Ed Tech: Technology Trends, New Directions

1. Ed Tech: Technology Trends, New Directions UMass Boston Educational Technology Conference May 17, 2007 David J. Gray Vice President for IT & CIO; CEO, UMassOnline

2. Discussion Topics 1. Broad Context 2. Trends: The University and Beyond 3. University Response

3. Broad Context • Advent of computers: regarded as a more efficient way to do massive tasks • Now, IT is inextricably infused in our lives in ways that transcend concerns about efficiency -- in fact, that sometimes make us less efficient. • IT increasingly makes vehicles, electrical systems, et al., run • IT provides entertainment • IT enables us to explore, find, learn • IT has dramatically changed the way we communicate • And now, with increasingly sophisticated "Web 2" tools, IT, properly envisioned and deployed, can transform how universities conduct teaching, research, and business in general.

4. Broad Context • Universities that achieve distinction will be universities that. . . • Regard effective deployment/use of IT as a strategic imperative • Includes the need to regard IT expenditures not simply as line items but as, together, enhancing the enterprise's value (e.g., Mott & Granata, Educause Quarterly 2006: "The value of teaching and learning technology: beyond ROI") • Incorporate IT concerns in all aspects of planning • Recognize the IT needs of their students by. . . • Providing effective support • Incorporating approaches in teaching and research that meet the students where they are • Recognize the IT needs and abilities of faculty, to promote their research and effective teaching

5. Technology Trends Driving the University of Massachusetts The 90s: Pioneer Days 2000-05: Mainstreaming 2006-10: Web 2.0 • Early days of the commercial Internet • UMass launches MITI network • Interactive video • Rise of the Web • First “e-learning” courses • Internet2 backbone operational (1999) • UMassOnline launched (2000-01) • UMass connects to Internet2 (2003) • Rise of wireless networks • Academic Technology Vision & Plan • UMassOnline goes “20/20” (2006) • Rise of social networks (e.g., Facebook) • High performance computing • Ubiquity, identity, security, sustainability

6. Trends: E-Learning Subtitle: A Picture Is Worth Many Words E-Learning: A Huge Driver • Steady, massive growth in e-learning courses, content, students • Rise of blended learning • Online enrollments up 51% in last two years • Projected to grow by same amount over next two years • Increasingly, online courses are multimedia-rich environments • Translates to continuously growing needs for: • Faculty professional development • Storage • Streaming media and content servers • Bandwidth

7. Trends: Social Networking • MySpace member base: 100 million • Facebook member base: 19 million • Blog sites: 71 million (120K/day) “On these sites, the playing field among students, academics, and administrators is leveled.” -University Business, April 2007 Institution-Driven Services User-Driven Services “The University of Florida also started to use Facebook groups last year to promote three graduate programs to undergrads.” -University Business, April 2007 Sources: “Facebook, MySpace, and Co.” University Business, April 2007; David Sifry, “State of the Live Web, April 2007,” http://technorati.com/weblog/2007/04/328.html

8. Trends: High Performance Computing • Trustee Priority #2: Strengthen the University’s research and development enterprise • NSF Goal: Creating a petascale computing environment for science and engineering • Need for the University to create a shared approach to “cyberinfrastructure” for research • Pilot project has been proposed to President Wilson • Goal: create a University high performance computing core • Develop IT systems architecture and infrastructure design • Coordinate campus research grant submission process

9. Other Key Trends: The “Ity’s” Sustain- ability Security Identity Ubiquity • Technology everywhere (cell phones, laptops, converged devices) “m-learning”? • Always “on” • Wireless, cell coverage • Key questions: when to use, how to leverage • Protect identity • Share key data with trusted partners • Single sign-on to applications (both campus and enterprise) • Virtual directory services • Secure University’s IT infrastructure and data assets • Establish delicate balance between security and open access • Promote life-cycle view of technology investments • Promote standards-based investments • Need to improve training and support

10. Moving Forward from Here • Subcommittee on Academic Technology (SAT) • Will be leading the way on visioning how the University asserts leadership in its use of IT to enhance teaching, learning, and scholarship • Formation of special interest groups (SIGs): ePortfolios; future groups on capture/broadcast and on health/medical teaching and learning • More educational technology symposia and conferences • More sharing of human and material resources; facilitating collaboration • Reengineering of SharePoint environment • UMassOnline • Encouragement of experimentation and scholarship • AT Grants • UMassOnline program development support • Support of “One University” strategy • Unified University admissions process • UMassOnline as a platform for inter-campus course exchange

11. Questions? Comments?