Wheaton ranks high among ''most wired'' colleges in nation
April 18, 2000
Yahoo! Internet Life magazine gave Wheaton College high marks in its fourth annual ranking of the nation[base ']s 100 ''most wired'' colleges. Wheaton placed 13 among colleges in the magazine[base ']s highly visible survey. The magazine was scheduled to release the full ranking on the web (www.wiredcolleges.com) on Tuesday, April 18.
Wheaton is one of five Massachusetts colleges to be ranked among Yahoo[base ']s top 20. The others: Williams, Smith, Wellesley and Mount Holyoke colleges. Wheaton president Dale Rogers Marshall said of the college[base ']s ranking in the top 20, ''It is always gratifying to be recognized for good work. Wheaton is a leader in using technology responsibly to enhance our educational mission. Faculty and students are making wonderfully creative use of the web and other applications across the curriculum.''
While the editors of Yahoo! Internet Life will not disclose their methodology for the survey, the magazine[base ']s story on the ranking says that its formula is broad-based and that ''only institutions exhibiting a healthy balance of wired services scored well in the ranking.''
Wheaton has been extremely active in its efforts to integrate the use of information technology in every facet of the college, from administration to academics. In recent years, the college[base ']s professors have won more than $1.7 million in grants from private foundations for pilot projects that explore promising ways of using technology to enhance students[base '] learning experiences.
David Caldwell, Wheaton[base ']s director of information technologies and services, commented on the college[base ']s approach to technology. ''We use technology to enhance the teaching and learning that goes on in our classrooms, not to replace it. For example, our mathematics professors use software to do advanced calculations while they teach the concepts. If they can spend less time working out the calculations, then we have increased the amount of face-to-face time available to students and faculty.''
When discussing Wheaton[base ']s wired strengths, associate provost Tom Brooks points to the success of a committee comprised of faculty, students and administrators. ''The Library, Technology and Learning Committee (LTLC) has been instrumental in implementing technology uses across the curriculum. Their hard work has been the backbone of this five[^]year technology plan,'' Brooks noted. ''Registering for classes on the web, taking exams online outside of class time, and using web-based software and databases to illustrate a lecture point are all examples using technology to enhance our liberal arts goals of teaching and learning.''