Select Vita on Technology Uses in Teaching, Research and Service

(since 1994)

Ron Barnette

Professor,
Department of Philosophy
Acting Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA 31698

Phone: (229) 333-5699 (Work)
(229) 244-3585 (Home)
Fax (912) 333-7389

Email: rbarnett@valdosta.edu
Website: www.valdosta.edu/~rbarnett/phi

Personal

Born July 7, 1942, Compton, California
Married to Candy McKibben Barnette
Two daughters, Blair and Rebecca

Education

Ph.D. (Philosophy), University of California, Irvine, 1972
(dissertation: Explanation of Human Action, chaired by D.C. Dennett)

B.A. (Philosophy), California State University, Long Beach, 1967

Areas of Specialization

Logic and Critical Thinking, Applied Ethics, Philosophy of Technology and Education, Philosophy of Science, Cognitive Science

Professional Memberships and Accomplishments  

The American Philosophical Association. Former member, Committee on Computing and Philosophy. Teaching-in-Cyberspace editor, Newsletter on Philosophy and Computers, APA.

APA Web Advisory Board

Computers and Philosophy (CAP)  Steering Committee member, APA

Executive Committee, International Association of Computers and Philosophy (IACAP)

Program Committee chair for Distance Learning and the Profession, CAP, Carnegie Mellon University

Episteme Links Advisory Board member

The Philosophy of Science Association

Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology

The International Society for Philosophy of Religion

The Society for Minds and Machines

The Georgia Philosophical Society

The American Society of Computer Users in Education

The International Society for Technology and Education

Trustee, American Philosophical Institute

Editorial Board member of Reveries, an online undergraduate journal of philosophy

Outside Evaluator, Socrates for the 21st Century Project

Article reviewer for Social Philosophy Today ("The Geometry of Defection")

Recent Relevant Presentations and Workshops Conducted

"The Issue of Distance Learning: 'What's the Story with Distance Ed?'," presented at the American Philosophical Association meeting, Atlanta, GA, December, 2001.

Chair, session on Computational Powers and Minds, Society for Mentality and Machines, APA, Atlanta, GA, December, 2001.

Panel discussion organized and conducted for the Computers and Philosophy Conference, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, August 2001

Invited address for Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics," Orlando, Florida, July, 2001.

Invited address on teaching and technology, Georgia College and State University, April, 2001

"How Distance Learning is Changing our Profession," panel discussion organized and conducted for the Computers and Philosophy Conference, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, August 2000.

-"Ready, Set, Go: Online Teaching and Available Resources," presentation to program on Developing a Social Problems Learning Community, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, Feb., 2000.

-"Constructing a Campus-Wide Learning Community for Institutional Improvement," (R. Barnette, L.Benjamin, L. Levy), USG Teaching and Learning Conference, Atlanta, GA, Nov., 1999

-"Assessing  Readiness for Quality Online Instruction," presented on a Web-delivered Online Conference on Teaching Online in Higher Education, Nov., 1999.

-Invited presentation "How and How Well Do Philosophy Students Learn in Cyberspace?," at the annual conference of the American Philosophical Association, New Orleans, May, 1999.

-Invited presentation to University System of Georgia Board of Regents, on web-based education and asynchronous learning, Atlanta, GA, Oct., 1998.

-World Wide Web tour of "Project Millennium: Building a Learning Community in Cyberspace," International Society for Technology in Education, New Orleans, LA, Oct., 1998.

-Conducted Technology Roundtable session for Chief Academic and Student Affairs Officers, St. Simon's Island, GA, July, 1998.

-"Learning Communities in Cyberspace," presented to the Regents' Committee on Georgia Libraries, Jekyll Island, GA, April, 1998.

-WWW Tour "Academe in Cyberspace," at International Society for Technology in Education annual conference, Austin, Texas, October, 1997.

-Workshop on Teaching and the WWW conducted for the University System of Georgia's Teachers and Technology Project, Athens, GA, August, 1997.

-Report to the Computers and Philosophy conference at Carnegie Mellon University, Aug.,1997.

