STUDENT AND FACULTY LEARNING LAB. Instructional Technology Enhancement Project

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1 STUDENT AND FACULTY LEARNING LAB Instructional Technology Enhancement Project

2 Project Description The College of Business proposes to develop a Learning Lab that will be accessible to both students and faculty and will contain the latest in instructional technology. The College of Business currently has a traditional computer lab available to students. While this space does provide students with access to critical applications and information, students tend to work independently and quietly there; the lab has the feeling of a library. The Learning Lab will provide an alternative setting that will encourage students to work together in an environment that will help them develop the skills necessary to thrive in a 21 st century business environment. This project would convert space that is currently underutilized into an area that fosters collaboration and active learning. The Learning Lab will also be a space in which faculty can experiment with and be trained on current instructional technology tools that either are already installed in their classrooms or could be purchased and installed upon request. The room would allow hands-on experimentation and one-on-one or small-group guidance in an unintimidating environment. The lab would have a warm, contemporary design with comfortable furniture that could easily be rearranged to accommodate groups of various sizes as needed. A bring-your-own-device (BYOD) model is envisioned, with the lab providing robust WiFi access, wireless printing, and numerous charging stations. A large interactive whiteboard would facilitate teaching and learning that s literally hands-on, and a high-definition digital camera with a backdrop, teleprompter, and good lighting would allow training on and recording to Tegrity and other applications. A computer located in the lab would handle video processing. A wall-mounted TV would remain tuned to a network broadcasting information about global financial markets for the benefit of faculty and students. Impact on Instruction Students Use of the Learning Lab would be initially be promoted among the graduate students enrolled in the College of Business, potentially impacting more than 500 students. As usage patterns are determined, access to the lab will be granted to more students if space permits. Undergraduate honors students and military veterans would come first, followed by other groups until the capacity of the space is met. Additionally, it is proposed that the lab be made available to graduate students in other areas of study ranging from engineering to art in order to provide a space where relationships can be forged that will further the university s goal of engendering an atmosphere of entrepreneurialism. This cross-discipline access will allow the benefits of the lab to be extended to hundreds of additional students.

3 For example, art students might meet with marketing students to discuss ways to sell their work, with samples of the work being displayed and notes being taken on the interactive whiteboard. The notes could then be saved and distributed electronically as needed. The College uses a case-based pedagogy that requires students to collaborate to solve real-world in a group setting. Proposed solutions to the cases are presented and defended by students. The Learning Lab will provide a setting were students can hone their case-presentation skills by practicing before an audience of peers and recording themselves using the Tegrity system. Recorded practice sessions could then be watched and critiqued, allowing students improve their technique. Increasingly, employers are requiring graduates and students of the College of Business to perform their initial job interviews online. This can be a daunting process for the inexperienced even for students who are generally comfortable with technology and online activities. The lab will provide an environment in which students can be mentored on and practice online interviews. These interviews will be recorded so that students and mentors can watch them and evaluate performance, identifying opportunities for improvement. Students may also opt to use the space to conduct real interviews from a comfortable, familiar environment. Additionally, the College intends to leverage the lab for use with its Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV). The EBV offers cutting edge, experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management to soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines disabled as a result of their service supporting post-9/11 operations. Faculty A variety of instructional technology tools are available for use in 21 st century classrooms. These tools can be overwhelming to faculty both in terms of the number of them available and the learning curve for each one. The end result too frequently is that faculty members don t fully leverage instructional technology to enhance their teaching. By providing the services of the Learning Lab to all faculty, every graduate and undergraduate student at the College of Business stands to benefit around 6,000 students in all. Even if only a fraction of faculty grows more comfortable with instructional technology as a result of using the lab and go on to integrate that technology into their lessons, a significant number of students would be impacted. Students are increasingly demanding online course and program offerings, and colleges and universities that wish to remain competitive must offer these. The College of Business recognizes this, and is currently in the process of ramping up its online options. A major tool in the delivery of online content is Tegrity, for which the College currently has licensing. While the benefits of offering more content to online students is self-evident, benefits have also been identified to offering it to traditional, on-campus students. For instance, one student mentioned that because she s an auditory learner, she was making recordings of herself reading notes she took in class and then playing back those recordings to process the information in a way that matched her learning style. This cumbersome process wouldn t have been necessary if her instructor s lectures had been recorded and put online.

4 Two major barriers to the faculty s use of Tegrity are a lack of training and a modest level of comfort with technology. Although training is available through the university, the time requirements to travel to and from it dissuade many faculty members from participating. Online training is an alternative, but this delivery method tends not to be effective with users who are still developing a level of comfort with instructional technology. The Learning Lab will overcome these challenges by allowing the College of Business to provide hands-on guidance provided at faculty members convenience. As a result of addressing these barriers, the number of faculty members providing rich online content will increase significantly, benefiting both traditional and online students. Project Plan Deadline Key Milestone Description 02/08/2013 Proposal submitted 04/19/2013 Funding made available 06/28/2013 Infrastructure work completed Space preparation including: Replacing lighting Installing electrical outlets Installing network outlets and WiFi access point 07/26/2013 Furniture installed 08/16/2013 Technology installation and testing Install, configure, and test: completed Computer Cameras/lighting/teleprompter Whiteboard Projector 08/16/2013 Project completed Lab is ready for use by students and faculty for the fall term, with all infrastructure work being finished and all technology installed and fully functional. Relationship to Other University Activities The proposed Learning Lab supports a variety of goals and initiatives espoused by the University. One of FSU s four Big Ideas is to encourage innovation, creativity, and discovery, and a pillar of this is being an entrepreneurial university. The Learning Lab would provide a comfortable space where College of Business students and faculty could meet with those from other disciplines to brainstorm business ideas, extending the benefits of the lab throughout the university. For example, someone from the College of Engineering with a product idea could collaborate with College of Business marketing experts in the lab and create a video to be used on Kickstarter.com in an effort to raise funding.

