Library, Media, Academic Computing Meeting
November 6, 2000
Present: Mark Reinitz (Chair), Barry Bauska, Renee Houston, Patrick O'Neil, Eric Scharrer. Ex
officio: Bill Barry, Raney Ellis, Marilyn Mitchell. Visiting: Michael Nanfito, Shelley Owen.
Absent: Joe Deters, Keith Ward, Heidi Orloff, Brian Andrade.
1. Minutes were approved as corrected. The name of the visiting student was Dameon Pierce.
Mark stated that further discussion with Dameon and Brian Andrade revealed their concern for
better input from students regarding the value of and utilization of technology in the classroom.
Mark suggested that they present the Committee with a written document of their concerns which
they agreed to do.
2. Discussion of how to approach an assessment of the uses of technology in teaching and how it
relates to pedagogues employed.
Mark suggested that assessment goals may be too large and open ended. They need to be
limited and based upon identified needs and other identified criteria. Barry added that the
assessments are valuable to specific audiences: faculty, students, OIS, budget decision makers,
etc. There were suggestions to assess a specific project or technology application, for example
blackboard.
Shelley Owen explained her attempts at gathering information from faculty regarding their use of
technology and their assessments of their efforts. She also noted her efforts to keep faculty
informed via her webpage. She expressed interest in augmenting existing data with further useful
information that would outlast the life of each individual LMAC Committee.
Mark suggested polling faculty on what would be useful to them. More discussion was introduced
by Eric questioning whether to ask broad open ended questions: e.g., what technological
application do you use, as opposed to asking about specific programs; e.g., blackboard or
powerpoint.
3. Decisions:
Shelley was encouraged to continue to expand her current website to be an information
resources for faculty and administrative decision making. She will identify webware commonly
used and how it was being used. She will also identify those using the technology as contact
points for others interested in pursuing it. She will send out what she has to Committee members.
A subcommittee composed of Mark, Patrick, Renee, Shelley and Michael will draw up a proposal
to determine the first stages of an assessment program, how to carry it out, etc. and report back
to the larger group. They will meet in the next ten days, prior to the next Committee meeting.
Recorded by,
Marilyn Mitchell