Project Summary

PURPOSE AND TIMELINE

The HECB is directed to convene a higher education technology transformation task force that is  to develop and report on a plan to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of education relative to the strategic and operational use of technology in public higher education.

GUIDELINES

In developing the plan the task force is directed to recommend strategies and tactics to:

• Reduce duplication of applications, web hosting, and support services;

• Effectively and efficiently use technology to share costs, data, and faculty professional dcevelopment;

• Improve the quality of instruction;

• Increase student access, transfer capability, and the quality of student, faculty, and admisistration sevices;

• Recommend governance modesl, funding models, and accountability measures to achieve these and related objectives.

TASK FORCE MEMBERS

The task force is to be composed of the following 21 members - One from each public four-year institution of higher education, six members from the CTC’s, two faculty members from four-year instituions of higher education, two faculty members from CTC’s, one member each from the SBCTC, HECB, DIS, WTECB, and COP.  The task force is to select a chair person from its membership.

WORK PRODUCT

The task force is directed to:

• Investigate similar efforts, strategies, programs, and options in other states, of private providers of higher education in the state, and global consortia related to:

• Online learning technologies, personalized online student services, integrated online administrative tools, sharing library resources, open licensing options for digital content.

• Methods for pooling, coordinating, and otherwise more efficiently managing enrollments.

• Methods for ensuring online courses meet agreed upon inctructional guidelines, policies, and quality, and methods for sharing these best practices to improve traditional courses’ quality

• Develop a process and timeline for the implementation of a statewide approach based on the above investigation.

• Focus on statewide capability and standards that enable the efficient use of common applications, web hosting services, user support, staff training, and consolidated software licenses and open educational resources.

• Identify the metrics that can be sued to gauge success.

• Conduct a comprehensive audit of existing (technology-related) resources used by public institutions of higher education or agencies.