Progress 07/01/03 to 06/30/08
Outputs
This project has now ended. The Principal Investigator's department has moved from an AES-affiliated college to a different college.
Impacts
Because the portal serves as an aggregator of enterprise systems, bringing services to a single place, a first stop, it saves resources and is more efficient.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
Considerable progress has made in the last year on the technology initiatives that are my responsibility, and additional strategic initiatives were begun: 1. The University of Minnesota Portal initiative was begun in 2003, by February of 2006 it had more than 102,000 users (compared to 61,000 registered users this time last year). The following University of Minnesota have their own portal views with content developed specifically for them: The Academic Health Center, Extension, Class of 2010, Class of 2009, the Undergraduate view, two views for UMD, and a public portal view. All goals set for last year were met. Views are being developed this year for the graduate school, the business community, faculty, staff, UMM and UMC. Logins to the portal average 11,000 people per day, and we have about 100 people developing content for the portal throughout the University. Integration of more library services as well as new applications such as wikis is also underway. We are
currently developing the portal to serve as the platform upon which the Center for Allied Health Professions will build a hybrid course delivery system to offer Medical Technology and Occupational Technology on campus and around the state. 2. Other significant technology projects in my area of responsibility include work on the E-Portfolio, which is part of the technology for life initiative at the University. Currently, there are more than 41,000 Portfolio users at the University of Minnesota, up from 30,000 users in 2005. This tool, which is also part of the technology for life initiative, provides individuals with an electronic tool to manage their digital identity over their lifespan, tracking their achievements, training, reflections, and providing a single place to attach all the documents and materials associated with their personal and work lives.
Impacts
The portal project has several impacts. First, because the portal serves as an aggregator of enterprise systems, bringing services to a single place, a first stop, it saves resources and is more efficient. In order to enhance that service aspect of the portal, work is underway with the graduate school to develop web-based forms that will streamline the admission and tracking process for graduate students. Secondly, because the portal is linked to a single sign-on system, users can link directly to all applications and information for which they have access. Therefore, users can find links to all the tools they need as well as to their personal documents, whether or not they are on campus or on the other side of the world. Lastly, the portal is part of the Technology for Life initiative, which makes the portal, portfolio and email available to faculty and students (provided they are used regularly) for life. Technology for life is at the center of our K through Gray
effort at the University, which has as its goal learning throughout the lifespan and throughout the state.
Publications
- Billie Wahlstrom, Life and Learning in the Digital Age, Continuum, Fall 2005, p. 9.
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Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04
Outputs
Considerable progress has made in the last year on the technology initiatives that are my responsibility, and additional strategic initiatives were begun: 1. The University of Minnesota Portal initiative was begun in 2003, by January of 2005 it had more than 61,000 users (compared to 33,000 registered users this time last year). The University of Minnesota Extension Service elected to use the portal as its Intranet, and the Extension view went live in fall 2004, serving Extension's 1000 Extension staff. The Class of 2008 portal view for students entering in the fall of 2004 (5664 students in 8 First-Year admitting colleges). Class of 2009 is already available and supporting recruitment of the class that will enter the U in Fall 2005. The portal was very successful in providing information and building community. More than 10,000 discussion threads were posted by students on the message boards. The Guest user portal view (about 1500 community users) was also created.
Additional portal views, specifically aimed at the Class of 2009 at UMD and for incoming students in the AHC, are being developed . The goal of these efforts is to create a high/tech high/touch model using technology to improve teaching and learning. The strategy is to support low input/high impact opportunities. Student responses and responses from Extension staff have been very positive. 2. Other significant technology projects in my area of responsibility include work on the E-Portfolio, which is part of the technology for life initiative at the University. Currently, there are more than 30,000 Portfolio users at the University of Minnesota. This tool, given to all faculty, staff, students, and guests associated with the University, provides individuals with an electronic tool to manage their digital identity over their lifespan, tracking their achievements, training, reflections, and providing a single place to attach all the documents and materials associated with their personal
and work lives.
Impacts
These projects have multiple impacts. First, because the portal serves as an aggregator of university enterprise systems, bringing services to a single place-a first stop-saves resources. For example, all faculty will find a link to My Reports on their portal which provides a direct link to their specific reports (teaching, HR, administrative). They won't have to waste time trying to find reports they need for decision making or to carry out their regular work. Secondly, because the portal is linked to enterprise systems, UM faculty can link directly to their email, calendar, and participate in Breeze online meetings directly in their portal without additional logins, and they can login to their individual information from any internet site in the world. Lastly, the portal is part of a larger Technology for Life initiative undertaken at the University. The goal is to support learning throughout the lifespan, from K to Gray as the saying goes, and we are making our
resources available to the community beyond the University in our Lifelong Learning News and website and through the guest portal view.
