Technology & Education Final Report

education

We set out to learn where the overlap between technology & education is for students at UIC.

what’s working?what’s not?& why?

technology

About our methodology:Each section of this report integrates primary-source research collected by the UIC Innovation Center as part of our effort to develop a robust and multidimensional portrait of the student technology and education experience at the University of Illinois.

We recruited 17 diverse participants from all across UIC by:

ageethnicitygendercollegeyear/experiencelevel (undergrad / grad / professional)

attitude towards technologytechnology owned/usedprimary course structurescommute lengthetc…

We quickly observed that the students in this group have different expectations about using technology in relationship to content, context, and community.

Some examples…

CONTENT

Access to information is instantaneous and diverse.

A Google search quickly reveals multiple sources and forms of media to choose from.

CONTENT

Information is often specific to the user.

Tailored content is filtered by interest, social network, or personal preferences.

CONTEXT

Mobile devices provide an opportunity to make use of “in between” times.

In particular, smartphones with app-based operating systems provide simplified ways to be productive on the go.

COMMUNITY

Social networks are easily accessible and are used to increase efficiency.

Social networking tools like Twitter and Facebook put the entirety of the students’ contacts within reach. Trusted networks are used to help filter information, provide recommendations, and answer immediate questions.

content

community

context

technology

How well does UIC support these expectations & behaviors around content, community, and context?

Here’s some of what we heard…

educationtechnology

CONTENT

Information accessibility & format

“ When I don’t understand something l’ll just Google it because I don’t want to feel stupid asking it in class. ”

“ I’m more of a visual learner. I like

it when the professor shows videos.

One time I looked up videos on

YouTube for my accounting class

because I just didn’t get what

the professor or book was saying.”

“ The lectures are supposed to go up on Blackboard within 24 hours and when they don’t it’s frustrating because I have to work the next day and won’t have time to review them (soon after seeing the lecture).”

“ I like to have the presentations before the lecture so I can take notes on it. Some professors don’t like to give them out ahead of time, though.”

COMMUNITY

Peer involvement in learning

“ It’s really through discussions with other students that help me really understand the concepts.”

“ We split up transcribing the lecture. It’s good because we all become experts on our little part of it.”

“ Our class has a shared Dropbox folder where everyone puts their notes.”

“ There’s one guy in my class who is super smart so I’ll ask him first before I bother the professor.”

“ Our class had a Facebook page where we could post questions to all the students and TAs.”

CONTEXT

When and where learning happens

“ I get most of my reading done on the train.”

“ I can never get on the wireless network at campus so I’ll just go home and work.”

“ I don’t bother coming to lecture because it’s easier for me to just watch the lectures at home.”

“ I hate it when the professor just reads off the slides. They are going to give it to us anyhow so what’s the point of going to class?”

SummaryCONTENT• Students want access to multiple sources and forms of content (videos, notes, images, etc.)

so they can pick and choose, compare and contrast to help them learn best for themselves• Students expect on-demand access to course information preferably as soon as the class

starts so they can get a head start, look & listen at the same time, or pace themselves with the content to fit into their schedules

COMMUNITY• Discussion reinforces concepts through elaboration and repetition• Technology-enabled tools encourage sharing information, discussion and collaboration

because of the speed and ability to stay connected whenever or wherever• When students have formed a community, they look out for one another which elevates the

experience of all students creating awareness and positive competition• People function as filters to help vet tools, content, and processes resulting in more efficient

learning

CONTEXT• Classroom time is expected to add value beyond content that can be found elsewhere• As students become more reliant on technology for learning, they increasingly don’t see a

reason to come to campus• Students try to fit learning and other education-related activities into the “cracks” of life:

waiting, commuting, at work, etc.

A quick comparison between…

Access to information is instantaneous and diverse

Content tailored to the user

Social networks are easily accessible and are used to increase efficiency.

Mobile devices provide an opportunity to make use of in between/on-the-go times.

Access to information is controlled by professor (in terms of content types, sources, way & when access is provided)

Content organized by professor or department

Students are difficult to get to know due to various factors such as large class size, large commuter population, lack of shared courses, etc.

Professors often don’t have time to spend with individual students or time outside class generally.

Access is largely environment-bound, either physically on desktops and computer labs or virtually in closed systems like Blackboard

CONTENT

the “outside” world at UIC

COMMUNITY

CONTEXT

Overall, students want a highly connected educational experience: _connected wherever whenever _connected to their preferences_connected to other students and professors

But for the most part, UIC students feel disconnected:_from campus_from information_from people

Opportunities

Creating a highly connected educational experience is no small feat.

We believe there are three opportunities related to content, community, and context that will get there.

