VITAL Growing a Campus-Wide Consortium Susan Zucker Ph

VITAL Growing a Campus-Wide Consortium Susan Zucker, Ph. D Larry Dickerson University of South Florida

Acknowledgement Content Design Bill Patterson, Coordinator Distance Education and Instructional Technology Center for Teaching Enhancement University of South Florida

Five Session Objectives n Define VITAL (Virtual Instructional Team for the Advancement of Learning) n Explore prospective benefits of forming a consortium similar to VITAL n Identify prospective organizations on your campus which might benefit/ already benefit from a similar consortium

Session Objectives n Consider the possible drawbacks of a campus-wide initiative n Review VITAL’s success stories

“I wouldn’t give a fig for the simplicity on this side of complexity, but I would give anything for the simplicity on the other. ” Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. as cited by F. Scott Peck

In higher education, amidst the inherent chaos caused by a pandemic, rapid evolution and infusion of new technology tools, perhaps the “simplicity on the other side of complexity” is best attained through ongoing collaboration.

Activity Question One n On your campus, how many separate units deal with technology, distance learning, faculty development, pedagogical enhancement, instructional television and library/media services?

Activity Question Two n Are these different units formally connected as part of a larger organization dedicated to enhanced communication and service? If so, what is it called?

Activity Question Three n What are/might be the benefits of linking a variety of separate campus units as part of a larger organization?

Activity Question Four n What are/might be the drawbacks of linking a variety of separate campus units as part of a larger organization?

What is VITAL? n A university-wide collaborative effort to assist USF faculty in improving teaching and learning using technology, distance learning tools and pedagogical enhancement strategies.

VITAL Members n The consortium consists of seven pre-existing units working together in collaboration n n n Academic Computing Center for Teaching Enhancement Educational Outreach Florida Center for Instructional Technology Health Sciences Center for Information Services USF Libraries WUSF-TV

Academic Computing at USF n Supports instruction and research n n n ROC/E-Mail/Web Faculty FACT Lab Student Training Facility Open Access Computer Lab Help Desk n n Walk-in/Telephone: 107. 5 hrs/wk E-mail/Web: 7 x 24 Your Place/Your Topic Classes Courseware Licenses for Blackboard & Web. CT

Academic Computing FACT n Faculty Academic Computing Technologies n Services offered by into three areas: n n n FACT can be categorized Technology review Training and presentation Computing facilities

A Glimpse of the Future n Personalized access to USF’s Intranet n n Academic Business Cultural/Social Single sign-on access to a full range of applications and information

Portal Project

Center for Teaching Enhancement n Technology-Enhanced Teaching Workshops n n n In collaboration with FCIT Web. CT Power. Point Blackboard See VITAL Brochure

Center for Teaching Enhancement n Traditional Non-Technology Workshops n n n Learning to Use Questions Active Learning Teaching Portfolios Scholarly Publications See CTE Brochure

Center for Teaching Enhancement n Summer Intensive Workshops n n n One- and Two-Week Formats Stipends ($600. 00 to $1500. 00) Web. CT, Power. Point, Active Learning

Center for Teaching Enhancement n Instructional Development Grants n n Rewarding innovation and pedagogical enhancement $185, 000. 00 in annual awards to faculty

Center for Teaching Enhancement n n n Symposium on 21 st Century Teaching Technologies Sixth Annual Seventy Faculty Presenters Internationally Renowned Keynote Speakers Concurrent Vendor Exposition

Educational Outreach at USF n Created in 1997 n Academic unit with a Dean who reports to the Provost n Supports online learning and off-campus courses on: n n n Four campuses Downtown Center Community Colleges

Educational Outreach at USF Distance Learning n Expands educational access and opportunity by increasing the options for "anytime, anyplace" learning n Integrates asynchronous components into synchronous course delivery

Educational Outreach Features: n Web course development of credit and non-credit courses and programs from inception through implementation. n Instructional design and consultation for all distance-learning options.

