CETL Instructional Technology Advisory Team Report
Executive Summary
Spring 2010
UW-Eau Claire Instructional Technology Goals
Based on Chancellor Levin-Stankevich’s PEEQ Report response, eCampus initiative, and other
UW-Eau Claire technology initiatives, along with shared knowledge and research, the advisory team
determined a need for UW-Eau Claire to improve implementation and integration of instructional technology in
order to:
1. Compete in university marketplace increasingly dominated by online, degree-granting institutions,
for-profit educational organizations and institutions, private colleges, two-year
institutions/consortiums targeting the GE market
2. Attract and retain quality students
3. Increase number of non-traditional and returning students
4. Attract and retain quality faculty and staff
Targeted Areas of Investigation
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Identify existing problems with wireless availability and dependability*
Identify appropriate opensource software and Web 2.0 tools to integrate into curriculum that will make
best use of campus and student-owned technology
Identify existing technology tools already accessed/owned by students.
Identify best practices synthesizing technology tools and curriculum
Identify best practices of professional development
Identify technology tools for international educational experiences
*The advisory team recommends working with LTS in the future to research problems, identify needs, and
develop solutions
Course Management Systems Recommendations
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Upgrade of D2L, to include additional features not currently available for UW-Eau Claire users
Use of Google Docs, Wave, etc. in conjunction with D2L
If D2L is not renewed, then ATutor, .LRN, Sakai, and Moodle are viable alternatives, dependent upon
available training and service resources.
Committee does not recommend adoption of Google resources or Dokeos as stand-alone CMS
programs.
Handheld Technologies
Our committee has not had sufficient time to explore handheld technologies in depth. We would be willing to
pursue such research, which would parallel current studies in other institutions, given additional time and
resources.
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Online Courses Recommendations
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Increase online offerings only with adequate training, support, and oversight.
Adopt guidelines, but implementation of full Quality Matters is too costly. Possibility of working with
COB or other UW campuses to engage evaluators and structure individualized costs for UW-Eau Claire
campus.
Set goal for increased quality of online courses rather than emphasis on increase in number of courses
offered.
Hybrid Courses Recommendations
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Increase development of hybrid courses.
Increase current model of CETL course development and redesign through grants, training, and support.
Adopt strategies promoted by UW-Milwaukee for hybrid course development.
Increase resources (training and support) provided by faculty trainers and LTS personnel.
Hybrid course models would be a good fit for the liberal arts and residential environment of
UW-Eau Claire.
Financial Support Recommendations
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Online and blended courses will carry additional technology fees (varying from undergraduate to
graduate). (Currently technology fees in COB cover all positions related to development and
maintenance of online courses.)
Blugold Commitment: use of some funds to develop and expand current technology-driven courses,
including additional personnel.
Enough funds need to be generated to reinvest towards expanding their on-line offerings, paying
instructors to develop new courses, paying overload to instructors to teach some courses, etc.
Best Practices Recommendations
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Standardized process, oversight, and evaluation for initial course design and course redesign,
coordinated by Faculty Instructional Technology Fellow (see below)
Undergraduate Teaching & Learning: Practical Tools
Professional Development Recommendations
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Develop strategic plan for instructional technology across campus (excluding COB, which operates in
conjunction with other business programs within the UW system).
 Appoint a Faculty Instructional Technology Fellow, out of Provost Office, but located within CETL, to
provide coordination, oversight, and input for oversight and coordination of all efforts aligned with the
Instructional Technology strategic plan
 Undertake campus-wide initiative to train all faculty in use of current technology tools.
 Provide ongoing training for faculty interested in development and/or redesign of online and hybrid
courses.
International Education Recommendations
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UW-Eau Claire faculty collaborate with, and/or seek advice from, the Center for International Education
to identify institutions with which UW-Eau Claire has existing partnership and good relations in order to
enhance the likelihood of success of online collaborative international education.
Institute Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Community of Practice: Virtual International
Education Experiences
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o Stipend (e.g., course release, equivalent of summer/winterim course offering, etc.).
o Brownbag lunches, training sessions, guest speakers, etc. on collaborative international education
experiences (e.g., developing, implementing, etc.).
o Training on integration of virtual international education experience component into existing
course, etc.
o Guaranteed support during development/incorporation of virtual international educational
experience component to solidify collaborative partner(s) with which to facilitate virtual
international educational experience component of course at an educational institution from
another country, etc.
o Guaranteed course offering, etc.
o Incorporation of student assistants for community of practice with financial compensation and/or
incorporate of academic apprentice credits to count toward graduation/major.
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We recommend further consideration and research into online applications, e.g., course management
systems or social networks that could serve to support global learning community opportunities online.
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