Personalize the experience

Decentralize support

Support interstitial learning

content

community

context

technology

3 Opportunities

Personalize the experience

Use technology to collect relevant information about the individual student in order to offer choice, minimize pain points, and support a range of educational goals.

Personalize the experience: How

Assess the student’s needs, preferences, & access to technology and use it to improve their experience

Offer multiple options / content formats wherever possible

Optimize the amount and type of content to the device used

Encourage interest-driven learning

Layer information from simpler to more complex

Nudge faculty to tailor courses to student needs

What if: faculty had insight into their students’ learning context?

UIC CLASS ROSTERIntro to Psychology PSCH 100

62% of your classcommutes from more than 1 hour away(what this can mean)

35% of your classare visual learners(what this can mean)

15% of your classis entirely reliant on UIC computer labs(what this can mean)

AVAILABILITY ACCESSLEARNING STYLES

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What if UIC had an openly searchable database of all course content?

Decentralize supportEncourage communities to form and become self supporting

Decentralize Support: How

Use the physical campus space to encourage students to meet and collaborate

Organize information by goal, not department

Reduce the intimidation factor, design for the newbie

Encourage interaction between students(and encourage faculty to make this happen in the classroom)

Make information portable & sharable between students

Create a mental model of support services through consistent, memorable “branding” available across multiple channels

What if: students could volunteer to help others using their unique skills & knowledge?

Support interstitial learninghelp make productive use of in-between times

Support interstitial learning: How

Optimize for the smart phone (rather than the tablet)

Use short form content formats (short videos, 5 minute quizzes, flash cards, etc.)

Ensure wireless accessibility at campus commuting areas (bus stops, train stations)

Create course, college, and other app-based portals

Help students pick up where they left off

Evaluate software tools on 1) time, and 2) number of steps needed to complete tasks

What if: UIC was app-based?

UIC Help

UIC Colleges Courses

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UIC Alerts

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A&A

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Finance

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It’s not about addressing these opportunities separately. We have to address them as a system.

Because the problems around disconnection are connected…

A commuter student who is disconnected from campus (context) leads to adisconnection from people (community) which leads to a disconnection from information (content)

content

community

context

technology

Next Steps

This problem is a messy, interconnected, and constantly changing one. A wicked problem.

These types of problems can be mitigated through the process of design, an approach that emphasizes empathy, abductive reasoning, and rapid prototyping.

We’ve identified five pilot projects that will help refine the opportunity areas by looking at both the university and student sides of the experience.

me + UICm.UIC.eduCampus 2.0Student SpanExploratory Student Experience

me + UICCollecting & utilizing key student data to create a more personalized learning experience.

_ providing faculty with insightful profiles of their students_tailoring content based on student learning needs_pairing students based on interests, learning goals, skills

How might we:_collect & use student information?_communicate how it will be used to students?_ visualize patterns in meaningful ways to encourage changes in behavior?_understand what information encourages change?

content

communitytechnology

m.UIC.eduUtilizing the smart phone as the primary tool for:

_accessing course content_staying connected to learning communities_awareness of critical information

How might we:_translate course & other types of long form, complex, and interactive content for mobile?_encourage faculty to support mobile learning & use it to supplement in-class activities?_foster learning communities via mobile phone?

content

community

context

technology

Campus 2.0Exploring how the physical campus space can encourage learning by:

_supporting collaboration in study groups_fostering community_supporting interstitial learning

How might we:_re-design computer labs to encourage collaborative learning (over singular “computer use”)?_create classrooms that are flexible and enable new models of teaching?_use space to connect people & foster community?_minimize the intimidation factor in help centers?

community

context

technology

Student SpanMaking it easy to set up and encourage supplementary support for key learning, advising, and technical issues.

How might we:_make information more sharable between peers and across multiple channels?_identify and designate people to support others_provide tools to enable collaboration & communication

content

community

context

technology

Exploratory Student ExperienceCreating a positive first year experience for students who are most at risk of being disconnected.

How might we:_identify these students prior to orientation_ create ways for them to interact and engage with others both in-person and with technology

_help them define their own educational goals

content

community

context

technology

Appendix

Barriers to being and staying connected:

_ exploratory-oriented (no declared major, dislike current major)

_new to campus (first year student, transfer, etc.)_commuter student_financially challenged_ majority of classes are large lecture classes with little opportunity to get to know others

Faculty and have little understanding and/or empathy for the life constraints that many students are under and often create additional barriers and stresses for students.

