When students were interviewed in focus groups, is was surprising to learn that with the improved technology infrastructure available to them they did not feel that the increase in writing assignments was an onerous burden. The center to apply information technology to learning provides faculty development grants and technical assistance to enhance individual classes and the technology skills of faculty members. Dramatic changes have taken place in the instruction of music appreciation, English, science for teachers, chemistry, physics, speech, mass communications, mathematics and computer science. A current Using Computers class in computer science is in a self paced modular learning format with web based teaching materials. The Music Appreciation class uses the campus networked computers and extensive use of multimedia technology.
Chemistry uses a dry simulated laboratory in addition to traditional wet laboratories.
Journalism uses a web based news reporting simulation exercise and speech classes require presentation software to be used by the students in class exercises. When every faculty member has a networked notebook computer with the same software that students have in their dormitory rooms and public laboratories they do not give a second thought to making assignments requiring the use of the network resources. The process of giving assignments is simplified by having a homogeneous computing network and the ease of using the Web for supplemental course materials. Students learn in Freshman Orientation, before classes even start, how to use their web browsers to search the library public access catalog, the multimedia encyclopedia and full text periodical databases. The administrative processes have been changed extensively by the network and its functionality.