Technology Committee: Paul Riemann, Terry Todd, Anne Yardley

I. Overall Objectives
     The Theological School is one of the thirteen accredited seminaries of the United
Methodist Church. As such, its primary goal is the preparation of future clergy and lay leaders for
that church and other denominations. As is stated in our strategic plan, “Throughout our history,
the unique role of leadership associated with the Drew Theological School has been that of
preparing forward-looking persons who can lead congregations into the future.” The school is
intensely committed to providing our M.Div. students with the vision, understanding, and tools
that will allow them to be effective as pastors over their lifetime — in other words, to giving
them the ability to deal with the church for the next half a century.  Furthermore, the Theological
School believes that educated lay leadership is likely to be a central component of successful
churches in the next century. Thus such programs as the M.T.S. allow for the development of a
number of different specializations for such lay people. This program is especially critical as the
United Methodist Church has developed a new program for deacons that can be met through our
M.T.S. degree.

    Central to such a vision is educating students into the realities of the major changes brought about by the advent of the internet and related technological changes. The Internet is not only a major new tool for acquiring information; it is also social gathering point, a fertile place for ministry.  Thus as we seek to implement our strategic goals of inclusivity (Strategic Plan B.2) and learning in a social context (Strategic Plan B. 4), we eagerly seek to include those skills and technologies which will model to our students the appropriate uses of technology in the church setting.

    One central fact of the Theological School student population is that many of our students
are not resident on campus. Some of the technological decisions that have been made for the
university have assumed that everyone is resident here.  Thus more attention needs to be  paid to
supporting the technologies for off-campus students. This area is one of the main differences
between the needs of the Theo School and the CLA and is critical to our needs.

II. Specific Technological Goals

A. Creation of a network/internet component to virtually every course
     With the University Network completed, it will be possible to make the use of the
computer an important component of every course so that students become thoroughly familiar
with its use. Such applications would include, but not be limited to, class websites, syllabi on the
network, handing in and grading of papers via the network, posting of lecture notes and
additional materials, library reserve materials, video-conference discussions, etc. The technology
is somewhat in place for many of these; however, our network system still does not allow for
remote access. This is critically important for the Theological School, many of whose students
are not resident on campus.
 

B. Offering of a substantial portion of our courses as on-line courses
     The Theological School is also committed to effective distance learning with a substantial
high-impact learning component — i.e. intense face-to-face time at the beginning and/or end of
the course.  The mixture of intensive face-to-face time with distance learning is again critical
both as a methodology for teaching and as a modeling of how we believe technology can be used
in the human enterprise. The two principal means for meeting this goal will be a) internet courses
for which the material is available like a textbook with follow up assignments and chatroom and
b) courses with a major video-conferencing component either as a stand-alone class or as a way
of participating in an on-site course.  The Theological School has purchased CUSeeMe Cameras
for all faculty and would like to see the purchase of appropriate cameras and software for all
students as part of its computer initiative. Students would then be comfortable not only with
computers but with distance conferencing by the time they graduate.
     This year we have successfully implemented the teaching of an Internet section of United
Methodist History, Doctrine and Polity. This course is required for all United Methodist
seminarians.  In the past those students attending non-Methodist seminaries have taken it through
a correspondence course. Now they can take it through our on-line course which has been
approved by the church as meeting this requirement.

III. Strategies for meeting these goals

A. Improvements to the Network Facilities
     The Theological School is very interested in the changes that are being considered by the
technology staff in the full implementation of our campus wide network.  A new email system
will be in place by the end of this academic year.  Faculty and students will have a chance to
comment on those systems under consideration in the next couple of months.  Beyond that, it is
critical that we find a way to make the network accessible off-campus.  As has been noted, many
of our students live off-campus and they will need to be able to access the information on our
own Drew network.  Our D.Min. students and faculty should also have access to this network.
The Theological School expects that regular improvements in bandwidths, speed etc. will be part
of the maintenance of the network.

