Innovative Instruction Transformation Team Jeffrey Bartkovich, Monroe Community College Kim Scalzo, SUNY Center for Professional Development Carey Hatch, SUNY System Administration SUNY Technology Conference June 21, 2011

Innovative Instruction One of the Chancellor’s Transformation Teams –34 Members from the campuses and System Administration –Assessed current state –Envisioned an ideal state –Identified gaps –Proposed action

Innovative Instruction Assessment –There are many innovative approaches to teaching and learning within SUNY –There are obstacles that the System faces in enhancing its coordination and coherence (including barriers to communication, restrictive policies and financial disincentives),

Innovative Instruction Vision –SUNY as a collaborative network of networks supporting campuses as they: Enhance teaching and learning by providing affordable, innovative, and flexible education in a full range of instructional formats (i.e., face-to-face, fully online, blended, and Web-enhanced); Develop instructional talent by creating and supporting communities of practice across disciplines and institutions;

Innovative Instruction Vision Support, monitor and embrace research on pedagogical practices to continually improve the instructional practices of SUNY faculty; and Extend teaching and learning environments to provide new avenues for development and delivery of collaborative content, courses, and programs in New York and across the globe.

Innovative Instruction Gap Analysis –We do not possess communication mechanism for connecting individuals, institutions and communities of practice; –We lack knowledge bases of current innovations; –We have no easy way to share content; –We do not adequately connect our research on teaching and learning with our practice.

Innovative Instruction Proposal –A SUNY Learning Commons powered by the SUNY Learning Network (SLN) –A SUNY Digital Concierge to augment the Learning Commons –A SUNY Center for Applied Research in Learning and Teaching (SCARLET) –An enhanced SUNY Center for Professional Development

Innovative Instruction SUNY Learning Commons will allow learners and educators to: –Find learning opportunities that are available across campuses; –Track learning activities and progress toward degree completion; –Form and join communities of interest and communities of practice;

Innovative Instruction SUNY Learning Commons will allow learners and educators to: –Share and access scholarly and instructional materials through a Learning Object Repository; –Operate collaborative tools that allow learners and educators to work together actively at a distance; and –Experiment with new communication tools to enhance teaching and learning.

Innovative Instruction The Digital Concierge will support users of the Learning Commons by providing: –Self help through knowledge bases of frequently asked questions, University contacts, policies, procedures and web sites; –Direct access to customer service representatives for additional assistance when necessary.

Innovative Instruction The enhanced Center for Professional Development will: –Deliver a comprehensive program of professional development; –Provide a catalog of professional development opportunities available across the SUNY System; –Serve as a central resource for the campuses to find information about professional development resources and opportunities

Innovative Instruction The enhanced Center for Professional Development will: –Support teaching and learning communities of practice; –Foster and support networking and collaboration for the academic community to address teaching and learning challenges by leveraging the existing resources in the System;

Innovative Instruction SUNY SCARLET will: –Help ensure that relevant research and scholarship inform all aspects of teaching and learning; –Support, monitor and produce research on innovative approaches to teaching and learning; –Provide a forum for scholarly exchange and collaborative research;

Innovative Instruction SUNY SCARLET will: –Act as an observatory on research and key developments, including research breakthroughs, policy issues, conferences, research funding; –Provide infrastructure to support competitive grantsmanship, including processes for IRB approval of SUNY-wide grant activities, contract support for grant submissions.

Innovative Instruction Summer Activities –Learning Commons Development of use cases to define functionality Activities for possible U-wide implementation of DegreeWorks –SCARLET Meetings to identify composition of a team to help define structure, governance, funding, etc.

Innovative Instruction Summer Activities –Enhanced SUNY Center for Professional Development Development of requirements for online communities Addition of the SUNY Leadership Institute Development of new certificate programs

Innovative Instruction Elluminate webinar service free to all campuses Sept 2011-June 2012 –Instruction Virtual Classes, Guest Lectures, Academic Continuity –Help/Support Office hours, Tutoring, Mentoring, Student Study Groups –Meetings Staff meetings, Collaboration, Training

Innovative Instruction