virtual canvas: enhancing class interaction themin suwardy and leong kwong sin copyright t....
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Virtual CanvasVirtual Canvas: : Enhancing Class InteractionEnhancing Class Interaction
www.smu.edu.sg/virtualcanvaswww.smu.edu.sg/virtualcanvas
Themin SUWARDY andLEONG Kwong Sin
Copyright T. Suwardy [2004]. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author. [email protected]
Content-Centric vs Active-LearningContent-Centric vs Active-Learning
• Content-centric:– Structured lesson delivery operates on a one-way
push (from professor to students) principle, not conducive to class interaction and active discussion
– Increasing demand for analytical and articulate graduates
• Active-learning:– Growing trend in pushing for more active,
participative and interactive learning environment
Technology and Class InteractionTechnology and Class Interaction
• Technology has slowly seeped into class rooms, but …– Some of the advantages of “low-tech” teaching instruments
(e.g. whiteboards, flip charts, OHP, etc), are lost when using the standard PC-Projector mechanism
– E.g. annotations, procedural knowledge (step by step work), comparative or consequential slides (on two OHPs)
– Limits interactivity and reinforces content-centric delivery
• Sometimes, different technologies may unintentionally impede interaction and participation– E.g. “interruptions” when moving between PC/Projector,
OHPs, Visualiser, whiteboard, etc … or when learners have queries
Technology and Class InteractionTechnology and Class Interaction
Video (external link):
Virtual Canvas Virtual Canvas ProjectProject
• The Virtual Canvas project aims to support the University’s mission in creating an interactive, participative and technologically-enabled learning experience
• Started with a small pilot project of 5 TabletPCs and a single smart projector in Aug 2003– Now expanded to 80 Tablets and dual-projection
using 2 smart projectors
Virtual Canvas Virtual Canvas ProjectProject
• Bringing in different technologies together:– Campus-wide Wireless Internet Infrastructure and
Digital Audio-Visual– Smart Projectors– Tablet PCs– Microsoft Office 2003 Suite (digital-inking
capabilities)– Virtual Learning Community software (soon!)
• A seminar room were converted as prototype of our “City Campus” seminar rooms
Virtual Canvas Virtual Canvas ProjectProject
Virtual Canvas Virtual Canvas ProjectProject
• An environment that will enable students and teacher-facilitator to move seamlessly between many key modes of delivery and learning:– Traditional content delivery;– Procedural (step by step) knowledge, without the
pains of creating such custom animation in PPT– Collaborative work on assignment or tasks in class;– Critiquing and comparing different
answers/opinions;– Monitoring and guiding functions.
Video (external link):
SubsidiaryCorporation
SubsidiaryCorporation
Consolidated Consolidated EntityEntity
Parent Company
Parent Company
Skyhigh Klunker Item Airlines Car Debit Credit Consold.Cash and Receivables 140 90Inventory 30 60Land 70 30Buildings and Equipment (net) 790 230Marketable Securities 80Investment in Klunker Car Rentals 285 0DifferentialGoodwillTotal Debits 1,315 490
Accounts Payable 190 60Taxes Payable 15 30Notes Payable 100Bonds Payable 600Common Stock 200 200Retained Earnings 310 100Noncontrolling InterestTotal Credits 1,315 490
Eliminations
Results thus far…Results thus far…
• Enhanced learning experience (based on pilot study):– All students rated ease of use and usefulness
above 8 (out of 10) and 80% of the students prefer TabletPCs over conventional notebooks.
– All students agreed that TabletPCs and smart projectors have contributed to an interactive, participative and technologically-enabled learning experience.
Results thus far…Results thus far…
• Positive publicity for University– Microsoft selected the Virtual Canvas project as its main
case study on a higher-learning institution for MS Office 2003 launch
– HP Teaching Initiative Mobility Grant 2004 (USD110,000)– Press coverage: ComputerWorld, Computer Times,
Channel News Asia, Streats, TIME Magazine, MIS Asia, 2004 CIO100 Award, and various others
• Over 35% of incoming (Aug 2004) students bought TabletPCs– Overall SMU students’ notebook ownership > 90%– Faculty and Student Notebook Purchase Scheme
Critical Success FactorsCritical Success Factors
• Senior Management Support– Establishing technologically-capable infrastructure to
support innovation in teaching and learning– Funding of TabletPC purchase for new faculty and students– Adoption of the Virtual Canvas learning environment as
the University-wide model for our city campus (2005)– Faculty Orientation to include briefing on Virtual Canvas
project
• Pedagogy-led technologies rather than technology adoption for the sake of technology– Project champions are professors rather than IT people !!!– Students who are just as motivated (and willing) to adopt
new technologies
What’s Next?What’s Next?
• Promote Virtual Canvas to more professors and students
• Conduct a study of in-class interaction, outside class interaction, and study habits, before and after TabletPCs
• Development of a Virtual Learning Community Software– Built-in Instant Messaging (IM) capability, automatic contact
grouping on registered classes, collaborative tools (students can meet to discuss group projects), annotate over IP, desktop monitoring
Contact DetailsContact Details
• Themin Suwardy, [email protected] • Leong Kwong Sin, [email protected]
Singapore Management University469 Bukit Timah RoadAccountancy Block Level 10Singapore 259756
• Additional write-ups (and videos) available atwww.smu.edu.sg/virtualcanvas