During the past year, Duke University students used technology in increasing numbers for such learning activities as problem solving during class and practicing language and music skills, according to a university report on the school's Duke Digital Initiative (DDI).
The DDI evaluation will be the topic of an online video seminar (webcast) Thursday, July 27, from 2-3 p.m. The webcast, with a live question-and-answer session, is open to the public. To participate, go to the DDI Webcast page.
The evaluation, written by the university's Center for Instructional Technology, is available online.
"Given the interest in technology innovation expressed by students and faculty and the now established uses of portable, personal digital media devices in courses, the university will continue the Duke Digital Initiative in the 2006-07 academic year," the report concludes.
The report also announces that iPods will no longer be given free to Duke students who sign up for courses that use them. Instead, students enrolled in courses using iPods will be able to purchase one with a microphone at a subsidized price of $99. Faculty teaching a course using iPods will receive a free one.
"We will continue to support academic use of iPods, but will position the iPod as a course supply, much like a textbook," the report explains.
The DDI grew out of Duke's introduction of iPods into some courses in the fall of 2004. Since then, the program has been expanded to include other technologies, such as tablet PCs, handheld computers, collaborative learning tools, podcasting, and digital recording and distribution of classroom lectures.
The goals of the DDI are to use technology for innovative and effective teaching, curriculum enhancement, infrastructure development and knowledge sharing.
The report lists difficulties in introducing new technologies into courses. Among them are: copyright and technical obstacles in obtaining digital materials; rapid change in technologies; classrooms not being equipped for video recording; and not always being able to easily translate an instructional practice into a digital medium.
The report shows the use of iPods in classes continues to increase. This past spring, 1,424 students enrolled in 72 courses using iPods, taught by 64 instructors from 18 different departments. The numbers represent a five-fold increase in the number students enrolled in iPod courses from the previous year and a four-fold increase in number of faculty using iPods in their courses.
For the coming semester, the iPod continues to be the technology most requested by faculty, followed by tools for digital video production and tablet PCs.
Questions for the July 27 webcast may be submitted in advance to ddi@duke.edu.