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#7
CCHE Quality Indicator System (QIS)
CU-Boulder Fall 1998 Submission
State indicator 7: Information technology at CU-Boulder
CU-Boulder incorporates information technology in teaching, learning,
and research with excellent facilities, training, and practices.
To move campus technology use to the next level, we are developing an
Information Technology (IT) Strategic Plan to "ensure the availability,
support, effective management, and required funding for IT resources and
capabilities that properly supports the Campus' core missions, special
characteristics, and values." This includes curriculum but much more as
well. The plan, plus our Alliance
for Technology, Learning, and Society (ATLAS), will position CU-Boulder
to take full advantage of current and future technologies in improving
curriculum and student learning.
Sections A-E relate to CCHE-specified best practices.
A. CU-Boulder courses incorporate information technology
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Courses in fields from classics to zoology make extensive use of audio
and video, of e-mail between students and instructors and among students,
and of the web and CD-ROMs for postings of syllabi and class notes, links
to external resources, graphics, interactive demonstrations, threaded discussions,
and course-related chat rooms. Over 200 CU-Boulder courses had web pages
as of fall 1997, and the number grows steadily. The ATLAS
project has compiled a list of sample
websites used in CU-Boulder classes and academic outreach.
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Continuing Education offers over 20 courses
entirely on line
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CATECS, the Center for Advanced
Training in Engineering and Computer Science, delivers graduate-level courses
directly to business and industry via live TV broadcasts and videotape.
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Many courses are taught in classrooms with computers for every student
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Courses such as Business Core 1000, a 3-hour course required of all undergraduates
in business, focus on computing skills in the context of an academic discipline
B1. CU-Boulder students make heavy use of information
technology
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Results of a March 1997 survey
on e-mail use show that at least 85% of CU-Boulder undergraduates and
80% of graduate students were active e-mail users at that time. Use has
undoubtedly increased since then.
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In a spring 1997 survey
of undergraduates
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88% reported using computer services on campus, higher than the 76% average
at a group of comparison public research universities. Undergraduates also
reported high satisfaction with those services.
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98% reported spending at least one hour per week working at a computer,
and 76% reported spending three or more hours per week
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In a spring 1996
survey
of seniors, 70% reported using campus web or electronic information
services and 88% reported using computer labs on campus. Both figures have
increased steadily since first collected 1990-93.
B2. CU-Boulder has excellent information technology
facilities
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For an overview of resources see a list
maintained by ITS, the campus information technology service
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CU-Boulder hosts over 33,000 e-mail accounts and has over 12,000 computers
connected to the Internet.
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About 80 "technology classrooms" are equipped for overhead projectors,
large screen video projection or TV monitors, VHS-videotape player, slide
projector, LCD panel for computer output, and audio cassette/CD player.
Lecture halls are also equipped with wireless microphones and laser pointers.
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30 classrooms have workstations at all seats, all connected to the Internet
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Over 25 student computing sites or labs on campus contain over 1,200 workstations
and peripherals with spreadsheet, word processing, presentation, web browser,
and communications software. All are connected to the Internet.
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A new assistive
technology lab created by the Office of Disability Services and ITS
provides computer access and special technology services to students with
disabilities
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60 stand-alone kiosks on campus allow students to check the web and e-mail
between classes
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SLIP and PPP modem pools with several lines allow students, faculty, and
staff to dial in from home
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The Anderson Language Technology Center
(ALTEC) is a state-of-the-art facility supporting the study of foreign
languages and cultures. A large library of materials includes audiotapes,
videotapes, videodiscs, CD-ROMS, reference books, journals and other materials.
Computing facilities consist of an interactive video lab and a computer
classroom for foreign language word processing, tutorial programs, and
Internet access. The audiovisual area has carrels for the independent study
of video and audiotapes. There is also a media classroom with a large-screen
video projector and video and audio production facilities.
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CU-Boulder's libraries
maintain a web site with links to over 2,000 sites of interest to the campus
community and featuring powerful electronic searching of both CU-Boulder
and worldwide print and electronic holdings.
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In engineering, the 31,700-square foot Integrated
Teaching and Learning Laboratory (ITLL) serves as a hands-on
learning environment for undergraduate and graduate students. The laboratory
has many group work areas, all with computer workstations and lead-ins
for feeds from instrumentation equipment. The entire lab features an "inside
out" design exposing the building's systems so that they can be studied
by students. The Bechtel Computer-Aided Design Laboratory allows students
and faculty to use computers to study structural design and many other
applications. The McDonnell Douglas Aerospace Structural Dynamics and Control
Laboratory focuses on advanced aerospace structural technology
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Some individual departments, such as psychology,
have their own computer facilities to support teaching and research
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A fall 1997 survey indicated that over 60% of entering freshmen bring a
personal computer with them to campus.
C. CU-Boulder takes steps to assure that technology
is used appropriately in teaching/learning situations. Assistance to faculty
members is a high priority, with an emphasis on enhancing learning.
