Connected Education & Collaborative Change

Building a Curriculum for Change

Connected Education & Collaborative Change

Steven W. Gilbert – February 22, 2000

This “curriculum” is a set of topics and strategies selected to help a college or university improve teaching and learning with information technology – while controlling costs and coping with accelerating change. The document that follows was initially developed as the syllabus for an Online Symposium for the TLT Group's Roundtable Network, and for leaders of local TLT Roundtables. It has already been substantially modified to reflect some of the valuable criticisms and suggestions offered by readers of an earlier version in 1999.

Please join me in extending this work and building a "Curriculum for Change" that will meet the needs of your institution. Please consider the following as a point of departure. I welcome your amendments, clarifications, additions, and suggestions for related readings and background materials in print or online.

Steven W. Gilbert

President, The TLT Group

GILBERT@TLTGROUP.ORG

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Curriculum for Change
Overview -- Main Topics

(More detailed outline follows below)

1. Why Bother? Overview of Trends in Teaching, Learning, and Technology in Higher Education (and of This Curriculum)

2. Achieving Connected Education through Collaborative Change (and other Visions Worth Working Toward)

3. Organizational Foundation for Collaborative Change – TLTR

4. Collaborative Change Infrastructure (Linking Academic Support Services -- (V)TLTC, TLTC)

5. Using Unique Resources More Fully (Students, Faculty and Other Pioneers, Adjuncts, Alumni, Community, etc.)

6. Accessibility; Information Literacy; and Standards for Information, Technology, Instruction and Related Services

7. Evaluating and Assessing the Educational Impact of Technology/Pedagogy Combinations

8. Supporting Traditional Courses with New Technologies

9. New Content, New Technologies, New Media – Developing and Supporting New Courses (and Smaller or Larger Instructional Units?)

10. Major Resource Allocation Decisions and Policies

11. Using Information Technology to Improve Administrative Operations (e.g., Student Information Systems) and Link Them with Academic Work

12. Predictions, Visions and Other Hot Topics
(Review Competition, Needs, Resources, and Options)

Curriculum for Change -- More Detailed Outline

1. Why Bother? Overview of Trends in Teaching, Learning, and Technology in Higher Education (and of This Curriculum/Symposium)

1.1. EMBRACING CHANGE: NEW VISION, PATH, AND SUPPORT

Personal, Departmental, Institutional, Societal…

Improving quality of and access to education.

Preserve & Transform: Why bother? What is the point(s) of it all? -- Instrumental Education AND Transformative Education.

Solving problems of being both Overconnected & Disconnected.

Commitment to individual human growth and institutional progress.

Changing roles of faculty, students, academic support professionals, academic administrators.

New combinations of Pedagogy, Technology, Outcomes [Triads, Triadic Thinking].

1.2. TRENDS & CONDITIONS: OLD CATEGORIES, NEW OPTIONS

Purposes of education: Instrumental, Transformative, Certification, Fun.

Individual learning/teaching preferences, needs, work styles: access, independence.

Varieties of pedagogical expertise: principles, professions, and professionals (Triads, Instructional Design, Faculty Development, Education School Research).

Categories of technology applications: communications & other personal productivity tools; tools required for work in specific disciplines; pedagogical applications of technology adapted for specific topics/courses (e.g., simulations).

1.3 EVOLVING ROLES

Can’t keep up with pace of change, arrival of attractive new options for teaching and learning.

Learners, Faculty, Academic Support Professionals, Academic Administrators.

1.4 NEW COMPETITION

Competition increasing for students, faculty, grants -- competition from traditional institutions, and new kinds of institutions.

Reaching new audiences and/or serving traditional audiences?

1.5 SUPPORT SERVICE “CRISIS”

Widening gap between expectations and resources to meet them.

Different kinds of pioneers (faculty & academic support professionals).