Educational Outreach Features: Multimedia Development of digital learning objects. Delivery of fully interactive videoconferences at multiple locations and support of traditional one-way video/ two-way audio models.

Educational Outreach Supports: n Instructional AV needs and include delivery, setup, training, and checkout of standard and digital classroom equipment. n Distance learning and off-campus students.

Educational Outreach at USF Diversified Infrastructure n Supports distance and distributed learning using web, microwave, broadband, wireless, and satellite technologies n Off-campus instructional sites include corporate, community, and governmental locations statewide

Educational Outreach at USF n Courses are delivered via: n WWW Interactive videoconferencing Telecourses One-way video, two-way audio classrooms Off-campus instruction Audio- and Video-tape formats n n n

Distance Learning at USF n Largest distance-learning program in Florida n Annual enrollments of more than 12, 200 in approximately 300 courses

Distance Learning at USF n n Administrative home to the Florida Virtual Campus Access to approximately 2, 500 courses Provided by the 38 public community colleges and universities More than 135, 000 annual enrollment

Florida Center for Instructional Technology n Located in the College of Education n Instructional Technology graduate program provides excellent candidates for staffing n Graduate IT students mentor and assist faculty n n n Technology integration Curriculum development Design issues

Florida Center for Instructional Technology n Technology-Enhanced Teaching Workshops n n n In collaboration with CTE Designing and Creating Web Pages for courses Web. CT or Blackboard Dreamweaver or Front. Page Streaming Media See VITAL Brochure

Florida Center for Instructional Technology n Software and Technology Preview Center n n Classes visit to try new software and technology 40 networked Mac & Windows computers Smart. Boards, scanners, digital cameras, assistive/adaptive devices Library of over 3000 education software titles available for in-house preview

Florida Center for Instructional Technology n Additional Support Structures n n Staff the College of Education Media lab Provide support to College of Education Distance Learning faculty in conjunction with Educational Outreach Maintain the VITAL web site with resources for faculty Collaborate on VITAL initiatives such as the Symposium

Florida Center for Instructional Technology n The Other Half: K-12 and Pre-service Teachers n n Grant funded Production of interactive instructional tools for K-12 Technology Workshops for K-12 Teachers Printed and electronic booklets, brochures, & teaching materials

USF Libraries n n n n Electronic Reserves Virtual Library-Single access collection Copyright Course Assignments Digitization Center Distance Learning Services Electronic Theses and Dissertations Florida Distance Learners Library Reference and Referral Center (RRC)

Faculty Workshops n n n Coordinated by CTE and FCIT Taught by CTE, FCIT, Library and other USF entities Conducted in FCIT, HSCIS and USF library labs 150+ workshops since 1997 Over 1500 faculty attendees

What Faculty Have To Say Jennifer Baggerly College of Education

What Faculty Have To Say Jo. Anne Larsen College of Engineering

What Faculty Have To Say Patrick Finelli College of Fine Arts

What Faculty Have To Say Peter Ellery College of Education

VITAL Growth n n n Since its inception in 1997, VITAL has received $688, 000 in recurring funds for member organizations VITAL has also received $195, 000 in onetime funds In the 2000 -01 academic year alone, VITAL added eight new GA positions to work in the supporting entities

Benefits of VITAL Consortium n n Enhanced communication between otherwise independent campus units Collaboration on critical issues of common concern (e. g. , campus portal project) Additional budgetary benefits Joint funding potential (e. g. , recent Symposium announcement allocation jointly funded in less than eight hours)

Drawbacks of VITAL Consortium n Potential blurring of lines between individual unit identities and VITAL identity n Prospective clashes of “territorial” unit boundaries, budgets and personalities

VITAL Website http: //www. usf. edu/vital/ Susan Zucker, Ph. D szucker@admin. usf. edu Larry Dickerson ldicker@admin. usf. edu

Concluding Thought “What’s in a name? ” Would a campus service consortium without an easy name (portal power) “be as sweet” to faculty in need of assistance?