May 1996 Introduction
With the advent of computers in the classroom, needs have changed rapidly on UNT's campus. Due to the melding of computers and audio visuals, the Instruction Program Group recognizes that its job becomes more complicated through involvement of multiple entities such as CIS, Computing Center, Registrar, self-standing decentralized components across campus, ad hoc committees such as the Distance Learning Task Force, and individual faculty projects, all of which affect instructional technology. With so many individualized needs, it is hard to establish a standard. We feel it is time to take a look at the university's instructional needs in light of rapidly changing technologies.
The Instruction Program Group strategies for FY1995-1996 include:
State -of-the-art classrooms, seminar rooms, and laboratories
Faculty technology update program
Ongoing operational support of instructional technology
A report on these strategies follows.
Strategy
Provide state-of-the-art classrooms, seminar rooms, and laboratories.
Progress:
The committee proposed an approach of standardization with permanent installation of equipment in one hundred thirty-nine small, general use classrooms which seat up to fifty students to provide conveniently available state-of-the-art technology for faculty to use.
Capital Outlay:
At this point, no funding has been made available for state-of-the-art classroom technology.
Resources:
At least 500 hours were spent by IPG committee members for meeting times, research, and report writing. Focus groups consisting of thirty-two people donated approximately 100 hours of their time for a report compiled by Suzanne Byron in December 1995. CIS and the Registrar's Office dedicated 60 hours to survey equipment in one hundred eighty-one general use classrooms.
Priority:
The strategy described above remains high.
Barriers:
We find that high initial costs and the rapid change in "state-of-the-art" classrooms is too fast to keep up with and calls for the need of a more campus-wide approach. It is hard to standardize with so many individual needs present, not only of the faculty themselves, but by individual rooms which create their own sets of needs due to their physical configurations, sizes, and shapes. Another barrier is a lack of management strategy for campus-wide room assignments in context of equipment.
Success:
Success can be measured by our progress in getting closer to defining the magnitude and complexity of the problem existing with technology in the classroom. We have discovered through data provided from CIS (Attachment A), that although some colleges claim to be self-supportive, they appear dependent on AV equipment through reservations recorded by CIS.
Strategy
Establish a program designed to keep faculty members informed about the latest developments in, and uses of, information resources technology.
Progress:
Although not a part of the committee's work, we are pleased that the Provost has set aside $50,000 for technology in teaching grants which is being awarded to faculty members for their proposals. In addition, a Teaching with Technology workshop has been organized and is being offered campus-wide to help educate faculty about distance learning, computers in the classroom, and educational uses of the Internet.
Capital Outlay:
$50,000 for grants ranging from $500 - $7500 each was given to faculty members for classroom technology proposals. An additional $1500 was earmarked for the Teaching with Technology workshop to provide for a keynote speaker and compensate faculty members teaching workshop classes during the semester break.
Resources:
1FTE in Academic Computing worked on arranging the Teaching with Technology seminar for two months. 12 FTE's are volunteering their time for developing and teaching workshop classes plus 1 FTE and 4 PT assisted users during the workshops.
Priority:
The strategy described above remains high.
Barriers:
Inadequate resources and management strategies prohibit coordination of instructional technology in an organized manner, as a separate entity. Deficiency of incentives exists for new faculty and those up for promotion and tenure to use classroom technologies. A requirement to undergo training that will help facilitate new methods of teaching with technology and contribute "points" toward promotion and tenure are examples which might remedy this problem.
Success:
A Technology in Teaching program was completed May 16th. So far, evaluations indicate classes for Powerpoint and World Wide Web authoring were positive.
Strategy
Continue ongoing operations that will support the information technology UNT now depends upon to accomplish its mission.
Progress:
Funding was designated to replace inoperable equipment owned by CIS and add thirty-nine TVCR's and five laser disk players to their inventory. Improvement of one hundred eighty-one general use classrooms to include zoned lighting, adequate window treatments, and relocation of electrical outlets is to take place over the summer.
Capital Outlay:
The Provost committed $159,138 to the Center for Instructional Services for replacement and repair of existing equipment and addition of circulating equipment to include thirty-nine TVCR's and five laser disk players. See Attachment B provided by Mark Withers from CIS for a monetary breakdown and progress of equipment purchases.
$38,000 has been set aside for 110 classroom renovations.
Student hourly pay is being provided by the Provost for after hour support of the VTEL videoconferencing system in Chilton Hall.
Resources:
According to CIS, 1.5 FTE currently support equipment maintenance and repair for $2.5 million of equipment centrally owned by the university. Seven PT student workers at 50% and 1FTE are supporting equipment delivery and setup.
1 FTE has taken on additional responsibilities to schedule, coordinate, and give onsite support to the VTEL videoconferencing system in Chilton Hall, with PT student help for after hours onsite support during scheduled classes.
Priority:
The strategy for ongoing operations remains high.
Barriers:
The demands for instructional technology support are not being met, which prevents smooth operation of instructional technologies on campus. There is no ongoing plan for upgrades and maintenance of equipment, nor a coherent campus-wide plan for annual allocation of human resources.
Based on an industry standard1 supplied by CIS, one FTE is required to maintain and repair $1 million worth of equipment. According to CIS, we need one more FTE alone to support centrally owned equipment which totals $2.5 million. The above calculations do not include an unknown figure for equipment owned by individual departments and colleges which is also maintained and repaired through CIS.
No more than two part time student employees are available at any one time for setup and delivery of equipment anywhere on campus, which makes it physically impossible to meet faculty needs in a timely manner for a classroom schedule. According to CIS, if five trained students were available every hour, setup and delivery needs might be met. CIS recognizes that current staffing cannot make timely deliveries for reservations made, and a 15% refusal rate exists for requests made to reserve equipment.
The room renovation project does not address campus-wide needs. It only affects general use classrooms, eliminating 41% of the small classrooms on campus.
Success:
Documentation of a combined existence of centralized and de-centralized units using instructional technology has been made. We have identified the fact that although centralized and de-centralized entities exist, the de-centralized ones still depend upon CIS for AV support (attachment A), yet those without de-centralization do not have access to computer equipment like those with de-centralized areas. Although the de-centralized units do have computer equipment available to faculty, they apprently fall short as indicated through a survey of colleges examining their equipment needs (attachment C). An emerging picture of campus needs has been defined and recognized.
1 Turner, Philip M. Handbook for School Media Personnel. 2nd ed. Littleton, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 1992.
.