Copyright James Penrod John Haddock and S J

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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: 00 am-Noon James Penrod, VPIS & CIO John Haddock, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Sandy Schaeffer, Assoc. Director Advanced Learning Center The University of Memphis

Underlying Assumption A 21 st Century Student Deserves a 21 st 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 l 10 Full Time Positions created from open administrative positions 19962001 ¡ Director, 3 Innovative Technology Specialists, Training Center Coordinator, Secretary, Student Liaison, 2 Help Desk positions, & Technical Support

Background & History ¡ Dean’s TAF Advisory Workgroup l Created by Provost & VPIS & CIO in 1997 Made-up of AVPIS & all Dean’s ¡ Provide recommendations for use of ~$3, 000 annually from TAF fund ¡ l ¡ ¡ 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 Uo. M Strategic Plan 2000 -2005

Background & History ¡ Teaching-Learning Initiatives Team (T-LIT) l 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 ¡ l Former B-College Dean named Provost in 1999

A Solution: The Advanced Learning Center ¡ Proposal set forth as a Frye Institute project l ¡ ¡ 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 l ¡ Provost, VPIS & CIO, Executive Director of Fed. Ex Technology Institute, & Vice Provost Extended Programs Organizational Plan l l l VPIS & CIO responsible for operational management Provost responsible for budgetary management Both ALC Director & Assoc. Director also have Fed. Ex Institute responsibilities

Advanced Learning Center ¡ Funding & Budgeting l l l 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

Advanced Learning Center ¡ Consolidation & team construction l l l Director coordinates activities with Fed. Ex Institute; focuses efforts with faculty who have joint Fed. Ex Institute & ALC interests Associate Director primary operational officer; works with Fed. Ex Institute to secure grants & gifts ALC staff serve on formal Information Systems Teams

Advanced Learning Center ¡ Integration/Alignment with IT Unit l l 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

Advanced Learning Center ¡ ALC Deliverables l 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 Technology National Research Council National Academy Press, 1999

FITness Activities ¡ ¡ ¡ Entire campus community: faculty, student and staff Jump-started via findings of campuswide 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) ¡ ¡ ¡ “Our cup runneth over. ” 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 Fed. Ex Technology Institute building.

Analysis & Lessons Learned…

Positive Accomplishments ¡ Organizational framework & actual resources in a strongly leveraged position. (Consolidated budgets, relocation to Fed. Ex Institute) ALC Uo. M FITness needs

Accomplishments, cont… ¡ Better Coordination of Resources Training Center ITS Team Management Instructional Design Faculty Fellowships and Buyouts

Accomplishments, cont… AT&T Grant awarded (faculty fellowships, GA positions, scholarships, national symposia) ¡ Establishment of effective communication with faculty ¡ l l 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 longterm 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 21 st Century Student Deserves a 21 st Century Education

References ¡ ALC Website: http: //www. memphis. edu/alc ¡ ALC Unit Plan: http: //isweb 2. 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 1999 President’s Information Technology Advisory Committee (http: //www. itrd. gov)