1.6 THE TLTR PRINCIPLES AND HISTORY (TEACHING, LEARNING, AND TECHNOLOGY ROUNDTABLE)

1.7 SUMMARIZE “ARGUMENT,” REVIEW CURRICULUM, SYMPOSIUM STRUCTURE, PROCESS

[Every “lesson” or module includes elements or Web links to some of the following: vision/planning; operations/implementation; leadership development; “good practice” in teaching/learning; connecting technology, education, and the human spirit.]

2. Achieving Connected Education through Collaborative Change

(and other Visions Worth Working Toward)

2.1 CONNECTED EDUCATION

Definition: Beyond “Distance Education,” and “Online Education.” In this vision of education, individual learners, teachers, and related support professionals connect better to information, ideas and each other via effective combinations of pedagogy and technology – both old and new, on-campus and online.

Opening the process: Educational purposes and techniques are made more visible to all participants, and everyone has more options for contributing to the improvement of teaching and learning.

Academic freedom and the responsibilities of faculty leadership remain highly valued, but must shift as new resources and roles are integrated.

Comparing current options for connected (distance, online) education.

Examples of effective and ineffective connected education.

2.2 COLLABORATIVE CHANGE

Collaborative Change enables an institution’s diverse constituencies to define and achieve a new harmony of curriculum, pedagogy and technology. This process also helps a college or university respond to the accelerating pace -- and shape the results -- of change in support of the educational mission. Finally, new applications of information technology are used in this process to support both online and face-to-face collaboration among a wide range of participants. New technology applications and institutional structures support new collaborations among Academic Support Professionals (library, information technology, faculty development, and others).

2.3 OTHER VISIONS WORTH WORKING TOWARD

Using new combinations of information technology and instructional approaches to take advantage educationally of large (diverse) enrollment in a course.

Other kinds of visions – other kinds of gains through using information technology.

2.4 DEVELOPING A PORTFOLIO OF STRATEGIES – WHERE TO START, HOW TO CONTINUE

Theory, models. Large scale and small scale; Wide/Shallow (e.g., enhancing traditional courses) + Narrow/Deep (e.g., new combinations of content, pedagogy, technology, media, characteristics of learners and teachers, and purpose.)

Introduction to TLTR, TLTC, (V)TLTC:

TLTR -- Teaching, Learning, and Technology Roundtable.

TLTC -- Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center.

(V)TLTC -- Virtual TLTC.

2.5 CURRENT EXAMPLES OF CONNECTED EDUCATION AND COLLABORATIVE CHANGE

Including but not limited to successful TLTR models, examples. Other models, examples (e.g., TLTCs, (V)TLTCs).

2.6 ACHIEVING, SUSTAINING CONNECTED EDUCATION THROUGH COLLABORATIVE CHANGE

Assets and challenges. Detecting, interpreting, and aggregating demand (needs) – within an institution, among a group of institutions, (inter)nationally

3. Organizational Foundation for Collaborative Change – TLTR

TLTR = Teaching, Learning, and Technology Roundtable

3.1 INTRODUCTION

Background, need.

How is a TLTR similar/different from other committees, councils?

3.2 HOW TO LAUNCH A TLTR.

Readiness for a TLTR – politics, leadership (support of leader(s) within faculty and academic administration).

Relations with existing committees, Teaching/Learning Centers, political turf structure.

Establish clear links with Teaching/Learning Centers and other related services, centers.

Identifying (co)leaders of the Roundtable.

3.3 ADVANCED TLTR TOPICS

Leadership of TLTRs and more advanced TLTR activities, issues, strategies.

How a TLTR needs and can support a local (V)TLTC and TLTC.

4. Collaborative Change Infrastructure
(Linking Academic Support Services -- (V)TLTC, TLTC)

4.1 FACULTY SUPPORT AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

Training and beyond for faculty and other academic support professionals (and related clerical staff).

Identifying ALL resources, services available to support faculty efforts to improve teaching and learning -- with and without new applications of information technology; e.g., faculty development, instructional design, librarians, technology support professionals, pedagogy experts, ….

Coordinating vs. merging for professional academic support services; the role of the Web vs. a shared work space (a real room).

Supporting individual change (help faculty, academic support professionals, academic administrators – and related clerical staff -- cope with personal change and stress).

