Annual Report

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1 Annual Report Strategic Plan

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3 Table of Contents Annual Report Overview... 2 Student and Data Exchange Services... 3 Shared Services and Collaborative Programs... 4 Curriculum Development and Applied Research... 5 Strategic Plan We have a vision... 6 Précis... 6 Our Vision... 6 We operate in a dynamic context... 8 What does BCcampus do?... 9 We measure the pulse of our institutions We look further afield for strategy...11 We have a plan Student and Data Exchange Services Shared Services and Collaborative Programs Curriculum Services and Applied Research We are committed to engaging our stakeholders Our stakeholders We measure our progress BCcampus is a publicly funded organization that uses information technology to connect the expertise, programs, and resources of all B.C. post-secondary institutions under a collaborative service delivery framework. Illustrations by Giulia Forsythe and licensed under Creative Commons. Sept 2013

4 Annual Report BCcampus aims to bring together B.C. s post-secondary system and make higher education open and available to everyone, through the smart use of information technology services. The Challenge Throughout , the British Columbia higher education sector has been buffeted by challenges and opportunities. Economic belt-tightening compelling institutions and provincial agencies to consider alternative approaches to service development and delivery. As a system service agency, BCcampus has been at the forefront of these challenges and has demonstrated strategic technology responses to federated student services, shared and collaborative technology services, and teaching and professional resources for students and instructors. Positive Impact The BC Post-Secondary Administrative Service Delivery Transformation Report (Deloitte, 2012) further highlighted the potential for provincial service agencies like BCcampus to have significant positive impact in the structuring of shared services and collaborative programming for the benefit of post-secondary institutions and their students. It pointed out that BCcampus is well positioned to pioneer innovative practices that address the need for efficient, collaborative, system-wide services, and transformative technology-based innovations that respond to disruptive changes. A Future of Innovation Each of the BCcampus lines of business has contributed significant value and savings within a provincial higher education context in We have demonstrated innovative approaches to the needs of the province s postsecondary institutions in their mission to support students. We have built a federated data infrastructure, educational shared services and open resource models designed to streamline services, lower operational costs and promote collaborative program development opportunities among post-secondary institutions. The innovative service models BCcampus has offered in are described with high-level data in this annual report that services as a baseline for our evergreen strategic plan for that follows in this combined document. 2 Annual Report

5 Student and Data Exchange Services Student and data exchange services support British Columbians pursuit of lifelong learning by streamlining transitions to and between post-secondary institutions. In , BCcampus did not receive requested funding to continue wider implementation of the TranscriptsBC service. However, this project is congruent with the Post-Secondary Sector Administrative Service Delivery Transformation project of the provincial government and will continue to pursue resources to make province-wide electronic transcript exchange a reality. ApplyBC In October 2012, we launched a modernized ApplyBC service with Simon Fraser University, which has been very well received. To the SFU applicant, the process appears as a single unified process. The experience is smoother. And we re working to make it even more seamless. 5 % How do you use your mobile 0% 10% devices for learning?* 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Percentage of Students Building on success with SFU, work started in January 2013 to modernize the complete ApplyBC experience for other institutions. With the full-service modernization, applying to a university, college or institute through ApplyBC will no longer be a two-part form. Applying to higher education will be a cleaner, quicker, more streamlined process. CoursesBC We have created a mobile version of CoursesBC that will be put into production in late summer or fall of Recent student surveys have indicated students are using mobile devices more often to access academic services. CoursesBC lends itself well to this format due to its minimal data entry search function. MyCreditsBC MyCreditsBC allows students to easily retrieve their unofficial course record from the B.C. public postsecondary institutions they have attended. In , we developed a solution to verify user identities and implemented it at North Island College. This approach is being offered to other institutions that use the Colleague student information system. 5 % 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Percentage of Students TranscriptsBC There are several remaining B.C. institutions that use a U.S.-based service for transcripts, potentially compromising privacy for students: Langara College, University of British Columbia and University of the Fraser Valley. In we started implementing our own transcript exchange solution for those institutions that we expect to be completed summer We also continued discussions with Ministry of Education teams towards our goal of streamlining the transfer of high school transcripts to post-secondary institutions, reducing costs and workloads and duplicated effort by many staff involved. 54% of students agree that it is important to be able to access student services from their mobile device* * Results of 2013 BCcampus student services survey with 926 participants. 3

