Engaging Faculty in the Use of Technology in Teaching: A MultiFaceted Approach

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Engaging Faculty in the Use of Technology in
Teaching A Multi-Faceted Approach
Rita R. Owens Associate Academic Vice
President Boston College The New Media
Consortium June 2005
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Boston College

• Jesuit-Catholic University
• Enrollment - 15,000 Students
• 6 Colleges and School of Law
• Two campuses
• 600 Full time faculty
• 400 Adjunct faculty
• 150 University classrooms

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The Boston College eLearning Story

• 1999-WebCT purchased and managed within
  Information Technology Services
• 2001-Early adopters account for 4 of BC courses
  with electronic component
• 2001-AVP and EVP call for eLearning strategic
  plan
• 2001-Instructional Technology Services group
  created under the AVP WebCT moves here
• 2001-2003-eLearning Programming and Support
  Funding begins to build
• 2004-BC offers first online course new media
  rapidly grows within courses
• 2005-47 of BC courses offered with an electronic
  component, mostly in-class extension

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The Boston College eLearning Success Formula

• Strategy
• eLearning Infrastructure
• Partnerships
• Programming

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Strategy

• eLearning strategic plan
• Executive buy-in
• Funding through undergraduate initiatives program
  
• Long-range financial plan inclusion
• Capital Improvements
• Faculty Leadership and Direction

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eLearning Infrastructure

• Instructional Technology Services Staff
• Classroom Technology Upgrades
• Course Management and Course Development Software
• Ubiquitous computing environment

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Instructional Technology Services Staff
Mission Instructional Technology Services assists
instructors who integrate technology into their
teaching. Through consultation, training and
support, research and development, and project
management, we help instructors transition their
teaching practice to one that supports the
ever-growing technology-driven student
population.
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Classroom Technology Upgrade Program

• University Standards Established
• Five Year Classroom Upgrade Plan--75 complete
• Increased Technology Use in Classrooms a Direct
  Result

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General ClassroomStandard

• Basic level AV system
• The Black Box
• 2 Laptop connections
• DVD
• VCR
• Cable TV
• LCD projector
• Automatic screen control
• Campus telephone

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Computerized Classroom Standard

• Macintosh G4 laptops
• Smartboard Sympodium
• Classroom Performance
• System
• DVD VCR player
• LCD projector
• Automatic screen
• controls
• Sound reinforcement
• Cable TV
• Campus telephone

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Specialized FacilitiesMoot Court
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Course Management and Course Development
Software

• WebCT Campus Edition, primary course management
  tool
• Xythos MyFiles Central Storage Mechanism
• BePress ePublishing ASP
• Digitool Digital Media Creation Environment

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Ubiquitous Computing Environment

• Faculty/Staff Computing Replacement Program
• Student Laptop Recommendation
• Wireless Classrooms and Public Academic Areas

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Partnerships

• Internal Infrastructure Partners
• Internal Design, Development and Oversight
  Partners
• External Partners and Collaborators

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Internal Infrastructure Partners

• University Libraries ePublishing capability,
  joint program sponsorship, digital library
  resources
• Information Technology Services WebCT
  production environment, MyFiles storage
  environment, computer replacement
• Facilities Services Classroom Technology
  Upgrade Program Management and Installation

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Internal Design and Development Partners

• eLearning Action Group (elag)
• eLearning Teaching Group (etag)
• Reference Librarians
• Media Technology Services
• ITS Communication and Training

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External Partners and CollaboratorsCurrent and
Emerging

• AJCU/JesuitNet
• Northeastern University
• MIT
• New Media Consortium
• MERLOT
• TLT Group

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Programming

• Strategic Migrationfrom Training to Modeling
• Faculty Day to Academic Technology Week to
  Focused Events
• Faculty Involvement- Moderating and Mentoring
• Recognizing Achievement and Innovation

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Faculty Technology Day-to-Academic Technology
Week-to-Focused Events

• Faculty Technology Day 1996-2001
• Academic Technology Week 2001-2003
• Three Symposia ePublishing, eLearning,
  eTeaching 2003-2005
• Faculty Summer Workshop 2004-onward

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Faculty Technology Day 1996-2001

• Presentations
• Hands-on Sessions
• Information Fair
• 100 participants

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Academic Technology Week 2001-2003

• 30-40 course offerings
• Multiple speakers/presenters
• 10-12 faculty members presented or provided
  instruction
• Vendors participated in the program
• 250 Participants

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Focused EventsFall 2003-present

• ePublishing Symposium
• eLearning Symposium
• eTeaching Symposium
• Faculty Summer Workshops (2 Week
  Mini-course)

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Focused Events2003-present

• Three 50-minute presentations by Boston College
  faculty
• Plenary speaker or panel presentation
• Over 100 participants at each program
• Focused on modeling
• Created demand I can do that I want to do
  that in my course.

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Faculty Summer WorkshopVideo
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Faculty Involvement- Moderating and Mentoring

• FMRC and Faculty Moderators
• Faculty Mentors
• Academic Technology Advisory Board
• Academic Technology Forum

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Recognizing Innovation and Achievement

• Summer Faculty Workshop Selection Process
• Teaching and Mentoring Grants
• AnDover Weekends
• Teaching with New Media Awards (TWIN)

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Teaching with New Media Awards TWIN

• Innovation
• Multiple uses of technology
• Originality
• Changes in course pedagogy (due to technology)
• Improved interaction with students

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Evan Kantrowitz-Summa Cum Laude
(Dr. Kantrowitz) is constantly improving the
course through use of all the technology
available to him so that students can best
understand the material.

• Chemistry Department
• CH561 Biochemistry I

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TWIN Award Recipient

• WebCT
• 3D models Software to exploreprotein and
  enzyme models
• Benefits?
• Made the invisible visible
• Easier access to programs, not limited by lab
  environments.

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Groovy Glasses included in Tuition.
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Bonnie JeffersonSumma Cum Laude
The technology used in and outside the classroom
has made me a more attentive student as well as
taught me how to identify the concepts taught in
class when they are used in real-world
media. I love Prof. Jefferson!

• Communication Department
• CO010 The Rhetorical Tradition

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TWIN Award Recipient

• WebCT
• Interactive syllabus
• Video and Audio
• External media sites
• Discussions boards
• The Benefit?
• Material available at any time.
• Regular opportunities for student and student to
  instructor interaction.

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Our Results

• Dramatic by our standards

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WebCT Usage Growth Course Sites
Totals in Spring 2005 equal 47 of courses
offered for the semester
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WebCT Usage Growth Students
As of Spring 2005, 81 of all BC students have at
least one course with a WebCT site
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Whats Next

• Organizational Growth Development
• Online course and degree programs
• WebCT VISTA Implementation
• Targeting Areas of Excellence with Outside Grant
  Funding
• Collaborative Instructional Services Center

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Lessons Learned

• Breadth of results achieved through major
  programs
• Depth of results achieved through focused
  programs
• Faculty Peer-to-Peer sharing works best, for all
  parties
• Exposure to outside speakers is invaluable
• Project Management is as important as design
  services
• Supplying the right infrastructure and tools
  gives eLearning traction
• The right faculty involvement makes it stick

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Questions?

• Rita R. Owens
• rita.owens_at_bc.edu