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Steven R. LermanSteven R. LermanClass of ’22 Professor and Director, Class of ’22 Professor and Director, MIT Center for Educational Computing MIT Center for Educational Computing InitiativesInitiatives
Information Technology in Information Technology in EducationEducation
Lessons from Computing in a Large Lessons from Computing in a Large
Research UniversityResearch University
Some background about me Some background about me and my research centerand my research center
Educated entirely at MITEducated entirely at MIT
Joined MIT faculty in 1975 in Civil Joined MIT faculty in 1975 in Civil EngineeringEngineering
Shifted to Educational Technology as Shifted to Educational Technology as Director of Project Athena in 1983Director of Project Athena in 1983
Founded Center for Educational Founded Center for Educational Computing Initiatives in 1991Computing Initiatives in 1991
Incoming Dean for Graduate StudentsIncoming Dean for Graduate Students
Revising Our Thinking Revising Our Thinking About Teaching & LearningAbout Teaching & Learning
Teaching LearningTeaching Learning Teacher Mentor or CoachTeacher Mentor or Coach Student LearnerStudent Learner Synchronous AsynchronousSynchronous Asynchronous Passive ActivePassive Active Linear NonlinearLinear Nonlinear Scheduled On-demandScheduled On-demand Teaching material Accomplishing a GoalTeaching material Accomplishing a Goal
Research Areas at CECIResearch Areas at CECI
EducationalApplications
EnablingTechnologies
Evaluation
Approach in this CourseApproach in this Course
Universities are large, complex Universities are large, complex organizations facing strategic and organizations facing strategic and tactical issues in IT usetactical issues in IT useMIT has been one of the leading MIT has been one of the leading universities in the world in using IT as universities in the world in using IT as part of its overall leadership strategypart of its overall leadership strategyCan we learn about IT strategy and Can we learn about IT strategy and technology more generally from MIT’s technology more generally from MIT’s processes and decisions?processes and decisions?We’ll use some MIT based case studies We’ll use some MIT based case studies and try to generalize key lessons and try to generalize key lessons learnedlearned
Outline of CourseOutline of CourseBackground: Technology Shifts and Background: Technology Shifts and Organizational ResponsesOrganizational Responses
Case 1: A historical look at Project AthenaCase 1: A historical look at Project Athena
Case 2: Organizational Structure for Case 2: Organizational Structure for Provision of ISProvision of IS
Case 3: Processes for Strategy FormationCase 3: Processes for Strategy Formation
Case 4: MIT OpenCourseWareCase 4: MIT OpenCourseWare
Case 5: Lab Experiments over the InternetCase 5: Lab Experiments over the Internet
Case 6: Singapore-MIT AllianceCase 6: Singapore-MIT Alliance
Case 7: Revising Freshman Physics with Case 7: Revising Freshman Physics with Technology Enabled Active LearningTechnology Enabled Active Learning
Some other examples (as time allows)Some other examples (as time allows)
Background – How has IT Background – How has IT and the world changed?and the world changed?
