Transcript "LIR Annual Seminar 2008 - Empowering our users"

"LIR Annual Seminar 2008 Empowering our users"
Michael Nowlan
Personal Technology as an Enabler
for Students
How students are using and expecting to
use technology in the total experience at
third level institutions in 2008
Digital Natives & Millenials
• Students today have never known a world
without computers and information
technology
• Internet arrived in 1991 to Irish 3rd level
• Expect a service from their College that
corresponds to services available
elsewhere
• Embrace Disruptive Technologies
Digital Immigrants
• Most of us!
• Most Service Providers
• Generally slow to adapt and adopt
• Have a wealth of experience as to why to
say “no” “forbid”, “block” or “ban” new
activities
• Shun disruptive innovations
The Big Catchalls
• “For Security Reasons”
• “For Legal Reasons”
About as meaningful as:
• “Counter closed, back in 10 minutes”
Disruptive Technology
• Clayton Cristensen's ”The Innovator's
Dilemma”
• May be lower performance
• Usually Cheaper
• May be simpler
• May be more convenient
• May target lateral customers
Historical Disruptive Technologies
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Steam Looms, Luddites
Marconi refused a grant for wireless
Electric Light v Candle Manufacturers
Motorcars, farriers, blacksmiths, UK Red Flag Act
Transistor Radios
Digital Cameras
iPods and the music industry
Mobile Phones and land line operators
Student Expectations
• Instant Gratification
• “Always On” world
• Anytime Anywhere Anyhow
• All of life is Self Service
• Expect Student services to be similar
Student Internet Experience
• Irish Times recently reported that
broadband usage was highest amongst
students
• If it is not on the internet it doesn’t exist
• If it is not in Google it doesn’t exist
• Is your library catalogue searchable
through Google ?
Student Internet Expectations
• On a broadband connection, a student can
technically do anything
• In College a number of restrictions are
usually applied to internet services
• “Corporate” responsibilities and
“Acceptable Use” principles apply
• ISP covered by Telecom legislation
Copyright Problems
• Illegal file sharing
• MP3 and video downloads
• “Innocent” exposure of copyright material
• “Dangers” of peer-to-peer P2P
• Reaction is to block things like Bittorrent
and Skype
What are Students Carrying
• Mobile Phone
• Smart Phone
• MP3 player
• Lightweight Laptop
Lightweight Laptops
• ASUS EEE < 1Kg < €370 – solid state disc
Lightweight Laptops
• Apple MacBook Air – solid state disc
Internet enabled PDA
Apple iPod Touch
• 32GB Flash Memory
• WiFi
• Internet Browser
• Email on the go
Is it an MP3 player or a phone?
Libraries of the Future
• Today - Warm, Policed Space
• Move to “Learning Centres”
• The Saltire Centre at Glasgow Caledonian
University
• The “Mezzanine Learning Café” at DCU
Traditional Institutional Response
• Ban Mobiles
• Ban talking
• Ban Eating, Drinking
• Ban Laptops
• Ban MP3, iPod etc
Services
• If we don’t provide it, it cannot be any
good
• If we don’t allow it, it cannot be any good
Services
• A sliding window view on services
• Why do institutions put very expensive
phones on desks
• Why do institutions invest heavily in
providing student email
Institution’s Luddite Attitudes
• Long after the telephone was invented
and reached universal adoption, which 3rd
level institution provides telephone
support to students ?
• Some institutions require their students to
purchase packs of notes in printed form
on paper!
What Can Services Do
• Provide leadership in keeping up with
demands of users
• Look at new technology developments,
especially in the consumer space
• Cloud Computing, do you really care
where your LMS is hosted
Technology Examples
• Amazon Kindle
• iPhone and iPod Touch (one is usually
banned and the other permitted in a
library)
• “3” Skype Phone
• Nokia (and others) WiFi phones
• Mobile Broadband
Summary
• Pace of technology change is accelerating
• Current wave of technology is consumer
led
• Service providers must be agile in spotting
at adapting or adopting new trends
• Look for Disruptive Technologies that may
enhance the learning experience