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Vision in Action @ DePauw University DyKnow Vision Increases Collaboration, DePauw University, a liberal arts college of 2,300 students in Greencastle, Indiana, has been nationally recognized for its commitment to innovation. Among the most attractive features to prospective DePauw students is the university's attention and targeted effort to keep students engaged in their studies through participation and collaboration in the classroom. DePauw attempts to stay on the cutting edge of educational technology in the classroom to ensure that students experience a level of technological sophistication that exceeds standard educational experiences. As part of the faculty's efforts to keep students engaged, DePauw's Computer Science Department began looking for a way to improve in-class collaboration. Teachers believed they could improve the learning environment if students were encouraged to become more participative. At a minimum, teachers knew they could enhance the learning experience within the classroom. "We were losing valuable instructional time, because students were consumed with copying notes and transcribing complex diagrams," said Dave Berque, DePauw University computer science professor. "It seemed that there was a correlation between students' ability to learn and their ability to interact with the material being taught. Finding a way to free up more time to interact and practice concepts with students was our primary concern." DyKnow Vision has been a key component of DePauw's success in improving in-class student engagement within several disciplines and creating a better learning environment. It also maintains the university's status as a school on the cutting-edge of educational technology. With DyKnow Vision , teachers can retrieve, display, and replay student work to spark class discussion. Students are empowered to lead class, collaborate with others, and share work with the instructor. Students can access their class sessions from any Internet connection and replay lessons to reinforce concepts. Since implementing DyKnow Vision, DePauw has received positive feedback from students and teachers alike. In a 2003 survey of students who took classes taught on the DyKnow Vision platform, 75 percent agreed that they were more attentive in class, and 92 percent felt DyKnow Vision provided them with a better set of notes. Another 88 percent agreed that DyKnow Vision enhanced their understanding of course material, while 74 percent said they would be more likely to take a class if DyKnow Vision was used as the teaching platform. Students were also given the opportunity to answer an open question about the advantages of using DyKnow Vision . One student wrote: "Math and Computer Science are things you must practice if you want to do well, and this really helps. I enrolled in this class a few semesters ago and struggled before dropping the class. I really think Vision has been the difference [this time], because now I have a high "B" and I am cruising along…it comes kind of easy for me now." The use of DyKnow Vision has had a number of important residual benefits beyond an enhanced learning environment for its students and teachers. "I think part of the reason DyKnow Vision is so effective is that it affords me the opportunity to be better organized during class," said Carl Singer, DePauw professor and acting chair of the Computer Science Department. "I stay on track and so do the students." Using DyKnow Vision , Singer says he is covering more of the material outlined in his syllabus, and students are grasping concepts more quickly and effectively. "If faculty members combine DyKnow Vision with good pedagogy, that's likely the key to effective learning." Student evaluations of teachers have also revealed a significant improvement for those teachers who have used Vision in their classrooms—another indication that the program is working. DePauw has solidified its claim of having a state-of-the-art educational technology platform that helps to attract and retain students.
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DePauw In Action
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