6 Shared Services and Collaborative Programs Shared Services By providing shared services and support to B.C. s postsecondary sector, we can do together what one institution may not be able to do, or find difficult to do alone. At BCcampus, shared services is a broad term that includes educational technology and application services, online collaborative programs, learning services, and facilitation of projects requiring a collaborative service structure. In , BCcampus implemented new business processes for shared services. Now, when a postsecondary institution signs onto a shared service like Moodle, we have a documented, step-by-step business model that includes a pilot, a project charter, and an implementation phase with an accompanying memorandum of understanding, letter of commitment and terms of service document. We are also setting up a governance council for participating institutions to contribute their ideas with a view to further improving our processes. Collaborative Services We have implemented new business processes for collaborative services. BCcampus acts as a catalyst, convener and capacity-builder (c3) for multi-stakeholder collaborations. Through cost sharing and coordination of existing resources, collaboration expands services far beyond what any individual institution could provide on its own. Shared Services available in (5 Services) Shared Services available in (8 Services) Number of Institutions Moodle D2L 4 Annual Report Online Collaborative Programs Online collaborative programs provide better access, flexibility and faster completion of programs for students and they increase collaboration between faculty and programs administrators. These programs demonstrate how students benefit from collaboration among institutions. The Applied Business Technology (ABT) program is a joint effort of 12 institutions. The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) program is a joint effort of three institutions. Health programs including Care Management, Health Care Assistant and Elder Abuse Reduction. Online Collaborative Learning Services Student services are not just for students on campus online services extend the reach of institutions to their off-campus students needs. For instance, AskAway, the online library reference service, is available to over 184,000 B.C. and Yukon post-secondary learners. As a centrally coordinated research help desk service, AskAway helps the system avoid approximately Shared $3 million Services in costs available they in would (5 Services) otherwise incur. In , online tutoring (etutoring) was launched as a new collaborative program, with writing support Shared (WriteAway) Services as available the first subject in area (5 Services) offered. Shared Services available in (8 Services) Kaltura Medical EMR etutoring Moodle D2L QuestionPoint Blackboard Collaborate Adobe Connect Adobe Connect AskAway etutoring* BB Collaborate Osler Systems (Medical EMR)* Kaltura* D2L Number of Institutions Moodle D2L Blackboard Collaborate Adobe Connect AskAway etutoring* Osler Systems (Medical EMR)* Kaltura* Shared Services available in (8 Services) Number of institutions using BCcampus shared services Number of Institutions Moodle 100% of institutions are using the AskAway shared service * Indicates new service in

7 Curriculum Services and Applied Research BCcampus supports instructors who want to use technology in their teaching practices. We hold professional learning events, host communities of practice, and provide space for the use of open educational resources. Online Program Development Fund (OPDF) In , the OPDF evaluation panel selected nine proposals for full or partial award. Of those nine proposals, all were partnerships between institutions, meaning 11 of B.C. s 25 public post-secondary institutions participated in the successful proposals. The OPDF was the tenth annual round of funding, bringing the cumulative total of OPDF funding to $10 million. During that time the main outcomes have included: 164 grants awarded, with 100% participation across the post-secondary system. 425 course components (learning objects, labs, textbooks, manuals, videos) developed across almost all academic fields of study. All resources are open and shared resources (BC Commons or Creative Commons licenses) Open Textbooks brought the The B.C. Open Textbook Project. The first government-funded project of its kind in Canada, it will result in significant savings to B.C. students. Forty openly-licensed textbooks in the most highly enrolled first and second year subject areas will be adopted, adapted or produced. They will be available to students for free in digital formats, and for a very low cost in printed formats. One of the first steps taken in this project was to establish a sub-committee made up of faculty and academic support staff such as librarians, bookstore managers, and instructional designers. The sub-committee is representative of the B.C. post secondary system and provides advice as the project progresses. Conferences In October 2012, BCcampus hosted the 9th annual Open Education Conference, held at UBC Robson Square and attended by delegates from around the world. BCcampus also provided substantial support and resources to MoodleMoot 2013 held in Vancouver in February Professional Learning Professional learning services provide a platform for dialogue and open sharing among B.C. s educational practitioners. BCcampus acts as a convener and supporter, ensuring professional learning spaces extend beyond individual institutions. BCcampus Communities of Practice SCoPE In the past year, 195 new members joined the SCoPE online community, bringing the total to 4,160 Canadian and international members. Our open discussions and resources attracted over 1 million page views in the past year to explore topics such as inquiry learning and digital badges. Other BCcampus Communities of Practice BCcampus hosts several communities of practice (COPs). These COPs are facilitated through partnerships with groups such as CPsquare and the B.C. Practical Nursing Educators. Each community relies heavily on volunteers and open sharing. ETUG (Educational Technology Users Group) In , ETUG, now 350 members strong, hosted two well-attended and thought-provoking workshops; a 2-day event at Vancouver Community College (140 attendees) and a 1-day event at BCIT (80 attendees). ETUG also began to host monthly lunchtime workshops in which members connect synchronously online for presentations and learning opportunities. The B.C. Open Textbook Project $ 200,000 in savings to students per year 60 Faculty reviewers of existing open texts 20 Institutions represented in these reviews 15 Open texts already available 5 Open Textbook adoption workshops 5

