Initial Statements (350)

As a member of the grassroots committee on education, I would endorse the use of communications technology because of the beneficial impacts in savings time, space, as well as production. I would also emphasize the importance of equal access to these technological resources.

Computer technology has been useful to me in my current situation. It was difficult when I first began this class to update myself on current technology however it has been worth it. The computer has allowed me access to class work, research, instructor and other school resources without having to come to campus which is inconvenient. With so much of my time spent at work it is nice to be able to be at home, even if I am doing homework. It really helps with accessing the instructor. I can ask a question when it is on my mind from work, home or campus. You don't have to deal with office hours that don't fit into your daily schedule.

I think that technological advances are very easy to access in this university environment. The school is continuously buying high tech stuff, and even if you are not on campus if you have access to a computer you can access a lot of the resources. This class is an example. if I happen to miss a class i can connect from a computer and see what happened this week. In this way it is foreseeable that a part of this class could be done at home. However there is no substitute for live interaction; both with teachers and peers. I don't see how feasible it would be to conduct class solely over the computer. First, not everyone has access to a computer. Secondly most people would not be responsible enough to learn on their own. Myself included, if I did not have to come to class, I highly doubt that I would spend an equal amount of time on that subject, on my own at home. Maybe others would be responsible enough to force themselves to study unsupervised, but I personally would not.

The use of the internet, e-mail, and other communication methods have made my education much more enriching. It is more fun to gather research information on-line than browsing through the long lonely isles of the library. This is not to say that the library is becoming obsolete, however, it is inviting to use other types of information outside of the library.

I believe communication technology is an important issue for students who work and have families to care for. This question fits me perfectly. I commute from Tacoma each day to come to school. I work in the morning in Tacoma six hours a day then commute to Seattle for my evening classes. I usually don't get home until 10 o'clock at night. With my tight schedule and not having the ability to have access to the University at any time, technological communication such as e-mail and internet access becomes a necessity. With having these technologies I can e-mail my professors at any time of the day to ask questions and I also can fax or e-mail reports without having to make the stressful drive to Seattle.

[The following message had to be sent by E-mail since the "Send-Button" had disappeared; was it too long?]

Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 18:24:07 -0700 (PDT)

To: krumme@u.washington.edu (from: J.P.)

Dear President McCormick, I think a way to accommodate students in this age of computer technology would be to split the University into two different programs. One that is held on campus for those students who want and like to "go to college," and one program for those that have careers and families and are treating college as a part-time endevour. I would still highly recommend the use of the Internet and E Mail for both programs. I fit in the middle of both of the programs that I suggested. I work part time and go to school full time. This does not allow me enough time to be on campus if I need to meet with a prof or do research. The use of E Mail has been so helpful and such a time saver. I do not have to make time in my day to get to campus and hunt profs down. However, if I did not have to come to campus and had classes taught by CD ROM, I think I would be missing out on a lot of valuable lessons. Besides learning academics, college is a place to learn to communicate with others and deal with real life situations. This interaction has allowed personal growth and has taught me useful skills that I use in daily real life and in the business world. I'm not sure how this communication through the computer helps you deal with real life situations. By using a computer you take away emotions and feelings, two very important aspects of life. While E Mail is great to communicate to Profs, I would much rather hear a friends voice on the telephone once in awhile, than to never talk and strictly use the computer.

The present communications technologies available at the University are very useful for students with full-time jobs and/or families. It gives you a way to effectively and regularly communicate with your instructor and saves hours in the library. However, I don't believe telecommuting is for everyone. Many people need the atmosphere of the university to concentrate and stay motivated. Often, at home or at work there are too many other distractions and demands making it very difficult to keep on track.

From: Tamy Harmon (tharmon@uswnvg.com)
Date: Tuesday, May 07 1996 at 09:31:54 AM
Subject: Initial Statement

I find e-mail with professors and students convenient but also enjoy the human interact in class. I work full time, take ten credits each quarter, and have a family so I enjoy coming to the campus. I have met a lot of new people, networked with individuals in my profession, and have made some good friends. I also feel that I need the structure of the class room vs. using my computer at my house, which would include many interruptions and I would never get anything done. I have taken correspondence courses before and after getting an extension, I still didn't complete the classes.

This statement does not completly apply to myself as I am a full-time student here at the University. I do however feel that it is imperative for the U to provide training and access to the new technologies available today. My main problem today is the access provided by the U in the computer labs. It is very true that in the last four years many more labs are opening up on campus, but it is also very common place to have to wait over an hour to use a machine. I feel that before the university progresses any further, the access issue needs to be addressed and solved, as it makes absolutely no sense to require a student to use these new technologies, if he cannot access them. I am greatly for the expansion of the teaching of the new technologies, as it makes us as students much more employable when we graduate, as companies are expecting employees to have the training.

It is difficult to draw a line between cyber-learning and direct instructional learning. Both have their benefits and draw backs, but in my opinion an optimal learning experience will come from a conglomeration of both methods of learning. I believe the format that professor Krumme has instilled as well as several other geography professors exemplifies a great way of balancing hands on learning with research oriented skills derived from the internet. E-mail is an exceptional tool for communication between student-teacher and student-student. The time that this technology saves is crucial to many students with other commitments other than school. I support all attempts to continue expanding the cyber-learning techinques that are be offered on campus and at home.