Compliance Review

Renumbered as 3.4.12

The institution’s use of technology enhances student learning, is appropriate for meeting the objectives of its programs. and ensures that Students have access to and training in the use of technology.

The institution provides a variety of technologies, but the committee could not determine from documentation provided that the University’s use of technology enhances student learning, that there is sufficient access and training in the technology provided to meet the objectives of its programs or that the resources it provides are sufficient to meet the needs of the students and the educational program. For example, the University indicates that general education requirements for computer literacy skills are best assessed by academic departments; yet those plans, assessments, and results are not provided.

The compliance document referenced the Northwestern State Technology Enrichment Plan (NSTEP), but it was not found in the resource room. The document states that the institution “is confident that the current plan . . . significantly contributes to student learning and enhances the overall quality of instruction,” but no documentation was found. The document also states that every curriculum requires basic computer literacy, but only eleven examples were provided. A chart should be available showing how integration of technology in each major is accomplished.

The institution has 25 compressed video classrooms, 40 student labs, and 16 multimedia “Smart” classrooms. The portal myNSU is attractive and helpful. Lab usage and hours of availability are in the Office of Student Technology Quarterly Report.

The University uses the ACT Student Opinion Survey and the Graduating Senior Survey and the Graduate Student Exit Survey. It concludes that students are satisfied, but no specific data is provided. The institution’s plan for assessment of student competencies, evidence of results, and how those results will be used for continuous program improvements need to be provided.

Northwestern State University is known as the leader in the state of Louisiana in the use of technology to support its education programs.  According to Mike Abiatti, Associate Commissioner for Information and Learning Technology at the Louisiana Board of Regents, “Northwestern State University and its staff consistently are leaders in technology integration. The NSU team is always among the first to respond to any request we have for collaboration and for assisting other schools.”

The University maintains 25 compressed video classrooms, 40 student technology labs, a digital television station, and 16 multimedia SMART classrooms.  In Fall 2005 and Spring 2006, approximately 8,300 nonduplicated students were enrolled in online courses.  In Spring 2006, the University graduated a student from Warsaw, Indiana, with a bachelor’s degree in clinical psychology, completing all coursework online.  Since 2003, students have approved the use of technology fees for over $4 million in technology projects.

The off-site committee indicated that it could not determine that the “University’s use of technology enhances student learning, that there is sufficient access and training in the technology provided to meet the objectives of its programs or that the resources it provides are sufficient to meet the needs of the students and the educational program.”  Specifically, the committee requested documentation about how technology enhances student learning, how sufficient access to and training in technology meet program objectives, and how the University demonstrates the sufficiency of resources committed to technology. 

Enhances Student Learning

The University’s vision to enhance student learning by integrating technology throughout a student’s academic career has resulted in four tangible components:  (1) Northwestern’s Technology Enrichment Plan, which guides (2) college and division technology plans; (3) Computer and Informational Literacy by Degree Program; and (4) a technology integration plan for each degree program.  By using these four components, the University is assured that technology is fully integrated in academic programs as well as in student services and activities provided to students, all designed to enhance student learning.

The reviewers’ response referenced the Northwestern State Technology Enrichment Plan (NSTEP), but stated it was not found in the resource room. Although the link to the document was valid, another copy has since been placed in the documents room. The reviewer’s statement referenced the original University response to the standard: The document states that the institution “is confident that the current plan . . . significantly contributes to student learning and enhances the overall quality of instruction,” but no documentation was found.

Importantly, NSTEP provided the foundation for college/division technology plans (College of Education, College of Science and Technology, College of Nursing, College of Liberal Arts, University College, and Louisiana Scholars’ College) that guide the University’s academic units in meeting their technology goals for enhancing student learning.

The off-site team noted that the University indicated that general education requirements for computer literacy skills were best assessed by academic departments; yet those plans, assessments, and results were not provided.  In Spring 2005, the University approved a set of competencies in general education that included the requirement for each degree program to ensure basic “computer and informational literacy.”  This requirement is published in the 2006-2007 University Catalog (p. 19).  A table, Computer and Informational Literacy by Degree Program, shows that student learning has been enhanced by the access, use, and integration of technology campuswide.  The table identifies each degree program’s definition of computer literacy, assessment methods, goals, data use for continuous improvement, technology used to assess computer literacy, and technology integration within the program.

