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Dear All,
As part of our week on IT in teaching and learning 11-12 April, (see
'Shock of the Old' and 'Beyond Chalk and Talk'
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ltg/events/) we are running a special one-day
meeting on the 10th April. This is aimed at people who are involved in
trying to promote IT in teaching. Please note that spaces at this are very
limited and we can only take a couple of people from each institution. If
you are interested in sending representative(s) from your group to this
please contact Jenny Newman ***asap*** ([log in to unmask]).
Institutions already attending are:
Learning Technologies Group, University of Oxford
Learning and Teaching Technology Group, LSE
Learning and Teaching Support Centre, University of Exeter
Clinical & Biomedical Computing Unit, University of Cambridge
Stanford University
Information Technology and Communication, University of Virginia
Networking Services & Information Technologies, The University of
Chicago
Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute, University of
Glasgow
JISC (Learning and Teaching)
Yours,
Stuart Lee
Head of the LTG, Oxford
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Herding Tigers: Promoting and Developing IT in Higher
Education
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ltg/events/tigers.shtml
Organised by the Learning Technologies Group, University of Oxford
10th April 2002
Venue: Computing Laboratory, Wolfson Building, Parks Road, Oxford
This workshop, to be held at Oxford University, is designed for IT staff
charged with promoting, integrating, and developing the new technologies
for use in their institution. In a sense this workshop is unique as it is
aimed solely at the people charged with this seemingly impossible and
thankless task (hence the term "herding tigers"). The day is meant to be
informal based around a series of themed workshops. Participants are
invited to share their tips and solutions, but also to be honest about
ideas that have failed. Prior to the event delegates will be asked to
submit some details about their own institution.
Formal Aims: To bring together representatives from local centres
(national and international) involved in promoting and developing the use
of IT in teaching and learning in the Higher Education sector. To allow
these centres to share their experiences, exchanging good ideas, and
tackling mutual problems. The emphasis is on two particular areas:
* local centres, i.e. those based at a University or College who
endeavour to network with lecturers in their institution
* traditional teaching and research - facilitating teaching and
learning on campus (i.e. not distant learning); bridging the gap between
teaching and research.
Format: Prior to the meeting each 'centre' participating in the day will
be asked to submit:
- a brief synopsis of their centre and its activities;
- their main successes (and here we are looking for tips on how to
overcome some of the problems covered in the day, NOT a list of projects
they have been involved in) - examples would be required;
- their major failures or problems (any things they tried which did not
prove successful, and any problems they encounter time and time again) -
again examples would be required;
- comments related to the themes of the three sessions.
The day itself will be divided into three sessions (plus a general
discussion at the end) but we hope to give over as much time as possible
to discuss the issues that arise. Each session will be grouped around a
common scenario that learning technology centres tend to encounter and
will involve a short presentation, break-out discussions, and summaries.
The topics for each session will be:
1. Raising Awareness
* how do you establish a network of contacts within your institution that
reaches the teachers and practitioners?
* how can you avoid the trap of always preaching to the converted and
attracting new people to the discussion?
* what dissemination activities do you employ? Which ones work, which ones
do not?
* how do you attempt to persuade the sceptic about the possibilities and
benefits of using IT?
* how do you prevent all your time and resources being taken up by a few
individuals?
2. Working on IT projects in collaboration with academics
* how do you get academics to approach you with their ideas?
* how do you discourage unrealistic plans, and encourage achievable ones?
* how do you explain to relatively IT-illiterate people the possibilities
and problems of using IT?
* how do you insure active and continued participation in the project by
the academic partner?
* how do you evaluate the projects after they are completed?
* how do you make sure they are maintained and supported in the future?
* how do you insure sustainability of projects?
3. Training and Teaching
* what courses do you offer in applied computing (i.e. not just basic IT
skills training)?
* what topics in applied computing do you feel are important NOW, and
which ones are emerging as important?
* how do your courses differ when offered to students/undergraduates,
graduates, staff?
* how do you ascertain which courses are needed?
* bearing in mind the relatively low priority many academics place on IT
skills, how do you persuade them to come to the courses; or how do you
tailor the courses to match their needs/time constraints?
* how can one integrate IT courses into the University degree
curriculum (problems/solutions etc)?
General Discussion session
* what are the main problems you are facing at the moment (these can be
technological or infrastructural)?
* how do you tackle scalability and interoperability?
* what can you do to dissuade the proliferation of different software
packages across campus?
* what do you think are the main technologies which you will have to deal
with in the near future?
Cost
The idea is to make this a non-profit event, but to cover costs we would
ask a fee of #30.00 (sterling) from each participant. This will include
teas/coffees, lunch at Keble College, and all hand-outs. Due to the events
later on in the week we are forced to limit participation at the event to
*two members per group.*
Booking
If you wish to book a place (or places) for the day then please
contact [log in to unmask] directly.
Events on the 11th and 12th April
This workshop is the first in a series of events related to IT in
teaching. On the 11th April we will be holding a re-run of our Shock of
the Old conference (http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ltg/events/shock.shtml). On
the 12th April, in the Oxford Union, we will be holding our annual
colloquium in the Oxford Union Debating Chamber. This year the debates are
entitled 'Beyond Chalk and Talk: Challenges and Opportunities for Teaching
in the Digital Age' (see http://www.hcu.ox.ac.uk/beyond/chalk/). If you
are planning to attend these events please contact Jenny Newman again to
arrange a place to be reserved for you.
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Dr Stuart D Lee | Head of the Learning Technologies
Oxford University Computing | Group (http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ltg/)
Services | & the Centre for Humanities
13 Banbury Road | Computing (http://www.hcu.ox.ac.uk/chc/)
Oxford OX2 6NN
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E-mail: [log in to unmask]; Tel: +44 1865 283403; Fax: +44 1865
273275; URL: http://users.ox.ac.uk/~stuart/
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