Current Uses of Interactive Technology in Higher Education

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Current Uses of Interactive Technology in
Higher Education

• Mike Gantenbein

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What is interactive technology?

• Technological devices that assist in the
  interactive learning environment
• Device hardware and/or software
• Interactive
• Input from User
• Outputs a result
• Basic examples
• Web site, CD-ROM Encyclopedia

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Current Advanced Uses

• Three basic categories
• Remote Polling Devices
• Interactive Content
• Online Databases
• All depend on -
• Advances in processing speed
• Increased memory and storage
• Improved networking capabilities
• Improved access to computing devices

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Remote Polling Devices

• Brief description
• Users (students) have remote controls
• Used to choose options based on buttons
• Instructor has a receiver connected to a computer
• Receiver collects entries
• Relays raw data to software on computer
• Software interprets data based on instructors
  instructions
• Data is presented no screen
• Group receives instant feedback to interpret

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Interactive Content

• Various uses of multimedia in courses
• Often web based for easy distribution
• Basic form simple web site with links
• Sophisticated form self-contained applications
• Example of self-contained app
• http//digitalchem.berkeley.edu/Prelabs/WorkingVer
  sions/lab4/lab4.html

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Interactive Content

• Not a new idea, but they are now -
• Cross-platform
• Easier to develop
• Easier to distribute
• Web
• Home-made CD-ROM
• More sophisticated
• Animation
• Programming

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Online Databases

• Another old idea improved
• Data warehousing for the masses
• Web access
• Viewable from Internet enabled device
• Updateable from anywhere
• Example
• http//mcz-28168.oeb.harvard.edu/mcztypedb.htm

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Online Databases

• Major improvements
• Storage
• Single location, not multiple copies
• Larger capacity servers
• More than just text
• Images, sound, video, animations
• Searches
• Based on metadata information
• Optional views of search results

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Issues to Consider

• Development
• Self-development costs
• Team oriented
• Faculty/staff time
• Shared resources reduce cost load
• Shareware and pre-developed options
• Rights
• Access (who gets to view it?)
• Copy protection (can it be copied easily?)
• Ownership (who owns the final product?)

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Summary

• Interactive Technology
• A part of the mainstream in higher education
• More sophisticated than before
• Easier to access because of the Internet
• Not a magic cost saver
• Very valuable resource