the wake forest plan and its results david g. brown, vp & dean (iccel) professor of economics...
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The Wake Forest Plan and Its Results
• David G. Brown, VP & Dean (ICCEL) Professor of Economics Provost (1990-98)
• February 23, 2000
THREE BASIC THEMES
•FOCUS on key concepts!•BE POLITICAL!•Stress LEARNING, not technology
• 3700 undergraduates• 92% residential• 500 each: Med, Law, MBA, PhD• $950M endowment• Winston-Salem, NC• Baptist Heritage• 1300 average SAT• 28th in US News & World Report • Top 35 Privates in Barron’s Guide• Rhodes Scholars
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THE WAKE FOREST PLAN
• Plan for 2000• Thinkpads for all• Printers for all• New Every 2 Years• Own @ Graduation• Wire Everything• Standard Software• Full Admin Systems• IGN for Faculty
• 40+30 New People• 75% Faculty Trained• 85% CEI Users• 98% E-Mail• +15% Tuition• ~$1500/Yr/Student• 4 Year Phase In• Pilot Year, Now 4
Classes
Soph/Senior ComputerIBM 380XD, 64 RAM, 233 Mhz, 4.1GB, CD-ROM, 56 modem
Fresh/Junior ComputerF99: IBM 390, 128 RAM 333 Mhz, 6GB CD-ROM, 56 modem
1999 Software Load
Netscape 4.5
Dreamweaver 2
SPSS 9
Maple V 5.1
Windows 98
MS Office Prof 97
CONCEPTS BEHIND PLAN
• Students First• 2 Layers: Threshold +• Rapid Change• Communicate/Access (Not
Present/Analyze)• Standardization• Academic Freedom• Nomadic Learners
CONCEPTS BEHIND PLAN
• Dominant Use After College• Empower Existing Units• Eager Faculty • Students Change Agent • Exposure, Not Mandate• Partnership• Marketable Difference
Consequences for Wake Forest
•+SAT Scores & Class Ranks
•+Retention & Grad Rates•+Satisfaction & Learning•+Faculty Recruitment
Personal Use of Computers by Wake Forest Faculty
Source: 1998 HERI Survey
• 98% E-mail• 91% Memos & Letters• 75% Scholarly Research• 41% Presentations• 36% Data Analysis• 22% On Line Discussion Groups
Key Elements of Approval Process(Voted by Faculty, Students, and Trustees)
• Faculty Committee Leadership---met rigorous requirements, joint trip to Crookston, elected policy group
• Many Implementation Centers---library, departments, deans, residence halls, CIT, bookstore, IS
• Administrative Leadership---team• Open Discussion & Votes
Key Elements of Approval Process(continued)
• Regular Planning Cycle---interim report• 37 Item Package-- salary increase goals,
liberalized leave policy, first year seminar, scholarships, etc
• 40 New Positions---more time + more intimacy
• Lucky Timing---sympathetic board chair, weak computer environment, right national press
FIRST YEAR SEMINARThe Economists’ Way of Thinking
A Course Required of All Freshmen
Wake Forest University
COURSE OBJECTIVES
• To understand a liberal arts education as an opportunity to study with professors who think by their own set of concepts
• To learn how to apply economic concepts
• To learn how to work collaboratively
• To learn computer skills• To improve writing and
Learning is enhanced by-
• Collaboration among Learners • Frequent student/faculty dialogue• Prompt Feedback• Application of Theory• Student Self Initiatives• Trustful relations• Personal & Individual Teaching
Brown’s First Year Seminar• Before Class
– Video Text & Self Tests– Best URLs with Criteria– Interactive exercises– Lecture Notes in PP– E-mail dialogue– Cybershows
• During Class– One Minute Quiz– Computer Tip Talk– Class Polls– Team Projects
• After Class– Edit Drafts by Team– Guest Editors– Hyperlinks & Pictures– Access Previous Papers– Lecture Summary w Audio
• Other– Daily Announcements– Team Web Page– Personal Portfolios– Exams include Computer– Materials Forever
Results: Compared to OtherFirst Year Courses
More Same Less
How much did you learn? 2/3 1/3 --
How much time did you spend? -- 2/3 1/3
How did you enjoy the course? 3/3 -- --
THREE BASIC THEMES
•FOCUS on key concepts!•BE POLITICAL!•Stress LEARNING, not technology
Comments and Questions !!!