Prof speaks on future of cyberspace in academia

The Philomathean Society's week-long symposium entitled "The University in the Information Age" got off to a rocky start last night. The problems began several days ago with the theft of the computer slated to be used in the series' first lecture. They continued yesterday when scheduled speaker Janet Murray cancelled only hours before her presentation was to begin due to illness. On short notice, the Society asked Religious Studies Professor Robert Kraft to speak during the "Emerging Genres and Methodologies of Cyberspace" segment of the symposium yesterday afternoon. Kraft, who said he has been integrating computers into his classes for years, spoke to an audience of about 20 students and faculty members concerning the role of interactive technology in the classroom. "It is a very interesting tool which is much more flexible and has many more uses than a book whether in a classroom or for a researcher," he said. Predicting that "in a few years CD-ROMs will be the textbooks," Kraft said he looks forward to the increasing integration that better technology will provide. "One of the biggest frustrations in the electronic world is being aware of all that is out there," Kraft said. "But not being able to always get it." Kraft also emphasized that making use of the World Wide Web and Internet technology has its advantages outside of the classroom as well. "It's like having a museum in your living room," he said. Engineering junior Carter Page said that when he came up with the theme of the symposium, he was primarily concerned with addressing professors' fear of technology. "The whole series is primarily focused at the professors and secondarily at the students," he said. Page said his inspiration came from the dissatisfaction he felt with the many "learn and regurgitate" classes at the lower levels of the University. "If their job is nothing more than pouring information into us, they're going to go extinct as educators," he added.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.