The document discusses the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE) and its initiative to help liberal arts colleges integrate digital technologies into teaching. It highlights the use of interactive videoconferences for faculty to share and discuss innovative pedagogical practices, emphasizing the benefits of peer collaboration and accessibility. Surveys indicate that faculty value specific technology applications and prefer immediately useful information over general tech discussions.

1. Virtually Anywhere Sharing Effective Practices for Innovation in Liberal EducationNancy Millichap and Rebecca DavisNational Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE)

2. NITLEAn initiative working with 128 liberal arts colleges and universities, as well as with partner organizations and consortiaHelping liberal arts colleges explore and implement digital technologiesConcerned with the integration of technology into teaching and learning

3. NITLE Network

4. Plan for This Session …In a discussion of videoconferences that faculty have used to share their teaching innovations …We’ll show two clips from a sessionWe’ll share their impact as faculty developmentWe’ll invite discussion of such sharing on your campusesWe’ll pull you back together for a final discussion

5. The Problem? A Vicious Circle …

6. One Solution: Sharing Classroom Innovations DigitallyAt NITLE colleges, faculty lead short interactive videoconferences over the Internet on their pedagogical practicesBrief (60 to 90 minute) presentations reach faculty in their offices22 such programs over past 2 academic years, in several series

7. Experience a Virtual EventHighlights, Notes, Tags, & Comments: Teaching Critical Reading of the Internet with DiigoSocial Bookmarking & Website AnnotationGabriela Torres, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Wheaton College

10. Why Faculty LeadGain recognition, exposure for pedagogical innovation without expense, time commitment of conference attendanceDiscuss innovations with interested peers (campus colleagues may not share the specific interest)Develop connections with other early adopters – eventual goal is to forward inter-institutional collaboration

11. Why Participants Take PartOpportunity to gain fresh ideas without leaving campusOpportunity to engage in discussion with peers from other campuses who share an interest in the innovation/technology being consideredEasy to fit into busy professional life

12. Professional Development PreferencesEvaluations of these programs, recent surveys of faculty, observations by academic support staff suggest thatfaculty today care about specific affordances of technology, not technology in general faculty learn most readily from other faculty

13. Response to these programsTopics are rated highlyMean, 4.38; median, 5Time is the scarcest resource: faculty want immediately useful information directly available to them

14. Representative TopicsTeaching with BlogsHistory Engine: Tools for Promoting Collaborative Education and Research among StudentsImagining the Unseeable: Molecular Visualization with UCSF ChimeraTechnology and Less Commonly Taught LanguagesDigital Identities: Maintenance, Boundaries and Ethics for Students and Faculty

15. Responses to TechnologyEase of use of technologyMean, median responses were both 4 of possible 5Likelihood of attending future videoconference programs

16. MIV Sessions as Campus ResourcesAre webcams scary? Not so much …Some groups participate as faculty/campus “brown bags”Recordings, whiteboards available after the program for review, sharing

17. Discussion: Sharing InnovationInnovative Practices on your campusSmall groups of 4-6 eachTake 10-15 minutes to discuss your questionShare results with the full group

18. Questions, follow-up?NITLE – www.nitle.orgNancy Millichap – nancy.millichap@nitle.orgRebecca Frost Davis – rebecca.davis@nitle.org