Facilitate Effective and Innovative Teaching and Learning
Throughout the information-gathering process for this plan, stakeholders emphasized the importance of improving the reliability, ease-of-use and support of IT on campus- in particular technology used in teaching in learning. For example, many faculty and students asked that IT find ways to simplify technology’s use in classrooms. Constituents also urged IT to concentrate on enhancing existing operations, rather than focus solely on acquiring and implementing new- cutting-edge projects.
For IT to support effective and innovative teaching, we must develop and support an ongoing strategy to assist faculty in providing engaging and effective learning environments. This strategy will include the adoption of emerging technologies and the related challenges associated with new approaches, such as intellectual property rights.
Action Item 4.1: Develop and execute a consistent strategy for creating, implementing and supporting innovative learning inside and outside of physical learning spaces, including open, blended and online learning. Each initiative should represent the high-quality experience expected from CWRU.
Action Item 4.2: Work collaboratively with faculty to support and encourage adoption of new ways of teaching and learning using IT tools. Potential examples may include Microsoft HoloLens, high-quality blended and online, local and international learning experiences and assistance for faculty who want to help students learn about ways to harness data to identify issues and opportunities within systems and organizations.
Action Item 4.3: Collaborate with university partners (faculty, University Center for Innovation in Teaching and Education (UCITE), Kelvin Smith Library, Seminar Approach to General Education and Scholarship (SAGES) and the Writing Center) to create a robust program that provides faculty timely and comprehensive opportunities to learn more about existing and emerging educational technologies and how to use them with students.
Action Item 4.4: Grow IT’s capacity to assist faculty with the creation of instructional learning resources for classroom, online, virtual and blended learning environments. These efforts also address the needs of differently abled learners.
Action Item 4.5: Collaborate with university partners to develop an action plan to address the need for enhanced digital content, such as video streaming and capture, 3D and 4D image capture, processing, adequate storage and technology sandboxes for student learning and experimentation.
Action Item 4.6: Work collaboratively with the university community to update CWRU's intellectual property policies regarding faculty and university ownership of multimedia assets created by faculty with the assistance of university staff and/or using university resources. This policy will include learning materials accessed online such as videos and interactive modules.
Action Item 4.7: Assist the Office of the Provost with the assessment of the market for online education and the development of a plan to coordinate online learning development, delivery and support. This includes regulations such as state authorization and supporting the individual schools and Faculty Senate committees as they guide the development of online curricula.
IT at CWRU needs to develop a strategy for the provision of physical learning spaces that addresses the rapidly evolving nature of teaching and learning - as well as expressed desires for more user-friendly and reliable technology within classrooms.
Action Item 5.1: Regularly assess the effectiveness, usage, usability and user experience of the infrastructure and technology in all learning environments to provide a high-quality learning and user experience.
Action Item 5.2: Create and implement a process to ensure the regular maintenance and lifecycle replacement of technology infrastructure and tools in all learning environments. Engage in a university-wide assessment of classrooms to ensure current equipment and service is meeting instructional needs
Action Item 5.3: Consistently monitor learning spaces to ensure that the technology deployed is functional, stable and enhances faculty teaching and student learning.
Action Item 5.4: Assess the need for, and then provide an appropriate number of learning spaces with suitable video capture/broadcasting resources and advanced network connectivity. Provide support personnel to enable faculty to deliver education world-wide via virtual interaction.
Action Item 5.5: Create and regularly assess learning spaces and innovative technologies that maximize student engagement and learning, such as hands-on design, collaboration tools and holographic images. This is particularly important for new learning environments and strategies in the Health Education Campus, and as holographic teaching and research spreads on the campus.
Action Item 5.6: Develop a capital and operational funding strategy that supports all classrooms and learning environments across the institution.