November 25, 2004

The first meeting of the taskforce on learning services took place last Friday. It was intense. “Let’s dream of the future,” someone said; we closed our eyes and envisioned ways of integrating the existing academic services at Laurier. Most of the good ideas were already mentioned by the time it was my turn to speak. I was silent for a moment; then I flailed my arms and I told the committee I wanted to create a learning space where students could write on walls. “Just like kindergarten,” I said, beaming with excitement.

They looked at me dumbfounded. “Undegrad are fucking stupid,” they thought.

The committee met again early this morning to listen to a few presentations. Dr. Raj, the director of IT, told us about technology on campus. He’s dedicated to making information more accessible, but he didn’t seem to have any desire to allow students to create and exchange information online. So far the university has seen students as passive recipients of information, and it has failed to recognize that learners are becoming increasingly interested in online interaction and creating their own content.

Laurier’s short-sightedness when it comes to internet technology is troublesome, especially since other institutions are finding fascinating ways to extend learning into cyberspace. Some universities give students access to web-space so they can display their portfolios or complete their assignments. Other universities go significantly further and create sophisticated blogging systems which are used by students and faculty “for fun, for work, for teaching, and lots of other good things.” Simple and inexpensive technology like blogs can revolutionize how students learn, share their knowledge, and interact with their peers and teachers.

Dr. Raj feels that any system that will be put in place will have to be maintained. He’s right. However, I believe that creating an infrastructure that allows students to share meaning online is an investment. I’m not sure if the committee shares my views.

Later in the day Dean Campbell, who’s also a part of learning services taskforce, gave me a high-five in the hallway. His hands are warm, caring. “Think wildly,” he said.