8 Strategic Plan We have a vision. The post-secondary sector is a dynamic environment in which to work, especially in a time of rapid change and increasing fiscal pressures. Précis- Since 2010, British Columbia has been among the mostconnected jurisdictions in the world, with Internet access in over 84% of all homes. Wireless technologies are ubiquitous in urban environments and on every campus. The growth and use of mobile and tablet-based technologies continues at high pace. Informal learning is a reality in all walks of life where access to the Internet, online media, and social networks provide ready access to knowledge and information. Our Vision- BCcampus, together with the post-secondary system in B.C., has an unprecedented opportunity to engage and inform students, while at the same time provide them with flexible program delivery options. We have the ability to: Help students, via an integrated point of service, make informed decisions about programs and courses through a federated information system that draws upon program, course and transferability information from all system partners. Provide institutions with real-time applicant data that will allow them to plan educational programs that meet the needs of all learners. By linking realtime data from online sources with historical data from an open data warehouse, institutions could respond more quickly to projected digital shifts. Make better use of technology for instruction, providing flexibility and options for students to match their individual needs. Expand participation in current educational shared services and introduce new services and collaborative programs utilizing a business model approach in response to institutional needs. Provide training, professional development and networked communities of practice to instructors that will help them use educational technology to improve their teaching. 6 Strategic Plan

9 Support the development of open education resources (OER) that take teaching and learning beyond the walls of the institutions. We need to promote the use of open resources that can be freely distributed, re-engineered and localized to meet emerging needs. These open resources include open textbooks that can lower costs of print and online resources for students and institutions. Provide summary reports on system-level trends using open data resources. This can assist government in system-wide policy planning. Use a challenge-driven approach to innovation (CDI) based on consultation with our system partners. A CDI approach requires us to be transparent, making our development documents accessible on the open Internet, tagging our work with a open licenses, providing our source code and schemas for download where appropriate, and using crowdsourcing techniques to openly solicit input from stakeholders and partners (sometimes in the form of challenges to be solved). 7

