Notes from CIT Advisory Board meeting February 18, 2008
Attending: Wayne Miller (Law – for Dick Danner), Emily Daly (Library), Roger Loyd (Divinity), Owen Astrachan (Comp. Sci., A&S), Lynne O’Brien (CIT), Patricia Pawlak (CIT), Amy Campbell (CIT), Trey Turner (Nursing), Lee Willard (A&S Dean), Len Spicer (Bio-chemistry), Bob Price (OIT – for Julian Lombardi), Peter Haff (NSOE), Nevin Fouts (Fuqua), Martin Brooke (Pratt)
Announcements:
Welcome
1. Overview of applications to CIT Grants program this spring
Guest: Amy Campbell
Document: 2007-08 Grant Summary as of 2/12/08 (This summary of CIT jump start proposals, strategic initiative proposals and Blackboard Great Ideas submissions will be distributed at the meeting)/
CIT staff are consulting with the faculty who applied, with other IT groups on campus and with relevant Deans to gather more information about project plans and needs. At the March 17, 2008 CIT Advisory Board meeting, we will provide more detail and get your input on pending proposals. Once decisions are made about all the proposals, we will post a list of awards on the CIT website.
Discussion:
Amy: Spring 08 grant programs Strategic Initiative & Jump Start (see grant summary pdf for application details)
- CIT uses a two stage approach for grant submissions. First we ask for an application and then follow up is done to discuss the proposal to determine if it is within the scope of our grant programs. If yes, CIT requests a detailed proposal with budget prediction. If not, CIT may refer the applicant to other programs within CIT or to another Duke department
Lynne determine if project is in CIT’s scope. May refer to other depts. within Duke.
- Peter: What does “strategic” mean to CIT?
The proposal should be teaching and technology related and align itself with Dukes, or its’ schools strategic goals. Should be a service learning component and touch more than 1 class per semester. There is approximately $100,000 available for grants. More info to follow next month. The original deadline is 3/7/08, but it may need to be postponed.
- Jump start grants: Applicants may apply anytime. Generally funded to help faculty get started with something new and/or it is a piece of a larger project. Most applications from Arts & Sciences currently.
- Blackboard (Bb) Mini grants: Purpose is to address faculty queries. Faculty want to see what other faculty are doing with their Bb course sites. The faculty willing to share their information will receive a small grant award. We plan to take the Bb site, anonomize it and create a tutorial so others may access or conduct video interview with faculty member.
- Len: Faculty member should discuss students response.
- Nevin: Good mix of grants
- Roger: Who has access to model course that will be developed? Will there be copyright issues?
Users will have guest access. Anyone with a net id can access the site. Tutorials will be available to anyone.
-Joe: Tutorial will be very useful
- Lynne: Faculty like to hear from other faculty.
Some of you have suggested that it would be better to do our call for proposals in the fall. What would be the best schedule for next year's grants cycle?
Current proposal process for Stategic grants begins in the Fall. The call goes out before winter break and the first deadline is 2/1. This year it was extended to 2/6. After the proposal is submitted, much time is spent by consultants trying to determine what exactly the grantee hopes to accomplish.
- Martin: Winter break is generally a good time. Faculty are too busy by the end of October/November.
- Owen: Grant schedule should be optimized for CIT.
- Lee: Have call go out around student registration.
2. CIT current tool investigations
CIT has one of the new Kindle e-reader devices. We also have a Sony e-reader.
Kindle: Amazon’s e reader. ($399) Uses e-ink technology. Does not use much battery power unless one is changing the page. Has wireless capability, similar to cell phone. Whispernet.(runs on top of Sprint) Can download books or merchandise. No monthly fee for service - only pay for books/newspapers/magazines.
May download via internet (for 10cents) or order it, have document sent to your computer and download using cable. 160-180 meg memory (100’s of books) can play audio books and mp3. May insert SD card. Has USB connector and a keyboard to enter notes about passages. Search capable using web browser.
-Lynne: Students are already asking if text books will be replaced by the Kindle in the near future.
- Nevin: Likes the idea of using the Kindle instead of purchasing course pacs. Will publishers be willing to work with us?
Len: is Kindle networkable?
The new WIMBA tool, which allows live voice recording on the web, is available to any instructor with a Blackboard course. Courses in Writing, Nursing and Languages are all using WIMBA this semster. The Center for Instructional Technology's office visit program includes training on WIMBA. See: http://cit.duke.edu/tools/digital_media/wimba.html
Voice announcements, send emails, chat.
-Joe: Unv. Writing Program tutor able to give and receive responses to students more quickly.
However, it seems odd that writing instructors are not “writing” responses to students.
CIT has ordered one of the new LiveScribe Smart Pens, a penlike device that (supposedly) records words and can pinpoint their location in the recording when the user taps the handwritten version on a sheet of paper. It can also do rudimentary language translation or act as a calculator. The company is making a software development kit available to allow third parties to develop their own applications for the device. See three short demos of how this device could be used by students: http://www.livescribe.com/sneakpeek/index.html
- Lynne: Showed LiveScribe demo.
- Wayne: If this really works, need to find a way to make it available to all classes. Possibly the Academic Resource Center can focus on this?
Owen: Doesn’t believe pen will change way of learning that drastically. The Kindle is great because it is paperless…for the green aspect it is worth it. Is it lecture capture convenient? Unsure of recording quality.
- Nevin: May be able to combine Lectopia recording and own notes.
Discussion
- What educational uses (in or out of courses) can you imagine for these types of tools?
Field work, sketching diagrams,
- What would be the best way to make these devices available to faculty for experimentation?
3. Faculty focus groups summary
The Center for Instructional Technology (CIT) conducted three focus groups with faculty in December 2007 and January 2008, held at three different locations on East and West Campus, to find out more about faculty needs and interests regarding using instructional technology. A summary of those session is available in this document: Document: Focus Groups Summary 2008
Discussion:
- Do these ideas seem consistent with what you know about faculty in your department or faculty colleagues from other departments?
- What would be some action items you’d like to see CIT take in response to the ideas faculty shared at these sessions?
- please review before next meeting and come to next meeting ready to discuss.
Action item: Lynne will email members info on how to borrow equipment
Len: Replacement cycle for faculty computers is important for CIT’s impact in promoting instructional technology.
Martin: Grant programs are also changing.
Note: CIT would be glad to hold a focus group in your department or school and share the results back with appropriate people in your department/school.
4. Remaining meetings
March 17, 2008 from noon - 1, Perkins Tower Room 201, lunch provided.
April 14, 2008 from noon - 1, CIT Lab, Bostock Library, Lower Level Room 024. Lunch provided.
