Opportunities Working Together to Help Educators Attain the Power of eLearning Becky Vasquez, Director, I.T. Services & Shirley Waterhouse, Director, Educational Technology Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University December 20, 2005, Washington D.C.

Becky Vasquez Director, I.T. Services   Responsible for Portal, Learning System, and Intranet/Web Services   Leads three campuses Services teams (1 st and 2 nd level I.T. support)   Budgetary, strategic direction, and vendor partnership responsibilities for above.

Dr. Shirley Waterhouse Director, Educational Technology   Leads all eLearning initiatives for the University   Author of six books - Most recent is “The Power of eLearning”   Won Outstanding Teacher award 11 out of 14 semesters An award voted on by graduating seniors   International consultant and speaker on eLearning

Presenting our vision Presenting our vision Engaging in further brainstorming Engaging in further brainstorming Establishing concrete next steps Establishing concrete next steps Thoughts for today….

What makes a good client?

Some of the Attributes of a Good Client Participate in the Blackboard Idea Exchange Serve as a client reference Provide good PR for Bb both internally & externally Invest in the product extensively Attend and present at Bb users’ conference (Bb World) Support Bb’s philosophy - commercial vs open source

Continued Growth Trends in the Use of Blackboard

What makes a good partner?

Some of the Attributes of a Good Partner…. Sponsor Bb Days Initiate projects that promote both Bb and ERAU Greentree Gazette article The white paper, “Academic ERP Learning Management Systems” Bb Matters articles Upcoming proposal to EDUCAUSE, “To Host or Not to Host” Apply the extraordinary talent of the ERAU IT Management team and staff towards Bb initiatives

(Con’t) Use our global presence to aid Bb’s global marketing efforts (For example, speaking internationally on Bb’s behalf – United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia) Serve when asked by Bb Product advisory board Video testimonial Bionic/Greenhouse Awards course judging Steering committee Marty Smith, Extended Campus Chancellor, representation and panel discussion at the North Carolina Collaborative E-Learning Conference Upcoming Services Team Retreat in Orlando

Plus, good partners have to be willing to wear buttons….lots of buttons…. And the winner is….. Dr. Shirley Waterhouse

AND get VPs who don’t dance to dance… AND liven up the Blackboard parties! (Although, you are probably ok on this one on your own.) A reluctant Jim Hermens Ira Strauss, aka Rock Star Our Friends at Bb!

How do we go from a good partnership to a great one? How do we work together to “enable educational innovations everywhere by connecting people and technology?” Stability has been achieved, now let’s work together to transform education.

First…. Thank you Blackboard

Shirley’s background……. I came to Florida in the 70s on a sailboat.

Around the time Todd looked like this…

And when most of the Bb team was still just a twinkle in the eyes of their parents…

High school teacher, then community college teacher 1979 My first book came out & I left teaching to consult in D.C. In 1989 – came to ERAU for a one-year contract Married in 1990 in a hot-air balloon in Napa Valley

Educational Technology at ERAU

Ed Tech Implemented in 1996 Course Management Tools Were Our First Initiatives NetCourse – 1996 LearningSpace WebCT Blackboard – Faculty Technology Development – Tech Camps Bilocated Courses Between Prescott and DB

Noted Ed Tech Initiatives TechZone & One-on-one consulting Extensive Website for Resources and Bb Organization How To Tutorials eMentoring Course Redesigns Digital Media Development Mentoring Grad Students Surveying Faculty’s Use of Bb

Half Web Components, Half Face-to-Face Instruction (Hybrid or Blended eLearning Delivery Method) Collaboration activities, web research, self-tests Self-directed tutorials & CD activities Documented the development process Assessed the results

Online MBA Course Redesign Slides with audio Supplemental activities Online discussions Self-tests Online exams

Examples of How ERAU Faculty are Using Technology

Daytona Beach: Online videos to enhance hybrid learning – intro videos Digital videos to enhance hybrid learning – upset training Prescott: Web-based instructional modules/flexible delivery Web-based meteorology repository EC Team: Master instructor teaches simultaneously at several locations-webinars Five Significant Technology Projects

Graphics  Photographs, illustrations, course banners.

Flash Interactives

Helping to Control Death by PowerPoint Reduce file size Audio over PP

DVD Creation and Menuing

Video Editing and Streaming Studio facilities. Streaming services via VitalStream. Allows faculty to add clips to their online presence for local and distance courses.

