Anticipating Zayed University
A Participatory Planning Session
Zayed University, August 29, 2006
facilitated by
David G. Brown, Wake Forest University, USA
brown@wfu.edu http://www.wfu.edu/~brown
Objectives for the Day
• Identify differing perceptions re aspirations of ZU
& agree upon emphases for 2006-07
• Clarify opportunities/strategies for increasing the
quality of T&L via technology
• Build and strengthen ZU’s leadership team by
building networks between campuses and
colleges
• Bias this week’s decisions via immersion in
thoughts about the bigger future
• Leave with individual “to do and/or to consider”
lists and the expectation of a progress report by
Nov 15
Agenda
8:30-9:30 Getting to Know Deans, Assistant Deans, and
Department Chairs on the “other” campus---via round
robin comment.
9:30-10:30 Identifying Strategic Opportunities---via individual
questionnaires and small group discussion
10:30-11:00 Networking & Necessary Break
11:00-12:00 Follow Up to Convocation on ENHANCING
TEACHING AND LEARNING THROUGH TECHNOLOGY---via lecture &
action list
12:00-1:00 Lunch Among New Colleagues
Agenda (continued)
1:00-2:15 Achieving Small Group Consensus re most
appropriate strategic opportunities in 6 all-university areas
2:15-2:45 Reports from the Chair of Each Small Group
2:45-3:00 Necessary Break
3:00-3:15 The New Teaching Strategies
3:15-3:45 College Caucuses re this year’s action
opportunities ESPECIALLY RE TECHNOLOGY
3:45-4:15 Reports from the Caucuses
4:15-4:30 Wrap Up
Getting To Know
Each dean, assistant dean, and department chair
will, round robin style, take 2-3 minutes to …..
1. Give name and “sleeping town”
2. Provide one or two sentences re his/her
responsibilities
3. Share in 3-4 sentences something about
college or department that he/she would hope
colleagues would pridefully cite (but would be
unlikely to do if not mentioned)
The “central administrators” will not perform at this recital.
Verbose performers will get the hook.
Break Out Sessions
Identifying Strategic Opportunities
1. Take 25 minutes thoughtfully to complete the
questionnaire. Ref rain from discussion &
plagiarism during this time.
2. Share university-as-a-whole answers (and
rationales behind answers) for the next 25
minutes.
3. In the final 10 minutes– individuals revise,
sign, and turn in (to Jennifer) their “final”
questionnaire.
Everyone will get their own questionnaire back, after lunch.
Also at that time a summary of answers will be distributed.
Agenda re Teaching & Technology
• What were your two main messages at the
convocation?
• How Might We Decide Which Strategies to
advocate/adopt in our “domain”?
Student
Teacher
In tomorrow’s world, individuals will eclipse institutions.
The best use of computers is to enhance communication.
How Might We Decide Which
Strategies to Encourage Our
Colleagues to Consider?
Gardening Tools Metaphor
•
•
•
•
Research--- the Wake Forest Experience
How Early Adopters are Using Technology
What’s worked for them in the past.
What’s coming!
Computers Enhance My
Teaching and/or Learning
Via-Presentations
Better--20%
More Opportunities to
Practice & Analyze--35%
More Access to Source
Materials via Internet--43%
More Communication with Faculty Colleagues, Classmates,
and Between Faculty and Students--87%
ICCEL -- Wake Forest University, 2006
Reasons 150 Professors Added
Computer Enhancements
1. Communication-Interaction
2. Collaboration-Teams
3. Controversy-Debate
4. Customization-Diversity
5. Consultants-Adjuncts
What’s Worked for Me In the Past
Both with and without technological enhancements
• More talented than you think!
• Brown’s “trust theory”
• Motivation--- interest in subject, methods
they like.
• Hand over authority to students (require
students to listen to other students)
New Faculty Roles
•
•
More Pedagogical Options
New Pedagogical Conventions
– collaboration
– active learning
– project centered
•
Less Control
–
–
–
–
–
•
New Responsibilities
–
–
–
–
•
More Textbook-like supplements
Alternate Authorities
Less Standardization
Open for Inspection
Competitive Options
Evaluating the “fire hose” of information
Assessing & certifying student progress
Forming & Monitoring Learning Groups
Continuous Interaction (Never Ending)
Teaching Team
– content specialists
– course designers
– Student peer teaching
Thinking Ahead---the future of
teaching and learning
• Personal. Customized. Interactive.
