Abstract:

The Case Studies in the Use of Educational Technologies Project, funded by the provincial government organization BC Campus, is a collaborative effort between the University of Victoria, Royal Roads University and Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada.

The project is building an open access, open source, web-based series of case studies that profile instructors who use educational technologies in effective and innovative ways in higher education. The case studies include videotaped interviews, best practice guidelines and tips from faculty, videos/snapshots or ‘captures’ of exemplar courses using clickers, learning management systems, wikis, or blogs, or other tools, and accompanying sample learning materials (i.e. links to concept mapping tools, online assessment rubrics, sample questions or online assignments for formative assessment) that will help other instructors adapt, conceptualize and apply strategies and best practices in their own courses and contexts. These profiled instructors are innovators and early adopters, while the target audience is primarily early majority adopters and instructors/graduate students relatively new to the use of educational technology. K-12 instructors can also make ample use of this resource.

The first stage of the project (and the initial funding) targets the development and dissemination of the learning resource, which will be completed in April 2011. The second stage--the research phase--targets diffusion of the resource. The principal researchers are currently investigating research directions and strategies, and applying for continued funding.

This presentation will offer two things: First, an introduction and demonstration of the learning resource in the context of the six target questions directed at the instructors and around which the learning resource is constructed. The introduction will also outline and discuss assumptions, success criteria, and potential barriers for successful adoption of the resource. The second half of the presentation will engage the audience in group discussion, feedback, and evaluation of the target questions, as consideration for additional resource development and research direction. The context for this portion of the presentation involves considerations such as:

Are we focused properly on the potential adopters … and do we address their characteristics in the context of the environment in which they will be using the technology?

Institutionally, how (and through which avenues) will potential adopters transfer knowledge and activities to their respective learning and teaching environments?

The project is an evolving resource and research opportunity. With feedback and critical review, the authors plan to continue the evolution of the Case Studies into a multi-layered, learner-centered resource, and welcome your participation and feedback in this presentation.

Keywords:

Case studies, educational technologies, web-based resource, online curriculum development, professional development.