Needs Assessment for a System-Wide
Digital Asset Repository at UNC
MERLOT International Conference
July 26, 2005
Andrea Eastman-Mullins, Information & Technology Coordinator,
UNC TLTC
Dr. Ray Purdom, Director of the University Teaching and Learning
Center, UNC Greensboro
Overview
1. The UNC TLTC & UNC Content System
Committee
2. Needs Assessment Plan & Results
3. Key Questions & Next Steps
4. Another Perspective: UNC Greensboro
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About the UNC TLT Collaborative
We are
A consortial organization within the UNC Office of the President
that provides vision and shared resources in support of
teaching and learning with technology programs and initiatives
on the 16 UNC campuses.
Vision
The TLTC will advance collaborative processes that empower
teachers, learners, providers of instructional support, and
decision makers to make the best possible use of technology
in promoting learning.
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The University of North Carolina
“How can we do more together?”
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UNC Content System Committee
Began with the TLTC Board
 Considered a system-wide pilot of Blackboard’s
content system.
 Discussion uncovered need to understand UNC’s
requirements.
Requirements Committee formed (UNC CMS)
 15 members from 11 campuses plus UNC-TV and the
Office of the President
 Includes librarians, administrators, IT staff, faculty
center directors, etc.
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UNC CMS: Initial Questions
Different views on “content system”
 Assumption from Board this would be primarily a
learning object repository.
 Assumption from others this would be a document
collaboration tool.
 Librarians’ knowledge about Institutional Repositories
Duplication of other projects?
 MERLOT
 UNC Professional Development
Portal
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What do we
really want?
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UNC CMS: Needs Assessment Plan
Before forming requirements, we wanted feedback
from UNC campuses.
1) Focus Groups
Learn how faculty want to use this kind of repository.
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What kind of resources do faculty share?
What processes are used now to share and collaborate?
Are there technical or other barriers to sharing?
2) Web Survey
Intended to reach a wider audience and ask more specific
questions based on findings from focus groups.
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UNC CMS: Needs Assessment
Focus Groups held Spring 2005
 Campus-based including a mix of faculty, librarians,
IT staff, etc.
 Led by campus’ CMS committee representative.
 Moderator’s guide with open questions on “sharing.”
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What content do you want to share or access?
How are you sharing now?
What barriers are there to sharing?
What would help facilitate sharing?
Five focus groups held (NC A&T, UNC-CH, UNCG,
UNCW, WSSU)
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UNC CMS: Focus Group Results
Common themes:
1. Desire to share both teaching and research material.
2. Reluctance to share actual teaching materials but
openness to sharing best practices and teaching
tools.
3. Concern over intellectual property rights.
4. Enthusiasm to share multimedia.
5. Storage vs. sharing
“It is more of a future
wish that people share than
a current reality.”
--focus group participant
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Focus Group Results
What content would you like to share or access?
Common Responses (4-5 groups)
Teaching Tools
Sharing “Best Practices,” guides for creating learning objects.
Assessment tools
Project Work / Research
Survey data, grant proposals.
“Document exchange” for drafted material
Multimedia
Streaming video, MP3 files, images that are copyright free
No storage space now to adequately share multimedia.
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Focus Group Results
What content would you NOT want to share?
Common Responses (4 groups)
Teaching Material
Original digital material for which you want ownership rights
Lecture notes, PowerPoint’s or other course materials.
Online Courses – Instead create sample courses
Intellectual Property and Tacit Knowledge.
Sensitive Information
Student grades, Personal information, Evaluations, Promotions
/ Tenure Track Positions
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UNC CMS: Questions Raised
 Are these results truly representative of the
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system?
Is the reluctance to share simply the expected
first response when learning about learning
objects?
Is creating a central storage repository the first
step in encouraging sharing?
Should we focus efforts in another direction?
What are other institutions experiencing?
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UNC CMS: Next Steps
Committee reported to the TLTC Board in May.
 Will not proceed with a web survey now.
 Will shift to address intellectual property concerns.
 Talking to UNC Faculty Assembly to examine this issue
in the Fall.
 What is working now within UNC? List of best practices
for sharing content.
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UNC Greensboro Content
Sharing Practices
 Course Content for Multiple Section, Multiple
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Instructor, Courses
Shared Materials for Teaching Fellows Program
e-Portfolios
Common Database for Multiple Researchers at
Different Institutions
Collaborative Journal Article Development
Teaching with Technology Documents among the 16
UNC Campuses
Collaborative Masters of Social Work offered by 2
UNC Campuses
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Questions & Discussion
Andrea Eastman-Mullins
andrea@northcarolina.edu
Dr. Ray Purdom
rcpurdom@uncg.edu
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