Rowlands says technology developed in the early and mid-'90s is now maturing, creating new opportunities. He believes education can greatly benefit from current advances.

"I could see totally interactive classrooms with proven teachers who have the best reputation in their individual fields interacting with large student groups," said Rowlands. "Forget the economic strata. Forget even where the students are. They could be in Africa. They could be in Iceland. We have the computer power to do this."

Rowlands was one of a host of speakers who made presentations on such topics as the Internet, the societal implications of information technology and advances in computer hardware/software. Other presenters included technology industry professionals and experts from Georgetown University, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, Point Park College and La Roche College.

"This conference is really an extension of the direction that we are already taking at La Roche," said Howard Ishiyama, vice president for academic affairs. "We have majors in information technology, in computer information systems and in computer science. That's not unusual for a large institution to offer those three majors. It is rare for a small college."

Information Technology Conference 2002 is the first in what is expected to become an annual academic conference each summer at La Roche College.

"The engagement in these types of conferences is really the hallmark of higher education," said Ishiyama."It augments our current conversations with scholarly conversations that include people outside our four walls. It creates an important dialogue."