-Roundtable on Assessing Online Learning conducted for the American Association for Higher Education Summer Academy, Snowbird, Utah, July, 1997.

- Faculty Development Workshop on Teachers and Technology, Darton College, Albany GA, May, 1997.

- Participant in 'Meet the Authors' session at the American Philosophical Association Central Division conference, hosted by Basil Blackwell Pubs, Pittsburg, PA, April, 1997.

- "The Virtual University Academic Department," presented at the International Society for Technology and Education, Tampa, FL, December, 1996.

- "Report on the APA Survey on Computing and Philosophy," presented to the American Philosophical Association Meeting, Atlanta, GA, December, 1996.

- "The Enigma of Technology and the Future of the Academic Department," University System of Georgia Conference in Teaching and Technology, Oct., 1996.

- "Computer Networks and Information Technology: A Case Study," workshop conducted for the College of Business Administration, Valdosta State University, Spring, 1996.

- "Teaching Philosophy in Cyberspace: A Review of PHICYBER, The Electronic Agora," presented at the Annual Meeting of Georgia Association of Health Care and Technology, Macon, GA, June, 1996.

- "Philosophy in Cyberspace," presented at the Pacific Division meeting at the American Philosophical Association, Seattle, WA, April, 1996.

- "The Electronic Agora: Non-Virtual Teaching Reality," presented on the World Wide Web through the Valdosta State University Philosophy Website, February- March, 1996.

- "Teaching and Research in the Electronic Agora," presented at the Annual Conference of the International Society for Technology and Education, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, November, 1995.

- "Internet Teaching and Research Technologies," presented at the University System of Georgia Conference on Faculty Development in Teaching and Technology, Athens, GA, August, 1995.

- "Teaching and Research on the Information Superhighway," presented at the annual meeting of the APA Committee on Computing and Philosophy, CMU, Pittsburgh, PA, August, 1995.

- "A Virtual Classroom: The Electronic Agora," presented to The American Society of Computer Users in Education, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, June, 1995.

- "Innovations in Teaching and Technology," presented at the Missouri Conference on Technology and Teaching, Rolla, MO, March, 1995.

- "Refinements in Teaching in an Electronic Classroom Without Walls," presented to the University System of Georgia Conference on Academic Computing, Rock Eagle, GA, Oct., 1994.

- "Comment on Computation and Content," presented at The Pacific Division meeting of the American Philosophical Association, San Francisco, CA, April, 1994.

Recent Relevant Publications and Word Wide Web Activity

"Hybrid Courses and Integrated Learning" the APA Newsletter on Philosophy and Computers, Spring 2001.

"Virtual Worlds and Global Communities," forthcoming.

"Innovative Online Components for Philosophy Instruction," the APA Newsletter on Philosophy and Computers, Fall, 2000.

"Interactive Learning in Cyberspace: Costs? Benefits? Readiness? Incentives?," the APA Newsletter on Philosophy and Computers, Spring, 2000.

"Teaching and Learning in Cyberspace: Some Ideas and Some Suggestions," in APA Newsletter on Philosophy and Computers, Fall, 1999.

"CyberEducation: Teaching and Learning in a Virtual Community," WWW publication, July, 1999

"The State of the Initiative," (co-authored with Louis Levy and Lloyd Benjamin), The Consortium on Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Newsletter, GA. State University, Feb., 1999.

"Helpful Tips for Planning Online Instruction," WWW publication for faculty preparing to teach Internet-based courses, Jan., 1999.

"The Southern Regional Electronic Campus," in APA Newsletter on Philosophy and Computing, Fall, 1998

"Framework for Assessment for Learning and for the Evaluation of Asynchronous Internet Classes," WWW publication, July, 1998

"WWW Resources for Teaching Philosophy," in APA Newsletter on Philosophy and Computing , Spring, 1998

"Teaching Philosophy in Cyberspace," in the Learning Highway: Smart Students and the Net, edited by Trevor Owen, Key Porter Books, Jan., 1998.

