist for this topic. The sources used in this presentation are summarized in the next section.

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RESEARCH

The History of Instrutional Technology Increasing Technology Access at the College Level
  • Marshall University: Developing Universal Student Access To Educational Computing
    Proposes that one of the fundamental elements in "academic computing" is to make sure everyone has access to what they need to make it happen. Looks at the efforts of several universities across the nation to increase access. Most of these programs focus on requiring every student to have a certain type of computer before they begin, and also on finding ways to help students acquire these computers. Other issues are addressed, including infrastructure needed to support electronic instruction, requiring faculty to incorporate technology into classes, and establishing grants and funds to help all students purchase computers. Audio/Visual teleconferencing is also included in the analysis of educational technology. Most of this information appears to be from the late 1990's.
  • Information Technology Networking in Higher Education: Campus Commodity and Competitive Differentiation
    Institutions are now wired to networks and are seeking to implement wireless networks. Also suggests that higher learning institutions need to start operating ahead of user demand and look at emerging technologies.
Low Threshold Applications
  • Introduction to LTAs
    Low Threshold Applications (or Activities) provide quick and easy tools for faculty development to help incorporate technology into their classrooms. Colleges tended to support technology pioneers, but they didn't have personnel or budget to get all faculty able to use Instructional Technology.
  • LTAs - Replacements for the Missing "Professional Development"
    Low Threshold Applications (or Activities) can help fill in gaps when faculty skips out on technology training. Also has a good definition list of what an LTA is.
No Child Left Behind Technology Implementation for Grade Schools The next section is a list of all the links from this presentation followed by a Bibliography.

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LINKS

IT, Software, and Distance Education Increasing Technology Access at the College Level Low Threshold Applications No Child Left Behind Technology Implementation for Grade Schools Back to the top

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gentry, Cass G.; Csete, Josephine.  Instructional Technology: Past, Present, and Future.  "Educational Technology in the 1990s".  1995, 2nd Edition, p27.
Gentry and Csete predict that an increase in access to electronically delivered instruction will allow instruction to de be delivered independently of traditional education systems.

Rockell, Candice; Napoli, Beth.  History of Instructional Technology.  February 20, 2003.  Retrieved April 11, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://keep3.sjfc.edu/students/clr7309/e-port/History%20of%20Instructional%20Technology%20Essay.htm
Brief History of Instructional Technology and some technology trends.

Developing Universal Student Access To Educational Computing.  Retrieved April 11, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://www.marshall.edu/it/itstrat/StudentAccess.html
This is a proposal by Marshall University in West Virginia to create universal access to educational access for all students.

Pirani, Judith A.; Salaway, Gail.  Information Technology Networking in Higher Education: Campus Commodity and Competitive Differentiation.  February 2005.  Retrieved April 11, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ecar_so/ers/ERS0502/ECM0502.pdf
This document has a section on Emerging Technologies, a graph on Information Technology projections, and some other information to support the contention.

The TLT Group.  Introduction to LTAs.  Retrieved April 11, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://www.tltgroup.org/LTAs/Intro.htm
Information on Low Threshold Applications (or Activities) that provide quick and easy tools for faculty development to better incorporate technology into their classrooms.

LTAs - Replacements for the Missing "Professional Development".  March 11, 2004.  Retrieved April 11, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://www.campus-technology.com/news_issue.asp?id=153&IssueDate=3/11/2004
More information on Low Threshold Applications (or Activities).

Guidelines for District Technology Plans.  2005.  Retrieved April 11, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://www.myscschools.com/offices/tech/techplan/sctp2003_08/districtplans.htm
Covers a lot of the guidelines for the No Child Left Behind Act 2001 and technology

Technology Plan Review.  February 17, 2005.  Retrieved April 11, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://tpesc.esc12.net/techplanreview.html
Guidelines for evaluating technology based lessons plans in the state of Texas.

Enhancing Education Through Technology: Rubric for Reviewing and Scoring Local Applications.  Retrieved April 11, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://www.isbe.state.il.us/curriculum/elearning/pdf/ed_tech_03_rubric.pdf
Rubric for evaluating technology based lesson plans in Illinois.

Action Plans and Supporting Data.  October 9, 2004.  Retrieved April 11, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://nheon.org/oet/tpguide/action.htm
Rubric for evaluating technology based lesson plans in New Hampshire.

Burmaster, Elizabeth;  Information (Library Media) & Technology Plan: No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 Assurance.  Retrieved April 11, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dltcl/imt/pdf/nclbref.pdf
Part of the State of Wisconsin's plan for implementing the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

Content Requirements for Information (Library Media) & Technology Plans.  Retrieved April 11, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dltcl/imt/pdf/planreq0304.pdf
Another part of the State of Wisconsin's plan for implementing the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

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