>From owner-trad-l@LISTSERV.VT.EDU Thu Feb 20 15:02:02 1997 Received: from listserv.vt.edu (listserv.vt.edu [128.173.4.9]) by listserv.vt.edu (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id PAA24570; Thu, 20 Feb 1997 15:02:01 -0500 Received: from LISTSERV.VT.EDU by LISTSERV.VT.EDU (LISTSERV-TCP/IP release 1.8c) with spool id 500704 for TRAD-L@LISTSERV.VT.EDU; Thu, 20 Feb 1997 15:02:01 -0500 Received: from sable.cc.vt.edu (sable.cc.vt.edu [128.173.16.30]) by listserv.vt.edu (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id PAA61660; Thu, 20 Feb 1997 15:01:58 -0500 Received: from [128.173.187.16] (dovegal.biol.vt.edu [128.173.187.16]) by sable.cc.vt.edu (8.8.4/8.8.4) with SMTP id PAA01955; Thu, 20 Feb 1997 15:01:56 -0500 (EST) X-Sender: happy@mail.vt.edu Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Message-Id: Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 15:01:56 -0500 Reply-To: Anne McNabb Sender: trad-l Discussion List From: Anne McNabb To: TRAD-L@LISTSERV.VT.EDU Dear Members of all the subcommittees - As I'm sure you know, Jack Carroll (Head of Computer Science) and a number of faculty in his dept work in the area of Human Computer Interactions. It appears that this area of investigation includes a lot of subjects that it would be useful for us to learn more about. Examples that came up in my conversations with Jack are (1) Usability of computers: it isn't enough to just have "user friendly" systems, they need to facilitate good learning. For example, we need to know not only whether information is being conveyed, but also whether the information makes sense to the learner and whether the learner learns. (2) We know that to be effective, learning should be active and learner centered. But, learners are already set in their ways and a new technology that forces them to be active may not be well received. Does this mean that new developments should take a sociotechnical approach that first studies the way things are and then develops new applications only within constraints set by the ways things are? (3) What can we do to assess IT effectively from an educational point of view? There are dangers to introducing something new, seeing something happen and attributing causality to what was changed. (i.e., the change might not be due to the use of the new computer use but rather to the renewed interest and enthusiasm of the faculty member). (5) What are some specific innovative things people are attempting to develop? e.g. new collaborative software that allows more than one person to interact over a data set in a problem solving, or critical thinking process. How do new types of input/output devices allow different educational objectives to be better addressed than with more conventional equipment or teaching styles? We would like to set up a meeting and discussion with Jack for about an hour next Fri afternoon (Feb. 28). We haven't yet chosen an hour for this but he is available from 2-5pm. If you would attend, please let me know when you are available in that time range. Please let me know by tomorrow (sorry for the rush) as Jack is holding the time on his calendar and we need to let him know. When we know what time will work, we'll firm up our planning. Thanks, Anne F. M. Anne McNabb Dept. of Biology Virginia Tech Blacksburg VA 24061-0406 email: happy@vt.edu ph. (540) 231-6118 FAX (540) 231-9307