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University of Minnesota Duluth IT and Educational Technology: What's Pedagogy Got to Do With IT? Shelly McCauley Jugovich Bruce Reeves Information Technology Systems and Services University of Minnesota Duluth

Room Poll ●How many faculty are here today? ●How many IT? ●How many administrators? ●Other groups represented?

University of Minnesota Duluth Why are you here today?

University of Minnesota Duluth Why are we here today? ●To Share: 1.How we addressed the need to combine the teaching of how to use an educational technology tool with the pedagogical use of the tool. 2.How we gained the acceptance of IT teaching pedagogy. 3.How we measured success. 4.Our recommendations.

University of Minnesota Duluth Combined pedagogy with the technology tool. ●On our campus technology was taught by two different groups with two different goals: 1. Information Technology Systems and Services (ITSS)Information Technology Systems and Services ●ITSS taught how to use the tool. 2. Instructional Development Service (IDS)Instructional Development Service ●IDS taught how to teach effectively with the tool.

University of Minnesota Duluth Combined pedagogy with the technology tool. ●Our faculty asked us (IT) how to teach with the technology tool they were learning. ●"teachers will need to learn the pedagogical (not just technical) priorities related to instructional technologies." (Diaz, 2001)Diaz, 2001 ●What others are doing –California State University, Los AngelesCalifornia State University, Los Angeles –Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown University –Ohio UniversityOhio University –University of KentuckyUniversity of Kentucky –University of MarylandUniversity of Maryland

University of Minnesota Duluth Gained acceptance of IT teaching pedagogy ●Addressed skepticism about IT teaching pedagogy. What skepticism? –“We have some great technical support people who in many cases are perhaps even more conscientious and helpful than the faculty they support. However, they are not experienced in pedagogy, teaching, and learning. A wall separates us. It arises from differences in training, job function, language, and so forth.” (Tarjan and Spence, 2003, What I Learned About Technical Support People section, para. 1)Tarjan and Spence, 2003, What I Learned About Technical Support People section, para. 1

University of Minnesota Duluth Gained acceptance of IT teaching pedagogy ●Addressed skepticism about IT teaching pedagogy. What skepticism? – “Frequently faculty who would like to use technology are bewildered by the jargon and by the unfortunate arrogance of the technical experts they must work with, who, for all their technical expertise are, not surprisingly, sometimes woefully ignorant about pedagogy, and have no interest or understanding of the humanities.” (Spangenberg, 2004, para. 3)Spangenberg, 2004, para. 3

University of Minnesota Duluth Gained acceptance of IT teaching pedagogy ●Addressed skepticism about IT teaching pedagogy. What skepticism? –“We have another service (i.e., IDS) with 'real' pedagogy professionals.” (Anon)

University of Minnesota Duluth Gained acceptance of IT teaching pedagogy ●Addressed organizational barriers –Department structures –People in positions of power acting as blockers

University of Minnesota Duluth Gained acceptance of IT teaching pedagogy ●Demonstrated our experience with, knowledge of, and commitment to pedagogy. ●Partnered with the “real” experts (IDS). ●Publicized credentials. ●Addressed personality issues. ●“You're not like normal IT people.” (Anon)

University of Minnesota Duluth How we measured success. ●Campus community –Received positive feedback from the faculty and staff. –Continued requests for combined technological and pedagogical training. –Strengthened the working relationship with IDS.

University of Minnesota Duluth Our Recommendations: 1.Make an assessment of the current climate on your campus to aid in formulating a strategy. 2.Create a partnership with your equivalent IDS department if you have not already. 3.Make an ongoing commitment to learning about pedagogy. 4.Create relationships built on trust.

University of Minnesota Duluth Our Recommendations: 5.Make a commitment to modeling sound pedagogical practices in the services you provide. 6.Make a commitment within your IT department to hire individuals with pedagogical backgrounds. 7.Keep the focus on improving student learning.

University of Minnesota Duluth Questions? How many IT departments are doing something like this already? –Do you fly under the radar? –Are you in the open about it?

University of Minnesota Duluth References ●Diaz, D. P. (2001). Taking Technology to the Classroom: Pedagogy-Based Training for Educators. Retrieved October 30, 2005, from classroom/ classroom/ ●Tarjan, J. and Spence, D. (2003). What I (a Faculty Member) and What I (a Chief Academic Officer) Learned From Team Teaching in Both a Classroom and a Distance Learning Environment. Retrieved March 2, 2006, from ●Spangenberg, L. (Nov. 2004) Re: IT: Instructional Technology (Blog) About this Blog. Retrieved March 2, 2006,

University of Minnesota Duluth Additional Readings ●Ives, S. and Steinbrenner, K. (2005) Bridging the Divide: Combining Faculty Centers and Instructional Support 509&bhcp= &bhcp=1 ●Hitch L., Erskine P., and Dancause B. (2004) Filling a Void in IT Professional Development: Understanding Higher Education