Demonstration Project
Demonstration Project
Learner Support Advisory Committee
Persons present: Terry Longorto-L-SCC, Paul Blais-VCC, Steve Lytle-UCF, Travis Spaulding-UCF, John Scarpino-SCC, Lucy Morse-CFCHE, Pat Fleming-CFCC, Barbara Truman-CFCHE
Lytle opened the meeting at 9:40 am. Marlene Fleischer and John Bober could not attend.
Morse gave a global update of the project. The Beyond Chalk video project is due May 8th. Bill Bozeman and a graduate student and Barbara Martin have been hired to assist with development of supporting case studies. Material will be copyrighted, available to all schools and eventually put on the Web. The video modules will be about using different technologies on various campuses. Hopefully July 1st will be date that support materials are delivered.
Blais said Provost Kinser on West Campus asked him to develop the technology course. This comes under the social studies department and will be available for teaching in the Fall. Spaulding said the state is implanting three courses for the College of Education concerning technology. This is specifically for College of Education majors.
Concerning the video course, Beyond Chalk, Morse said a policy for products will be developed. People within the state will receive copies for the cost of reproduction. Those out of state may be charged. FDLN has a proposal in to make all proceeds from products to go back to the FDLN bank. Morse said there are not many academics involved with FDLN.
Morse distributed the draft report on a "Focus on Change" from the March 5th Learner Support workshop. Members questions whether the workshop addressed accreditation. Spaulding said the Georgia teleconference did address it. The group breakout also addressed accreditation. SACS accreditation is the same for distance learning as for traditional education.
Morse went over each area and asked facilitators to review notes. She said two groups want to keep meeting, those groups are counseling and library. The library group may get distance learning/learner support on library consortium agenda. Lytle said that ongoing meeting groups should be brought up to the steering committee. Morse said Sorg suggested making the Learner Support, and Faculty Development groups as interest groups under the Consortium much like the math group. Lytle felt that was the best approach.
Morse asked for other suggestions. Lytle asked about the known resources and it was agreed that these will be added. Fleming suggested an interactive spot to add URLs. Also attention should be given to citing homepage URL's. Fleming suggested adding evaluation instrument an appendix. He also suggested holding a learner support event annually. He also suggested keeping in touch with FDLN. An annual workshop would help measure effectiveness.
Fleming suggested that a recommendation might be for schools to approach companies to attain technical support. Lytle recommended greater involvement by senior administration in distance learning policy. Lytle said UCF appears to be thinking along traditional lines. They are building two parking garages and a computer center with a 450 seat auditorium.
The suggestion was made to make the statement about staff development versus faculty development. Staff are the last to get to go to conferences. This workshop provides opportunities. Doesn't have to be a lot of money involved, but the event could raise consciousness. This implies a financial investment by each institution.
Another suggestion was made that middle management managers and department chairs-types must take training to understand the uses of technologies. Especially those used for distance learning. Invest in infrastructure in computer uses to link all students, faculty and staff at all campuses. Distance learning must be an institutional funding/budgeting priority at the highest level. Need this to be as a recommendation. Also state the need for coordination. Distance Learning should be one of the highest buttons on a homepage. Also all publications should have e-mail and homepage addresses.
Members are asked to send in e-mail messages with further recommendations.
There is a meeting with Steve Eskow from the Electronic University Network on April 22 in the President's Board Room.
The next meeting is Monday, May 20th at 9:30 am in room 100 of the Pavillion.