Publications
- Instructional Technology and Good Teaching, University of Minnesota, Morris, 2004.
- Promotion & Tenure Panel for Next Generation of the Professoriate, Making the Argument for Technology in Your P & T file, University of Minnesota, May 12, 2004.
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Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03
Outputs
Considerable progress has made in the last year on the technology initiatives that are my responsibility, and additional strategic initiatives were begun: 1. The University of Minnesota Portal initiative was begun last year. MyU and MyAHC are being merged to create a single, unified portal structure. Work has begun at the coordinate campuses to include them in the portal initiative. The University of Minnesota Extension Service has elected to use the portal as its Intranet. The first two of many customized portal views were developed and deployed: the Class of 2008 portal view for students entering in the fall of 2004 (6000+ students are already visiting their UM porta), and the Guest user portal view (about 1000 community users). MyU now has more than 33,000 registered users on the Twin Cities Campus and offers more than 150 internal and external news channels. Specialized training in the use of the portal is being offered to students, faculty, and staff. 2. The TEL
News, Lifelong Learning News, and the COPE (Public Engagement) News are all newsfeeds to the portal and have subscriptions of about 30,000. 3. Allocation of $100,000 over two years in small grants to faculty to seed innovation in TEL and $30,000 to the Next Generation of the Professoriate, a program to support new. The goal of these efforts is to create a high/tech high/touch model using technology to improve teaching and learning. The strategy is to support low input/high impact opportunities.
Impacts
Impact of these projects is twofold. First, because the portal serves as an aggregator of university enterprise systems, bringing services to a single place, a first stop, saves resources. Just placing W2 forms online and linking them to payroll at UC, Irvine, for example, led to a 70,000 dollar savings. At the University of Minnesota, we are bringing many such forms and processes online. Secondly, because the portal is part of a larger technology for life initiative undertaken at the University, we are making our resources available to the community and fostering access to the U. for lifelong learning.
Publications
- I have made more than 30 presentations on technology inititiatives in 2003 and 2004 to a variety of audiences, including faculty governance, community groups such as the Science Museum of Minnesota, and at conferences.
- T.H.E. Journal, Next Generation of the Professoriate, forthcoming in 2004. With Jen Novak.
- Adopting Extreme Pedagogies Online: When Technical Communication Vaults Institutional Barriers, in Online Education: Global Questions, Local Answers, 2004. Kelli Cargile Cook and Keith Grant-Davie, eds. Book chapter with Linda Clemens.
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Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02
Outputs
No progress reported this period
Impacts
Representative examples of this year?s accomplishments are listed below, but it should me understood that these activities do not represent my work alone but the work of many teams of which I am a part or which I help direct: 1. The University of Minnesota Portal Strategy, launch of MyAHC, the portal for the Academic Health Service, and MyU, the portal for the Twin Cities and including training faculty and staff; 2. The TEL News channel and the Lifelong Learning Channel, which provide news feeds to the portal; 3. Working with the AHC to deliver HIPAA training to 28,000 students, staff, and faculty at the University of Minnesota over the portal by April 15, 2003, and 4. Allocation of $100,000 over two years in small grants to faculty to seed innovation in TEL. The goal of these efforts is to create a high/tech high/touch model using technology to improve teaching and learning. The strategy is to support low input/high impact opportunities. This past year, under Robert
Kvavik?s, the University developed a paperless financial aid system. This effort won awards as an exemplary administrative solution and saved 1,000,000 pieces of paper. Low input/high impact efforts are underway in the University Libraries, with online advising and are part of a ?Technology for Life,? intended to keep students and alumni learning throughout their lives.
Publications
- Book chapter with Linda Clemens, ?Adopting Extreme Pedagogies Online: When Technical Communication Vaults Institutional Barriers,? in Online Education: Global Questions, Local Answers, Kelli Cargile Cook and Keith Grant-Davie, eds. 2003.
- Book chapter with Robert Bruininks, Craig Swan, Steven Yussen, et al., ?Renewing the Land-Grant Promise: Advancing Civic Engagement and Service Learning at the University of Minnesota,? 2003
- Presentation to the University of Minnesota Board of Regents, ?Technology-Enhanced Learning at the University of Minnesota,? September 2002, Crookston, MN.
- Conference Presentation: ?New Directions in E-Learning: Innovations in Curriculum Development," LINK conference, University of Minnesota, Rochester, November 2002. Invited Speaker.
