Dean works to update learning

Robert Olin, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said he likes the Baskin-Robbins approach to education - try a little of everything.

With technology growing fast and innovations such as iPods and iPhones changing the world, Olin said education is now reinventing itself.

Pearson Education has formed a new board, called the Strategic Advisory Board, to help make a shift from traditional text to technology and content learning, to which Olin was appointed.

Olin said while Pearson realizes textbooks will be around for a long time, there are many new alternatives to look into.

"[Pearson] wants to be involved in the way students learn in the future," Olin said.

These new ways of learning include math emporiums, which Olin said he first invented at Virginia Tech, and Trinity Learning.

Cara Smith, a freshman majoring in English, said she regularly gets online to review class materials using Trinity.

"The [Trinity] Web site relieves a lot of stress because you can easily access the site and make up for what you miss in class," Smith said.

Rebecca Florence, director of college relations, said Olin has always been involved in technological aids for education.

"Dr. Olin has been involved in the use of technology in student learning for many years," Florence said.

Olin said he worked for Virginia Tech University for 25 years and was head of their mathematics department for six years, then moved to the University as dean of A&S.

"This is my 32nd year working with colleges. I started in 1975, and in the fall of 2000, I came to the University of Alabama," Olin said.

Olin said he established the Virginia Tech Mathematical Emporium in 1997 and has received national recognition for the program.

The emporium has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and the Chronicle for Higher Education.

Virginia Tech's math department experienced an 8.5 percent cut, and when "everyone wants to be an engineer," Olin said, the math department went to work to help make it happen.

"Virginia Tech desired to be the leading institution for engineering. We were trying to educate an increase of students in better ways with less money," Olin said.

Olin said the department then asked for help from Pearson Education to help write the software for this program because they said they could not spend their whole lives writing software.

Pearson has been cooperative with the program, Olin said.

"We asked them to give us the text books and write software that went along with it, and they did it," Olin said.

At the University, Olin said the mass emporium consists of the math labs, which provide students with a self-paced, personal computer instructor.

Almost all 100-level math classes and many other departments, such as the foreign language and biology departments, now house small emporiums in their buildings.

Olin said test scores have improved, partly because students have to interact when they use the emporiums.

"Very few students do well in large lectures where all they do is take notes. Students do better in classes that are active and collaborative. With this, they can't go to the next page without at least pressing a button," Olin said.

At the first Strategic Advisory Board conference, Olin said he hopes to discuss difficulties students have in traditional lectures and explain developments within the University's math emporium.

Jim Behnke, the Higher Education's chief publishing officer at Pearson, said they are proud to have Olin on their new Strategic Advisory Board.

He said Pearson respects Olin's passion to help struggling students and his strong advocacy on behalf of UA students.

"We share his commitment, and so it was only natural that we would ask Dr. Olin to participate on the Pearson Strategic Advisory Board and help guide our efforts to produce new products and services that will support student learning and improve achievement," Behnke said.