Athabasca University EdTech R&D Day January 20, 2012 A d ay for discussion and exploration

2. Increasing AU’s Innovation Impact Over the past year, we have moved more intentionally into the Innovation space Recommended by government, growing public and private focus across Canada Better fit with some AU research, including elearning/EdTech Should help increase knowledge transfer, build relationships, increase successful funding applications, support R&D

General Activity Highlights 1. Alberta Innovates: Technology Futures funding to partner with TEC Edmonton ◦ Help faculty explore options to commercialize research (start-up or partners) – push ◦ EdTech, health, remote sensing 2. Explore partnership opportunities with companies re: R&D product development ◦ Help companies achieve R&D needs – pull

General Activity Highlights cont. 3. Connect with Alberta EdTech companies, related networks, R&D support bodies (TRLabs, Alberta Innovates, etc) ◦ Find out what they need – inform ourselves 4. Elearning / EdTech awareness raising, fit with productivity, knowledge economy, other aims ◦ Advocacy: government, users – inform others 5. Support Campus Alberta networking ◦ Leadership in eCampus Alberta, Moodle, dialogue with other PSEs, government re: elearning/EdTech – collaborate

Targeted Activities 1. Seek Peer-Reviewed R&D Envelopes ◦ Gathering info for faculty to apply for R&D envelopes, which are often better fits 2. Talk to government about our model ◦ Grad students already in industry 3. Explore Intellectual Property, roles, etc ◦ Facilitate innovation, stay on mandate, support faculty research plans, empower grad students 4. Build a network for our Analytics work ◦ LAK12, strong Summit attendance, Alberta Big Data, Foundations, joint submissions (George)

3. EdTech Dialogue Brian Stewart, George Siemens, Deanna Douglas meeting with EdTech SMEs and related government bodies, networks Primarily in Edmonton, some Calgary Asking what they need Heard many consistent messages Building awareness of online education expertise in their own backyard

What We Are Hearing R&D (learning from and incorporating) Elearning, EdTech, serious gaming, ICT Analytics Share and evaluate research System integration (Moodle etc) Piloting, testing, Quality Assurance Leverage for sales IT, learning design, content support Bridging – “an honest broker” Support gap: Alberta EdTech Subsector

11. Intellectual Property: AU Background An emergent area for all universities Unique for AU: premised on an academic model where the University owns the IP Received Executive approval to develop a new IP policy to reflect new realities Work done in 2009 Stopped: planned government initiatives

IP: Considerations R&D opportunities raise new IP questions Looking at what other universities do for research / R&D (rather than academic) Facilitate, motivate innovation Encourage knowledge transfer, private sector collaboration Working on the IP policy, related docs Patent, copyright, licensing, etc

12. Research and Development Funding Envelopes Encouraged to move in new funded research directions Expanding to include R&D envelopes more intentionally Canadian universities without medical and engineering programs are catching up Many types of opportunities

Various Avenues to Funding: ‘Direct’ – AU researchers eligible to apply to program for funding; private- sector partner may be required ‘Indirect’ – application must emanate from private-sector partner ‘Other’ –post-docs; graduate and undergraduate students

‘Direct’ Funding Opportunities: Examples NSERC: ◦ Idea to Innovation GrantsIdea to Innovation Grants ◦ Partnership Workshops ProgramPartnership Workshops Program ◦ Collaborative R&D GrantsCollaborative R&D Grants ◦ Strategic Network GrantsStrategic Network Grants DFAIT: ◦ Int’l Science & Technology Partnerships Program (Brazil, China, India, Israel and California).Int’l Science & Technology Partnerships Program

‘Indirect’ Funding Opportunities AB Government : ◦ Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures Tecterra ◦ Geomatics ProgramGeomatics Program

13. R&D Roles R&D presents opportunities for faculty, Research Associates, PostDocs, grad students, and AU (professional staff work) Facilitate: innovation, recognize research; funder, University, and public roles Consider: research plans, careers, teams; service; open vs commercial choices Goal: RA, PD, grad student opportunities Some potential for researcher revenue

Scenarios 1. R&D funded envelopes: traditional roles, spending, etc regulations 2. Tech transfer varies: stand alone or partnership; full AU support or just legal/IP; faculty or admin project 3. Consulting: low level=service; work to maximize opportunities for RA, PD, grad students; we are developing regulations for faculty based on best practice

THANK YOU for participating Let’s stay in touch!