academic efficiency through online communities

Academic EfficiencyAcademic EfficiencyThrough Through

Online CommunitiesOnline Communities

Phil MossPhil MossOklahoma State Oklahoma State

Regents for Regents for Higher EducationHigher Education

Needed for Needed for Collaboration:Collaboration:

• Technical InfrastructureTechnical Infrastructure

• Administrative InfrastructureAdministrative Infrastructure

• Faculty DevelopmentFaculty Development

• Learning ResourcesLearning Resources

Technology 2000Technology 2000

• Recommendation Recommendation 1010: :

The State Regents The State Regents should use its should use its Quality Incentive Quality Incentive Grant Program for Grant Program for collaborative collaborative initiatives aimed at initiatives aimed at content content development.development.

MERLOT is OKMERLOT is OK

OK is MERLOT OK is MERLOT

OK is (in) MERLOTOK is (in) MERLOT

Chancellor Hans BrischChancellor Hans Brisch– President of SHEEO, 1999-President of SHEEO, 1999-

20002000– APQC Benchmarking StudyAPQC Benchmarking Study– Member of MERLOT’s 1Member of MERLOT’s 1stst

Advisory BoardAdvisory Board

Fast Forward to Fast Forward to 20032003

Chancellor Paul G. Chancellor Paul G. RisserRisser

• Native OklahomanNative Oklahoman• Strong faculty Strong faculty

backgroundbackground• Former university Former university

president, researcher, president, researcher, provost provost

Oklahoma State Regents Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Educationfor Higher Education

Email from the New Email from the New Chancellor Chancellor ““The premise is that by working together, The premise is that by working together,

faculty from our institutions in specific faculty from our institutions in specific topical areas can provide higher-quality topical areas can provide higher-quality learning experiences in more cost-learning experiences in more cost-effective ways. Moreover, this academic effective ways. Moreover, this academic collaboration can be accomplished collaboration can be accomplished without diminishing academic freedom or without diminishing academic freedom or losing the individualistic creative losing the individualistic creative ingenuity that is the hallmark of ingenuity that is the hallmark of outstanding colleges and universities.”outstanding colleges and universities.”

““The product of this work would be a The product of this work would be a toolkit of teaching processes/materials toolkit of teaching processes/materials for voluntary use in specific topical areas for voluntary use in specific topical areas that can be used by faculty across that can be used by faculty across Oklahoma colleges and universities.” Oklahoma colleges and universities.”

Concluding ObservationConcluding Observation“The intention of the project to “The intention of the project to achieve uniformly high-quality achieve uniformly high-quality ecology teaching at all of our ecology teaching at all of our

universities—not to teach to the universities—not to teach to the lowest common denominator. With lowest common denominator. With time and resources saved by pooling time and resources saved by pooling ideas and approaches, faculty would ideas and approaches, faculty would free up time for other uses, such as free up time for other uses, such as spending more time with students, spending more time with students, developing new teaching material, developing new teaching material, conducting research or providing conducting research or providing

public service.”public service.”

Some Initial Advisory Some Initial Advisory Council ReactionsCouncil Reactions

• Council on InstructionCouncil on Instruction– Do we have to?Do we have to?– Not if it takes $ away from usNot if it takes $ away from us

• Faculty Advisory CommitteeFaculty Advisory Committee– Don’t call it efficiencyDon’t call it efficiency

• Council of PresidentsCouncil of Presidents– Don’t call it efficiencyDon’t call it efficiency– Go beyond course materials to Go beyond course materials to

courses/programscourses/programs

The 2-Pronged PlanThe 2-Pronged Plan

• A specialized, low-enrollment A specialized, low-enrollment discipline not currently identified discipline not currently identified as a MERLOT communityas a MERLOT community– EcologyEcology

• A general, high-enrollment A general, high-enrollment discipline established as a discipline established as a MERLOT communityMERLOT community– MathematicsMathematics

• Convene an assembly with campus Convene an assembly with campus representativesrepresentatives

MERLOT ServicesMERLOT Services

• Faculty developmentFaculty development• FacilitationFacilitation• Collaborative ToolCollaborative Tool• Customized ServicesCustomized Services

My TestimonyMy Testimony

"MERLOT...is a "MERLOT...is a unique organization, unique organization, approaching common issues and approaching common issues and challengeschallenges in ways no others do. in ways no others do. MERLOT MERLOT extends our reach and extends our reach and resourcesresources by partnering with other by partnering with other systems, organizations, and agencies. systems, organizations, and agencies. I don't think we could accomplish I don't think we could accomplish nearly as much if we tried to do nearly as much if we tried to do these things by ourselvesthese things by ourselves."."

QUESTIONS & QUESTIONS & COMMENTS?COMMENTS?

Phil MossPhil MossInterim Vice Chancellor for Academic AffairsInterim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Oklahoma State Regents for Higher EducationOklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

(405) 225-9150(405) 225-9150

pmoss@osrhe.edupmoss@osrhe.edu

164.58.250.122 (video)164.58.250.122 (video)