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At the entrance to the University of Alabama (UA) campus in Tuscaloosa, the three facets of the institution’s mission are etched in stone: “Teaching, Research, Service.”
But that’s not exactly accurate, said Robert Olin, dean of the university’s College of Arts and Sciences. “We’re not in the business of teaching,” Olin told me when I visited the campus this past fall to look at UA’s use of technology across a variety of courses and disciplines. “We’re in the business of student learning.”
And Olin fervently believes that using technology is one of the ways to ensure that that business occurs. Thanks in large part to Olin, a significant portion of the school’s introductory math, computer science, Spanish, sociology, and logic courses now are delivered via computer, supplemented by assistance from instructors. The school is looking into expanding that list to include French and criminal justice.
Kathy Witkowsky is a freelance reporter who has been widely published in regional and national magazines and has produced numerous stories for National Public Radio. She lives in Missoula, Montana.
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