10 We operate in a dynamic context Message from the Executive Director Leading a system-level response to educational technology challenges and opportunities in the B.C. higher education sector is the key strategy for BCcampus. During 2012 and early 2013 the educational press was full of stories about the disruptive forces confronting higher education. Headlines from Academica.ca, the Chronicle of Higher Education, and the popular press talked about a tsunami of change approaching: flipped classrooms, MOOCs, open textbooks, personalization, and mobile devices. These headlines compel us to pay attention to trends that may influence teaching and learning relationships in higher education. The use of consumer-grade technologies in classrooms and the availability of mobile and tablet devices allow ubiquitous interaction with learning materials, peers, colleagues and mentors. Significant learning activity happens outside of classrooms, and, increasingly is targeted directly at students. Students have little appetite for inconvenience or poorly organized information or services directed at them. At BCcampus we believe students will benefit from online services offered throughout the system (not just through one institution), optimized and personalized for their use. Learners and citizens want to be assured that the information and services they receive about B.C. educational opportunities is consistent, up-to-date, high quality and authentic. The best way to provide these assurances to B.C. citizens is to demonstrate a federated, cross-sector educational service model that draws upon trusted services and provides them through software tools that can be personalized to learner needs and styles in whichever way they prefer, wherever they live, and at any time in their learning lifecycle. The rise of open textbooks is a new dynamic with the potential to reduce costs for students as well as create communities of knowledge practitioners who work collaboratively to develop, maintain and sustain open resources (OER). The exploration of massive open online courses (MOOCs) with automated grading systems begins to push the boundaries of access, cost and flexibility for learners. How long will it be before degree-granting bodies using sophisticated learning assessment mechanisms begin to credential learning undertaken outside campus boundaries? All of these dynamics are in motion around us in British Columbia, some within our own educational institutions and in others beyond our borders. David Porter, Executive Director, BCcampus 8 Strategic Plan

11 What does BCcampus do? BCcampus is grouped into three areas directly related to institution needs: 1. Student and Data Exchange Services 2. Shared Services and Collaborative Programs 3. Curriculum Services and Applied Research Each public post-secondary institution has some connection to at least one BCcampus service. The following chart is a simplified overview of how each institution interacts with BCcampus service areas. Institutions Services BCIT Camosun Capilano CNC CoTR Douglas ECUAD JIBC Kwantlen Langara NIC NLC NVIT NWCC Okanagan RRU Selkirk SFU TRU/OL UBC UFV UNBC UVic VCC VIU Yukon Shared Services: Adobe Connect Blackboard Collaborate Moodle Desire to Learn AskAway etutoring Kaltura Osler Systems (Medical EMR) Collaborative Programs: ABT ICT Student and Data Exchange Services: ApplyBC MyCreditsBC CoursesBC TranscriptsBC Curriculum Services and Applied Research: Open Textbooks OPDF

12 We measure the pulse of our institutions The management of technology-enabled learning practices, often called online learning, is becoming a blur on many campuses where courses in nearly every program have an online component. In fact, online learning has such a presence in our institutions that it is becoming harder to assess the scale of technology-enabled learning on our campuses. We are told that it is more difficult to differentiate what is purely face-to-face instruction, online, hybrid, or blended, except in instances where a program is developed specifically for a target audience for whom a fully or primarily online program is the design. In 2012, BCcampus partnered with our peer organization ecampusalberta to survey post-secondary institutions about the management of online learning on their campuses. Between Alberta and B.C. we managed a 50 per cent response rate. In B.C., all sectors including research universities, teaching universities, institutes and colleges were represented in the responses. An executive summary of the 2012 Alberta-British Columbia Managing Online Learning Survey can be found on the BCcampus website. Some key findings from the 2012 survey: Responsibility for online learning has grown in stature with vice-presidents academic or education as the primary authority on campus. As one vice-president stated, responsibility for online learning has fallen upwards. Instructors continue to play a critical role in the growth of online education, both as part of institutional strategy and as innovators working independently. Most institutions see students who have chosen to take a minority of courses online as part of the face-to-face population. Institutions plan and provide services accordingly. Quality assurance issues are foremost in the minds of post-secondary administrators, and faculty development is a premier piece of the innovation cycle. Larger institutions struggle to identify which instructors are teaching online and their needs for training and support. Striking a balance between centralized control of courses and delivery quality, on the one hand, and innovation on the part of the knowledge provider (i.e. faculty member) on the other, is difficult and represents a significant challenge to quality assurance on many campuses. Teaching and learning centres play an increasingly important role in the administration and guidance of online learning. Structural constraints that vex some institutions include the juxtaposition of institutional autonomy with a lack of sector-wide consensus and/or coordination. Across the B.C. post-secondary system there is keen interest in technology-enabled learning, but questions remain about how online education best fits within current conceptions of higher education or whether it will lead to a renaissance in higher education structures and practices. B.C. remains a leader in online learning. At BCcampus, we strive to bring a system-level shape to innovations and practices that keep us at the forefront of higher education teaching and learning in Canada, and on the world stage. 10 Strategic Plan

