39 | DET/CHE 2024

In the ever-evolving field of educational technology, effective project management is critical to success. This workshop equips education professionals with practical tools and methodologies to lead ed tech projects efficiently. Participants will explore project management processes like Waterfall and Agile, learning to adapt them to technology initiatives in education. Through interactive exercises, attendees will develop a toolkit designed to manage common challenges, enhance stakeholder engagement, and ensure project success in today’s digital learning environments.

At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Understand PM Processes for EdTech – Introduce the five stages of project management and how they apply to educational technology projects.
   
2. Master EdTech-Specific PM Methodologies – Review the Waterfall and Agile approaches, and how to adapt them to the fast(and slow!)-paced, evolving nature of ed tech projects.
   
3. Develop PM Strategies for EdTech Success – Offer actionable strategies to manage common challenges and stakeholder engagement in educational technology projects.

San Diego State University adopted a new student feedback system in Fall 2022, as our campus came together to transition from our homegrown enterprise resource planning system to PeopleSoft–the solution adopted across the California State University system. Part of this transition included replacing our in-house student evaluation system with commercially available software (Explorance Blue).

Please join us as we share many of the lessons learned on our journey, from planning, configuring, and launching Explorance Blue to continually improving the deployment of student feedback surveys at San Diego State University. We will also share general practices for process improvement and our vision for the future of gathering and analyzing survey data to drive improvement.

After attending the session, attendees will be able to:

• apply lessons learned in transitioning from a homegrown system to commercially available systems to technology transitions in their organizations.

• analyze the challenges involved in transitioning from a homegrown system to a commercially available software system.

• design an effective roadmap for implementing and continually improving a commercially available software system in their organizations.

Through grant funding provided via the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, eight system colleges are creating new direct assessment competency-based education (CBE) programs that will offer certificates and full AA degrees. This form of learning offers many benefits for both students and colleges, helping us all adapt to a changing economy and higher ed environment. But, creating a new CBE program is not a simple endeavor, especially “direct assessment” CBE at a public college. During this presentation, we will describe the potential benefits of CBE, how to address specific challenges in developing such a program, and how certain technologies can facilitate the process. Documents will be shared as resources to guide colleges in creating their own CBE programs. At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 1) Define what CBE is and describe how it can benefit students (and colleges)
2) Summarize the characteristics of the programs being developed in the CCC System
3) Explain how certain technologies can help a college develop and deliver CBE

In the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education, effectively engaging faculty with technology and innovation is crucial for institutional success. This panel discussion offers a practical framework and actionable strategies to empower educators and foster a culture of experimentation and adoption. We will delve into the critical success factors for initiating and sustaining meaningful conversations with faculty about technology integration, equipping them with the tools to champion these discussions within their departments and organizations.

Attendees will gain valuable insights into various recommended activities to increase faculty engagement and build confidence in leveraging technology for pedagogical innovation. We will explore methods to help faculty develop personalized engagement plans tailored to their organization's needs and challenges. By showcasing real-world success stories and experiences from diverse institutions, we aim to inspire and enable peer organizations to replicate these achievements, fostering a broader community of practice.

By the end of this session, you should be able to:

1. About success factors of engaging with faculty about technology and innovation, enabling them to bring the discussion back to their team.
2. Recommended activities to increase faculty engagement and confidence in Technology, enabling them to create an organizational engagement plan.
3. Sharing their success stories and experiences from their organizations empowers peer institutions to replicate these successes.
4. Reduce technology resistance and build enthusiasm to explore new teaching technology, experimenting with and utilizing new technologies in their classrooms.
   
   Through this interactive session, audiences will learn how to reduce technology resistance among faculty, cultivate enthusiasm for exploring new teaching tools, and create supportive environments that encourage experimentation with innovative technologies in the classroom. By the end of the discussion, attendees will be equipped with a comprehensive toolkit to drive faculty engagement, promote technology adoption, and ultimately enhance student learning experiences and outcomes.

Getting instructors to embrace new teaching strategies can feel like herding cats—everyone generally clings to the familiar and scatters from the new. This presentation provides a comprehensive framework to tame the chaos and manage change effectively. By leveraging the Diffusion of Innovation theory and change management strategies, practical solutions will be offered to promote and sustain the adoption of not just educational innovations but any innovative pedagogical approach. With real-world examples from our OER initiative and a sprinkle of neuroscience-backed persuasion tactics, you'll learn how to turn skeptics into enthusiastic adopters to revolutionize your institution's teaching practices.

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Gain actionable strategies to promote and sustain new teaching methods and technologies.
   
2. Develop a deeper understanding of change management principles and the Diffusion of Innovation theory.
   
3. Learn neuroscience-backed persuasion techniques to effectively engage and motivate colleagues.

This session will investigate the opportunities and challenges related to generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) within higher education, as well as a proposed solution to address the growing digital divide through the Equitable AI Alliance. The team will share how data from a longitudinal, multi-year survey helped inform the creation of GenAI resources for students, faculty, and staff across the San Diego State University ecosystem. Key areas of insight include addressing the AI digital divide, as well as the stigma surrounding GenAI use. Solutions presented will address training, support, and other GenAI resources to enhance students’ career readiness and workforce preparedness, thereby benefiting the overall economic health of California and beyond.

By the end of this session, you should be able to:

1. Utilize the SDSU AI Survey Data Dashboard to view insights and themes pertaining to the use of GenAI in the academic setting.
2. Leverage resources and effective practices shared through the Equitable AI Alliance.
3. Replicate training, support, and other GenAI resources to enhance students’ career readiness and workforce preparedness.

California Education Learning Lab’s Grand Challenge: Overcoming the Calculus Barrier to STEM Success will connect four major funded projects to improve learning outcomes and close racial and gender equity gaps in STEM degree attainment in the three segments of California Higher Education.

The C3 Grand Challenge Cohort Facilitator Team has been working closely with will help the Grand Challenge awarded teams for the past three years. This work includes sharing their project ideas, approaches, findings, data, and outcomes over the duration of the award three-year period. Additionally, the Cohort Facilitator Team, has focused their work this year on and developing work to facilitate webinars on use of a Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) rubric for development of online materials, model curriculum frameworks, searchable database of course assets, Open Educational Resource (OER) development, and Creative Commons licensing for publicly funded projects.

The Cohort Facilitator Team leverages opportunities to Convene, Connect, and Collaborate among the awardees groups..
California Education Learning Lab’s Grand Challenge The educational assets will be located in: LibreTexts and MERLOT providing open access to educators and learners.
Year three efforts of the Cohort Facilitator Team have focused on the following actions to finalize the 3-year project with the 4 awardee teams.

• Organizing and meta-tagging learning objects for searchability
• Support for meeting OER requirements of the grant
• Organizing curriculum into a model curriculum framework
• Optimizing curricular assets for storing educational assets: LibreTexts, and MERLOT.
• Creative Commons licensing in alignment with CELL Grand Challenge specifications
• Application of DEI principles to course design and faculty development
• Developing a searchable database for CELL Grand Challenge curricular assets
•  Inspire Conference: Luskin Center, October 2024

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Application of DEI principles to course design and faculty development
2. Developing a searchable database for CELL Grand Challenge curricular assets
3.  Organizing and meta-tagging learning objects for searchability