T17 Group 5: Lindsey, Rachelle, Laura, Yunlog, Yin Goa

Group Name
L.R.L. Group

Group Members
Lindsay Turnbull, Rachelle Veldhoen, Laura Wilson

Initial Project Statement
In today's universities everything from note-taking to communicating with the professor is technological. Lecture notes, assignments and even quizzes are posted online. Professors and fellow students can be reached through email or websites such as Blackboard, instead of relying on office hours and class time. They can also enrol in their courses and pay their fees using websites, and even purchase and read textbooks on the internet. In this technological age, many students use these tools as an alternative to attending lectures or interacting with peers face to face. Our project will explore the ways in which technology is taking over universities, and the affect that this has upon students and their university experience.

History of the Internet
The internet was originally created in 1969 as a system of communication between military bases; it was also used by universities. This system was called Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET). Electronic mail using the internet was created by scientists in 1972 and dubbed email. In 1974 the term ARPANET was abandoned, and the internet was formed. However, it wasn’t until 1989 that it became available to everyone via telephone lines. It quickly grew in popularity, and by the mid 1990s millions of people were online. In 1996, there were 15.2 million households using the internet. This number tripled by 2000, and by 2005 there were approximately 75 million online households.

By 1995 the internet was commonly used in schools, and President Bill Clinton challenged all American classrooms to utilize online resources. Other first world countries soon followed suit. In 2005 an estimated 6.4 million Canadians reported using the internet for educational purposes. It is now being said that “Most children in the United States will never have known a world without the internet.” (At Issue: Mass Media)

Lectures
A traditional lecture at a University was taught asing chalk and a blackboard. This method was often ineffective because the attention span of a typical student during a lecture is only 20 minutes when there is no opportunity for interaction between a teacher and a student. This is the case with a theater type layout. Advancements in technology have made two different styles of lecture possible.

The first style is similar to a traditional lecture in that a lecture is held at a specific date and time in a theater lecture hall. Technology such as PowerPoint or even overheads have helped professors to get students engaged in what is being taught to them. These technologies benefit students as well as professors. Many students are visual learners and are able to learn more from a lecture that contains diagrams and animations that provide alternative ways to view the information.

The second style is the online lecture, which is a relatively new but quickly becoming more widely used. The asynchronous online lecture allows a student to listen/see a lecture whenever it is convenient for them, without having to be on campus

Communication
Communication is a key factor in a student’s success at University. It is necessary to communicate with your professors, your peers as well the many other staff members involved with tuition payment, bus passes, benefits etc. In the past communication was typically done face-to-face or, if time permitted, through a letter. In today's world of technological advancement, communication at school occurs mainly through email, intranets, or even Facebook. Out of users who reported utilizing the internet for educational purposes, 21.5% reported that they have used the internet to communicate with peers or professors.

Email is probably one of the most common communication technologies used at University. Instructors and students are able to ask questions, confirm dates, do group projects and convey important information all without leaving a computer. This advancement has proved helpful because of its efficiency and widespread use by staff and students.

Intranets, such as MyUofC are also playing a key role in making communication more efficient. Similar to email, intranets allow information to be communicated to those who have a valid username and password. MyUofC is used for everything from tuition payment to the submission of an essay. Another advantage to intranets is that they can be customized based on individual requirements and security access.

Facebook is rising in popularity at the University level. It was originally created as a communication tool for Harvard students, and then spread to other universities. It can now be used by anyone with internet access. As a result, students can utilise this resource to contact anyone from peers at distant universities, to family members. Facebook and other similar discussion boards allow students to get to know their peers or even professors in a more relaxed, informal environment.

Research
Research used to be a time-consuming activity done at a library by looking through stacks and shelves of books and essays. Technology has greatly improved upon this traditional method. 66.2% of people who report using the internet for educational purposes have taken advantage of this fact.

Books and essays are still the preferred source for reputable information on most subjects. Looking for and finding books has become easier then ever due to the use of online catalogues and databases that provide the reader with quick information about the year, genre, author and location of the book in question.

Another popular research tool is the internet. Although not always trustworthy the internet allows access to thousands of sites relevant to the topic being researched in just the click of a button. Not only can you find web pages, but those books you struggles to find in the library may even been printed online. Once you have used the internet to complete your research, you can also use it to help you properly format and reference the information you found.