13 We look further afield for strategy To better understand what B.C. institutions are experiencing and what peer organizations face, we undertake a yearly environmental scan to identify key trends and issues. We review what peer organizations in Canada, the United States, and Europe have been doing, and how they see the future. Notable areas of current focus for our peer organizations include: Helping institutions improve the efficiency of online business systems that support student access, flexibility and mobility. Demonstrating collaborative and sustainable shared-service models for instructional technologies and student services. Enabling collaboration among institutions to provide system-wide approaches to program development and delivery services. Improving quality across course offerings and learner support services for online learning. Building capacity through professional learning programs and services for new approaches to online programs and services. Demonstrating value for money as a system service agency. Our strategic plan is an evergreen document that is reviewed annually, with updates as appropriate. This public document, posted on the BCcampus website, charts the strategic directions, goals and tactics for BCcampus for years 2013 through Some examples of organizations we review: Country Peer Organization Publication Canada ecampusalberta Strategic plan Canada Contact North (Ontario) Strategic planning template for Ontario Colleges and Universities Netherlands SURFNet SURFNet strategic plan United Kingdom Joint Information Services Council (JISC) JISC strategic plan U.S.A. Connecticut Distance Learning Network Strategic plan U.S.A. Washington State Board of Technical Colleges Strategic plan U.S.A. WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET) Advance: Good practices and sound policies 11

14 We have a plan We strive to bring a system-level approach to innovations and practices that keep us at the forefront of higher education teaching and learning. Student and Data Exchange Services Goals During , BCcampus will enhance and expand a secure and trusted data network between B.C. s post-secondary institutions for real-time student information transfer. We will enable mobile access to key system services such as ApplyBC, CoursesBC and TranscriptsBC. We will also support the automation of collaborative program infrastructure as well as emergent needs within the post-secondary system. We also propose to use open data, both historical and real-time, in new ways to benefit citizens and to help institutions forecast and enable responses to educational needs. Tactics 1. Modernize the ApplyBC Full Service for all participating institutions. 2. Provide a self-service transcript exchange that works similarly for all institutions. 3. Explore and define a single federated identity for all students in the British Columbia education system. 4. Create a single search capability for all available transferable courses from all institutions, public or private (in any delivery format: fact-to-face, online, blended, lab, etc.). 5. Develop, communicate and market enhancements such as CoursesBC for online courses and sections. 6. Expand ApplyBC services and real-time analytical applicant data reporting on a system-wide basis. 7. Determine and measure key web metrics that support service standards for all online services. 8. Implement a continuous improvement cycle for online services through surveys, feedback and testing. 12 Strategic Plan

15 Shared Services and Collaborative Programs Goals During we will support collaborations between institutions, leverage knowledge and resources, and generate benefits for students. We will: 8. Where possible, focus on open source applications that support shared and collaborative service needs or other open educational resource projects (e.g., open textbooks). 9. Where possible, transition vendor or proprietary licensing, hosting or other shared and collaborative service aspects to other appropriate government agencies. 10. Facilitate collaborative projects by acting as a catalyst, convener and capacity-builder for multi-stakeholder collaborations. Maximize institutional access to educational technologies, programs and services while minimizing redundancy, thus reducing costs. Optimize the benefits of educational technology applications, with a focus on open source software solutions. Research and pilot new and innovative educational technologies, with a focus on open source software solutions. Facilitate the collaboration process on behalf of stakeholder groups. Tactics 1. Respond to requests for shared and collaborative services using a challenge-driven innovation approach. 2. Use design-based research methodology to expand shared services. 3. Research innovative online educational technology resources. If warranted, test and evaluate them using pilot projects. 4. Enhance current shared services such as learning management systems, web conferencing, online library reference, online tutoring, video hosting and electronic medical records. 5. Develop new shared services such as curriculum management systems. 6. Enhance current online collaborative programs and services with approved models that achieve studentcentric and service-centric efficiencies. 7. Implement new online collaborative programs and learning services for career, technical, trades and academic areas. 13