- Invited speaker, Higher Education Leadership Forum, November 7, 2002.
- Workforce Conference, St. Paul, October 9, 2002, ?E-Learning: The Future of Workforce Development,? Invited Speaker
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Progress 01/01/01 to 12/31/01
Outputs
Since I began this project, I have been working as the Director of Distributed Education in the Executive Vice President and Provost?s office, with system-wide responsibilities for technology-enhanced learning. In that role, I?ve been serving as the University of Minnesota?s representative to the iSEEK board, which was created by the state legislature to serve as online clearinghouse for jobs and educational opportunities in Minnesota. In those roles, I have been working to develop comprehensive and strategic technology-enhanced learning plans for the University and for COAFES. Although it is too early in this process to have final results, there is significant progress to report. These are briefly summarized here: 1. Kris Allen, my advisee for the M.S. in Rhetoric and Technical Communication, completed her Masters? Project. She put a Grazing Workshop online for the West Central Research and Outreach Center. The online workshop itself is not as significant as the
process she developed for doing participatory design with farmers and others in the community. 2. Working with Senior Vice Chancellor Linda Baer of the MnSCU system, we have begun to create a career ladder in Food Processing, Food Safety, and Food Service that combines the intellectual assets of the two public state institutions in a seamless set of career paths for students in this area. This career ladder relies on the innovative and strategic use of learning technology to make educational and training opportunities widely available throughout the state. Again, the ladder itself is not as significant as the development of a process of developing career ladder partnerships that have statewide reach and make use of technology strategically. 3. Working with Extension and representatives from private companies, I have been part of a larger group working to put a food safety certification online that can be used statewide by Extension and be available for use in the MnSCU system as well.
Again the significance of this project is not just that a certificate will be put online but that a pattern for collaborating with Extension and MnSCU is developed.
Impacts
The impact of developing a coordinated plan for technology-enhanced learning (TEL) is threefold. First, it provides for Increased Access for Learners. A land-grand research university is obligated to make the new knowledge it generates available to those who need it by providing accessible education with a direct relevance to the daily lives of a broad segment of the population. This is the University?s chief act of civic engagement, its tangible commitment to the common good. Secondly, technology must Enhance the Learning Quality for both learners and teachers. Technology costs are significant, so learning quality must improve with its use or the costs are not justified. Therefore, the goal of a TEL plan is to use technology in support of the University?s core teaching mission and to do so in a way that meets the institution?s overall goals of excellence. Finally, a TEL plan must increase Learning Productivity. Technology comes with a significant learning curve and
maintenance costs, and it must provide for measurable returns on both institutional and student learning investments or it cannot be justified. Learners need to be able to count on educational opportunities that help them be more productive as workers, parents, and citizens. And the institution must see a return on its investment, whether that is measured in student satisfaction, increased tuition dollars, or through strategic partnerships. Adopting a strategic technology plan results in impacts that can be measured in these three areas.
Publications
- "The Future of the Digital Library," University of Minnesota, Summer 2001.
- "Distributed Education Exemplar Project," CD featuring 9 exemplary technology-enhanced learning projects, September 2001.
- Distributed Education Task Force, Final Report, May 2001.
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Progress 01/01/00 to 12/31/00
Outputs
I have been on a collegiate leave since 1 July 2000 after having completed 11 years as a department head. During that time, my attention has been primarily on conducting research, and since October I have held the position of Director of Distributed Education for the University of Minnesota. That has been a 49% appointment. From October 2000 to June 2001, I have chaired a system-wide Task Force focusing on distributed education and the University of Minnesota. In May, the final report of that group will become public. It provides a strategic plan for distributed education for the University of Minnesota system. Recommendations from that report can, as they are implemented, affect curricular planning in COAFES. In my role as Director of Distributed Education, I have worked with central administration to develop portal strategies that can be deployed by units around the University. The first of these sophisticated is now being developed for the Academic Health Center,
and it was the expressed wish of Frank Cerra, SVP, Academic Health Center, that development of this portal provide connections to COAFES and work being done in the college on genomics and biotechnology. In my research, I have been examining how distributed education and elearning in particular are best deployed on a programmatic basis. Most of the work so far in the University and COAFES in particular has been done by individuals, but the emphasis on programs (such as the Master's of Social Work, the Pharm. D. degree, and the Nurse Midwifery program) that are entirely or significantly offered via technologies is changing how the college will have to think about its offerings, especially the MAg.
Impacts
The impact of this work will be felt in three areas: 1. increased access to college and university resources by learners, 2. enhanced learning quality, 3. increased learning productivity.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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