5 Another Big Idea is to power a great university to academic heights, and the University has identified investing in faculty as a means to that end. The proposed Learning Lab is a manifestation of that investment, demonstrating to faculty members that both the College and the University are committed to their ongoing development. By helping the faculty grow more comfortable with instructional technology, the use of the technology becomes less of a burden. This frees faculty to focus on what they do best: researching and teaching. FSU has also called for the establishment of programs providing student with technology-enabled experiences both inside and outside the classroom. The Learning Lab would facilitate this by increasing the use of instructional technology such as interactive whiteboards in the classroom as well as increasing the content made available online for access when class isn t in session. Lectures recorded with Tegrity will benefit online students, traditional students who miss class and need to catch up, and traditional students who simply want to watch the lecture again to help them better understand the lesson. Another of the University s Big Ideas is to inspire, engage, and transform students. One method of doing this highlighted by the university is having students tackle [p]rojects that focus on critical thinking skills and solving real-world problems. The case-based pedagogy practiced by the College of Business does precisely that, and the Learning Lab would allow students to develop world-class case study skills. FSU has also called for the establishment of programs providing student with technology-enabled experiences both inside and outside the classroom. The Learning Lab would enable students to familiarize themselves with technology they re likely to use as they enter the workforce so that when they leave FSU, they ll be prepared to lead rather than follow. The College of Business shares the University s commitment to providing veterans with the extra assistance they sometimes need to succeed in the job market after serving their country. The Learning Lab project supports the University s goals of reducing the dropout rates and increasing job placement for veterans by making the lab available to undergraduate veterans and the EBV program. Ongoing Support Ongoing support costs will be minimal, and will be absorbed by the College of Business. Potential future costs include: Replacement project lamps Approximately $200 every two years. Lifecycle replacement of the computer Approximately $1,500 every three years. Printer paper and toner Approximately $50 per month. Cable TV service Approximately $35 per month. The labor required to support the technology in the lab and train faculty on its use will be provided by existing College of Business IT staff.

6 Project Team Team Member Organization Background A/V Vendor TBD A vendor partner with proven expertise will be chosen at the appropriate time in the procurement process. Ray Falcon ITS Mr. Falcon has extensive experience working with instructional technology at the College of Business and throughout the University. Charles College of Dr. Hofacker is Chair of the College of Business IT Committee. Hofacker Business John Hornbuckle College of Business Mr. Hornbuckle is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with over a decade of experience with instructional technology. Justin Shafer ITS Mr. Shafer possesses a thorough knowledge of the network infrastructure at the College of Business. Ken Smith Facilities Mr. Smith will manage the construction aspects of the project. He has previously managed multiple projects for the College of Business. Joanna Southerland College of Business Ms. Southerland worked on the project team that developed systems to deliver course materials over the Internet and has continued to seek better ways of delivery since Please see the attached budget template. Budget Note that infrastructure upgrade costs are significant due to the age of the Rovetta Building. These costs represent a significant portion of the expenses for the project, but are necessary in order to create a space that will facilitate the technology. They include installing appropriate lighting and additional power and networking outlets, and are reflected in the Additional Project Costs line item of the proposal budget. These costs also include some furniture. The costs in the budget template are primarily estimates based on prior projects, and items are broadlyworded. This will allow maximum flexibility to procure the very latest equipment that best meets the needs of the project at the time of the fee award rather than committing to the equipment available at the time the proposals are due.

7 Student Technology Fee Budget Template for Project Funding Proposal Project Title: Organization or College: Student and Faculty Learning Lab College of Business Department or Unit: Project Period Start Date: 4/22/2013 End Date: 8/16/2013 I. Senior/Key Personnel List senior and / or key personnel whose compensation will be funded through project non-recurring funds Requested First Name Middle Name Last Name Project Role Salary Fringe Benefits Funds Requested A. B. C. D. Total Funds Requested for Senior/Key Personnel $ - II. Student & Other Personnel Graduate Students Undergraduate Students Other Personnel Total Funds Requested for Students & Other Personnel Requested Salary Fringe Benefits FTE Funds Requested $ - Total Salaries, Wages & Benefits $ -

8 Student Technology Fee Budget Template for Project Funding Proposal III. Equipment List items and dollar amounts for each item, including software, (or multiple items of the same type with a total cost of) over $2,000 - add lines as needed Item Description Funds Requested A. Interactive whiteboard and projector $ 5, B. High-definition digital camera $ 2, C. D. Total for items over $2,000 $ 7, Total for Additional items (less that $2,000 each) $ 7, Total Equipment Costs $ 14, IV. Other Costs Materials & Supplies Consultant Services Equipment or Facility Rental/Use Fees Additional Project Costs (describe in budget justification) Total for Others Costs Funds Requested $ 10, $ 10, Total Project Cost $ 25,400.00