MIT Department Strategic Plan 

12/22/2006                                                                                                                     

Annotated with President Sethna’s Bread and Butter (BB) and Visionary Goals (VG)

Goal 1: Update curriculum for M.Ed. and Ed.S. in Media programs in order to prepare progressive, innovative, academically grounded school library media specialists.

Rationale: If students are to be well prepared for current demands of positions as school library media professionals, course content should make it clear that our graduates have addressed and met these demands.

 

Objectives

Action Plans

Measures

-Students demonstrate ability to develop learning environments that meet learning needs of students from diverse cultures and from groups with special needs. (BB 3,5)

-Continue to review and adapt our courses to ensure that they enhance our students’ cultural awareness skills and prepare them to address the learning needs of physically and mentally challenged students. 

-Chair’s review of faculty members documents that this requirement has been addressed during annual review.

-Students can select and use appropriate technology resources to meet both administrative and instructional needs in the media center. (BB 9; VG 4)

-Students take MEDT 6401 (Instructional Technology) and MEDT 6467 (Technology for Media Services)

-Develop description of ways in which use of technologies are required in oral exams and student portfolios.

-List and cross-list of skills with courses has been developed.

-Chair’s review of faculty members documents that this requirement has been addressed.

-Handbook reflects technology requirement.

 -Faculty committee members document that student’ oral exams and portfolios reflect appropriate technology usage.

-Students exhibit creative and problem solving behaviors that relate to their work as media specialists.

(BB 3)

-Incorporate problem-solving activities into course projects, exams, and the exit oral exams.

-Sample products are available in the department.

-Students demonstrate ability to use appropriate mechanisms to continue their professional growth after graduation.

(BB 3)

-Require the use of professional journals and listservs, attendance at conferences and workshops, and discussion of current faculty development activities.

-List and cross-list of skills with courses has been developed. List of graduates attending conferences and workshops.

-Listservs have been developed and are being used.

-Promote attendance at conferences and workshops.

-Students demonstrate an understanding and acknowledgement regarding appropriate ethical behavior for media specialists.

(BB 3,5)

-Integrate ethical issues information into courses (MEDT 6401 – Instructional Technology, 6461 – Administration of the School Library Media Program, 6467 – Technology for Media Services)

-Chair reviews course syllabi to ensure information is listed and covered.

-Increase the percentage of students who pass the Praxis II on the first try after completing the program. (BB 3)

-Solicit feedback from students concerning their weak areas on the PRAXIS II test. 

-Emphasize areas covered in the test objectives in various courses.

-Have faculty representatives obtain test specifications list from the PSC website and review the topics to insure all test objectives are included in our curricula. 

-Encourage faculty to take the test to learn at first hand what is covered.

-Data on passing rates for the Praxis II test.

-Encourage students to obtain NBPTS certification in School Library Media.

(BB 3)

-Align the EdS in Media program content, assignments and required student products to creation of a NBPTS portfolio.

-Data on student success rate in obtaining NBPTS certification.

 

 

Goal 2: Update curriculum for M.Ed. and Ed.S. In Instructional Technology programs in order to prepare progressive, innovative, academically grounded Instructional Technology trainers and coordinators and technology-using teacher-leaders.

 Rationale: If students are to be well prepared for current demands of positions as instructional technology professionals and leaders, course content and titles should reflect that our programs have kept pace with the advances in technology so that students have been able to address and meet these demands.

 

Objectives

Action Plans

Measures

-Students demonstrate ability to develop learning environments that use technology and other resources to meet learning needs of students from diverse cultures and from groups with special needs. (BB 3,5)

-Continue to review and adapt our courses to ensure that they enhance our student’s cultural awareness skills and prepare them to address the learning needs of physically and mentally challenged students.

-Chair's review of faculty members documents that this requirement has been addressed.

-Students can select and use appropriate technology resources to meet both administrative and instructional needs in the school or educational setting.

(BB 9; VG 4)

-Students take MEDT 6401 – Instructional Technology, 6462 - Administration of Instructional Technology Programs, 7464 – Integrating Technology into the Curriculum, 7467 – Advanced Computer Utilization, 7468 – Introduction to Multimedia, and 7470 – Videotape Production and Utilization.

