eLearning Committee meeting notes
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Present: Lanny Arvan, Nick Burbules, Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld, Sally Jackson, Laura
Miller, John Ory, John Unsworth, Debra Woods
Absent: Jon Gunderson, Leslie Hammersmith, Lisa Hinchliffe, Walter Hurley, Scott
Johnson, Paula Kaufman, Faye Lesht, Keith Marshall, Vanna Pianfetti, Deanna Raineri,
Mike Williams
Center/Collaborative proposal to establish an eLearning program on campus – The
eLearning Working Group has begun meeting to work across campus to define what will
be done on this campus to help meet the goals set forth in the draft Center proposal of
May 30, 2009. It was stressed that this initiative is not restricted to on-line or distance
learning. Marketing strategies were discussed. “Ubiquitous” was identified as a defining
term and the Group is looking at ways to respond to that concept. Questions to be
answered include: What should be done with innovation center personnel (with or
without funding)? Nick suggested that those people be paid in the short term on existing
funds and then transition accordingly. The Center is viewed as providing more of a
symbolic role.
Collaboration/partnership discussions with other entities and institutions have already
begun (e.g., Rutgers, WISE, CIC Core Share, etc.) with a future expansion goal in mind.
“How to” protocols are needed with respect to courses and programs to be offered. The
UA can/should facilitate collaborations across units and institutions.
Global Campus process update and next steps – The BOT has voted to officially shut
down Global Campus effective December 31, 2009, and it is expected that current
programs will devolve back into their respective units. The BOT emphasized that the
mission has not changed and has requested reports from all three campuses about how to
deliver a program in keeping with the mission. Nick Burbules, Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld,
and John Unsworth are among members of the Urbana campus committee.
Major questions to be addressed include, but are not limited to, how will special
programs be included, how will degree completion and transfer options be fairly
managed? How will programs already on campus and “in the pipeline” be affected?
What functions will remain, and which human resources will continue? Where will those
resources be located and how will they be used/shared? Who is steering the new effort
and how are will other governance issues be sorted out? At what levels? How will this
program tie in with AO and OCE? What happens to ION and NVCR? Where will
students be directed for information on any number of issues?
Existing resources and new/needed resources need to be identified. A central location for
workshops and meetings should also be identified. It was suggested that the program be
structured in such a way as to co-locate people who report outward - a hub and spoke
approach.
The Urbana committee’s draft proposal, to be included in the Chancellor’s statement to
the BOT, is expected to be completed within the next two weeks. Questions to be
answered in the draft include: Should existing staff move to central UA? Where should
central UA resources be housed? How will funding be shared?
Meeting participants explored the question, “What is the “sell” for this technology?
Recommendations included drawing on last year’s eLearning Committee’s report to the
Provost, and focusing on pedagogy, blended programs, expanding access, quality,
innovation, excellence of product, and building on faculty and innovations with those of
interest; not necessarily across campus. Emphasis was put on access, innovation and
excellence criteria. Many models should be encouraged to achieve true innovation
The impact of the new program upon Community Colleges was discussed as was the
possibility of reinvigorating the UI Online program.
Issues to resolve regarding UA: politics, who makes decisions (re CMS, e.g.) Top-down
versus bottom-up governance and decision-making. Clearly define roles, functions, and
authority levels. Is UA truly necessary in this context? If not, what will be the
disposition of the employees in UA?
A caution: Collaboration and facilitation may become more valued than business
outcomes. Highlight instead the complementation values.