B. Improvements to classroom facilities
     Seminary Hall needs substantial improvements in order to make the use of such
technologies commonplace in the instructional program. Additional mediated classrooms with
full computer projection facilities is important. Goals for this include
                 1998-1999    Mediation of Room 205 and 109
                              Room 205: computer/VCR projection, slide projector, CD player and
               speakers
                           Room 109: computer/VCR projection
                 1999-2000    Mediation of Room 210 and Sem. 1
                 2000-2001    Upgrade of facilities in 101, 4B and 5B

C. Faculty development
     Academic Technology and the Theological School took a major step forward with the
first faculty workshop in June of 1998. Unfortunately there was no available grant money for
follow up projects for the 9 professors who participated. A grant proposal to the Lilly Foundation
is currently pending. Goals for this would include:
                 1999         Workshop for 8 additional full-time faculty
                 2000         Follow up workshops/projects open to all faculty
This program has been very successful with CLA faculty and the enthusiasm of the seminary
faculty for the first work-shop is an indication that it will be equally successful with the seminary
faculty. The follow-up component to the program is essential in really making a difference.

     While there is no intention to force faculty to participate in technological teaching
methods, the Committee on Faculty will need to find methods for assessing the value and impact
for both teaching and scholarship of such “nontraditional” avenues as CD-Roms, website
development, internet courses, etc.  While such work should not be assumed to be valuable just
because it happens in a new format, it will be important to recognize the time, effort and
creativity that may go into such work.

     Currently Paul Riemann serves in an assisting capacity for faculty who would like help
with technological problems.  In addition, the University Technology staff in this area — Ray
Semiraglio and Suzanne Updegrove — are available to faculty who wish to learn new techniques
and programs.
 

D. Student Development
     When students arrive on campus, they bring a wide range of approaches to technology.
Some have been computer experts in a previous (or concurrent) existence; some have never used
a computer at all. The Theological School intends that no student will graduate without an ability
to use the computer for word processing, internet access, video-conferencing and a variety of
other uses. Plans are underway to help provide new students with “technology mentors” to help
ease the transition for those who find it bewildering.  At a rough estimate, currently only about
1/3 of our students have actually attached to the network although most have learned to use word
processing.
     The recent opening of the CyberCafe in the basement of Seminary Hall has given a real
impetus, however, to students use of the network. Our current “cyber chaplain” is a former
computer aide-station employee and has been dispensing lots of technological information along
with the cappuchino!
     An emphasis on the use of the computer in some of the required first and second year
classes has been and will continue to be an important avenue for the education of our students in
this area.  For example, the Old Testament course taught by Professor Riemann introduces
students to the use of the network through course materials that are posted there. Many of our
new students can be found in the CyberCafe learning how to access this material.
     The Theological School would like to see increased hours at the aide station (many
evening students get to campus just during the 5-6PM hour when it is closed) and some evening
availability for the Repairs office.
     As faculty expand their own use of technology, it will necessarily follow that students
will be exposed to more and more uses of it.
     At the current time all full-time students must purchase a computer with network card. By
the 1999-2000 academic year, the Theological School would like to see the software and camera
for running CUSeeMe technology made as part of the package offered to seminary students.
Additionally, biblical software and church management software should be considered as part of
the package for T.S. students.  It will be important that we find a way to make the computer
package mandatory for part-time students enrolled in the M.Div program also. We have many
such students and they are the ones who would perhaps benefit the most from off-site access to
the network, CUSeeMe technology, etc.

D. Technology personnel
     The increased use of technology within the traditional classroom, as well as the expansion
of on-line courses will require the ready availability of personnel to help professors with the
smooth operation of their classrooms.  Technological failures are often quite spectacular and
overshadow the usefulness of the technology on other occasions.  If, for example, everything is
set up to run off of a network drive and the network goes “down” just at the time class is held,
the professor is left in an untenable position.  Or if a piece of equipment malfunction, the
professor cannot leave to get a replacement without impacting the students’ learning time.
Currently support in the Theological School is offered by Academic Technology, Media
Resource Center, Paul Riemann, and Rob Duncan (admissions).  It will be important to identify
sufficient help for running video-conferenced courses especially as well as for designing and
using the technology in other courses.

Summary
The Theological School looks forward to working with Academic Technology and the Media
Resource Center in making these plans a reality. It will take financial resources from the
university as well as, we hope, outside grants to them happen. The successful integration and
continuing development of technology in the seminary curriculum is central to our work.