-Develop description of ways in which use of technologies are required in oral exams and student portfolios.

-Require students to submit an electronic portfolio at the end of the program.

-List and cross-list of skills with courses has been developed.

-Chair's review of faculty members documents that this requirement has been addressed.

-Handbook reflects technology requirement.

-Faculty committee members document that students' oral exams and portfolios reflect appropriate technology usage.

-Student Electronic Portfolio

-Students exhibit creative and problem solving behaviors that relate to their work as instructional technology leaders. (BB 3)

-Incorporate problem-solving activities into course projects, exams, and the exit oral exams.

-Sample products are available in the department.

-Students demonstrate ability to use appropriate mechanisms to continue their professional growth after graduation.

(BB 3)

-Require the use of professional journals and listservs, attendance at conferences and workshops, and discussion of current faculty development activities.

-List and cross-list of skills with courses has been developed. List of graduates attending conferences and workshops.

-Listservs have been developed and are being used.

-Promote attendance at conferences and workshops.

-Students demonstrate grasp of and agreement with ethical behaviors for IT professionals and leaders. (BB 3)

-Integrate ethical issues information into courses (MEDT 6401 – Instructional Technology, 6462 – Administration of Instructional Technology Programs, 7461 – Instructional Design, 7464 – Integrating Technology into the Curriculum)

-Chair reviews course syllabi to ensure information is listed and covered.

 

 

Goal 3: Increase the role of research in MIT programs by enhancing COE faculty member’s skills in research and statistics and including requirements for students to analyze existing research critically and conduct classroom-based research.

 Rationale: MIT faculty members have indicated a need for increased research skills for themselves and their students.  Faculty members feel they should be better able to read, understand, and assess research in their fields to keep up with changes that are taking place.

Objectives

Action Plans

Measures

-Faculties develop additional skills in using and teaching research and statistics.

(BB 3,6; VG 1,5)

-The MIT Chair identifies and distributes information on workshops, staff development opportunities, and on-line resources to enhance faculty research/statistical skills.

-MIT faculty participates in formal and/or informal professional development activities in research and staff development.

-Obtain software and print resources required to use basic and advanced statistical techniques.

(BB 3,6; VG 1,5)

-Develop a list of materials and needed upgrades to computer labs and faculty computers to include up-to-date versions of statistical packages such as SPSS, NUDIST, and LISREL.

-Obtain and implement the software.

-Make available the print materials.

-Requested materials and software are in place.

-MIT Faculty use statistical techniques for data analysis as needed.

-Students demonstrate ability to be informed consumers of research in their fields.

(BB 3)

-Review courses in each program and prepare a chart that indicates where each issue/concern should be addressed.

-Suggest and outline strategies for addressing these issues/concerns in each course.

-Conduct meetings to resolve problem areas.

-Identify and obtain materials that help teach research analysis skills.

-Cross-list of courses/skills is in place.

-Materials are in place.

-Minutes from meetings.

-Student projects, in-class activities, and final papers reflect required skills.

-Students demonstrate ability to use appropriate strategies to design school-based research studies. (BB 3; VG 1,5)

-Identify research design methods and quantitative and qualitative research skills needed by media specialists and IT professionals.

-Develop a cross-list of research skills with courses and final paper activities.

-Cross-list of courses/skills is in place.

-Materials are in place.

-Student projects, in-class activities, and final papers reflect required skills.

-Ed.S. students use appropriate quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques for use in school-based research studies.

(BB 3; VG 1,5)

-Continue required two courses and final project research requirement for Ed.S. degree.

-Courses are in place.

-Student projects, in-class activities, and final papers reflect required skills.

-Student papers are available in the department.

-Include students in collaborative research with faculty. (BB 3; VG 5)

-Encourage faculty to do collaborative research with students when possible.

-Encourage students to apply for student travel money to provide financial support when traveling and making presentations.

-Faculty members list their research interests on the department’s web page.

-Include documentation of faculty/student collaboration in MIT annual report.

-Documentation of faculty presentations and increased number of faculty/student collaborations.

