Proposed action objective:
Establish the Educational Design Innovations Group (EDIG) to facilitate and foster new and creative interdisciplinary approaches to pedagogy and research through technology.
How does this objective contribute to one or more of USD’s overall strategic goals?
Supports Goal 2, “USD will provide integrated learning experiences across educational contexts…” and Goal 4, “USD gives a privileged place to the liberal arts and sciences….” EDIG will help distinguish USD as an institution that not only uses technology effectively in education, but more importantly as an institution that is on the cutting edge in developing new and innovative systems and applications of technology both inside and outside of the classroom.
Who is responsible for implementing and monitoring this objective?
David B. Smith and David Todd will be responsible for the implementation of EDIG. A committee of faculty and technology administrators/staff will be responsible for general monitoring and for awarding funds for project development. If hired, a Vice/Assistant Provost for Educational Innovation will oversee EDIG as a faculty development initiative.
What steps are necessary to achieve this objective?
EDIG is at its core a mechanism (rather than a specific group of individuals) that brings together faculty and students from across disciplines in partnership with the interdisciplinary instructional design specialists proposed by Educational Innovation to develop new technology-based approaches to education both inside and outside of the classroom.
- Establish a centrally located collaboration space with scheduled times for facilitated interaction. Faculty will participate in EDIG in a variety of ways ranging from simple collaboration between individuals to a complex system involving multiple faculty from diverse disciplines.
- Equip space with computer workstations and display facilities that support interactive faculty collaboration.
- Provide technical support for scheduled collaboration hours.
- Replace short-term technical support with interdisciplinary instructional design specialists proposed under Educational Innovation. EDIG will rely upon specialists who work directly with faculty to develop new pedagogical systems and strategies.
- Provide funding for faculty release time, equipment, specialized technical support, etc. to support the development of technology-driven ideas and solutions.
What measurable indicator(s) can be used to monitor progress?
Performance indicators (qualitative and quantitative) will be used in the assessment of EDIG, including:
- Number of faculty engaged in collaboration
- Courses impacted by EDIG
- Articles published in on-line journal
- External funds raised
- Assessments of program’s impact on student learning
- Evaluation of portfolios and reports produced by participating faculty
- External peer review
Proposed timeline—what is to be accomplished by:
| 2005-06 | Begin collaborative efforts with CLT, secure collaboration space to act as a home for EDIG and initiate faculty collaboration hours, engage technical support specialists from ITS, begin to develop funding source for project development. |
| 2006-07 | Interdisciplinary projects begin, enhance funding source base. |
| 2007-08 | Enhance funding source base, publish on-line journal of completed projects and collaborations, assess student learning. |
| 2008-09 | Enhance funding source base, publish on-line journal of completed projects and collaborations, assess student learning. |
| 2009-10 | Enhance funding source base, publish on-line journal of completed projects and collaborations, assess student learning. |
What resources will be required to accomplish this objective?
| Financial | Annual funding stream for faculty projects, including released time and capital requests ($25K year one to $150K by year five). |
| Personnel | Release time for Director. EDIG will not hire personnel, but share personnel with other programs. Initially, technical support from ITS, to be replaced by interdisciplinary instructional design specialists proposed under Educational Innovation. These personnel provide faculty support in the collaboration space. |
| Space | Centrally located collaboration space for faculty interactions and project development. Space should provide a comfortable and casual environment to support creative innovation and be located near ITS and food service—e.g., the Pardee Room (MH-231). Ultimately, EDIG should be located with CLT and ITS in the proposed Information Resources building. |
| Technical | EDIG collaboration space should be equipped with Mac, PC, and SGI (all with dual monitors); data projector; advanced non-linear video editing system; sound system; smartboard; etc. ($50K). |
