UCA PROFILE 
Dr. Ron Toll, dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Dr. Ron Toll, dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, is helping to pave the way for students to have access to computers at anytime. Toll believes that expanding the use of instructional technology will enhance student-learning outcomes and empower faculty.

"I am a firm believer in using technology to enhance teaching effectiveness," he said. Ubiquitous computing, or having access to computing technology any place and at any time, is a somewhat new concept at many colleges and universities, but it is one that is beginning to take hold at UCA, due to the efforts of many faculty and administrators, including Toll who has past experience with it. He came to UCA three years ago from a ubiquitous computing campus.

"A good deal of the effectiveness that ubiquitous computing provides is in the form of asynchronous instruction," Toll said. "The teaching and learning environment is expanded beyond the traditional 50- or 75-minute class or 3-hour laboratory experience. Electronically-based threaded discussions, on-line submission of assignments, student group work, on-line diagnostic self-exams, and other techniques and methods contribute to an educational environment without traditional boundaries of space and time."

Toll notes that efforts to achieve ubiquitous computing at UCA will be strengthened by the addition of new buildings that are technology-rich. The new Math/Computer Science Technology Building, scheduled for completion next summer, is such a building. "This will be an absolutely phenomenal building," Toll said. "Both beautiful and functional, the building was designed around the core concept of technology enhanced pedagogy." Toll believes that faculty and administrators from across the region will want to visit the building that will serve as a model for their own future projects.

"The Math/Computer Science Building will facilitate our faculty in their efforts to embed technology into their instruction. The building is designed to support laptop computers in a wireless network infrastructure. Used in this manner, computing becomes ‘mobile’," Toll said. Students have ready access to learning media, their instructors, and their fellow students. Digital technology in the form of ceiling mounted digital projection cameras, document cameras, and Internet access will come together in a seamless infrastructure designed to support networked learning communities.

Toll is working to enhance the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in other areas. One of his goals is expand interest and support of professional education in the areas of mathematics and science. He is currently working with the College of Education to help better prepare education students to teach math and science in middle and secondary schools.

"There have been changes recently in the certification process for teachers in Arkansas," Toll said. "We want to make sure our students meet those qualifications and are exceptionally well prepared when they become in-service teachers."

Toll said he wants pre-service teachers to have a better foundation in the material that they will be teaching their students. "We want to give them a rich appreciation for the scientific method and experimental learning."

Toll is also working to expand other programs in his college. He said the applied mathematics program has seen tremendous growth through the hiring of several new faculty. Another program in his college that is continuing to grow is environmental science. Toll said the environmental science curriculum offers different challenges because of its highly interdisciplinary nature. Students must take courses in the College of Liberal Arts, such as geography, and courses such as economics, which is offered through the College of Business Administration.

Another way Toll wants to see the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics expand its instructional and research capabilities is through increased external funding. "The College needs funding from external sources to help support programs as well as faculty development and student research," he said. The College has begun receiving more external funding from sources such as the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Last year, external funding allowed the College to establish a scanning electron microscopy suite.

This year he hopes to see the College obtain another NSF grant to support the purchase of a high-field NMR, a piece of analytical equipment that is used in chemistry research. Toll is extremely pleased to recognize the increased grant proposal development activity by his faculty and their successes in convincing various funding agencies that the instructional and research programs in the College are worthy of their financial support. "Funding success brings additional funding success as granting agencies come to recognize us a winner," Toll said.

Toll is looking forward to upcoming years in the College. "There are a great number of wonderful things going on in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics."