Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology has received Hewlett Packard’s 2007 Technology for Teaching Award for exemplary work in tablet personal computing pedagogy. Rose-Hulman President Gerald Jakubowski and Julia Williams, executive director of the Office of Institutional Research and Planning, accepted the award from Rob Reed, regional HP university relations program manager.

HP Technology Award Winner: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology President Gerald Jakubowski (right) accepts Hewlett Packard's 2007 Technology for Teaching Award from Rob Reed, regional HP university relations program manager.

"Consistently, year after year, the quality of the design and thought process on how to implement educational technology in the classroom at Rose-Hulman has been exceptional,” stated Reed, noting that HP Technology for Teaching grants are awarded to only one out of 10 higher education institutions that apply.

The use of tablet personal computers is growing at Rose-Hulman. A total of 190 students and nine professors are using tablets in classrooms and laboratories in 14 courses during the current winter academic quarter. Two pen-based computing classes, with tablets PCs and slate devices, are currently being used in the Olin Advanced Learning Center. Several Rose-Hulman faculty members are using DyKnow Vision educational software in conjunction with the tablet PCs and laptop computers. Faculty members of a Pen Computing Group have made presentations at the Workshop for the Impact of Pen-based Computing at Purdue University and the DyKnow Users Group at DePauw University.

In 2003 and 2004, Rose-Hulman received Mobile Technology Solutions in Learning Environments grants from HP to purchase Compaq 1000 and 1100 model tablet PCs. More recently, the institute has been honored with a grant from HP’s 2007 Teaching with Technology program. The grant included 24 new 4400 model Tablet PCs. These PCs are being used in the new tablet classrooms.

Early adopters of the tablet PC technology were Sudipa Kirtley, professor of physics and optical engineering; and David Mutchler, professor of computer science and software engineering. Kirtley innovated the use of pen computing into the Studio Physics approach of teaching physics courses.

Faculty members that are assisting in the 2007 HP grant are Archana Chidanandan, assistant professor of computer science and software engineering; David Fisher, assistant professor of mechanical engineering; Mario Simoni, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering; and Williams, who also professor of English. Faculty members that have also worked with tablets are Peter Coppinger and Renee Rogge of the Department of Applied Biology and Biomedical Engineering; Richard Ditteon of the Department of Physics and Optical Engineering; Maki Hirotani of the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences; Kevin Sutterer of the Department of Civil Engineering; and Deborah Walter of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

A case study about Rose-Hulman’s use of technology to boost student and faculty productivity, while meeting the challenge of staying ahead of the technology curve, is featured on HP’s national marketing program at http://h71028.www7.hp.com/ERC/downloads/4AA1-2093ENW.pdf.