"The Internet as a Medium in Delivering Education", by Ron Barnette and Allan C. Reddy, (pp.25-42) in Allan C. Reddy (Editor). The Emerging High-Tech Consumer - A Market Profile and Marketing Strategy Implications, Quorum Books,Westport, CT, 1997.

-"APA Teaching and Technology Survey," in APA Newsletter on Philosophy and Computing, Oct., 1997.

- "Teaching Philosophy in Cyberspace," in The Digital Phoenix: How Computers are Changing Philosophy, Basil Blackwell Publishers, Dec., 1997.

- "The Use of Computers in Teaching Philosophy: An APA Report,"  in the same above publication.

- "Zeno's Café,"; in Newsletter on Philosophy and Computers, April, 1997.

-Advisory Committee to the APA on Web development and design.

- Webdesigner and maintainer of the VSU Philosophy Department Website (www.valdosta.edu/~rbarnett/phi)

-PHICYBER: the Electronic Agora,  as an annual online course last taught in the Summer, 1999, available to students on the Southern Regional Electronic Campus

-Taught Web-based doctoral course in Philosophy of Education (Fall, 1998, Summer 2000).

(http://www.valdosta.edu/~rbarnett/phi/philed.html)

- Taught Web-based course in Honors Philosophy (Spring, 1997), (http://www.valdosta.peachnet.edu/~rbarnett/phi/honors.html).

- Taught Web-based courses in Ethics and Technology (Winter, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001), (http://www.valdosta.peachnet.edu/~rbarnett/phi/321001.html).

- Taught Web-based courses in Philosophy of Mind (Fall, 1996, Fall, 1999,), (http://www.valdosta.peachnet.edu/~rbarnett/phi/f323o.html).

- Taught on-line Internet course, PHICYBER VI: The Electronic Agora, a full-credit University Philosophy course on the Internet, with 112 participants from 8 nations and 5 continents, Summer, 1999. (Project begun in Summer, 1994 with PHICYBER I). PHICYBER VI was taught online Summer, 1999, and will be offered through the Southern Regional Electronic Campus, fall, 2001.

- Director of Philosophy Department SUNLAB, a Sun microsystem electronic lab designed for the sole purpose of furthering Word Wide Web Research and Teaching (afforded by the University System of Georgia Grants for Innovative Computer Technology)

- Author and webmaster of Puzzles and Paradoxes for Zeno's Coffeehouse, an interactive feature of VSU Philosophy Website for the international community.

- "Further Reflections in Education on the Information Superhighway," Word Wide Web publication, May, 1995.

- Critical Review of H. Dreyfus' What Computers Still Can't Do, in The International Journal of Applied Expert Systems, March, 1995.

- "Reflections in Electronic Teaching", in The Learning Highway: The Canadian Student's Guide to the Internet, edited by Trevor Owen, Key Porter Books,February, 1995.

- 'Omniscience and Freedom,' electronic WWW publications, 1994.

- 'Supertasks and Omnipotence,' electronic WWW publications, 1994.

- Referee for The Electronic Journal of Analytic Philosophy, Indiana University.

-Referee for the Australasian Journal of Philosophy.

- Listserver Manager for CPAE (Center for Professional and Applied Ethics), PHICYBER (Philosophy in Cyperspace), PHILED (Philosophy of Education), ETHTECH (Ethics and Technology),  PHIMIND (Philosophy of Mind Class), and PHICOM (Georgia Committee on Academic Philosophy). Each Listserver has as its e-mail address <name>@catfish.valdosta.edu.

- VSU Office of Vice President for Academic Affairs Assistant for Technology and Learning, since July, 1996. Activities include:

