Purpose / Mission
The Educational Technology Committee (ETC) considers and makes recommendations regarding academic IT needs and requirements that align with the university strategic plan and future trends in higher education. The committee consults on technology issues impacting teaching, learning, advising, and student life and makes recommendations on the implementation and continuing evolution of various academic technology services.
Membership(Google sheet)
- Bethany Smith – Chair
- vacant – Chair elect
Agendas/Minutes (Google drive)
Guiding Principles
- Teaching and learning should be enhanced through the use of technology, not encumbered by it. I.e. a student’s learning comes first, technology second.
- Overall technology costs to students should be minimized.
- Faculty to play a key role in use of and choices of educational technology.
- Technology should support student success
Scope
- Evaluates Physical Learning Environments and learning technologies that are located in a physical learning space such as a classroom, seminar room, meeting space or computer labs (e.g., ClassTech classrooms with overhead cameras, smartboards, computing labs, lecture capture,). This also includes non-classroom based spaces like labs, outdoor spaces like farms etc. The committee helps look into the future for directions the University should be pursuing.
- Evaluates Online Learning Environments and learning technologies that are accessed by the user via a technology interface that allows interaction with and/or access to online information (e.g., learning management systems, virtual reality, online collaboration spaces).
- This committee Assesses New and Emerging Technologies in all learning venues such as: classrooms and online technologies that are emerging as technologies utilized in teaching and learning. Evaluating evidence-based improvements to the technology underpinning new, upcoming, or anticipated developments in teaching and learning with technology.
- (e.g., gesture based computing, Web 3.0 tools, augmented reality).
- Reviews Student-owned Technology that is “owned” by the students, and includes defining how IT services are delivered through devices that the students are bringing to campus.
- Considers Educational Technology Funding for educational technologies that support student success; bringing awareness to the ETF committee of learning technologies that may need strategic support as they are implemented.
- Review and Consider Legal Issues around Technology and Pedagogy when using academic technology (e.g., copyright issues with academic course material, privacy issues and technology-delivered content such as video, audio and storage, accessibility of academic technology and FERPA issues inherent in emerging technology, ethical issues regarding the use of learning analytics).
- Considers and Evaluates future trends in higher education with evidence-based improvements to the technology underpinning new, upcoming, or anticipated developments in teaching and learning with technology.
- Review initiatives, policies or strategy decisions related to Instructional Technology if they meet the standards in the IT Governance Decision Matrix.
- Referrals to the ETC can be considered from any university entity, including but not limited to:
- The service owners involved with educational technology
- Leadership of the WolfWare governance groups
- The Strategic IT Committee
- Academic-related university committees or working groups, such as Faculty Senate, Student Senate, Deans Council, etc.