Moore’s Law and Metcalfe’s LawMoore’s Law and Metcalfe’s Law
Moore’s Law – In 1965, Moore noted Moore’s Law – In 1965, Moore noted processing power doubles every 18 processing power doubles every 18 monthsmonths
Metcalfe’s Law – The value of a Metcalfe’s Law – The value of a network grows as the square of the network grows as the square of the number of connected usersnumber of connected users
““The World is Flat”The World is Flat”Tom Friedman’s book argues that Tom Friedman’s book argues that technology enables global competitiontechnology enables global competition
He list 10 “flatteners”He list 10 “flatteners”Collapse of Collapse of Berlin WallBerlin Wall - symbolic shift to - symbolic shift to global economy rather than economic global economy rather than economic blocsblocs
NetscapeNetscape – the World Wide Web – the World Wide Web
WorkflowWorkflow software – computer to software – computer to computer commcomputer comm
Open sourcingOpen sourcing
““The World is Flat”The World is Flat”OutsourcingOutsourcing – using most efficient – using most efficient providers for aspects of service provision providers for aspects of service provision and manufacturingand manufacturingSupply chainingSupply chaining – e.g. Wall-Mart – e.g. Wall-Mart streamlining stepsstreamlining stepsInsourcingInsourcing – company A providing – company A providing services beyond usual mission to services beyond usual mission to Company B, e.g. UPS reparing Toshiba Company B, e.g. UPS reparing Toshiba computerscomputersIn-forming – data gathering, as in Google In-forming – data gathering, as in Google "The Steroids": Personal digital "The Steroids": Personal digital equipment like mobile phones, iPods, equipment like mobile phones, iPods, personal digital assistants, instant personal digital assistants, instant messaging, and voice over IP or messaging, and voice over IP or VOIPVOIP
IT becoming ubiquitousIT becoming ubiquitous
Extension of Internet globallyExtension of Internet globally
Leapfrogging of technology – cell Leapfrogging of technology – cell phone adoption in LDCs rather than phone adoption in LDCs rather than building of wired telecommunicationsbuilding of wired telecommunications
Barriers still exist – example of Barriers still exist – example of university access to Internet in East university access to Internet in East AfricaAfrica
Case 1:The Athena Experience Case 1:The Athena Experience (1983-1991)(1983-1991)
•Athena was in its time the single largest Athena was in its time the single largest educational technology initiative in the educational technology initiative in the worldworld
•>$100 million USD (1983 dollars) over 8 >$100 million USD (1983 dollars) over 8 years in equipment, personnel and cashyears in equipment, personnel and cash
•Single largest MIT-wide educational Single largest MIT-wide educational program we have ever undertakesprogram we have ever undertakes
Educational Computing at Educational Computing at MIT circa 1982MIT circa 1982
Era of mainframe and minicomputerEra of mainframe and minicomputer
Almost all computing available was for Almost all computing available was for research or administrationresearch or administration
Student access for coursework Student access for coursework virtually non-existent except for 2 virtually non-existent except for 2 departmentsdepartments
Faculty could not innovate using Faculty could not innovate using computing because there was no way computing because there was no way to deliver courseto deliver course
Ad hoc committeeAd hoc committee
Dean of Engineering began series of Dean of Engineering began series of meetings with interested facultymeetings with interested faculty
Original vision was for School of Original vision was for School of Engineering, not all of MITEngineering, not all of MIT
Key leaders saw major issues at MIT:Key leaders saw major issues at MIT:Access to computingAccess to computing
Incompatible computing environmentsIncompatible computing environments
Lack of funding and incentives for faculty Lack of funding and incentives for faculty led innovation in educationled innovation in education
Seeking industry partnersSeeking industry partners
Large scale project envisioned Large scale project envisioned requiring technical and financial requiring technical and financial partnerspartners
Industry leaders on verge of releasing Industry leaders on verge of releasing personal computers and workstationspersonal computers and workstations
Period of high profitability for Period of high profitability for computer industrycomputer industry
Willingness to work collaboratively Willingness to work collaboratively with MIT to create environment of the with MIT to create environment of the futurefuture
Formalization of Project AthenaFormalization of Project Athena
Proposal to 2 largest computer Proposal to 2 largest computer vendors of time – IBM and Digitalvendors of time – IBM and Digital
Expansion of project to all of MITExpansion of project to all of MIT
Benefits and complexity of multi-Benefits and complexity of multi-corporation partnership at MITcorporation partnership at MIT
Staff, equipment and moneyStaff, equipment and money
