The Dash-AreaCom Project as an “Un-Case”.pptVIP

* * * * * * * The Dash-Area.Com Project as an “Un-Case” Ralph D. Westfall Calif. Polytechnic Univ., Pomona August, 2001 Moore’s Law and Education quantitative differences cheaper hardware speed, power can do same things faster, more qualitative differences can do things not previously feasible declining investment requirements microinvestments can start real businesses Making Education More Realistic case studies real organizations remote in time/space internships real, local organizations current perspective usually low-level, limited More Realistic Education - 2 uncase projects - using IT, esp. Internet, to develop prototypes for businesses complete organization, or outsourced components incorporate important, high level aspects of real organizations Case Study “Un-Case” past, hindsight static defined situations “right” answers usually remote abstract, subset academic, read it aloof instructor topical, future dynamic ambiguous ??? local unbounded personal, live it participating Constructivist Perspective same roots as deconstruction theory but educational, not literary perspective knowledge construction, not analysis tenets knowledge created more than transmitted active learning learning in a social context Context class started in late March 2000 10-week quarter “Internet time” Internet stock “bubble” NASDAQ average around 5000 E-Commerce frenzy billionaires senior-level class project develop a national Internet portal to compete with Yahoo, MSN, etc. “real world” aspects 2 consultants “hired” registered domain names possible financial payoff(s) market research Roles/Division of Labor instructor client/manager/co-worker concept/explanatory material development; purchased domain names/trademark and funded external ISPs; marketing students develop demonstration prototypes for national support site and three separate communities Proposed Proceeds Division 10% to instructor 10% to charity 5% divided among 13 students 10% next phase students/instructor