• Student-Centered Curriculum
• Teams of Professionals to Support
Learning
• “Houses” instead of Disciplines
• Hybrid Courses (80-20 and 20-80)
• Loose-leaf Collections of Course
Components, instead of Textbooks
Your ideas about specific actions a
dean, assistant dean, or department
chair can take to encourage a faculty
and/or students to raise the bar on the
quality of their own teaching and
learning. (e.g., mentors, reveal average
grades given, Include innovative
teaching in evaluation portfolio)
Consensus of Our Small Group
RE UNIVESITY-AS-A-WHOLE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Benchmark Institutions (near future)
Benchmark Institutions (aspirational)
Signature T&L Focus (near future)
Signature T&L Focus (aspirational)
Econ Development Idea (near future)
Econ Development Big Idea (w/i decade))
Agenda (revised)
1:00-2:15 Achieving Small Group Consensus re most
appropriate strategic opportunities in 6 all-university areas
2:15-2:45 Reports from the Chair of Each Small Group
(maximum of five minutes per)
2:45-3:00 Necessary Break
3:00-3:15 The New Teaching Strategies
3:15-3:45 College Caucuses re this year’s action
opportunities ESPECIALLY RE TECHNOLOGY
3:45-4:15 Reports from the Caucuses
4:15-4:30 Wrap Up
Signature T&L Foci
• Gets things done fast.
• Preparing women leaders who are bilingual, tech savvy,
and attuned to global issues and challenges (short term)
• Adopt intl exemplary practices in order to become the
benchmark university in the region. (long term)
• More bi-focal (global + local), bringing global standards
and ideas to local engagement.
– Bilingualism, problem solving, community as laboratory
– Liberal arts approach to life combined with an instrumental and
technical approach
• Center faculty activities on our current student strengths.
Signature T&L near term
•
•
•
•
Bilingual skills.
Get into local environment and understand it.
Active scholarship (as faculty and with students).
Technologically savvy. Longer term might
include men.
• Criteria--- related to t&l + significant progress to
date at ZU + gain external recognition +
genuinely higher success of students
• Bilingual + coil + innovative use of tech +
leadership
Signature T&L Foci--aspirational
• University without walls
• Bridge sub communities
• Model for HE in the region, as in leader in innovative and adaptable
education.
• Generator of information, especially methodology is nurturing bicultural students.
• Graduate intellectually developed students who are committed to life
long learning
• Graduate students who have leadership skills, via assessment,
continuous improvement, exposure to peers from other cultures,
bridging gap between east and west
• Viewed as center to cross cultural education (Geneva of the middle
east). Home institution for future diplomats.
Signature T&L Foci--near
• Learner centered university--- independent
learning, technology, critical thinking skills,
etc.
• Excellence in developing bilingual
competency.
Benchmark Now
• Show we become like somebody else or retain
our own uniqueness?
• Women’s colleges only? General universities?
More research is needed.
• Look close to home---American U of Sharja,
College of Charleston, U of the South ---religious base
• Market basket of universities--- religious? Size?
Proximity?
• Istanbul University (Savanci)--- laptop, global
Aspiration Benchmark
• Wake Forest---technology, small size
university
• Queensland U of Tech in Brisbane– strong
comm service, Washington U in St Louis.
Known for community service and high
quality.
How can Zayed Univeristy contribute
to the economic development of the UAE
RESEARCH
Win more funding for research
Establish a Center for research in basic sciences
Innovation and incubation centers
Think tank on critical issues for region
Host research symposiums
How can Zayed Univeristy contribute
to the economic development of the UAE
OUTREACH
Restructure to be more nimble, rapid and responsive,
centralized
Solidify relationships with constituents – government
and private sector
Introduce continuing education
Introduce adult education
Address workplace education need
How can Zayed Univeristy contribute
to the economic development of the UAE
GRADUATE
Introduce research based graduate programs
Solidify relationships with external constituents
Link to growth sectors in the UAE and introduce
graduate programs in that area
How can Zayed Univeristy contribute
to the economic development of the UAE
OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Get faculty into industry for internships
Fee paying students
Introduce foreign students
Introduce mixed gender courses
Open an evening Academy for mixed gender, fee paying
Publish our own regional appropriate texts
Assist UAE to plan more effectively at government levels
Nuture corporate partnerships
Build international university partnerships
Create an Institute for global/ East / West understanding
Introduce Glo’cal’ emphasis
The New Teaching Strategies
1. Communication-Interaction
2. Collaboration-Teams
3. Controversy-Debate
4. Customization-Diversity
5. Consultants-Adjuncts
Communication-Interaction
•1247 emails
•One Minute Quiz
•Muddiest Point
•Student Profiles
•Booce Tournament
Collaboration-Teams
•2 Students Submit 1 Answer
•Edit Rough Draft Papers
•PowerPoint in Class
•Public Web Page
•Name 3 Most Helpful Students
Controversy-Debate
•More Class Time
•Cross-Culture Projects
•Best Web Sites
•Competitive Team Projects
•Double Jeopardy Quiz
Customization-Diversity
•Cybershows (lectures, demos)
•Personal Notes (email again)
