Provost’s Task Force – January 12, 2011
Present: C Brown, M Hallett, S Hochwald, M Jaffee, E Largo-Wight, J Michelman, D Miller, K Paulsen, R
Powell, L Roberson, M Workman
Scott Hochwald joined the meeting and discussed the department of Math and Statistics interest in
redesigning the delivery of basic math courses with traditionally high failure/high withdrawal rates.
Mark recapped the Task Force conversation by reminding the group of its inception – a result of an
AASCU mandate to rethink and reshape the delivery of instruction to students given the constant
change in technology, students disposition on using technology, budget problems, and creating more
opportunities for financial and academic efficiencies. Shortly after the creation of the Task Force, the
Florida Board of Governors wanted to investigate how each university might create more academic
efficiencies. While the BOG has turned its attention more to program duplication and enrollments, the
Task Force remains committed to the exploration of new pedagogies which lend themselves first to
enhanced learning outcomes and second, cost effectiveness.
It is evident that UNF does not currently have an inventory of the broad range of innovative pedagogies;
the Task Force needs to develop such an inventory and determine those which can be established more
broadly and that we should promote; pedagogies which have the promise to transform the curriculum.
The group then reviewed the BOT presentation we are invited to give on 1/18. It was determined that
the following schedule would work best:
2:00 Mark Workman will present an overview of the Task Force and more generally, the
conversations going on in higher education about how universities can attain academic
effectiveness and efficiency. Mick Hallett will follow Mark and present his experience with a
department initiative in course redesign.
3:15 Erin and then Jeff will follow Mick’s higher level presentation with more specific examples
of their courses, both using online delivery.
It was decided that it might be worthwhile to actually demonstrate some of the BB features used in
these courses as visible examples of how student learning is enhanced and teaching has been
transformed.
It will be important to remind the BOT of the resources necessary to adopt some of these alternative
teaching models such as distance learning. We must demonstrate that innovative pedagogy is labor
intensive but also assure them that traditional pedagogy is not anachronistic.
There was also discussion on the issues involved in traditional FTE calculation, the need for support in
the use of GTAs, and the possibility that we will need to reconfigure the way we look at course
assignment so that faculty time can be reallocated in ways that better advance the university.
The next meeting date has not been set.