s.porto presentation at annual eden conference in lisbon 2008

Stella C. PortoUniversity of Maryland University College

Focus

Faculty grassroots web 2.0 activity…

How should institutions react in terms of support and ownership issues?

Overview

Context: UMUC Web 2.0 uses Tradeoffs and challenges:

institutional vs. faculty perspective

Context and landscapeU of MarylandMaryland U College

Context and landscapeU of MarylandMaryland U College = UMUC

Context and landscapeUMUC

State institution

Only 7% of support from the state

Tuition driven >> distinct culture

Context and landscapesome quantitative data

Head count > 86,000

Enrollment > 272,000 Online enrollment > 177,000

Context and landscapeUMUC quick facts

2nd largest state institution in the US

Growth stateside of 74% over last 10 years

Expect growth of 51% over the next 10 years

> 100 degree programs fully online

Context and landscapefaculty support

> 2,500 faculty:

•Initial training for online learning

•Continuous support

Context and landscapestudent/faculty/staff globalglobal support interface

Context and landscape:proprietary platform - WebTycho

Personal context within this landscape:

Master of Distance Education Administrator Faculty Student

Meanwhile… Web 2.0term coined by Tim O’Reilly as an evolution of the web (coined then 1.0)

Web 2.0explosion of apps and services: social/sharing & media rich

Web 2.0 current tools changed (ex: 2.0 friendly browser)

Web 2.0 use in online learningclass blog - Foundations of IT

Web 2.0 use in online learningclass blog - doctoral dissertation cohort

Web 2.0 use in online learningclass blog - capstone MDE class

Web 2.0 use in online learninge-portfolio (blog)

Web 2.0 use in online learninge-portfolio app

Web 2.0 use in online learningcommunity building - blog

Web 2.0 use in online learningcommunity building/resources - wiki

Web 2.0 use in online learningcommunity building - groups - faculty

Web 2.0 use in online learningcommunity building - groups - students

Tradeoffs and challengesscalability

How do we provide training and support to faculty and students in the use of such tools?

And there is the learning curve, technophobia, etc…

Tradeoffs and challengescost efficiency

What tools should the institution support? How extensively?

Tradeoffs and challengesownership

How much ownership is at risk under the institutional umbrella?

How do we differentiate support from ownership?

Tradeoffs and challengesinnovation

Web 2.0 tools are all about beta versions…

How can institutions keep up, should they keep up?

If you build it will they come?

Tradeoffs and challengessupport

We want institutions to support…

How much, how far?

Awareness of limitations of the underlying business models

Tradeoffs and challengesinteroperability/compatibility

How should these tools connect with existing platforms?

Enclosure?

Decentralized tools?

Tradeoffs and challengessustainability and robustness

Should institutions offer such tools to whom, for how long?

Who is accountable?

Tradeoffs and challengesquality control

How do institutions guarantee quality?

How much control should they have?

What kind of policies and guidelines should be put in place?

Final remarks

Complex process of decision-making Grass roots movement that cannot be

contained Need for a vision and greater flexibility What is in fact the future of LMS’s?

More and more encapsulated functions? Customized configuration of personal

tools? Strategic plan and balance

Thank you…

Contact: sporto@umuc.edu

US-China Forum in Distance Education

June 29 - July 2nd

http://www.umuc.edu/uschina/