COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY

INNOVATION TASK FORCE GENERATED RED BALLOON INITIATIVES (2011-13)

Initiative                                                                                                         Responsible Party         Initiative Code

Innovation Task Force                                                                        Wieland                        RB-11-001

A faculty led mechanism to encourage, gather, incubate and implement initiatives meant to improve the delivery and scope of academic offerings in the College of Education and Technology.  The ITF will develop and maintain a Google-based discussion board to allow the free flow of ideas and Red Balloon-type initiatives.

Kansas Center for Innovative Education                                    Benjamin                      RB-11-002

A professional development mechanism of the College of Education and Technology, implemented in fall 2011, providing training, workshops, seminars and the like for students, faculty members, K-12 personnel and so on. Used the growth of the Docking Institute as a model, while working in concert with Paul Adams and the Science and Mathematics Educational Institute (SMEI).

Instructional Resource Center (IRC) Redesign                        Stramel                        RB-11-003

As a result of a $78,500 action plan, a faculty led committee led the redesign of the old IRC into a functional series of meeting, working and teleconferencing spaces.  Social meeting places and 10 computer spaces are also included.  Student use has been nothing short of tremendous.

15% Growth Challenge                                                                         Scott                             RB-12-001

A challenge leveled by the Dean’s Office for departments to examine their own situations and develop a series of initiatives meant to produce 15% enrollment growth over the next five years assuming no new resources.

15K Innovation Fund                                                                            Scott                             RB-12-002

The Dean’s Office cobbled together an initial $15,000 Innovation Fund in 2012 to be drawn on for use of carrying out faculty driven Red Balloon initiatives.  The Fund is ongoing and replenished as resources permit.

Accelerated/Intersession Course Offerings                                Benjamin                    RB-12-003

Utilizing eight week accelerated courses in the academic semesters and intersession courses over the holiday break beginning in the 2012-13 academic year.

Americas Mexico Project                                                                    Moody                          RB-12-004

A group of faculty members are working with an underprivileged and poorly supplied public school in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico towards the end of improving their use of instructional technology and serving as a learning lab for the College of Education and Technology.  Opportunities for COET student internships, practicum and student teaching experiences have been created, as have faculty teaching opportunities in the summer.

Faculty Book Study                                                                              Stramel                        RB-12-005

The College engages in a twice-per-semester investigation of a scholarly work, picked by a faculty member that leads to discussions of ideas that may improve our own teaching methods and practices.

Development of New Certificates and Certifications             Splichal                        RB-12-006

Identification and implementation of a series of certificates and certifications that will increase credit hour production without greatly increasing resource requirements.  Autism and online learning are recent examples.

Teacher Education Course Redevelopment                               TEEL 231 Faculty     RB-12-007

Recasting courses as blended deliveries as well as redeveloping courses that have been offered as multiple section offerings without common learning objectives.  TEEL 231 (Foundations) has been an initial example of section recasting and objective standardization by a committee made up of all six faculty members who routinely teach sections.

Faculty Scholarly Presentations                                                     Rotating                        RB-12-008

Two to three times per semester, the Dean’s Office has sponsored a college-wide presentation of a faculty member’s research and scholarly activities.  Presentations average 25-35 persons in attendance.

Google Docs/ K-12 Partnership Initiative                                    Wieland                        RB-12-010

Nineteen interested faculty and staff have become Google Docs certified and three have become certified as Google Trainers.  These faculty and staff travel to area K-12 schools and instruct teachers, administrators and students in the area of the use of Google.

International Student Teaching Options                                      Moody                           RB-12-011

Options are under various stages of investigation and implementation towards the end of providing international opportunities for internships, practicums and student teaching  assignments.  Mexico is under way, while a Canadian partnership is under development.

Developing Professional Partnerships with K-12                    Johnson                          RB-13-001

Under development.

Review of Use of High Impact Educational Practices            ITF-SC                             RB-13-002

A sub-committee of the Innovation Task Force will examine each department’s use of high impact educational practices and seek to make recommendations on potential integration of these practices into the current curricula.