Secondly, the team requested an additional table showing technology integration in each major.  The table identifies technology skills, their integration in instruction, and the saturation of technology skills across all degree programs.

Access and Usage

Access to technology across Northwestern’s campus is pervasive, with technology integrated at all levels of a student’s experiences, from courses, to services, and student activities.  For example, student use of the One Card allows them electronic residence-hall access, serves as a debit card, and affords them food service admission.   MyNSU, Northwestern’s student portal available around the clock, provides students access to registration, student financial aid, Blackboard, student accounting, and the online degree audit. Students have access from wherever their location to the fully electronic Eugene P. Watson Library.  All students are afforded the opportunity to have special instruction on how to access and make best use of the Library’s electronic offerings.

Housed within the Library is the Office of Student Technology. This office, funded through student technology fees, further enhances students’ use of state-of-the-art software, hardware and infrastructure; and technology for messaging, equipment checkout (laptops, digital cameras, and projectors), faxing, copying, laminating, and binding.

To support the varied technologies on campus is the Office of Information Systems. Its mission is to provide timely, accurate, and professional technology support and technology services for students, faculty, and staff.  In support of this mission, Information Systems supports the computing needs of the main campus in Natchitoches and three satellite campuses (Alexandria, Leesville, and Shreveport). The remote campuses are connected with T1 circuits for compressed video and data. Additionally, 10 remote sites connected to the main campus with T1 circuits for compressed video and data. Support includes:

• Approximately 100 servers with 155 software versions produced by 73 vendors with 481 installations of the different versions of software.
• Approximately 2,000 end-user devices (PCs).
• Approximately 400 managed network objects (switches, routers, wireless access points, etc.)
• A network infrastructure consisting of inside and outside copper and fiber with switches and routers interconnecting a total of 41 buildings at seven locations.
• Wireless access for all academic buildings, several administrative buildings, and several outdoor areas.
• A primary telephone switch located on the Natchitoches campus with Private Branch Exchanges located on the Leesville and Shreveport campuses supporting a total of approximately 3,000 telephone lines.

The following documentation is provided to demonstrate that the University provides sufficient access to technology to meet the objectives of its programs and services. 

• ACT Student Opinion Survey
  • In 2005, when students were asked about the usage of computer services (Item 19), 74.1% confirmed usage of campus computer services.
  • In 2006, when students were asked about the usage of computer services (Item 19), 68.9% confirmed usage of campus computer services.
• NSU Graduating Student Survey
  • In Fall 2005, 99% of respondents (n=400) demonstrated usage of computer facilities.
  • In Spring 2006, 99% of respondents (n=402) demonstrated usage of computer facilities.
• NSU Graduate Student Exit Survey
  • In Fall 2005, Item 9, Student Services and Personnel, “Computer equipment that was available was adequate for my class and research needs” was rated 3.2 on a 4-point scale with 4 being “strongly agree.”  Item 6, Summary, “Technology and services” was rated 3.13 on a 4-point scale with 4 being “very satisfied.”  Item 9, “Internet and World Wide Web connections were available for my use” was rated 3.53 on a 4-point scale with 4 being “very satisfied.”
  • In Spring 2006, Item 9, Student Services and Personnel, “Computer equipment that was available was adequate for my class and research needs” was rated 3.29 on a 4-point scale with 4 being “strongly agree.”  Item 6, Summary, “Technology and services” was rated 3.30 on a 4-point scale with 4 being “very satisfied.”  Item 9, “Internet and World Wide Web connections were available for my use” was rated 3.48 on a 4-point scale with 4 being “very satisfied.”
• Student Technology Usage
  • The Office of Student Technology, in its quarterly report, provides monthly access and usage data for its 36 open computer laboratories, residence hall computer laboratories, Watson Library Resource Center, and student technology equipment checkout.  Responsive actions based on results of student surveys are included in the report.

• In AY 2005-2006, the Blackboard system has achieved an availability rating of 99.19% and a reliability rating of 99.94%.

Training in the Use of Technology

Because technology continues to advance, both students and faculty have ongoing technology training needs.  To respond to this need for users campuswide, the University offers varied programs. 

The following documents the University’s initiatives in this area.