Simulation Recording, Editing, Narration

We still have a long way to go at ERAU, as do most institutions, to attain the true power of elearning.

Everett Rogers Change Adoption By 2005 – Faculty at ERAU are doing well in LMS adoption for distributing info via the web. GOOD ( 90% or so)

“The students see technology right now as supplemental rather than transformative.” (Statement from survey representative – Kvavik, Associate VP, University of Minnesota. Survey of 18,039 freshmen and seniors at 63 Institutions EDUCAUSE (ECAR study).

In the Transformative Category - (Adoption of eLearning Pedagogy) Only About 16% Adoption We are in the “Needs Improvement” category.

“It is a miracle that curiosity survives a formal education.” ………………….Albert Einstein

Transforming education. Attaining the power of eLearning. ………..Admirable goals, but how are they accomplished?

There are four critical components……

Getting Over the Mountain to Transform Education and Attain the Power of eLearning Leadership Commitment (Awareness and Support) eLearning Strategic Plans Adequate Investment in Tools and Support

Getting Over the Mountain to Transform Education and Attain the Power of eLearning Leadership Commitment (Awareness and Support) eLearning Strategic Plans Investment in Tools and Support Faculty’s Adoption New Technology Skills New Teaching Strategies

Back to.. How do we go from a good partnership to a great one? And….. At the same time help educators attain the power of eLearning?

Let’s look for opportunities to work together.. A good place to start is to look back at 2005.

1. Still gadget hype -- iPods this year 2. Still no company selling “killer” online courses 3. The world really is flat 4. Growing interest in University assessment tools 5. Teacher training institutions getting blasted for poor job (Millions of students of education.) 12 Events From 2005 – Provide Ideas

6. IT top issues – In the top 10 Strategic Planning (No. 4) Faculty technology development (No. 6) eLearning and Distributed Teaching and Learning (No. 7) 7. Studies on distance learning growth Sloan Consortium reports about 2.6 Million students enrolled in 2004 Up from 1.6 Million in Studies on top countries for American Universities to pursue in providing distance learning

The Top 10 Countries 1. South Korea 2. Japan 3. Germany 4. Britain 5. China 6. Taiwan 7. Netherlands 8. Malaysia 9. Mexico 10. Switzerland

9. 9.Focus on education in Africa – William and Flora Hewlett Foundation for teacher education. Also, the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in Africa – opens soon. 10. EDUCAUSE addresses workshop for Ed Tech directors 11. Chronicle has IT workshop for institutional leaders 12. Last, but not least…..Blackboard and WebCT merger

Looking ahead for 2006…. My To Do Lists At ERAU - Continue to Strengthen Ed Tech and eLearning Expand digital media Expand distance learning at ERAU Implement revised elearning strategic planning process

To Do List In My Consulting Practice New Workshop Consulting focus on Leaders Make contributions to teacher training

The Power of eLearning For Educators Workshop For Faculty, Instructional Technologists, T&L Staff The Power of eLearning for Leaders Workshop Presidents, provosts, deans, department chairs, CIOs Consulting Raising eLearning awareness Facilitating an elearning strategic planning process Helping with special initiatives – especially distance learning Contribute to Teacher Training Interactive modules – free of charge Supplemental resources – free of charge

To Do’s (Con’t) Do good deeds … Give the gift of education especially in countries that are “elearning challenged.”

Some examples……. e-Education Without Borders – Worldwide Student Conference United Arab Emirates Effat College – First Private College for Women Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Africa – Join the Educational Movement

e-ducation Without Borders Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Return to Saudi Arabia to work with educators there who want to use elearning to educate women.

Help teachers in Africa learn about elearning and how elearning can help to educate the millions there. Combine this with an online expedition - take students and teachers from around the world with me.

Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls—South Africa "Education is the way to move mountains, to build bridges, to change the world. Education is the path to the future. I believe that education is indeed freedom. With God's help, these girls will be the future leaders on the path to peace in South Africa and the world." — Oprah

The Most Exciting To Do of All……..

Work with Bb on transforming education. The Most Exciting To Do of All……..

In closing… Let’s talk today about the next steps. What should the next steps be? Let’s make it happen together!