Student Assessment
Student assessment encompasses different methods of evaluating a student’s performance in a course. Student assessment is one of the areas at University that has been changed the least by technology at this point. Traditionally assignments were handed out in class and then handed back to the teacher on the due date. Exams and tests were done in a large room of students. This is still the most common method, although some quizzes are now done online or with the aid of certain computer programs.

Technology has helped to allow assignments to be given out and submitted online usually through an intranet, discussed above. There are also several web-based companies that provide and mark assignments based on instructor requirements. Examples of these companies at the University of Calgary include Aplia and Webworks.

Unfortunately recent technology hasn't made many changes to the way major tests and final exams are written, however this is to be expected due to the confidential nature and importance of exams. Studying for tests and exams has been improved by technology because there are now numerous online study guides and practice tests.

Students
The increase in technology used for university courses gives students easier access to course materials and grants them more flexibility for when and how they complete their work. It is now much easier for students to balance jobs and school work because they can now access class information while off campus.

This also makes it easier for them to collaborate with fellow students on group projects. They no longer need to find a time when everyone can meet. Instead, they can simply send messages and information online.

Various information found online is also useful for students who do not learn best through the tradition oral lectures. Visual learners can now benefit from animations and illustrations included in course slides or on course websites.

Professors
The increased internet usage in universities allows professors to contact their students without needing to be on campus. This provides them with increased flexibility regarding office hours, and time spent working from home. It also means that, despite the fact that the number of students per instructor is increasing, the professors can teach more students without a dramatic increase in working hours.

Others
A major advantage for technology within universities is the decrease in environmental impact. Although the day has not yet come when we have stopped printing textbooks we are reducing paper in other ways by having notes, assignments and essays submitted online. As technology becomes more advanced, dependency on textbooks may decrease or eliminate need for them altogether.

Students
Students sometimes rely too much upon online resources. For example, many students use online lecture notes as an alternative to going to lectures. They then read through these notes as opposed to making there own, and fail to think critically about what they are learning. This decreases their chances of actually understanding the subject matter.

Students also use online communication as a replacement for face to face conversation. This causes problems, because misunderstandings are harder to catch and correct when neither party has vocal tones or body language to help them. It is also much easier to ignore someone over the internet than it is in person. Therefore, it can be harder to contact potential group members.

Technology also makes it easier for people to access papers from past students, thus increasing the temptation to plagiarize. However, it is also easier for professors to catch this using the internet. Many students rely on the internet for research purposes as well. This can be a problem because the information found on search engines is not only less reliable, but also not nearly as well organized as the information found in a library. By relying on online resources, students are actually damaging their chances of succeeding in school.

One of the most frequently mentioned problems with technology is its potential to distract users. Many students have procrastinated on an assignment by spending time on Facebook or another favorite websites.

Although most of these issues are not caused by the internet itself, there are many problems with how we use it. The internet is not always a useful tool, nor is it always used at appropriate times.

Professors
The rise in internet usage for university courses increases the workload of professors. In addition to preparing their presentation for each lecture, they are now expected to create PowerPoint slides out of the lecture material, update websites related to the course, and monitor online resources. This takes away from the time they can spend helping students and preparing for their lectures. It also requires them to become familiar with technology, which can add to the job stress of professors who have not used computers previously.

Others
There is a cost associated with both implementing new technology, and updating existing systems. Although this cost is often passed on to students in the form of increased tuition fees, some universities may lose money by trying to provide students with the latest technology.

Future Technology: M-Learning
M-Learning is learning and communicating by use of a mobile device. Devices like PDA’s and smart phones are a popular technology that students use to send email, communicate with peers and get the daily news. Mobile devices are also making their way into the classroom in the form of a Pocket PC that allows students to collaborate and vote while in a lecture. Voting on Pocket PC’s is used for student assessment or participation marks.

M-learning is quickly gaining popularity with students because of its ease of use; you know longer need a laptop, a cable and a wireless internet connection to check your email, just a Blackberry. Some of the current disadvantages to m-learning are battery life, screen size and cost.

Conclusion
Our research has uncovered many ways in which technology and the internet has improved the university experience. It has made everything from research to understanding lectures simpler. We have also uncovered many disadvantages, and have noticed a common theme throughout most of them. The majority of the disadvantages of technology are the result of overuse. Our conclusion is that the technological advances that have been incorporated in universities are beneficial, but must be used with more moderation. This is primarily a student concern, but professors could also help to eliminate this problem by encouraging students to consider alternative methods of learning, researching, and communicating.