• The Student Help Desk provides personal technical support Monday-Friday and electronically at all other times.  Its Web site also provides answers to frequently asked questions.  As of the end of AY 2005-2006, the Help Desk received more than 1,500 requests for support for the academic year—a  43.9% increase from AY 2004-2005.
• Since 2003, the College of Education has used PASS-PORT as Web-based program for College of Education degree candidates, University faculty, and administrative staff.  It is a tool to gather, demonstrate, and evaluate performance data on pre-service teachers and professional teachers during their first three years of employment.  Faculty and student training and support are provided online by both the PASS-PORT coordinator and Student Help Desk personnel.  Since its inception, PASS-PORT has been used by 5,541 students.
• The Office of Electronic and Continuing Education (ECE) provides routine training (3.4.9)  for faculty in instructional design, Blackboard, technologies and strategies for online teaching, Microsoft Office, and other programs.  ECE also provides Blackboard support to students and faculty via phone, e-mail, and the Web.  It also maintains the Student Online Support (SOS) Web site.
• In Fall 2006, as part of its First Year Success Series, the Office of Student Success began to train first-year students on using the online degree audit system.  Students participating rated the seminar as “very helpful” (85%).  Because of the program’s success, the training will be scheduled every semester.
• The College of Education offers training for new online learners campuswide each semester during the first week of class.  Students participating provide positive informal feedback to the moderator as well as faculty in the College.  Overall, participation in the training sessions has doubled in the last academic year.
• Each degree program provides training in the use of the technology needed to meet program outcomes and educational objectives.  For example, health and exercise science students receive training on the MOUS core certification, providing computer-application skills in word processing, spreadsheets, and graphic-presentation software.  Students in the journalism degree program are trained in the Macintosh and PC platforms to utilize desktop publishing software so that they can complete course assignments and ultimately secure employment.   Such competencies are identified as part of each unit’s Expected Learning Outcomes.
• Several Web-based tutorials and manuals are available to faculty, staff, and students for University-supported systems.  Examples include Blackboard, Web for Students, Web for Faculty and Advisers, GoArmyEdu, Sigi3 (an online career guidance assessment inventory), and Steps to Admission, to name a few.

Sufficient Resources 

All of the evidence provided above demonstrates the University’s commitment to technology to enhance student learning.  That commitment and the pervasiveness of technology across campus is reflected through the students’ overall satisfaction with technology services and programs. The following documents that the University has provided sufficient resources to meet student and program needs. 

• ACT Student Opinion Survey
  • In Spring 2006, Item 19, College Services or Program, “Computer services” was rated 4.08 on a 5-point scale with 5 being “very satisfied.”
• Graduate Student Exit Survey
  • In Fall 2005, Item 7, Student Services and Personnel, “Computer equipment that was available was adequate for my class and research needs” was rated 3.25 on a 4-point scale with 4 being “strongly agree.”  Item 6, Summary, “Technology and services” was rated 3.16 on a 4-point scale with 4 being “very satisfied.”
  • In Spring 2006, Item 7, Student Services and Personnel, “Computer equipment that was available was adequate for my class and research needs” was rated 3.29 on a 4-point scale with 4 being “strongly agree.”  Item 6, Summary, “Technology and services” was rated 3.30 on a 4-point scale with 4 being “very satisfied.”
• Online Course Evaluation Summary
  • In Fall 2005, when students were asked to rate their level of agreement with the statement:  “Resources required for the course were available,” the rating was 4.14 on a 5-point scale with 5 being “strongly agree.”
  • In Fall 2005, when students were asked to rate their level of agreement with the statement:  “Resources required for this course were effective,” the rating was 4.12 on a 5-point scale with 5 being “strongly agree.”
  • In Spring 2006, when students were asked to rate their level of agreement with the statement:  “Resources required for the course were available,” the rating was 4.17 on a 5-point scale with 5 being “strongly agree.”
  • In Spring 2006, when students were asked to rate their level of agreement with the statement:  “Resources required for this course were effective,” the rating was 4.12 on a 5-point scale with 5 being “strongly agree.”
• Graduating Senior Survey
  • In Fall 2005, when students were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with Item 75, “Computer facilities,” the rating was 3.82 on a 5-point scale, with 5 being “very satisfied.”
  • In Spring 2006, when students were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with Item 75, “Computer facilities,” the rating was 3.88 on a 5-point scale, with 5 being “very satisfied.”