EdTech Minutes for Tuesday, 9 December 2003
10:00-11:35 am, St Edmund’s 361
Attending: Mike Battig (chair), David Boynton, Mark Lubkowitz, Joe McLaughlin
and ex officio members: Bill Anderson, Joanne Schneider, Sandy Karstens.
Agenda:
After R. Kujawa’s proposal (dated 13 Nov) – the only one received to date in response to the committee’s 25 Sept call – had been discussed at the last committee meeting, the chair (Mike) sent Rich an email (18 Nov), conveying some clarifications and requesting additional info. Today’s discussion focused on the updated proposal Rich had provided on 2 Dec. It was noted that his proposal presented a different model for the effective use of technology in the classroom, a model that the committee wished to support. The committee unanimously agreed to recommend to the Provost the approval of the updated Kujawa proposal, understanding that Rich be awarded a $2,500 stipend, but no course reduction (as per policy), and be asked to submit to the committee an assessment of the project within a year of its completion.
The chair had shared with the committee copies of 3 Dec 2003 emails by Robert Letovsky and by Kerry Shea (chair, CEPC) regarding Robert’s proposal to the CEPC for a distance learning course this coming summer. The prior history of the proposal was recalled, as was the recent action by the CEPC. Discussion centered on the respective roles of EdTech and CEPC on the issue of distance learning, on whether CEPC’s response risked “creating a culture inimical to [technological] experimentation” (Robert), on the College’s commitment to ‘technological transformation’, and on the committee’s role and effectiveness in supporting faculty efforts in that regard.
Pursuant to the September 2003 resolution of the Faculty Assembly, the Executive Committee asked all standing committees to submit by 12 Dec responses to questions that attempt to assess each committee’s effectiveness. The chair opened discussion regarding EdTech’s response. The discussion was wide-ranging, and Mike agreed to write something up and submit it to the ExCom (Sandy will present Mike’s write-up).
Bill Anderson, who had previously distributed copies of his 1 October 2003 memo on the ‘Metamorphosis of Jeanmarie’, elaborated on the planned 3-year physical renovations, noting that they had not yet been adopted and welcoming input from committee members.
The chair had previously distributed a 3 Dec 2003 email from Sue Breeyear regarding a larger than anticipated response from faculty desiring to use the eCollege course management system (CMS) in connection with their courses next semester. Bill recalled background to the College’s current eCollege contract, plans for reviewing proposals from potential CMS vendors in 2004, and explained IT’s financial exigencies IT, including those arising from the recent increased faculty interest in CMS. The growing faculty interest in CMS was welcomed and the committee wanted to support it, though concern was expressed lest such support be interpreted as a precedent for using committee funds for hardware/software. With that concern noted, it was agreed to recommend that the committee’s remaining FY04 budget ($7,500) be applied to meeting the costs involved in providing eCollege accounts for additional faculty in the spring 2004 semester.
7. Report on brown-bag lunch
Mark reported that Teaching Resources Committee is planning a brown-bag lunch at which faculty who participated in EdTech’s sponsored ‘laptop workshop’ this past summer could share some of the fruits of their experience along with the investigators of last years EdTech grants. Mark will solicit from Doug Green the proposed date for the session and forward that info to Mike.
All EdTech members are asked to submit their spring 2003 schedules to Mike so that he might determine an appropriate time for committee meeting next semester.