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The Faculty Teaching Excellence
Program (FTEP) offers many training programs for faculty throughout
the year, including a series of forums on teaching, learning, and technology
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In June 1998 FTEP sponsored a two-week summer
institute for "technology, scholarship and new media pedagogy" for
17 faculty members from 12 disciplines. The institute focused on use of
technology tools in teaching, not on mastery of the tools for their own
sake. Participants completed projects to enhance their fall teaching, and
gave the institute rave reviews.
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CU-Boulder's two technology planning initiatives, ATLAS
and the IT strategic plan,
are both aimed at ensuring wise use of technology to enhance teaching,
learning, and research.
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E-mail accounts are provided to every faculty and staff member
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A web page on faculty technology
resources provides quick-start assistance on 35 technologies such as
e-mail lists and video conferencing, plus questions and answers on topics
such as "How are faculty using instructional technology in their courses"
and "Where can I get help integrating technology into my teaching."
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Webworks
offers web assistance to faculty, including a package for course development
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Campus "e-memos" notify students, faculty, and staff of opportunities,
deadlines, and policies on a regular basis.
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Administrative computing
supports the academic mission with a student records system already prepared
for year 2000, an initiative to replace financial and personnel systems,
and many other services
D. CU-Boulder helps students take advantage of information
technology for learning and to enhance their university experience
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Students learn about computing facilities in orientation, through written
materials, in courses, through a "getting
started" guide, and through free
workshops and brownbags on topics such as e-mail, using an Internet
browser, creating a web home page, and editing web pages.
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Academic advisors across campus use e-mail as one form of communication
with advisees. E-mail advising systems are in place for the colleges of
education, architecture and planning, and engineering, and for undeclared
majors and pre-professional students. Systems for all other students should
be in place soon.
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Six terms of student ratings
of courses and instructors are on the web for students to use in selecting
courses as they register.
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Computing advisors are available in the main library and at engineering
100 hours per week, and by e-mail 8 am to midnight daily.
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All students are eligible for e-mail accounts, and can create their own
e-mail accounts through a web interface.
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CU-PLUS, CU-Boulder's Personal
Look-Up Service, is a secure web center through which students can build
a course schedule by checking offerings, catalog descriptions of course
content, and ratings of courses and instructors made by students in past
terms. They can also check their course schedule, grades, addresses, and
bills, and obtain reports on their progress toward the degree (called a
degree audit). This center will be enhanced significantly in 1998-99 with
features such as improved navigation, more flexible degree audits, and
links to required texts for courses the student is considering.
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Ralphie's Info Center,
on the web, receives over 20,000 hits per month. It includes
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The Ask Ralphie question-and-answer
service, which handles an average of over 50 questions per week from students
on topics ranging from academic advising to where to find good bagels.
There is also a parallel service for parents.
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A compilation
of Ask Ralphie questions and answers from past months
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Ralphie's Guide to Student
Life, a comprehensive guide with information on topics such as exam
schedules, crisis counseling, bus service in Boulder and Denver, parking,
programs for students of color, and alcohol policies. The 100-page print
version is distributed to all faculty, staff, and students annually.
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A $30-per-term computing
fee funds capitalization of campus labs and student-access computers,
plus costs of networking and software for labs. Starting in 1998-99, each
school and college will determine how fee funds are allocated. Schools
and colleges have their own student-faculty boards to decide internal allocations.
E. CU-Boulder supports students, faculty, and staff
with training in information technology
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See discussion above of programs for faculty and for students
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CU-Boulder's continuing education division offers over 100 computing
classes every term, on topics ranging from "understanding computers"
to multimedia and computer graphics.
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Continuing education also offers a certificate program in computer applications.
Entry F is not on the CCHE-specified list of best practices.
F. CU-Boulder plans and coordinates information technology
use and initiatives
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The Alliance for Technology and
Learning in Society (ATLAS), an initiative launched in 1997-98, has
four programmatic areas: educational technology; technology, arts, and
media; outreach to K12, Colorado, the nation, and the world; and campus-wide
infrastructure. One of ATLAS' goals is ensuring that CU-Boulder graduates
have the information technology skills and the understanding of the impacts
of technology upon their disciplines necessary for their careers and their
lives as citizens.
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Technology is one of four focus areas for CU-Boulder for the period 1998
through 2005 (along with undergraduate education, diversity, and research/graduate
education). To move campus technology use to the next level, the campus
is developing an Information Technology
(IT) Strategic Plan to "ensure the availability, support, effective
management, and required funding for IT resources and capabilities that
properly supports the Campus' core missions, special characteristics, and
values." This includes curriculum but much more as well. A draft version
of the plan was issued July 1998 for faculty comment. The plan, coupled
with ATLAS, will position CU-Boulder to take full advantage of current
and future technologies in improving curriculum and student learning.
Summary of State indicators
L:\IR\CCHE\QIS98\CC7.TXW -- July 14, 1998
Written by Lou McClelland
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