 

 

Goal 4: Provide learning environments that support “best practices” in instruction, maximize student learning, and increase student access to instruction.

 Rationale:  MIT offers a wide variety of courses to students from many different environments and locations. Courses should be provided in formats that best support optimal teaching and learning, regardless of time or student location. 

Objectives

Action Plans

Measures

-Optimal instructional strategies and delivery systems are in place for all MIT courses.  This includes positioning UWG to meet the current demands for access to MIT department programs by prospective students throughout the state and in contiguous areas. (BB 3,4,8,9; VG 4,5)

-Review current instructional strategies and delivery systems for all current courses.

-Identify and document needed changes based on multiple evaluative measures.

-Develop and implement an appropriate schedule for making needed revisions.

-Obtain official recognition of programs offered in distance format (i.e., publications, presentations). 

-Market programs and recruit additional students based on increased accessibility to programs. 

-Obtain funding for and recruit additional faculty to assist with distance delivery efforts.

-Seek financial support for innovative distance offerings (i.e., grants)

-Identify technology, scheduling or other resources needed to support optimal strategies.

-Identifying needed changes and creating a schedule for implementation.

-Documenting an increase in distance-delivered course offerings.

-Documenting an increase in the number of distance students served.

-Documenting secured funding

-Recruiting strategies are available in the department.

-Additional technology resources (e. g., WebCT-like systems, videoconferencing technologies) are identified and recommendations are made to the Distance and Distributed Education Office.

(BB 3,4,8,9,10; VG 4,5)

-Research and identify new and emerging technologies that could be used to improve current course activities and delivery systems and communications with students during and after their programs.

-New technologies are documented.

-Additional technology resources are implemented and evaluated according to their ability to help faculty meet student-learning needs.

(BB 3,9; VG 4,5)

-Identify funding sources and obtain identified resources.

-Identify and implement required training for faculty and students in new resources.

-Evaluate and revise.

-New technologies are in place.

-Training materials and activities are in place.

-Required changes identified through evaluation are documented.

-Online communication system in place to facilitate contact with students and graduates.

(BB 3,4,8,9; VG 4,5)

-Develop listserv for current students and alumni. Enter all required student information.

-Listserv membership printout is documented.

 

 

Goal 5: Cultivate diversity of ideas, values, and human resources responsive to the changing needs and technologies.

 Rationale: Information-age skills include being able to work in and contribute to a multicultural, global, and technological society.

Objectives

Action Plans

Measures

Increase students’ awareness of issues related to diversity. (BB 3)

-Analyze courses to determine appropriate emphasis on diversity issues.

-Invite guest speakers to talk on diversity issues to MIT students.

-Require students to develop instructional products that reflect strategies addressing diverse needs.

-Chair reviews course syllabi to ensure diversity is addressed in degree programs.

-Documentation of activities in course syllabi.

-List of guest speakers is documented.

-Students’ projects and portfolios document that these needs have been addressed.

Recruit faculty and students from diverse backgrounds.

(BB 2,3,5)

-Develop recruiting materials that reflect diversity.

-Review and document pool of faculty and students applying for MIT positions.

-Recruiting materials in place include pictures of and references to people from diverse cultures.

-MIT employment record reflects diversity of races/cultures when conducting job searches by sending information to private and public institutions with predominantly minority students.

 

 

Goal 6: Employ scholarship and service to promote the advancement of learning.

 Rationale: University standards of excellence include faculty participating in scholarly work and service.

Objectives

Action Plans

Measures

Produce scholarly work in the areas of Media and Instructional Technology.

(BB 6, VG 1)

-Faculties discuss and brainstorm research interests during department meetings, especially at the beginning of the year.

-Faculty document and communicate their research interests via the all-COE listserv.

-Faculty identify and participate in research projects and studies with colleagues in the department, COE, UWG and out-of-state; and teachers, media specialists, technologists and administrators in the region.

-Faculty end-of-year reports reflect and increase in the number of publications, presentations, and collaborative research projects.

External funding for media and technology projects is obtained.

(BB 1,3,9,10; VG 4,5)

-The MIT Chair identifies grant writing workshops and sends e-mails encouraging faculty attendance at these.

