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Opinion
To Ephiphany--and Beyond!
4/1/2004
Data from the 2003 Campus Computing Survey reveal that only a third (33 percent)
of U.S. colleges and universities have campus initiatives to “assess the
impact of IT on instructional services and academic programs.” Consequently,
it is not surprising that we continue to rely on individual or institutional
epiphany for evidence about the impact and benefits of information technology
on teaching, instruction, student learning, and outcomes.
Chairman Greenspan’s statements linking corporate investment in IT with
productivity are important for us in education. His statements confirm that
infrastructure fosters innovation and that infrastructure enhancement requires
sustained investment. It also means that we need consistent data and continuing
assessment efforts. Finally, given the short half-life of IT hardware and software,
Greenspan’s pronouncements about technology and productivity suggest that
IT is really an operating cost, rather than a capital cost.
The current financial challenges affecting American higher education have led some college presidents to talk about “doing more with less, and doing it better.” In contrast, the quest for evidence about IT beyond epiphany means that we must, simply, do more assessment, do it better, and begin doing it now.
Kenneth C. Green, visiting scholar at The Claremont Graduate University, is the founding director of The Campus Computing Project, a comprehensive, continuing study of the role of information technology at higher education institutions in the United States (www.campuscomputing.net).
View more articles by Kenneth Green.
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