ACDLIT Committee

Academic Computing, Distance Learning, and Instructional Technology

Year End Report

Academic Year 2008-2009 Committee

Gail Johnston, Chair / Sam Thiru / Angela Dirks
Ed McLain / David Fitzgerald / Bruno Kappes
Pamela Kelley / Carrie King / Nalinaksha Bhattacharyya
Jeff Miller

The Academic Computing, Distance Learning, and Instructional Technology Committee (ACDLIT) of the Faculty Senate began the year byfocusing on the request made by the constitution and bylaws committee to update ACDLIT’s charge. We reviewed several policy documents and tried to reconcile existing policies with reality; the result was a new mission statement for ADCLIT. In October we discussed the need for anti-plagiarism software and a basic computer literacy placement test. By November the weight of the University of Alaska Anchorage’s upcoming national accreditation motivated the committee to prepare a Distance Education Faculty Handbook. The committee devoted the rest of the academic year to the construction of the Distance Education Faculty Handbook even though many other worthy issues presented themselves.

Accomplishments:

  1. Created and adopted a mission statement for ACDLIT.
  2. Supported the Technology Fellows by hosting the monthly Coffee Klatch meetings. These meetings were designed to provide opportunities for faculty to share their instructional technology based projects and receive feedback from their peers.
  3. Proposed a new definition for Distance Education which was adopted by faculty senate.
  4. Created a Distance Education Faculty Handbook which was approved and adopted by faculty senate.

Continuing projects for 2009-2010:

  1. Update functions and responsibilities of ACDLIT in the constitution and bylaws to correspond with ACDLIT’s mission statement.
  2. Investigate My-IT Lab basic computer literacy placement test by Princeton Hall.
  3. Revisit the anti-plagiarism issue and the associated software.

Documents Reviewed:

  1. Bylaws091808 – Bylaws of the constitution of the Faculty Senate University of Alaska Anchorage
  2. DES Faculty Packet (Summer Final 1) – the handbook that was removed from circulation in 2003
  3. Distance Education Plan 4.5c 4-17-07 – the document contains the Instructional Technology Plan with Organization and Priorities, Institutional Priorities, Administrative Principles, proposed Organizational Chart for Technology-Aided Instruction, Distance Education Table of Responsibilities, NWCCU Distance Education Policy – Accreditation Requirements, UA Distance Education Steering Board Minimum List of Student Services, Guidelines for UAA Distance Education Courses, Guidelines for the Submission of Academic Proposals requiring Technology Assistance
  4. Matrix DE Responsibilities Sept 7 Draft– Matrix of responsibilities for Distance Education Standards based on standards extracted from NWCCU accreditation handbook
  5. Report to Provost UAB GAB Sept 7, 2007 Final – Report from the Summer Working Group on Distance Education contains a list of recommendations to the Provost, a list of recommendations to UAA Faculty Governance
  6. Memo Survey of College Practices in ED 1-19-08 – Memo from Tom Miller to the Academic Deans and Community Campus Directors regarding the Summer Working Group on Distance Education
  7. Response to DE Rcom by College Summary May 2008 – Matrix of Recommendations for Technology Aided Instruction and Distance Education correlated with responses from the Deans and Directors. This is followed by a list of concerns.
  8. SAC RAC 10-15-08 –Statewide Academic Council (SAC) met with the Research Advisory Council (RAC) to discuss an Academic Master Plan (AMP). The plan is to promote academic institutional collaboration, entrepreneurship, creativity, and alignment among faculty and MAU’s. The AMP will discuss duplication of programs with Distance Education named specifically.
  9. 2008.10.16 Core Committee - Letter from Distance Education Core Committee to Dr. Dan Julius VP of Academic Affairs and SAC Members. The letter contains a matrix with Administrative Structure and Management, Revenue Sharing, and Leadership Plan as column headings.
  10. Distance Education Student Guide2 – This handbook is posted on UAA’s distance education website.
  11. Blackboard Use Policy – the user’s guide posted on the UAA’s distance education website
  12. Eluminate Live Policy – we received a draft of the policy from the eLearning working group but it has never been approved by faculty senate
  13. UTC Themes, Goals, and Stakeholders Analysis – the University Technology Council (UTC) matrix of goals and who it benefits
  14. Inter-campus Connectivity – UTC’s resolution concerning slow connectivity speeds experienced by outlying campuses
  15. Coffee Klatch – ACDLIT invitation to the Tech Fellows for monthly gathering to share ideas and present current projects
  16. Newsflash for FS finalr2 –Consortium Library flyer regarding academic integrity and honesty
  17. PDS discussion spring07(1) – this is a matrix of faculty responses regarding anti-plagiarism software

Thanks to all committee members who worked hard to put together the Distance Education Faculty Handbook. A special thanks, is given to Angela Dirks for developing ACDLIT’s mission statement, preparing the meeting minutes, and for regularly reminding us of our deadline.

Report prepared by Gail Johnston, ChairPage 1