Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship in a Digital World

For many years, IT organizations were often in two separate camps; one camp focused on administrative computing, bringing efficiencies to the operational needs of the campus, while the other focused on academic needs. The early academic needs were often more computationally intensive than those on the administrative side, usually focusing on running large numerical analysis and statistical programs. The early Usenet and Bitnet networks emerged from the research and academic needs of faculty and graduate students. The adoption of microcomputers began a slow but steady expansion in faculty and IT professionals interested in exploring the role of technology in teaching and learning. And in a manner similar to connecting the right and left hemispheres of the brain, the two computing camps began merging in the eighties. However, despite a growing ubiquity of microcomputers and the emergence of the web, the rise of massive ERP systems and the threat of a Y2K tsunami kept the most visible focus on academic computing firmly in the background. When asked to speak about academic technology, three words sufficed-learning management systems (the ERP for academics).
Fast-forward a decade and the situation is changing dramatically. Technology as part of teaching and learning is either the latest fad or the potential savior of higher education. In a hyperbolic frenzy, colleges and universities are careening through a world of MOOCs, digital humanities, hybrid learning platforms, open educational resources, learning analytics, badges, participatory pedagogy, and maker spaces. What does this mean for the CIO? How should IT leaders help institutions make choices in this environment? Should scarce IT resources move from the left-brain logical efficiencies to a right-brain emphasis on innovation? Do staff have the right skill sets to add value as faculty and students move in new directions?

Objectives:

• Define the critical learning and scholarship issues relevant to ones' campus.
• Create partnerships with campus leaders to demonstrate IT's value to enabling new models of learning and scholarship.