Recruiting, training, and retaining qualified personnel – especially technology experts.

Supporting departmental, divisional, …, institutional change.

Lifelong Teaching & Lifelong Learning.

4.2 INTRODUCTION TO (V)TLTCs.

(V)TLTC = Virtual Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center

Web structure and resources for faculty and student support services.

Background, need.

4.3 HOW TO LAUNCH A (V)TLTC.

Organizing the (V)TLTC by faculty support needs, student support needs, and relevant support service functions.

Establish clear links with Teaching/Learning Centers and other related services, centers.

Include a directory of local resources, services, and faculty achievements.

Include links to external resources (regional, professional disciplinary societies and associations, commercial resources, and the TLT Group’s International Virtual Center for Teaching, Learning, Technology and Change).

Commitment of resources necessary to maintain, revise the (V)TLTC.

Setting adequate attainable quality goals (accuracy, completeness).

4.4 ADVANCED (V)TLTC TOPICS

Leadership of (V)TLTCs and more advanced (V)TLTC activities, issues, strategies.

How a (V)TLTC needs and can support a local TLTR and TLTC.

4.5 EXTERNAL SERVICES AVAILABLE

New inter-institutional collaborations.

External Relations (including industry, alumni, government, etc.).

TLT Group Services (Consulting, (V)TLTC, Core Programs).

Services, materials available from TLT Group allies & partners.

Other sources.

4.6 INTRODUCTION TO TLTCs

TLTC = Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center

Background, need.

Shared space for inter-departmental faculty support team development and work.

Permanent staff + rotating presence of representatives from all key support services.

All key academic support services report to the chief academic officer?

4.7 HOW TO LAUNCH A TLTC.

Readiness for a TLTC – politics, available space, funding, staff.

Establish clear links with Teaching/Learning Centers and other related services, centers.

Identifying (co)leaders of the center.

TLTR as board for TLTC?

Designing the space and what goes into it – new or retro-fitting?

Design space, organization for change and impact.
(Not just another coffee lounge or computer lab!)

4.8 ADVANCED TLTC TOPICS

Leadership of TLTCs and more advanced TLTC activities, issues, strategies.

Maintaining a TLTC – what materials, tools, services are housed in the TLTC? How and how often are they updated or replaced? How are new items selected?

Relations with other TLTCs; participation in inter-institutional (V)TLTCs.

How a TLTC needs and can support a local TLTR and (V)TLTC.

5. Using Unique Resources More Fully (Students, Faculty and Other Pioneers, Adjuncts, Alumni, Community, etc.)

5.1 INTRODUCTION: STA+ PROGRAMS.

STA+ = Student Technology Assistants

Background, need.

Student Role in Collaborative Change -- STA+

5.2 HOW TO LAUNCH AN STA+ PROGRAM.

5.3 ADVANCED STA+ TOPICS

Leadership (staff and student) of STA+ Programs

More advanced STA+ activities, issues, strategies.

How an STA+ Program needs and can support a local TLTR, (V)TLTC, and TLTC.

6. Accessibility; Information Literacy; and Standards for Information, Technology, Instruction and Related Services

6.1 ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES, TRENDS

Beyond simply having a computer & email account. (How up-to-date is your browser? Your audio capability?)

6.2 INFORMATION LITERACY

Allocating responsibility throughout the institution for helping every constituency achieve and maintain an appropriate level of Information Literacy;

Annually re-defining Information Literacy.

6.3 STANDARDS FOR HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, COURSEWARE, …

Political, cultural and financial pressures (e.g., academic freedom).

Exploring “Open Source” options.

Selecting, adopting, supporting standards – the need.

Efficiency vs. Choices.

Recommending, requiring, or supplying.

Implications for support services.

7. Evaluating and Assessing the Educational Impact of Technology/Pedagogy Combinations

7.1 POWER & LIMITS OF EVALUATION & ASSESSMENT

For individual faculty members, for departments and larger administrative units, institution-wide, and inter-institutionally.

