Technology Initiatives - Professional Development
Faculty Innovators - Integrating Technology into the Classroom
Faculty Innovators was formed in 2001 to establish a cohort of technology champions throughout the College of Education and Human Services. A group of 23 faculty members from 12 of the COEHS academic departments were charged with raising the standard for technology integration in teaching and learning. These first year innovators engaged in a 12-month program that began in the spring. Faculty worked in collaborative groups completing online activities using distance learning tools during the summer. During the fall and spring semesters, faculty members met monthly. The fall was focused on discussing the theory and philosophy of integrating technology into the curriculum while the spring was focused on learning specific technology tools. At the end of year, participants submitted a final project report indicating how they had and would integrate technology into their curriculum as a result of the program. In 2002, Faculty Innovators led an iFair where faculty members created a custom multimedia presentation using Apple Computer’s suite of “i” products (iPhoto, iTunes, iDVD and iMovie). The faculty teams had 5 ½ hours to gather photos, video footage and a soundtrack to create an iMovie.
Today, the 24-month long program combines distance learning participation, hands-on workshops, one-on-one assistance, self-guided learning and peer mentorship in an attempt to raise the participant’s use of technology in teaching. The fall 2007 cohort of Faculty Innovators will also receive guidance in the development of a research project to study the impact of their selected technology in the teaching and learning process. To date, the program has directly served 97 COEHS faculty members. Results from program exit surveys of participants when compared with entrance survey data show an increase in both feelings of self-competence with a variety of technologies, as well as an increase in personal use of the same technologies. In addition to improving their technology skills and abilities to appropriately infuse technology into the classroom, our faculty are becoming role-models to our students, building new interdisciplinary relationships, charting new research territories, and promoting their newfound uses of for technology at local, state, and national conferences.
2007-2009 faculty participants are:
Bruce Harris - Instructional Design & Technology
Grace Deng - Instructional Design & Technology
Bridget Sheng - Educational Leadership
Melissa Stinnet - Curriculum & Instruction
Fred Isele - Curriculum & Instruction
Laurel Borgia - Curriculum & Instruction
Jill Myers - Law Enforcement & Justice Administration
Debra Allwardt - Social Work
Ralph Graham - Kinesiology
COEHS faculty are selected based upon recommendation of their department chair and submission of an application. Successful applicants have been provided appropriate technology for the use in their teaching and research endeavors. Most recently, the 2006-2008 cohort received their choice of Macintosh iBooks or Gateway tablet PC computers. The current cohort will receive MacBooks with Parallels software installed to allow them to run both the Mac operating system and the Windows operating system. Participants are also expected to design a research study that considers the impact of technology on the teaching and learning process an then present or publish the findings of their research.
The inaugural Faculty Innovators reunion, celebrating the programs' fifth year was held this spring. The reunion was designed to provide current and past participants a way to share their program successes and present their technology-enhanced teaching products or fieldwork innovation. Twenty-two former and current Faculty Innovators participated in the event, held on February 17, 2006. Projects presented ranged from distance learning technologies to innovative uses of emerging mobile learning tools. Over 60 people attended and enjoyed seeing the creative and innovative ways faculty are combining technology into and student learning and research.
To find out more about Faculty Innovators and to see the showcase of technologies, please visit us on the web at www.wiu.edu/IDS/facultyinnovators/index.shtml