Danforth Grant is Making a Difference at University

A grant received last year to upgrade the use of information technology in teaching already is paying dividends at Saint Louis University.

Last May the Danforth Foundation awarded a two-year, $5 million grant to Saint Louis University to help upgrade and enhance computer and information technology use for teaching and learning.

"We've made great progress during the past six months," said John Ashby, director of the Instructional Media Center and a project co-director of the Danforth project steering committee. "By this summer, we'll be well ahead of the goals."

"There have been tremendous advancements, particularly in the installation of equipment in the level II and III classrooms," said Dr. Donald Brennan, dean of the Graduate School and a project co-director.

A level II classroom features built-in equipment for computer display and basic videotape playback. It's a "plug-in" ready classroom.

Level III classrooms offer a full complement of teaching technologies, including a computer, a network connection, computer projection equipment, slide projectors, document camera, microphone and analog telephone jack.

Among the successes of the project during the past six months:

Thirty-nine new "level II" classrooms were configured, and 15 more were partially completed. This represents an investment of $634,000.

Three new level III classrooms were finished, and seven were started. High-performance Dell computers were installed in 36 new and existing Level III classrooms. This represented a $442,800 investment.

Danforth funds were used to upgrade a server supporting classroom computers, install Ethernet and telephone connections in Level II and III classrooms and pay a portion of a major upgrade to the University's network.

"The long-term goal of the Danforth Project is to help Saint Louis University realize its vision of becoming the finest Catholic university in the United States by supporting development and use of information technologies as an integral part of the educational experience," said Dr. Tom Moberg, vice president and chief information officer.

The University's Center for Teaching Excellence, now renamed the Paul C. Reinert, SJ, Center for Teaching Excellence, is providing the fundamental locus for teaching activities and developments related to the project, Moberg said.

"Planning is under way to renovate the top floor of the teaching center to create a new experimental instructional facility as a wireless classroom of the future to support teaching and learning," Moberg said.

"The first wireless classroom will be really something to see," Brennan said.

Brennan said he now is bringing in candidates to serve as assistant director of the teaching center to assist faculty and teaching assistants in the application of various technologies to teaching.

Use of computer technology to enhance teaching is on the rise, Moberg said.

Data collected by ITS indicate that approximately 230 classes used World Wide Web resources in the form of the course management package WebCT during the fall of 1999. When combined with other Web delivery tools in use by faculty, this represents a 43 percent increase in courses using the World Wide Web from spring 1999.

Among the goals of the Danforth project:

Increase the percent of classes using World Wide Web resources in teaching from 15 percent to 60 percent by fiscal year 2001.

Increase the percent of faculty creating Web-based course material from 5 percent to 30 percent by fiscal year 2001.

Increase the percent of classes using the Web for submission and grading of homework from 5 percent to 60 percent by fiscal year 2001.

Increase the percent of graduate students receiving specific instruction in using information technology in teaching from 2 percent to 30 percent by fiscal year 2001.

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