RLO Repository Options

Met with Lynn, Alan, and Nancy to consider the best approach to developing a system for housing RLO’s. The QEP calls for a collection of RLO’s related to critical thinking. It is desired to have a system whereby instructors can submit an RLO; this RLO can be approved by an administrator; the RLO then becomes part of a searchable collection; and the RLO can be commented on and/or rated. Reworking our existing system is not a practical option due to resource constraints. Waiting for the Content Management System is not recommended. Lynn will explore the option of WordPress for this purpose. Janice will contact Vicki to request that Luis create a WordPress area for RLO’s, and recommend someone for Lynn’s support with learning WordPress.

Lynn will give a camera and headset for SPOCing to each of the faculty champions. She will forward a list of faculty champions to Janice to relay to the Instructional Technologists.

Meeting of Instructional Technologists

RLO Development Checklist: The Instructional Technologists will each research existing tools for evaluating RLOs and forward ideas to Janice by Friday, March 28. Janice will then work with Karen Fritch to draft a checklist that can be used for guiding RLO development and modified for evaluating existing RLO’s, and pass this back to the ITs for final input before forwarding to Lynn.

RLO Repository: We would like a single repository, categorized by subject, where users can submit RLO’s, comments and ratings. Alan may be able to develop this before Fall. He will schedule to meet with Lynn, Donna, Nancy and whomever else who can provide insight about what this repository should be.

Captivate?: The ITs, collectively, do not recommend Captivate. Camtasia can do what Captivate does, and we already have multiple licenses for Camtasia, so instructors can request a copy and install it on their own computers. Camtasia is easier than Captivate, so we are able to support faculty as they use the tool themselves. If there’s budget for software for RLO development, more Camtasia licenses might be considered.

Conference/Workshops: Since ANGEL version 7.4 has the features desired by QEP, not upgrading  until 2009, would allow the ITs time to develop advanced Camtasia workshops and/or conference topics, like “Technology & Critical Thinking.”

Quality Enhancement Team Meeting

I met with Lynn Grinnell and Gail Lancaster this afternoon to cover a variety of topics including the budget and action plan. I proposed the concept of this Blog, specific to being the liason between the WITS Department and the Quality Enhancement Committee, which was well-received. There was discussion about the purchase of Web cameras and headsets for members of the QEC, and that some of the faculty champions will be contacting their campus Instructional Technologist for training. The program Captivate, which was demonstrated by Peter Shea at Friday’s Title III Developmental Conference, is being considered. Lynn is seeking a recommendation about whether licenses should be purchased by QEP for the campus Faculty Development Centers.

There was mention of the prospect of holding a one-day mini conference for critical thinking sometime this summer. If this comes to be, the Instructional Technologists could provide a session on “Technology and Critical Thinking” or some other related topic.

The selection of the ePortfolio is still being decided. Lynn is going to schedule teleconferences with vendors in order to come to a decision. ANGEL’s 7.4 version will contain the features needed by the QEP.

Follow-up for WITS: RLO’s and the RLO Checklist, Captivate?, and “Technology and Critical Thinking.”

notes-from-the-qep-team-meeting-3-17-08

Why this Blog?

To assist in keeping the WITS Department up-to-date with QEP happenings, I will post to this Blog periodically, particularly after meetings and other contact with members of the QEC.

- Janice L. Thiel