_technology access_ time issues: available free time, work constraints, commuting constraints

_life issues: new parent, etc._financial issues

Disconnected from campus

East campus

mixed: from focused to exploratory

variable based on the individual professor, TA, department, etc.

based on a variety of attributes: cultural, life stage, discipline, dorm, friend networks

a little

centralized in student center

“types” of students

range of faculty technology systems

communities

supports remote learning

ACCC access

West campus

focused

fairly consistent use of blackboard as primary system to share course information

primarily based on coursework, discipline

more continuous

yes

decentralized across buildings

West campus tends to have fewer problems with “disconnection” due to a number of factors including strong peer communities and more consistent use of IT by faculty.

home UIC

Commuter students make up approximately 85% of the UIC student population.

_For some, this makes it difficult to meet other students, form relationships

_Some students question the value of coming to the physical campus

_ There is less visibility into what others are doing, less competitive spirit, and less awareness of what others are working on

Commuter students make up approximately 85% of the UIC student population.

_Commuter students try to make use of this “in between” time as best they can.

_For some these “interstitial” moments can add up to hours a day

_These students are frequently using a smartphone device to be productive

at work

in the waiting room

in line

waiting for the train on the

train

home UIC

Disconnected from information

Within UIC’s student population, there are a broad range of experiences and expectations upon entering university:

goal-orientedexploratory

“ I was nervous coming to UIC. I went to a crappy city high school so I know I didn’t have the skills the other students had.”

“ I thought I wanted to be in Art, but now I’m thinking ID because I don’t really fit in to the Art crowd.”

“ Since I was a freshman undergrad at UIC, I knew I was going to go to medical school.”

“ I want to be an art teacher, but I’m not exactly sure what I should take and what I need to do.”

goaloriented

explorationoriented

connected

disconnected

“ I knew I wanted to be a doctor and thankfully I was in the Honors College and had a great advisor that knew what I had to do to get in.”

“ All my classes first year were like 200 people. I had to race to work right after classes so I never really knew anyone.”

“ My commute is about 90 minutes each way so I can’t participate in all the activities that the other pharmacy students are involved in.”

“ I think I want to be a art teacher but am not sure. My friends in this center suggested some classes in LIS that were really great.”

There is a divide between exploratory and goal-oriented students which is amplifed by any barriers to being connected.

Not surprisingly, goal-oriented students receive more academic support. Although the type of support still can vary dramatically.

“ Both my best friend and I knew we wanted to be doctors someday. We both went to UIC for undergrad and were planning on going to medical school together. I was in Honor’s College and she wasn’t. I had an advisor that helped me pick the right classes, ones that would help me, and the better professors to choose. I was always getting advice from my advisor about paperwork, deadlines, etc. My friend didn’t have that kind of help. She ended up having to take an extra year of undergrad. She finally made it to medical school though. Just a year late.”

There are shared moments where different types of support is needed. Often, there is a discrepancy between when information is given and when it is needed.

Orientation

Information overload. Emphasis should be onorienting: to physical space, to other people, to discipline, not step-by-step instructions.

This is a great time to provide step-by-step instructions about “how-to” type information.

This is a time wherestudents need to quickly understand what space and technical resources are available as time is at a minimum and stress is at a maximum. Extra resources to support students should be made available.

This is a moment where students reach out to each other for advice on professors, courses, etc. More could be done to help students share information.

1st class Crunch time Planning ahead(signing up for classes, etc)

Technology can disconnect students from access to important information.

_ extra time is taken to manage the variety of (inconsistent) technology systems dictated by professors

_when blackboard is down or slow_ feeling intimidated at ACCC (asking in front of others, attitude of ACCC staff, unclear labeling of printers, confusing instructions, etc.)

Disconnected from others

Different devices support different educational activities. The smart phone plays a critical role in helping students stay connected to other students and information in real time.

CEll PHONE SMART PHONE TABlET lAPTOP DESKTOP

The computer lab is often necessary for printing, or for some, computer and internet access. It is not a conducive place for getting help, collaborating with others, or establishing a personalized workspace, driving students away to work elsewhere.

A good computer lab:+ has places to put your laptop+ Has helpful staff+ Has pods of smaller clusters so groups can study together+ Has clearly designated quiet areas and social areas+ Has printing capability+ Has clearly marked software + Allows students to reserve time in advance+ Has 24 hour access

A bad computer lab:- Is large and intimidating- Poor sight lines makes it difficult

to see where there is space- Assumes you are working by yourself- Assumes you don’t have your own laptop or other

equipment (doesn’t provide space or accessible outlets)- Divides peer groups into those that have laptops and

those that don’t

:( :)

May 2012Project lead by April Starr, Visiting Research Specialistwith support fromPeter Pfanner, DirectorChristopher Schroeck, FellowAndrew Graham, Studio Manager