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Residence Halls Conversations

Edward Ayers: Chair of the Faculty Senate & Professor of History

The students last night had a number of powerful ideas. They agreed that something like a proficiency exam when students showed up, followed by an introduction to computing based as closely as possible on what students might study, would help the most. General discussion of IT was not helpful, they said, but showing how to really use it for Chemistry or Music, for example, was considered extraordinarily useful.

They liked it when professors made good use of IT and didn't mind when they didn't use it at all. What they hated was inept use of it, especially group email, that generated lots of verbiage to no good purpose. Their other conclusion was that the best use of technology would be to have students actually use it to make something themselves (though this was the theme of my TTI course last year, I swear I didn't lead them to this!)

Lots of other interesting ideas came up. It's clear that we can learn things we couldn't learn otherwise with these discussions, that the students appreciate it, and that it's fun. It took just a few questions to get things rolling and then it pretty much took care of itself. I asked if they thought students and professors saw IT differently; they just laughed, the answer was so obvious, but they enjoyed talking about it. I asked how IT was actually used in their daily lives (an interesting discussion of gendered use of the machines for recreational purposes followed) and if they thought they needed knowledge of IT for the job market (they all agreed it was essential, regardless of major). They worried, as do our faculty, that people are isolated by the machines and that they take up so much time.

Janet Horne: Professor of French Language & Literature

I went to Courtenay Hall on Dec. 7th and spoke with a group of about 15 students, organized by Dion Lyons. Clearly the biggest change in their lives seems to be E-mail -- it is as integrated into their lives as is the phone. Several students told me that their parents kept in close touch with them on E-mail-- some welcomed, others lamented this fact! -- but it was something I hadn't really thought about before. Although some felt that Email was having a detrimental effect on human relationships -- with people not talking face to face and hiding instead behind a computer screen -- most seemed to have successfully integrated Email into their lives. They did acknowledge that it was difficult to express humor or irony in an E-mail message, which had led to some misunderstandings. E-mail, they said, also allows for contact with professors or other classmates even at 2 am. Not many of them had taken a class in a computer classroom, but several said that their professors made use of computer technology to teach large groups. While they could see better etc, they said it didn't necessarily make the class more interesting! A big class was still a big class, and computers, they seemed to be saying, couldn't remedy the lack of contact that they felt with the professor. At the other extreme, one very computer literate student commented that if he had to make another website in a class he would scream. So, there was clearly a wide spectrum of experience in this group. They all agreed that one of the goals of an undergraduate education at UVA should include computer literacy. This was particularly true given the expectations of the prospective employers. Most students saw that taking a computer literacy test on entering and exiting UVA would provide a base-line from which to measure achievements. We had a big discussion about how one of the dangers of increased emphasis on computer technology in American society was the creation of a two-tiered system of "haves" and "have nots" that would only widen the gap between the social classes. A few students told about how they didn't have computers in their high schools whereas other UVA students clearly did. They wondered about what the university did with its old computers and if there was a way of recycling or donating good computers that were discarded only because they were a few years old

Jahan Ramazani: Past Chair of Faculty Senate & Professor of English

I enjoyed a lively conversation with ten undergrads, an RA, and a GA in the student lounge in the basement of Metcalf dormitory. We talked from 7:00 to 8:00 PM while scarfing down pieces of chocolate cake--the very low-tech lure provided by the inventive GA. Following your lead, I assured them I had no agenda, other than helping them express to one another and (through me) to the Senate their views on information technology. I didn't have to do much to prompt them. In general, they're impressed by the IT resources here. They find the computer labs plentiful and useful, and they're astonished to find paper isn't rationed. Some have computers, some don't and always use the labs.

They find, not surprisingly, that some professors make impressive use of IT, while others do not. On the positive side, they especially like it when professors post lecture notes, make it possible to provide anonymous feedback, and respond speedily to their email questions. They regret that some professors declare themselves unavailable by email. Nevertheless, they also confess that they worry about the loss of personal contact with professors because of the increasing use of IT; instead of making the effort to attend office hours, they find themselves more inclined to fire off an email request.

As to how IT should be taught, some felt that there should be more computing courses (they have been frustrated by their inability to get into such courses), while others preferred to have IT built into the structure of individual courses. No one thought all students should be required to buy the same computer upon admission, yet they were a bit envious of students at institutions where such a requirement is in place, since faculty know what to expect and more readily build IT into the classes. These students were especially impatient for ISIS to go on line, being very frustrated with the current phone system.

I enjoyed the opportunity to get a group of first-year students talking with a faculty member and with one another about a subject of considerable interest to us all. Intellectual Community or IC (last year's theme) growing out of IT (this year's). Speaking of last year's theme, I was also happy to see subscriptions to magazines (including the NY Review of Books!) in the lounge--a grass-roots response, according to the GA, to the IC theme! Of course I had to compete with the sign-up night for rush (still!), but they all seemed relieved that rush had been deferred (or at least they pretended to be, in speaking to me!).

Miles Townsend: Professor of Mechanical Aero & Nuclear Engineering

Last night, January 26, I met with 6 students in the Echols lounge for a little over an hour. Monica Nixon, the graduate advisor, did an excellent job of setting up the meeting, and we had a very good, indeed spirited, discussion.

In starting off, I had the benefit of a number of specific questions (provided by Ms. Nixon and other reports to date) and general topics. Interestingly, the students were somewhat "conservative" in their views on rapid expansion of technology (IT): they felt it has good uses and others which depend largely on the context.

They like email. For classes, it should be used for important notices, assignments, and specific contact, not general chat - especially between professor and students. Class web pages got mixed readings. Good for assignments, class notes (if not too long), and other things, IF the professor knows what he/she is doing. Otherwise it can get very cumbersome and time consuming. They like IT for transmission of information and posting of seminars (classes).

The drawbacks. IT, particularly webpages and email are often slow and awkward to use off grounds; access may be limited and unless you subscribe through Cornerstone, you get kicked off after an hour (or half-hour). (I can vouch for these.) Second, printing out is slow and a bit of a gamble. Don't use a webpage for a "budget chat room" or try to hold "discussions" through webpages or email. There was some concern about possible isolation.

Another downside was classes over tv (distance learning) and employing tv for talks. Cited was Mr. Casteen's talk to incoming students' parents - they were annoyed at being put in a room with tv transmission, and even more so when the video went out.

It was especially enlightening to hear how they use IT in their personal life: mainly for easy communications with people elsewhere (family in foreign lands, including visual), news (NY Times, LA Times), word processing.

They had no specific suggestions on how to improve its usage. Most seem to feel that using IT is still difficult, especially getting started (for the professor) so that a lot of the usage is clunky (my word). The implication is that it will be a lot of trial and error as to what works well (usage and in advancing the educational aspects) and that the university should not just plunge in (waste of money). The university's priorities should come first, with IT to support this, not IT to establish the university's priorities.