7.2 EVALUATING UBIQUITOUS-UNIFORM COMPUTING OPTIONS

And other major resource allocation choices (e.g., selecting one or more Online Course Management Systems)..

8. Supporting Traditional Courses with New Technologies

8.1 INSTRUCTIONAL USES OF NEW TOOLS

Tools widely used but not designed for instruction; e.g., email, word-processing.

Tools designed to support a wide variety of course topics and instructional approaches; e. g., online course management systems.

Tools designed for specific courses or topics.

8.2 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

“Fair use;” course ownership; plagiarism in new environment; “sampling” for instruction.

8.3 OTHER OPTIONS AND COMBINATIONS OF TECHNOLOGY & PEDAGOGY (& OF EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE)

New and old.

In class and outside.

New models in new kinds of institutions.

9. New Content, New Technologies, New Media
– Developing and Supporting New Courses
(and Smaller or Larger Instructional Units?)

9.1 NEW LEARNERS WITH NEW NEEDS

9.2 NEW TEACHERS WITH NEW EXPECTATIONS, PRESSURES

9.2 NEW CONTENT

9.3 NEW TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA OPTIONS

9.4 NEW PEDAGOGY OPTIONS

Instructional design and other approaches to developing instructional materials and courses; “Triadic Thinking.”

9.5 NEW SUPPLIERS (PUBLISHERS?)

9.6 MORE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ISSUES

10. Major Resource Allocation Decisions and Policies

10.1 FINANCIAL PLANNING: NEW MODELS

Budgeting for rapid obsolescence of computers and increasing frequency of software upgrades, updates.

Analyzing costs. Managing costs.

Who pays for rising costs of quality education?

New pressures, approaches (Web) to collaborative purchasing (intra- and inter-institutionally).

10.2 LINKING ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION SYSTEMS WITH ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES (or separating them)

10.3 FACULTY ROLES AND REWARDS

Removing punishments for instructional innovation.

Finding time for keeping up with changing pedagogical/technological options.

From policy to practice: HOW to evaluate and reward instructional use of technology.

[New methods for student course evaluations.]

10.4 DEFINING AND RE-DEFINING ACADEMIC FREEDOM

11. Using Information Technology to Improve Administrative Operations
(e.g., Student Information Systems) and Link Them with Academic Work

11.1 TRENDS IN ADMINISTRATIVE USES OF Information TECHNOLOGY

Recent.

Longstanding.

Slow and quick to achieve noteworthy productivity gains.

Outsource software development, implementation, maintenance.

Administrative Systems: Develop, Adapt, or Use “Off the Shelf”.

11.2 ADMINISTRATIVE OPTIONS AND THEIR EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS

Slow and quick to achieve noteworthy educational gains.

Inter-operability as irrelevant, desirable, required.

12. Predictions, Visions and Other Hot Topics (Review Competition, Needs, Resources, and Options)

12.1 REVIEW CHANGING COMPETITIVE PRESSURES

12.2 PREDICTIONS

Role of information technology in higher education (becoming ubiquitous, invisible).

Role of information technology outside higher education.

12.3 VISION

Vision Worth Working Toward, From: Preserve & Transform!

Connected Education and Collaborative Change.

Teaching, Learning, Technology and Change – and the Human Spirit.

12.4 OTHER HOT TOPICS RAISED BY PARTICIPANTS (Prior to and during the Symposium)

12.5 OTHER HOT TOPICS RAISED BY SYMPOSIUM LEADERS (OTHERS?)

12.6 REVIEW UNMET NEEDS; RECOMMEND RESOURCES AND NEXT STEPS

12.7 DEVELOP “MODEST PROPOSALS” AND RFPS. [E.g., One annual fee covering all services, upgrades, maintenance for computers; One tool enabling individual faculty to produce Web-accessible voice-narrated slideshows with full text transcription of narration.]

12.8 REVISION OF THIS CURRICULUM, RENEWAL OF THIS SYMPOSIUM

Review sources, resources.

Plan next annual cycle of this Symposium.