The Ferguson Center for Technology-Aided Teaching and Learning

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Established in 1996, the Center accepted the mission of promoting the effective use of technology in the service of teaching and learning. Since then the center has grown and evolved. The Ferguson Center is now home to the Education Department’s Learning Café, a fully equipped computer and media-enabled space that flexibly supports problem-based learning and group work. The Ferguson Center staff, using the resources of the Learning Café, supports Education Department courses, activities, and student field experiences. The Center also collaborates with other organizations and institutions for the development and implementation of instructional technology.

The Ferguson Center for Technology-Aided Teaching and Learning at Albion College is named for its founder and benefactor, William C. Ferguson (right), former CEO of NYNEX. Mr. Ferguson graduated from Albion College in 1952 with a degree in mathematics education. His career took him into the field of technology, specifically communications. The purpose of the Ferguson Center is to bridge the gap of using technology in the K-12 classroom within the context of the education of teachers. Technology abounds; however, the intent of the Ferguson Center is to integrate technology and curriculum for the benefit of student learning and teacher modeling. Mr. Ferguson was formerly a member of the Board of Trustees of Albion College, and served as president of the College in an interim capacity during the 1995-96 academic year.

Guy Cox is Director of the Ferguson Center for Technology-Aided Teaching and Learning. Before coming to Albion College he was a member of the Computer Engineering Department at the University of California-Santa Cruz, teaching and working in the areas of Software Engineering and Engineering Ethics. His current research is focused on how children’s technological experiences contribute, detract, and help shape their social, personal, and moral perspectives. He also spent many years working for high-tech companies in Silicon Valley. However, he still primarily identifies himself as an anthropologist having studied educational anthropology at the Graduate School of Education, University of California-Berkeley.