Stuart Glogoff
Learning Technologies Center
Trip summary, February 25, 2002
Friday, February 22
8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Developing Faculty to Move from Classroom to Learning Space, William Chernish, Associate Professor, University of Houston; Debbie Boyer, Instructional Designer, Technology Support-Engineering
This presentation focuses on experiences and challenges of developing faculty to move from traditional classrooms to learning spaces opened by distance-learning tools. A centralized model may work to bring together teachers, administrators, and technology-support people to apply technology, change pedagogy, and reach distance learners in an evolving world
Comments and observations: Boyer and Chernish had a good PPT developed for EduTex. Chernish began the presentation by discussing what he sees as a continuum from the traditional classroom to instructional TV, to Tape Purchase, to teaching online. He termed his goal for today's online classroom as the "paperless traditional classroom." Chernish sees that the fundamental nature remains the same, though the tools have changed. A sort of "from chalkboard to whiteboard" scenario.
Boyer then spoke of the evolution of a collaborative model, starting with a look at centralized support. ITV at her site provides a 1/12th salary supplement, a $250 media credit, ITV grad assistant who is mostly used to help with grading, logistics coordination, and marketing (brochures and outreach). Since about 1995 there have been funds to support curriculum development. Collaborative efforts include IT tech support, district support, digital media specialists, instructional designers, web developers, and other computer techs. At the system level, Chernish told us about an informal mentoring program called COW that offers faculty online workshops, someone to help answer questions and provide direction. He sees a three-pronged collaborative approach: Departments and colleges, campus, and the university system. Downsides include the time commitment required, P and T questions, and general acceptance. See http://uh.edu/~chernish/EduTex for their PPT
RETURN TO STUART'S EDUTEX 2002 MAIN PAGE
Friday, February 22
9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
How Well Does It Work? Issues in Teaching and Learning Online, Sydney S. Elliott, Director, Instructional Computing Resource Center, Houston Community College System, Danney Ursery, Associate Professor, St Edward's University, Robin Etter Zúñiga, Associate Director Flashlight Program, The TLT Group
Representatives from two institutions will talk about how they evaluating the teaching and learning in online courses using Flashlight tools. Issues covered will include evaluating the experiences of adult learners with online learning, and using a formative evaluation process to help faculty improve their teaching in an online environment.
Comments and observations: Robin Etter Zúñiga, as Associate Director of the Flashlight Program, explained what the TLT group is. TLT stands for Teaching, Learning, and Technology and began in 1992. Flashlight helps find a way of thinking about questions to ask about uses of IT in instruction. A flashlight was selected as the metaphor because you should imagine your institution as a large, dark cave. You hear things but you're not sure what or where and you need a flashlight to focus a beam of light.
Etter Zúñiga talked about forming "dydactic questions:" is there a cause and effect between computers and learning? I thought one of the things she said next is particularly useful. As someone who often gets questions like "where are the studies that show online courses or modules are better than traditional?" She says, ask these people to show you the studies showing where tradtional, paper-based classes are better than online. It how you see it, she said, that is important. Ask yourself questions like this: is the way i am using e-mail increasing student interaction? Visit the TLT Web site to look for articles on tools and uses. One she recommends is Arthur W. Chickering's Applying The Seven Principles For Good Practice In Undergraduate Education. [SABIO record]
She has been involved in surveying the students at St. Edwards' New College and could report on those demographics. For example, he said that 83% are female, ages range from 22-50. They felt they had a good response rate to their survey, which was distributed online. Questions addressed overal satisfaction, useful for learning questions that looked at features of the CMS tool, such as chat and e-mail to promote interaction, and usefulness of the Web for collaboration on assignments. In terms of access, 100% accessed from home, 39% said they frequently had network problems (many are on modems), and 64% logged on every day.
Danney Ursery is a Philosphy professor at St. Edwards University, who teaches online and has since 1995. He mentioned that since 1999 computer compentency requirements at St. Edwards' and sees this as a big help for students taking online courses. Danney suggests being flexible, striving for fluency among students with computer technology, but being a strong instructor in setting standards and expecting the students to adhere to those standards. You need to work to create a learning environment where students can talk about their work, their concerns and their needs.
The third presenter, Sydney, is from Houston Community College, which has 55,000 students in five regional colleges. A Title V, five year grant is starting which will look at curriculum information centers, developing and designing an instructional technology certificate to look at the "hows and whys" and to create a paid mentorship program around "best practices."
RETURN TO STUART'S EDUTEX 2002 MAIN PAGE
General Session
Friday, February 22
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Computers Don't Float: Disaster Recovery after Tropical Storm Allison, Jenifer Jarriel, VP for Information Technology & CIO, Baylor College of Medicine, Richard L. Miller, Vice President & Chief Administrative Information Officer, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Charles R. Shomper, Vice Chancellor/Vice President IT, University of Houston
Tropical Storm Allison taught many people in Houston just how much motivated people working under the worst conditions can accomplish. Three Houston higher education CIOs experienced firsthand how bad things could get during the flood of the century. They also witnessed and participated in effective recovery efforts. Come to this session to hear what they learned.
Comments and observations: This was the closing session and it was fascinating to hear what happened to the three IT operations dealt with the aftermath of this flood. In each case they had to deal with mission critical failures, hazardous conditions, a loss of communications infrastructure, and all of this around major research hospitals. Imagine, for example, the lower floor of one of your buildings houses 4,500 animals used for research, a radioactive contamination facility, your telecommunications and the SW Bell equipment, the morgue -- and it is under 28 inches of water in the space of hours. These folks experienced big-time disasters. One of the presenters added that only a couple months after the flood, one of his facilities caught fire and burned. He's waiting next for the swarm of locusts.
RETURN TO STUART'S EDUTEX 2002 MAIN PAGE