•Hierarchy of Help
•Preview and Review
•Just In Time Teaching
Consultants-Adjuncts
•Alumni Editors
•Globe Theatre
•Guests in Class
•Disciplinary Colleagues
•Computer Tip Talks
Caucuses
What actions are we going to undertake (or
consider)--- either in support of university
wide initiative or in our own “college”--- in
the three areas of…
1. Faculty Development with Technology
2. Soc/Econ/Cultural Development Thrusts
3. Signature T&L emphases ???
Progress report due November 15th, 2006
Actions---IT
• 3 circles--- outcomes + pedagogical
strategies + technology tools.
• ILA with the faculty….faculty showcase.
• TOOTS. Transparency, outcomes,
outreach, teamwork, students. New focus
on applied research and local grad
programs.
• Hybrid distance learning. Develop more
hybrids.
Actions---Business
• Brainstorming at ILA re innovative teaching methods,.
Both tech and non-tech. Possibly brown bags. Possibly
mentoring.
• Which of Dave’s ideas are best and worst.
• Consider bringing Peter and CTL in for college focused
help
• More grad programs, including EMPA with AS, new
masters in finance, toward masters in entrepreneurship.
• Post graduate certificates--- finance, entrepreneurship
• Extend hybrid course successes. Take that knowledge
back into the undergrad curriculum. Perhaps even some
self study modules.
Actions---Creative Middle
• Require in fac evaluation the trying of something
technological, something measurable. Include student
feedback. Trial is more important than outcome.
Encourage risk taking.
• COIL--- assess where they are with IT now, and then
propose trials, and then report back on results.
• In ELT 95% are tech savvy. Have them spread their
experiences. Try a distance learning program targeted
toward students on suspension.
• Library: Make sure on line tutorials are relevant,
streamlined, used.
• Initiate peer to peer discussions of the use of tech in
teaching and learning
Actions---Communication
• Bi-modal faculty skills with technology. Some don’t know
how to use chalk.
• Mentor Program.
• Share More--- instructional materials as well as
successful teaching techniques.
• The media center is center stage. Use it to further
econ/soc/cul thrusts.
• Expand grad programs that are relevant to workforce
skills.
• Certify students with latest technology IN THE
PROFESSION.
• Develop more hybrid courses and self learnng modules.
Actions---A&S
• APPROPRIATE!!!!
• Publicize ideas already in use (about the use of technology in
teaching)
• Offer a prize to faculty member who introduces use of technology
that spreads throughout the college (not necessarily the fanciest use
of tech). Possibly redirect some of the textbook monies.
• Bring ZU resources together for the sake of community. Host
experts from elsewhere.
• MPA development. Ex welfare mgt program.
• In research, develop collaborations with Ed.
• Work with school teachers to upgrade pre college educ
• Get beyond textbook difficulties that come with copyright clearance.
• Student developed materials
• Take advantage of the need to model book education
• Include tech in faculty evaluation
Actions---Education
• Add 4th element to faculty portfolio. Ask each faculty member to
identify an improvement goal.
• Identify software that would be appropriate for faculty to use in our
classrooms and to expand to K-12.
• Commit ILA day to case study. Perhaps UVa strategy.
• Envision a center for research on teaching and learning. Thinktank
on educational issues. Give ideas to the VP and his committee.l
• Incubate pilot programs in K-12, like science math and english
• Begin basic research program on how Arab children learn. Can’t
assume western research transfers directly.
• Field based education is the signature part.
• Faculty agreement
Actions---Provost
• Build it into COLLEGE life.
• Share what early adopters are doing, across
colleges and well as within.
• Re-discover the report of the faculty taskforce on
technology…especially at provost ex comm
meeting.
• Assign a tech support person to work with each
college, even attend selected classes. Like
languages.
• Initiate a research program re the effective use
of technology in teaching.
Advantages of Being Here Today
• Others would have co-opted your day anyway.
• Great excuse to test the capacities of others who
work for you
• More time to assess the extent of the chaos at
the new Dubai site
• Heighten the joy of others in finally seeing you
around to make decisions
• Better food
• Highest and Best Use of Your Time
Thanks for Your Commitment
and for a moment letting me share
your search for what is best!
Please do well…
Both UAE and the World are
counting of you!