• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
programming forums Java Mobile Certification Databases Caching Books Engineering Micro Controllers OS Languages Paradigms IDEs Build Tools Frameworks Application Servers Open Source This Site Careers Other Pie Elite all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
Marshals:
  • Campbell Ritchie
  • Jeanne Boyarsky
  • Ron McLeod
  • Paul Clapham
  • Liutauras Vilda
Sheriffs:
  • paul wheaton
  • Rob Spoor
  • Devaka Cooray
Saloon Keepers:
  • Stephan van Hulst
  • Tim Holloway
  • Carey Brown
  • Frits Walraven
  • Tim Moores
Bartenders:
  • Mikalai Zaikin

How to get non-techies on the web.

 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 204
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hello all,
Here's the situation. In the college of education if the Dean or the Chairperson of a department wants his faculty members to start posting their syllabi and other course related materials on the web, how does he get them to do it?
He has told this to the professors many times through memo's and also in person but none really are interested. The main reason for their disinterest I think is due to their lack of knowledge even in basic web designing skills (which is understandable coz they are from education dept.) Some of course hate technology (for no particular reason). Others ofcourse fall into the lazy category.
The Dean and the Chairperson have also arranged many seminars and training opportunities for all these professors but attendance was not made mandatory and almost no one showed up.
I think this problem can be considered generic in a way and can be applied to many non-technical workers brushing off the need to learn or apply new technologies that would benefit them and the people related to their work.
All ideas and suggestions are welcome and are appreciated.
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 715
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi San,
I think the Dean and the Chairperson waisting tax payers money. Why not have an undergrat student searching for job developed the program and have him/her enter the course syllabus for the faculty or a department assistant usually another student enters the data? Once it up and running the whole school can see the product in action, then asks school IS to handle it.
Regards,
MCao
 
Author
Posts: 6055
8
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
While this topic is interesting, it doesn't seem quite on target for job discussion. I tried emailing San Tiruvan to ask for clarification (maybe I'm missing something, but the email bounced. I'm moving this to Meaningless Drivel, merely because there is no other place on the ranch for it.
--Mark
 
Derek Grey
Ranch Hand
Posts: 204
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Originally posted by Mark Herschberg:
While this topic is interesting, it doesn't seem quite on target for job discussion. I tried emailing San Tiruvan to ask for clarification (maybe I'm missing something, but the email bounced. I'm moving this to Meaningless Drivel, merely because there is no other place on the ranch for it.
--Mark


Mark,
I am sorry about the email. It will work now.
 
Rancher
Posts: 1449
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Having some students getting the profs info onto the web sounds like a good idea. The person pushing the idea could also show the reluctant profs what people have done at other universities. That might raise their interest level.
 
"The Hood"
Posts: 8521
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Is the object to get the stuff on the web, or to get the faculty to interact with the web enough to get it up their themselves?
The easiest way is to just have someone else do it for them.
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 2823
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Originally posted by Mark Herschberg:
While this topic is interesting, it doesn't seem quite on target for job discussion. I tried emailing San Tiruvan to ask for clarification (maybe I'm missing something, but the email bounced. I'm moving this to Meaningless Drivel, merely because there is no other place on the ranch for it.
--Mark



General Computing?
 
Derek Grey
Ranch Hand
Posts: 204
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Originally posted by Cindy Glass:
Is the object to get the stuff on the web, or to get the faculty to interact with the web enough to get it up their themselves?
The easiest way is to just have someone else do it for them.


Cindy,
I agree that the easiest way is to get someone else to do it. But what if the Prof's are lazy to even give the course content that has to be put on the web.
Most of the Prof's have also seen examples of Prof's in other universities who have posted most of their course information on the web.....I guess the motivation was not enough
 
Derek Grey
Ranch Hand
Posts: 204
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Oh!!! and the final goal is to get the faculty to interact more with the web but we thought the initial start would be with posting their syllabus, schedule etc. on the web.
 
Cindy Glass
"The Hood"
Posts: 8521
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Easy. You stand in front of a computer with their paychecks in hand. Then you say, "show me your stuff posted on the web, and I will give you your paycheck".
It is amazing how fast that stuff will get posted .
 
author
Posts: 15385
6
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Basically you need to make it easier for these people to make it available online. I persoannly would have someone in the IT department (grad student) make a basic interface to select documents, get them converted and upload them to the web.
This would make a good portion of the classes looking the same. I know the university I attended was developing an area like this so it makes it easier for teachers to get in touch with students and have every thing in one area.
This is a rather basic server side application that most programmers could handle and develop in a few weeks time.
Eric
 
With a little knowledge, a cast iron skillet is non-stick and lasts a lifetime.
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic