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A Partnership between Academic Affairs & IT to Support Faculty in Infusing Deep Learning into the Classroom

NLII Annual Meeting, January 27, 2002 11:00am-NoonNLII Annual Meeting, January 27, 2002 11:00am-Noon

James Penrod, VPIS & CIOJohn Haddock, Vice Provost for Academic AffairsSandy Schaeffer, Assoc. Director Advanced Learning Center

The University of Memphis

Underlying Assumption

A 21st Century Student Deserves a 21st Century Education

Session Goals

Share our experiences Provide Insights Obtain Feedback

University of Memphis…

Comprehensive, public, urban university

Carnegie: Doctoral Research-Extensive

~20,000 students 5,000 graduate students 31% African-American 34% UG African-American Funded at <90% of state formula

The Campus…

Factors Stimulating Change

Report / recommendation from Frye Institute Fellow and VPAA to CIO and Provost (11/14/2001)

SACS accreditation issue Prior Provost and CIO cooperative

efforts

Background and History

Background & History

Information Systems Academic Support Unit 10 Full Time Positions created from

open administrative positions 1996-2001

Director, 3 Innovative Technology Specialists, Training Center Coordinator, Secretary, Student Liaison, 2 Help Desk positions, & Technical Support


Dean’s TAF Advisory Workgroup Created by Provost & VPIS & CIO in 1997

Made-up of AVPIS & all Dean’s Provide recommendations for use of ~$3,000,000 annually from TAF fund

Smart classrooms, smart auditoriums, smart carts, computing labs, library support, faculty computers, academic software, etc.

First Chair of workgroup named Provost in 2001

Goal 4 in UoM Strategic Plan 2000-2005


Teaching-Learning Initiatives Team (T-LIT) Initiated via joint action between the Provost &

VPIS & CIO in 1999 Faculty release time (3 units/semester) for 4

professors experienced in IT classroom usage Graduate Assistants assigned to support faculty

development of Web Based instruction Appointed an Oversight Committee of faculty &

administrators to provide guidance Allocated Technology Access Fee funds for support

Former B-College Dean named Provost in 1999

A Solution:The Advanced Learning Center

Proposal set forth as a Frye Institute project Institute participant a tenured faculty member,

former staff person to new Provost & staff to VPIS & CIO

Provost & VPIS agree upon concept Discussions between Frye participant, Vice

Provost & prospect for Assoc. Director ALC flush out initial details

Buy-in from another University Executive Officer not attained

ALC formed at the beginning of FY 2002 with 9 allocated positions

Advanced Learning Center

A senior management partnership Provost, VPIS & CIO, Executive Director of

FedEx Technology Institute, & Vice Provost Extended Programs

Organizational Plan VPIS & CIO responsible for operational

management Provost responsible for budgetary

management Both ALC Director & Assoc. Director also have

FedEx Institute responsibilities


Funding & Budgeting Primary operational budget transferred

from Provost and VPIS & CIO Most travel & equipment to continue to

be provided by VPIS & CIO TAF funding for GAs to continue Faculty release time buy-out continued

by Provost Grant funds to be sought


Consolidation & team construction Director coordinates activities with

FedEx Institute; focuses efforts with faculty who have joint FedEx Institute & ALC interests

Associate Director primary operational officer; works with FedEx Institute to secure grants & gifts

ALC staff serve on formal Information Systems Teams


Integration/Alignment with IT Unit Director & Assoc. Director part of VPIS

& CIO Senior Management team ALC part of Information Systems

learning organization initiative ALC develops an IS Unit Plan and has IT

Strategic Plan objectives assigned Professional development of ALC staff

provided by Information Systems


ALC Deliverables Defined as measurable, time bounded items in

ALC Unit Plan Primary focus to promote deep learning in the

classroom working with faculty Also work to promote FITness issues Support on intellectual property issues Support to Academic Affairs in coordinating

selected programs Find and develop grant opportunities

individually and collectively with faculty

Goals & Success Metrics…

Strategic Planning Issues

Pieced-together unit with a fragmented history

Reorganized while avoiding disruption to ongoing services

Shift behavior pattern of team members from operational to strategic

ALC Vision & Goals

Mission: “We support effective learning for the University of Memphis community through development of technology fluency, innovations in teaching, and research.”

Fluency with Information Technology, or “FITness” connotes a higher level of competency with technology than the traditional idea of “computer literacy.”

Being Fluent with Information TechnologyNational Research Council

National Academy Press, 1999

FITness Activities

Entire campus community: faculty, student and staff

Jump-started via findings of campus-wide fluency task force

Common / foundation skills (shared) vs. discipline-specific at the departmental level

Metrics & Accreditation(External Focus)

Absolute quantitative targets are not yet established, but will need to be consistent with the expectations of the upcoming SACS accreditation.

Campus Needs(Internal Focus)

Maintain existing ongoing services that are independent of FITness

Support-leg for Tennessee’s RODP initiative

Help-desk support for faculty Campus-wide training coordination

for strategic technology initiatives (e.g., Data Warehouse)

Facility support (arms & legs) for the FedEx Technology Institute building.

“Our cup runneth over.”

Analysis & Lessons Learned…

Positive Accomplishments

Organizational framework & actual resources in a strongly leveraged position. (Consolidated budgets, relocation to FedEx Institute)

UoM FITness needs

ALC

Accomplishments, cont…

Better Coordination of Resources

ITS Team

Management

Training Center

Instructional Design

Faculty Fellowshipsand Buyouts

Accomplishments, cont…

AT&T Grant awarded (faculty fellowships, GA positions, scholarships, national symposia)

Establishment of effective communication with faculty ALC Faculty Advisory Committee IT Academic Advisory Committee

Unexpected Challenges

Developing full campus awareness Motivating faculty that are still “on

the fence” “Scope creep” (everything has a

tendency to look like it belongs in the ALC)

What’s Next

2002 2003 2004

Maintaining Leadership & Support

Develop a stronger faculty connection & ownership for long-term success

Cannot ever be static; requires constant ‘re-evolution’

Incorporate a true “research” facet Generate concrete results in helping

the campus’ vision for IT Fluency Anticipation of new CIO in 2003

Reflective thinking is an art. One learns to think by tapping into one’s reservoir of curiosity and setting a course for discovery—mapping unfamiliar landscapes, appraising ideas critically, weighting alternatives, discerning where core values lie. Learning the art of thinking requires the assistance of those who are more skilled by virtue of their knowledge and experience.

…The use of technology in higher education should enrich and extend the student’s exploration of new territory. Educational technologies are of little value if they do not add richness and dimensionality to the experience of learning. Education is not about earning a credential, stuffing information into one’s head, or performing well on an exam. It is about seeing familiar landscapes in a new light, discovering something new in the world or in oneself, and experiencing the satisfaction of becoming good at something.

…Deep learning is defined as learning that promotes the development of conditionalized knowledge and metacognition through communities of inquiry. Deep learning, of course, does not require e-learning in any fashion. The significance of e-learning is that it makes possible something that would not otherwise be feasible from a logistic or economic standpoint.

Van B. Weigel, Deep Learning for a Digital Age, Jossey-Bass, 2002, pp. xii-xiv.

Closing Position

A 21st Century Student Deserves a 21st Century Education

References

ALC Website: http://www.memphis.edu/alc

ALC Unit Plan: http://isweb2.memphis.edu/alc/pdf/ALC_Unit_Plan.pdf

Van B. Weigel, Deep Learning for a Digital Age, Jossey-Bass, 2002, pp. xii-xiv.

Being Fluent with Information Technology, National Research Council, National Academy Press, 1999

Information Technology Research: Investing in Our Future Report to the President, February 1999President’s Information Technology Advisory Committee(http://www.itrd.gov)

copyright james penrod, john haddock and s. j. schaeffer, iii, 2003. this work is the intellectual...

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