Enterprise IT decisions can and should support the aims of teaching and learning. In some cases, IT decisions can have a transformative effect on teaching and learning practices. There have been a few examples at Boise State University where this has occurred. A shift from traditional lecture capture towards a more flexible software solution has supported active learning. A mobile first clicker strategy has promoted mobile learning. And universal UI design has helped promote accessibility and consistent learning environments.

1. Making IT Decisions
That Improve the Academy

2. The Academy

3. The Academy

4. Can technology improve the academy?

5. Role of IT in higher ed?
A.Utility?
B.Strategic partner?
C.Something else?
D.All of the above?

6. Technology + Education = Better learning?

7. “Books will soon be obsolete in the
public schools. Scholars will be
instructed through the eye. It is
possible to teach every branch of
human knowledge with the motion
picture. Our school system will be
completely changed inside of ten
years.”
-Thomas Edison
1913 . . .

8. No Significant Difference
(Saettler, 1990; Russel, 2001; WCET, n.d.)

9. Re-think

10. Change cycles
Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies
(Gartner)
Change Management (Satir) + Stages of Grief ;)

11. Students today . . .

12. “Students today can't prepare bark to calculate
their problems. They depend on slates which are
more expensive. What will they do when slate is
dropped and breaks? They will be unable to
write!”
-proceedings from a teacher’s conference
1703 . . .

13. “Students today depend on paper too much.
They don't know how to write on a slate without
getting chalk dust all over themselves. They can't
clean a slate properly. What will they do when
they run out of paper?”
-a principal’s publication
1815 . . .

14. “Students today depend too much upon ink.
They don't know how to use a pen knife to
sharpen a pencil. Pen and ink will never replace
the pencil.”
-National Association of Teachers
1907 . . .

15. “Students today depend upon store-bought
ink. They don't know how to make their own.
When they run out of ink they will be unable to
write . . . This is a sad commentary on modern
education.”
-Rural American Teacher
1928 . . .

16. “Students today depend on these expensive
fountain pens. They can no longer write with a
straight pen and nib. We parents must not
allow them to wallow in such luxury to the
detriment of learning how to cope in the real
business world which is not so extravagant”
-PTA Gazette
1941 . . .

17. Ball point pens will be the ruin of education in
our country. Students [today] use these devices
and throw them away. The American values of
thrift and frugality are being discarded.
Businesses and banks will not allow such
luxuries.
-Federal Teachers
1950 . . .

18. Students today . . .
Texting? Social media? Smart phones? Laptops?
Calculators? Google? Wikipedia? YouTube?
Wearables? Augmented/virtual reality?
-NW MET
2017 . . . and beyond?

19. Technology change
and growth happens
through collective
decision-making
(Or we’d still be writing on bark)

20. Attributes of Innovation
“Diffusion of Innovation” (Rogers, 2003)
Relative advantage (WIIFM?)
Compatibility (with current beliefs)
Complexity (should be low)
Trialability (pilot/experiment)
Observability (prove it!)
“Disruptive Innovation” (Christensen, 1997)
Simple
Convenient
Accessible
Affordable

21. Systems

22. Constraints and Affordances (Norman, 2013)
Affordances = 0
Most useless machine

25. Prior state of instructional media
Too many disjointed solutions
Lack of pedagogical alignment
Too expensive
Lack of strategy

26. Organizational context

30. Results

31. Potential for pedagogical affordances

32. TPACK and SAMR

33. https://boisestate.techsmithrelay.com/Wqse

34. TPACK and SAMR

35. Clickers
Current solution saw
declining use
Upcoming cloud upgrade
changed billing model
Users were giving us negative
feedback

38. Notably
Improved accessibility/usability
Reduced cost to students
“Mobile first”

40. Recently discussion about constraints
IT Person: That feature is not available. Just curious, would you go back to
TurningPoint instead of REEF?
Long-time clicker user: “Oh, NO!” REEF is waaay better!

41. Principles* and processes
*OIT: what we do is a team sport; value the human; concept of one; change is inevitable
*LTS: students come first; evidence-based decision-making; collaboration; flexible yet consistent universal design

42. How can IT decisions improve the academy?

43. Feedback from governance and stakeholders; data and research; accessibility; usability

44. Accessibility - model good behavior

45. Beyond “outcomes”- different ways to measure value
Growth
Change
Access
Participation
Affordability
Flexibility
Simplicity

46. Citations
Norman, D. A. (2013). The design of everyday things.
Pierson, M. E. (2001). Technology integration practice as a function of pedagogical expertise. Journal of Research on Technology in
Education, 33, 4.
Puentedura, R. Technology in education: An integrated approach. Retrieved from http://www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/ retrieved:
December 12, 2014.
Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations. New York: Free Press.
Russel, T.L. (2001) The no significant difference phenomenon
Saettler, L. P., & Saettler, L. P. (1990). The evolution of American educational technology. Englewood, Colo: Libraries Unlimited.