About This Group
The Learning Technology Group is comprised primarily of those
individuals responsible for overseeing university course management
systems and providing support to faculty who use these systems
on the CIC campuses.
The Task
Force on Learning Technologies was appointed in May of
1994 to begin formulating a plan of action for the CIC in the
area of instructional technology cooperation. Chaired by Dr. Morteza
Rahimi, Vice President for Information Systems and Technology
at Northwestern University, the Task Force met through the Fall
of 1994, submitting a Task
Force Report on November 10, 1994.
The Task
Force Report included recommendations for how to pursue
a vision of the CIC universities where they would “realize
both academic and economic benefits through consortial mechanisms
for sharing technological platforms, teaching resources, library
materials, faculty, courses, and even degree programs.” One
of the recommendations of the Task Force was to hold a symposium
on learning technology for the purpose of gaining broader input
“to make specific recommendations on how to meet the challenges
of enabling transformations in teaching and learning and on achieving
the widespread integration of technology in education, to initiate
a plan of action, and to outline an organizational structure for
implementation.”
The document, entitled Beyond
the Symposium, was written following this symposium by
the Task Force on Learning Technologies in May of 1995 and it
made further recommendations for how the CIC might pursue collaborative
work and sharing in the area of learning technology. It was this
document that recommended the creation of a standing committee
of Learning Technology Liaisons appointed by the Provost for each
institution to be the single point of contact for learning technology
matters. The Learning Technology Liaisons together with staff
from the CIC office focused their energies in three primary areas
between 1995 and 2000. Those areas included:
- sharing of information related to learning technology and,
in particular, supporting the development of faculty and learning
management systems,
- developing and delivering conferences on learning technology
issues (Symposium
on Technology and Foreign Language Learning-1996, Workshop
on Computational Science and Engineering-1997, Internet Tools
for Teaching and Learning Conference-1997, Conference
on Training for Learning Technologies -1998, and Learning
On-line Institute-2000), and
- awarding and monitoring Seed
Grants given to CIC faculty to encourage collaborative
development and delivery of courses using innovative technology
and to extend the developed learning technology resources, applications,
and technology-enhanced courses to other CIC institutions.
In late 2000, the Provosts indicated that they felt the LTI accomplished
the goals initially established for them very well and acknowledged
that the LTI had had many successes. However, the Provosts felt
it was time for them to step back to develop a larger vision for
learning technology within the CIC in order to determine if and
where they should invest next. The Provosts intend to release
a report in the summer of 2001 outlining their future Learning
Technology activities.
The Learning Technology Liaisons continue to meet and share,
now as a peer group. Their specific focus areas within Learning
Technology are determined by the group’s professional interests
and needs
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