Technology Task Force Notes

Wednesday December 5, 2007 
ADM 109
Time: 3:00 – 4:30

1) Approve meeting notes from November 7, 2007
Changes: label meeting notes “draft” until approved. “Web holders” should be Web site holders
Under Quick Update, Distance Learning: should read, “first full quarter that all courses were in catalyst”
Approved with changes.

2) Quick Updates

Catalyst (Linda Elvin): 
	•	Remove the “1.8 Calendar” from the Technology Taskforce Web site. The schedule for the upgrade was too aggressive for Distance Learning/Technology Resource Group and faculty. Catalyst Advisory Group approved the postponement.
	•	Catalyst currently at v1.6.5
	•	Consortium upgraded to v1.8 and other college found many problems. De Anza will hold off on updating until a later version comes out.
	•	For update timelines, check with Linda Elvin.
	•	Student Distance Learning survey results should be in Distance Learning office by Dec. 10
Grobman Question:
When will faculty be able to submit grades online (in the portal)?
Scott Heffner answers: He did a pilot test, but hasn’t heard back since the test. He will investigate and report back to Tom Dolen.

Dolen Update:
Mary Kay Englen coordinated a meeting with the college’s technology “asset” groups:
Staff Development
Library
Technology Resource Group
Call Center (ETS)
… and suggested a quarterly meeting of this group to clarify technology resources for the campus community. 
She noted that without a technology trainer, getting trainers from staff/faculty has been difficult due to everyone’s heavy workload and contract limitations place on classified staff.
A new workshop on how to use smart classrooms will be offered soon.

Mowrey Update:
Wireless in the Library – problems with students unable to connect to the wireless system started about the time the Campus Center came online with their wireless system. Most connection problems seem to come from computers running the Windows Vista OS. 
It’s not a network traffic problem, but a connection problem.
Problem is intermittent, but persistent.
She will try to get more detailed statistics on the computer systems unable to connect.

Creamer Update:
OmniUpdate – second wave of pilot users being invited to trainings. This includes new users wanting to create a new Web site and users with old De Anza design/custom design sites. 
Trainings at the Staff Lab for faculty and other staff/Web account holders will be scheduled in mid-January.

3) Goals for 07-08

An additional and separate thread should be added to the current list of bulleted goals that includes “how to” use technology in the classroom. Independent from any technology tools, a goal for the campus should be training teachers how to:
	•	Pedagogy of using technology effectively in teaching
	•	Dealing with students bringing technology into the classroom / classroom management with technology present
	•	Effective use of technology in the classroom
	•	Best practices of teaching using technology, not tool based
(Idea/suggestion by Dan Mitchell)

There was a “Great Teacher Seminar” done a while back by the Academic Senate that could be revived and updated to use technology as an instructional tool. 

(Idea/suggestion submitted by group)

Proactive feedback of faculty/staff using new/newer implemented technology and how the technology affects them should be a priority of the campus and Technology Taskforce. The Taskforce should put out its own survey to find out the “buzz” around faculty/staff working with the new/newer technology in the classrooms/offices.

(Idea/suggestion by Dan Mitchell/Scott Heffner/Judy Mowrey)

An agenda item for the next Taskforce meeting should be to divide the goals up into actionable items and assign members the item’s coordination.

(Idea/suggestion by Dan Mitchell)

Next meeting date to be scheduled in January 2008.

Present: Mowrey,  Grobman,  Luciw,  Pritchard,  Heffner,  Mitchell,  Creamer,  Elvin,  Dolen

Notes taken by Creamer