Proceedings
Instructional Technology Conference
Middle Tennessee State University
Building Communities of Learners
April 3-5, 2005
The Learning, Teaching and Innovative Technologies Center (LT&ITC): A Partnership to Support Faculty Development
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Barbara Draude, Director, Academic and Instructional Technology Services Faye Johnson, Assistant to Executive Vice President and Provost.
Presentation |
Abstract
This presentation will describe the process Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) has been going through for the past 2+ years to develop a partnership between the Academic Affairs and Information Technology divisions to establish a campus center to promote learning, teaching and the integration of innovative technologies. We will describe how the two divisions worked to present the concept to administration, to secure the funding, to elicit faculty support for the center and to begin to plan the Center’s agenda.
Description
The concept of faculty development has been discussed on Middle Tennessee State University’s campus for many years by faculty and administration alike. Implementation efforts, though, were fragmented and inconsistent at times. In 2002, a new university president challenged the campus with a new Academic Master plan which focused on 1) academic quality, 2) a student-centered environment and 3) establishment of partnerships. With this new direction, the concept of faculty development began to develop momentum. At the same time, the Information Technology Division’s efforts in the effective and efficient integration of instructional technology into the teaching and learning environment was becoming more and more integral for faculty and course development.
The idea of a partnership between the two administrative divisions developed and was supported by both the Executive Vice President/Provost and the Vice President for Information Technology/CIO. The proposal, to establish a Learning, Teaching and Innovative Technologies Center (LT&ITC), directed by representatives each division, funded by monies from both divisions and based on direction and support from the faculty was developed. The proposal was presented to the university president, approved and the LT&ITC was officially launched in September 2004.
As the co-directors and the vice presidents began to set the center’s agenda, it became clear that faculty input was crucial to the center’s success. A plan to hold a “Learning Summit” to allow faculty to shape the agenda was initiated. In preparation for the summit, a group of twenty-four faculty and selected administrators was appointed as Learning Summit delegates. These delegates have been charged with exploring current learning/teaching and technology center models already in place and in visiting the centers of MTSU peer institutions. At the Learning Summit to be held in April 2005, the co-directors, vice presidents and the delegates will set the strategic agenda for the center’s next three to five years.