Group projects no longer require an actual meeting and date nights can be planned via mobile applications…Welcome to a new age of technology and a campus accessible anywhere in the world.
The days of scouring the library for empty tables to accommodate group members appear to be coming to a close.
Now students do not even have to meet with their groups to complete a group project.
Butler University’s Information Technology has launched a new way to stay connected on campus by promoting and encouraging students to use Google Docs—a part of Google Apps.
Google Docs is a suite of tools designed to help make group collaboration easier, said Tyler Johnston, the systems support project coordinator for the IT department.
“The reaction [from the students] has been overwhelmingly positive,” Johnston said. “We’re really excited about that.”
The new tool allows students to chat about a document, make changes and read it all in real time.
Students can access the document from anywhere in the world—Study abroad students, that means you too.
Johnston said that more than 700 students have logged in since the program’s launch last Thursday.
Even Butler Blue II was spotted using Google Docs to help train Blue III.
Google saw the tweet documenting
Blue III’s education and retweeted it, causing it to go viral.
“As Tyler says, we use the dog to our advantage,” said Sandy Meers, a junior management and information systems major.
Who can resist a face like that?
Kodi Colip, a senior marketing and art + design major, said that social media and technology are important for universities because it helps keep them current.
“We need to stay with the students,” Colip said. “We need to make sure we don’t fall behind.”
Colip said that other college campuses have apps designed for their students, and Butler is working to move its technology in that direction.
For instance, the university’s website has a more condensed version that is accessible from a mobile device that highlights what is most important to students.
Athletic schedules, dining options and the Student Government Association shuttle schedule are available at the touch of a finger.
Students can even check what books are available in the library for their next research paper.
However, the walks through campus to class are not going away any time soon, and technology cannot replace every aspect of a classroom.
Since just about every student and his roommate has a smartphone, mobile apps have evolved from just fun and games into useful tools.
Need to stay organized and have a straight schedule?
Want to keep track of your spending in Broad Ripple?
Looking for new places to eat on the weekend?
No worries—there’s an app for that.