Organizational optionsOrganizational options
Integrate project into current IT Integrate project into current IT organizationorganization
Create totally new organization to Create totally new organization to subsume all IT at MITsubsume all IT at MIT
Incubate Athena as separate Incubate Athena as separate organization to serve as change agent organization to serve as change agent for central ITfor central IT
Athena’s goalsAthena’s goals
Technological goal – “coherence”Technological goal – “coherence”
Infrastructure goal – build first campus Infrastructure goal – build first campus network and deploy O(1000) networked network and deploy O(1000) networked workstationsworkstations
Educational goal – develop, use and Educational goal – develop, use and evaluate new educational software, e.g. evaluate new educational software, e.g. simulations, new toolssimulations, new tools
Athena’s goals - accomplishmentsAthena’s goals - accomplishments
Technological goal – Kerberos Technological goal – Kerberos authentication, X Window System, authentication, X Window System, Zephyr instant messagingZephyr instant messaging
Infrastructure goal – connected all Infrastructure goal – connected all major educational buildings, Athena major educational buildings, Athena clusters in educational and residential clusters in educational and residential areas, printers MIT-wide, server roomsareas, printers MIT-wide, server rooms
Educational goal – internal grant Educational goal – internal grant program, high cost of implementation, program, high cost of implementation, difficulty with sustainabilitydifficulty with sustainability
Lessons from Athena (I)Lessons from Athena (I)
Balancing three potentially competing goals is difficultBalancing three potentially competing goals is difficult
High cost of innovation with educational technologies at High cost of innovation with educational technologies at early stages of technologyearly stages of technology
Experimentation vs. service deliveryExperimentation vs. service delivery
Management of expectations of faculty, staff and studentsManagement of expectations of faculty, staff and students
Price of the “bleeding edge”Price of the “bleeding edge”
Lessons from Athena (II)Lessons from Athena (II)
Concentration of resources needed in educational innovation – Concentration of resources needed in educational innovation – too many projects (about 80) each with too little fundingtoo many projects (about 80) each with too little funding
Sustainability of innovation-education, technology and Sustainability of innovation-education, technology and infrastructure – innovation easier than sustainability; rapid infrastructure – innovation easier than sustainability; rapid technology change makes educational use expensivetechnology change makes educational use expensive
Relationships with competing industrial partners can work, with Relationships with competing industrial partners can work, with university as neutral brokeruniversity as neutral broker
Where should we be headed (I)?Where should we be headed (I)?
MIT leadership in educational technology no longer MIT leadership in educational technology no longer unquestionable.unquestionable.
Educational improvements should be our first priority.Educational improvements should be our first priority.
Market changes and technology changes require us to re-Market changes and technology changes require us to re-examine computing model.examine computing model.
Innovation should involve a small number of large initiatives.Innovation should involve a small number of large initiatives.
Where should we be headed (II)?Where should we be headed (II)?
We may need to run parallel systems We may need to run parallel systems that separates service delivery from that separates service delivery from experiment.experiment.
We should examine sustainability of We should examine sustainability of innovation early in process.innovation early in process.
We should partner with industry again.We should partner with industry again.
Organizational structure for innovation Organizational structure for innovation (and relationship to other units at MIT) (and relationship to other units at MIT) needs to be carefully planned.needs to be carefully planned.
For more informationFor more information
MIT Project Athena:A Model for MIT Project Athena:A Model for Distributed Campus ComputingDistributed Campus Computing, by , by George Champine, Digital Press, George Champine, Digital Press, 1991.1991.
Project Athena: The First Five Project Athena: The First Five YearsYears, Seven volume report., Seven volume report.
Report of the MIT Technology Report of the MIT Technology CouncilCouncil, W. Mitchell and M. , W. Mitchell and M. Derouzos (eds), October, 1991.Derouzos (eds), October, 1991.
For More InformationFor More Information
Professor Steven R. Lerman, DirectorProfessor Steven R. Lerman, DirectorCenter for Educational Computing Center for Educational Computing
InitiativesInitiatives9-3179-317MITMITCambridge, MA 02139Cambridge, MA 02139USAUSA
web: http://ceci.mit.edu/researchweb: http://ceci.mit.edu/research
email: [email protected]: [email protected]
MIT
