TITLE Assessing a Technology Initiative: Lessons Learned While

This paper argues that the rapid increase in the use of technology in education has changed nearly every facet of the teaching and learning experience for both faculty and students. Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina, launched a technology initiative in 1999 that was designed to expand the use of technology as a communication and research tool for curricular, co-curricular, and community activities. At the same time, funds were set aside to support faculty enhancement. Fifty-one incoming freshmen, who were chosen to participate in a 2-year pilot program beginning in the fall of 2000, were given laptop computers and software applications. During the students ' second year, they worked on various technology projects with professors from different disciplines. The authors of this study include the following assessment activities/instruments in their paper: (1) minute paper; (2) pre- and post-Student Computer Usage Survey; (3) focus group study; (4) faculty feedback; '(5) Faculty Computer Usage Survey (6