• Participant in AAHE Summer Academy, Breckenridge, CO., July, 1996.
• Teaching and Technology Orientation for New Faculty, VSU, September, 1996.
• Enlisted E-mail in support of retention, with two Freshman Orientation classes, Fall term, 1996.
• Assisted with production of website for the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, (http://www.valdosta.peachnet.edu/vsu/acad).
• Conducted VSU faculty survey on Teaching and Technology, for university planning and support, Fall, 1996.
• Participant in PEW Roundtable---'Return to St. Louis'---St. Louis, MO, December, 1996.
• Participant in AAHE Reunion, San Diego, CA, January, 1997.
• Initiated WWW project on Designing a Model for Assessment of Teaching and Learning in Cyberspace, February, 1997
• Assisted in production of website the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, , March, 1997.
• Initiated informal series on Technology and Learning for VSU faculty with a program by selected faculty, on SPSS for Windows, April, 1997.
• Presented results of faculty survey on teaching and technology on its own website at VSU, May, 1997.
• Provided information on assessment of online instruction, AAHE Summer Academy, Snowbird, Utah, July, 1997.
• Chair, Task Force Committee on Project Millennium,  for design of a virtual university community.
• University representative on University System of Georgia committee on the Distance Learning Alliance, Dec., 1997.
• Presented, with Vice President Benjamin, a report on AAHE Summer Academy outcomes, at the AAHE National Conference, Atlanta, GA, March, 1998.
• Inventory of technology-enhanced services in the learning community at VSU, April, 1998.
• Invited particpant in GSAMS distance conference on distance education standards, Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, June, 1998.
• Member, selection committee on faculty for Connecting Teachers with Technology, Board of Regents Office of Information and Instructional Technology Award.
• Conducted Technology Roundtable session for Chief Academic and Student Affairs Officers, St. Simon's Island, GA, July, 1998.
• Participant in third Summer Quality Academy, discussing Project Millennium, AAHE, Vail, Colorado, July, 1998.
• Participant in AAC&U Summer Conference, Burlington, Vermont, July, 1998.
• Institutional distance education administrator for the Southern Regional Electronic Campus (SREC), August, 1998.
• World Wide Web presentation on Project Millennium, International Society for Technology and Education, New Orleans, LA, Oct., 1998.
• Presentation of web-based education and asynchronous learning, University System of Georgia Board of Regents, Oct., 1998.
• Participated in Video Exploratorium workshop, Jan., 1999.
• Selection committee for Faculty Summer Stipends for teaching and technology, office of the VPAA, March, 1999.
• Co-planner, VSU Technology Fair, April, 1999.
• Presented an overview of a learning community approach to distributed learning through the Internet, at the APA annual meeting, New Orleans, LA, May, 1999.
• Assisted VSU faculty summer stipend recipients in innovative uses of technology and teaching, Summer, 1999.
• Participant and presenter at fourth Summer Quality Academy of the AAHE, Snowmass, CO, July, 1999.
• Project Millennium website design, inviting community input for continued development of the VSU Virtual Learning Community, August, 1999.
• Co-chaired sharing session for summer stipend faculty projects, September, 1999.
• Contributor to the Electronic Campus and to the Statewide Georgia Globe project, September, 1999.
• Coordinator on Psychology and MPA Courses and program delivery on SREC, October, 1999.
• Co-presenter (with L. Benjamin and L.Levy), "Constructing a Campus-Wide Learning Community for Instututional Improvement," USG Teaching and Learning Conference, Atlanta, GA, Nov., 1999.
• Coordinator of Teaching and Technology Grants, Office of the VPAA, Spring, 2000.
• Evaluator and assistant to faculty grant projects, Teaching and Technology, Summer, 2000.
• Web-designed model for online faculty voting project initiated, Fall, 2000.
• Website project for listing online course delivery, Fall, 2000.
• Website project for enhanced learning community projects,, Fall, 2000.
• Project Millennium administator for faculty teaching and technology stipends, Winter, 2001
• Organizer for video-streaming of spring commencement ceremonies, May 2001

Institutional Service (highlights)

- Membership on Sixteen College, University and University System Committees, including the Chancellor's Steering Committee on Conflict Resolution. VSU workshops conducted on Alternative Dispute Resolution, and over 25 mediated services provided for the President of the university.

- Service on six doctoral dissertation Committees (through Cooperative Doctoral program with Georgia State University)

-Service on nine dissertation committees, VSU Ed.D. program

- Coordinator, Center for Faculty Development and Instructional Improvement

- Assistant on Technology and Learning, Office of the VPAA
-Websearch entries for Ron Barnette
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