Technology Sandbox Series
From CTLpedia
Project Summary:
The Technology Sandbox Series is designed to carve out time and space for faculty and staff to both learn and play with newer technologies.
Contents |
Project Description
The Sandbox series developed out of a need to provide the MCC community with an awareness of newer technologies as well as some time to play with them. Each sandbox session focused on one or two newer technologies. The first 30ish minutes included:
- a brief introduction to the technology
- examples of how/why the technology can better facilitate teaching and learning
- a list of various types/makes/models of the technology
After the 30ish minute introduction, sandbox session participants were give an hour and half to play with the technologies. The workshop facilitator usually gave a list of suggested "things to do during the play period" to get a feel for what the technology could do.
Project Goals
The goals for the technology sandbox series were twofold.
My (Shelley Rodrigo's) Goals:
1. share information I've learned about "newer" technologies
2. "test" run results from my dissertation research about how/why faculty need support in learning newer technologies
3. give back time and energy to the CTL
Goals for implementing the Sandbox Series in the CTL:
1. give faculty and staff access to information about newer technologies
2. give faculty and staff time to "play" with newer technologies so that they might imagine how/why the technology would be useful in their work processes
Current Status
We are planning to continue the Sandbox Series for the 2007-8 academic year in a slightly different format. We'll be offering only two sandboxes each semester and looking for "outside" expertise as well.
Relation to CTL Department Plan Initiatives
The sandbox series supported the following initiatives of the CTL's 2006-7 plan:
Project Staff
Shelley Rodrigo: developed idea and implemented in 2006-7 academic year. Will help organize and probably facilitate one or two in 2007-8 academic year.
Laura Ballard: helped develop idea and organized offerings with the CTL.
Project Timeline
Summer 2006: develop idea
Fall 2006: offered sandbox sessions on:
- bookmarking & blogs;
- blogs & rss;
- wikis; and
- social networking & instant messaging
Spring 2007: offered sandbox session on iPods & podcasting
Fall 2007: offering Second Life and another yet identified session
Spring 2008: offering two sessions
Project Resources
The CTL provided workshop rooms, participant management system, and advertising.
Shelley developed handouts for each workshop offered to date:
- Bookmarking & Blogs
- Blogs & RSS
- Wikis
- Social Networking & Instant Messaging
- iPods & Podcasting
Project Outcomes and Future Directions
The 2006-7 sandbox sessions were generally well attended with a low of seven participants and a high of fourteen. The two best attended were: Social Networking and Podcasting. Interestingly, many staff, especially from different student services offices, attended the Social Networking session. The higher attended workshops give the CTL and the college an idea of what technologies faculty and staff are seriously considering in their professional processes.
In the session evaluation forms, many participants mentioned that they appreciated the time to play with the technology. However, there was also some concern about the speed and lack of details on the introductory portion of the sessions. In other words, although they liked having the time to play, they wanted more introductory material as well.
During the 2006-7 academic year, Shelley also sent out a follow-up survey approximately a month after each session. It was hit or miss whether or not they had continued to use the technology discussed; continued use was dependent on the specific technology and whether or not they had already been using it.
At the end of the 2006-7 academic year, Shelley sent out a survey to everyone who attended the sandbox sessions. Of the ones who replied, all either "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that the sandbox sessions were worth their time. When asked about the key issues associated with "newer" technologies respondents desired more time to learn the technologies, more critical (empirical) assessment of the technologies (and then focusing only on the most promising), and the need to get different people invested in newer technologies ("the same people are always interested"). The results from the end of the year survey demonstrate a need for the CTL to offer a range of workshops for different "levels" and "ranges" of technology adopters.