16 Curriculum Services and Applied Research Goals: During , we will re-focus curriculum development efforts from the Online Program Development Fund (OPDF) to The B.C. Open Textbook Project, and renew our professional learning efforts. Re-use: we will re-use open educational resources (OER), including open textbooks. Create: we will support the creation of new resources, or adapt existing ones for made-in-b.c. textbooks. Professional learning: we will complete an enhanced framework for BCcampus professional learning offerings. Tactics 1. Find all the usable OPDF and other resources in Shareable Online Learning Repository (SOL*R) and ensure they are in formats that can easily be re-used. 2. Create collections of resources in SOL*R and elsewhere, based on subject areas, by working with librarians. 3. Advocate for adoption of Open Educational Resources (OER) workshops (at least one online), and other opportunities, including at least one workshop for librarians. 4. Track the adoption and adaptation of our openly licensed resources. 5. Contribute to the knowledge base of the OER community with respect to adoption strategies. 6. Create new resources from scratch (or adapt existing ones to make new, made-for-b.c. texts) in the top 40 subject areas. 7. Create new resources from scratch (or adapt existing ones to make new, made-for-b.c. texts) in high impact subject areas, such as health, tourism, and trades programs. 8. Host at least one textbook sprint: a group of faculty brought together over a period of several days to collaborate on writing a text. 9. Target least one program of study to turn into a textbook zero program: where all texts required for completion of the credential are open textbooks. 10. Adapt our existing materials and create new ones to produce a suite of professional learning opportunities for B.C. faculty who teach online or in blended contexts. 11. Collaborate with the University-Institute-College Professional Developers (UICPD) and institutional educational developers to create community around online and blended teaching. 12. Host a strategy session with the ETUG Steering Committee (SCETUG), ETUG institutional representatives, and longtime members to rethink the BCcampus relationship: what does BCcampus support of ETUG look like with a view to a more communitydriven and community-supported approach? 14 Strategic Plan

17 We are committed to engaging our stakeholders- During and beyond, BCcampus will work to complete implementation of these plans including further stakeholder consultations in Spring Our Strategic Council, comprised of representatives from B.C. s post-secondary system and government, provides oversight and system-level advice. In order to successfully apply our strategy, we must work closely with stakeholders and institutional partners. Our stakeholders are interested in regular communication from BCcampus and direct connection with our service staff. We enable open communication with BCcampus through the following actions: Regular online newsletters to ensure that stakeholders are informed of new projects and service updates. Structured maintenance schedules for technical systems updates. Reports and system data that demonstrate the nature and extent of services institutions receive from BCcampus. Refresh the BCcampus website based on user testing and analysis. Distribute our strategic plan to all post-secondary institutions. Offer streaming video for specific activities to inform partners about BCcampus projects. Feedback will continue to inform and guide the BCcampus organization in the years ahead. Regular review and yearly updates of our stakeholderrelations strategy. 15

18 Our stakeholders Student services and data exchange: ApplyBC steering committee BC Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) BC Registrars Association (BCRA) Higher Education Information Technology BC (HEITBC) Online Service Reference Group Shared Services and Collaborative Programs: Academic and student services BCNet, HEITBC Chief information officers Deans and directors, and faculty of academic units Educational Technology Users Group (ETUG) Vice-presidents academic, administration and student services Ministries in charge of health professions and advanced education Curriculum services and applied research: Communities of practice supported by BCcampus, including: ETUG University-Institute-College Professional Developers (UICPD) network Peer reviewers from all post-secondary institutions (Open Textbook project) We measure our progress We use two mechanisms to measure our progress. The first is a set of indicators that describe progress against the BCcampus multi-year goals. These measures provide qualitative data that indicate the trend in meeting stated goals. These measures can be graphically described as positive or negative trends. Trend data on progress against the general goals of the multi-year strategic plan are communicated in the BCcampus annual report. A second set of measurements is used by BCcampus to report quantitative and qualitative outcomes that are linked to the specific tactics described in the BCcampus annual service plan. These outcome measures are reported in the annual fiscal year summary and report of BCcampus activities. Our commitment is to our stakeholders and partners. In continually working to serve them better, we will focus on collaboration and communication, careful planning and consultation as we chart the road ahead. 16 Strategic Plan

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