-The MIT Chair identifies federal grant opportunities campus and sends e-mails encouraging faculty responses to them.

-MIT faculties identify and communicate to each other collaborative grant writing opportunities with department and COE faculty.

-Faculty end-of-year reports reflect status of the number of grant workshops attended by faculty and staff.

-Faculty end-of-year reports reflect status of the number of grants submitted to external sources.

-Faculty end-of-year reports reflect status of the number of collaborative grant writing activities with department and COE faculty

 

Goal 7: Develop and sustain a community of learners focused on issues related to integrating technology into school curricula that includes members of educational institutions and the community at-large.

Rationale: Collaborative partnerships across schools, universities, and private institutions are essential for the exchange of knowledge and expertise that ensures the survival and growth of all organizations and their effective contributions to the society at large.

Objectives

Action Plans

Measures

-Support technology-training programs for college and university faculty, staff, students, practitioners and administrators. 

(BB 1,6)

-At beginning of year departmental meeting, faculty discuss and identify in-service sessions in their area of expertise they would be willing to share in the forms of workshops and other sessions for COE and other faculty.

-The MIT chair encourages faculty to conduct training workshops on and off campus to enhance the technology skills and knowledge of students, teachers and administrators.

-The faculty member communicates these offerings via all-COE and/or All-UWG listserv.

-The MIT annual report documents the number of sessions offered and conducted and the attendance of each session.

-Institute a series of professional development activities to provide continued growth opportunities for program graduates and feedback to MIT department staff. (BB 1,3,4,6,7,8; VG 5)

-MIT Chair does periodic, on-going assessment of MIT graduates to determine their staff development needs and those of their colleagues.

-MIT chair communicates faculty/staff development offerings to MIT graduates through multiple channels.

-Establish a web site for sharing ideas among practicing school library media specialists and IT specialists. 

-Identify needs and provide in-services in school systems as well as at conferences of state learned societies.

-The MIT annual report will summarize the status of the on-going professional development activities.

-Numbers of hits on web site and number of in-service sessions and presentations given.

 

Goal 8: Address critical personnel issues related to successful administration and delivery of all instructional programs.

Rationale:  A number of personnel issues are critically related to the Department’s ability to deliver quality programs of study.

Objectives

Action Plans

Measures

Program Expansion/Recruiting

-In order to meet student demand for our programs, it will be necessary to recruit talented, new faculty who possess appropriate knowledge, skills and dispositions. (BB 2,6,8,9; VG 4)

-Monitor student admissions and enrollments in an on-going fashion to determine changes in enrollment patterns that might indicate the need to request new faculty positions.

-Monitor current trends in the field to enable us to anticipate student demand for our instructional programs.

-On-going review of student enrollment data.

-State and Nationwide surveys and assessments of projected need for media and instructional technologists.

Teaching Load Expectations

 

-MIT was cited during our past NCATE/PSC review for exceeding workload expectations for graduate-only faculty (3 courses per semester teaching load).  MIT needs to reduce workloads for the members of its faculty who teach only graduate courses.

(BB 6,9; VG 4)

-The MIT department will attempt to address this deficiency through a combination of revising the projected frequency of our course offerings, increasing enrollments within sections, and seeking adjunct instructor resources in order to split courses with large enrollments.  These strategies will begin with programming for the fall term, 2002.

-MIT will seek an additional tenure-line faculty position in the area of Instructional Technology.

-MIT will seek an additional tenure-line faculty position in the area of School Library Media.

-MIT will continue to seek continued support for our Instructor position.

-Instructor was retained for 2002-2003 year to address our need to deliver the MEDT 2401 course.

-External degree program request submitted to sanction distance delivery of Program Plan A, media certification courses.

-Continue to collect data from relevant sources (Georgia DOE) to demonstrate need for expansion in the area of Media.

 

  


Department of Media & Instructional Technology
University of West Georgia
Carrollton, Georgia  30118
Questions?  Email - Barbara McKenzie:
  bmckenzi@westga.edu


Questions or problems regarding this web site should be directed to ets@westga.edu.
Copyright (c) 1998 - 2006 College of Education - University of West Georgia. All rights reserved.
Last modified: 12/22/2006