HBCU Summit - Welcome and Overview: HBCU Opening Sessions on Affordable Learning Strategies and Initiatives
Workshop Session 1
Brief Abstract
The opening 90 minutes of the HBCU Summit will focus on a welcome by your HBCU Summit leaders, an overview of HBCU Strategy for Affordable Learning Solutions (AL$), presentation of a Southern University System's system-wide intiative to enable educational quality and college afordability, and Q & A discussion focused on issues and questions raised by these presentations.
Presenters
Gerard L. Hanley Ph.D. is the Executive Director of MERLOT (Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching, www.merlot.org) and SkillsCommons (www.skillscommons.org) for the California State University, the Director for the Center for Usability for Design and Accessibility and Professor of Psychology at California State University, Long Beach. At MERLOT and SkillsCommons, he directs the development and sustainability of the international consortium and technology strategy to provide open educational services to improve teaching and learning and continues to development the US Department of Labor's open repository of educational resources for workforce development. Gerry's previous positions include Assistance Vice Chancellor for Academic Technology Services at the CSU Office of the Chancellor, the Director of Faculty Development and Director of Strategy Planning at CSU, Long Beach.
Leslie Kennedy, Ed.D., Director, Affordable Learning Solutions (AL$) at the CSU Office of the Chancellor provides strategic planning and project and vendor management in support of AL$ initiatives and leads a number of campus and system-wide collaborations. Previously, Leslie served as the director of instructional technology support services at CSULB, engagement and user community relations manager for WebCT, and was tenured faculty at Fullerton College. She has an MA in Linguistics and a second Masters in Online Learning and Teaching. Her doctorate is in educational leadership in higher education with a focus on supporting mainstream faculty adoption of instructional technologies. Her work and education background includes a unique combination of relevant vendor experience, project management of diverse academic technology projects and teams, and first-hand experience as a faculty member which enables her to provide vision and guidance to AL$.
Professor Moustapha Diack is the Associate Vice President for Online Learning Services for the Southern University System (SUS) and Director of Professional Development Services for Southern University Baton Rouge (SUBR). He is Chair of the Practitioners Summit for Advancing Affordable Learning Solutions and Quality Online Education for HBCUs, integral part of the OLC/MERLOT International Conference. His research interests at Southern University are in the areas of Instructional Design, cognitive theory of multimedia learning and the strategic planning and deployment of online learning systems to enhance student learning outcomes. Diack has extensive experience in the areas of online learning design and delivery and has played a global leadership role in the areas of Open Education and Open Access. He is recipient of the International MERLOT (Multimedia Educational Resources for Learning and Online Teaching) Innovation Award 2009. He is member of the MERLOT Faculty Development Editorial Board and Co-Founding Director of the MERLOT Africa Network (MAN), a network of African higher education institutions and digital scholars engaged in the research, development and implementation of open education. At the SUS, Diack oversees the development and implementation of integrated digital library services, the Southern University Online Library for Education (SUOL4ed), to facilitate quality online programs development and college affordability through the adoption of open education resources and open textbook. Diack is member of the Louisiana Board of Regents Task Force On Electronic Learning and Past President 2003-2006 of the Louisiana Academy of Science and also Member of the Quality Matters (QM) International Advisory.
Robbie K. Melton, Ph.D. is a full tenured professor at Tennessee State University. Major research studies include Strategic Planning for Emerging IOE (Internet of Everything) Smart Connected Mobile Devices for Education and Workforce Development. She has published and presented around the nation on the impact and value of mobilization for education and the workforce and has acquired a new distinction as an “App-ologist” due to her study of the pedagogy and best teaching practices with mobilization, quality standards for the utilization of mobile apps, and for her creation of the Mobile App Education and Workforce Resource Center (50,000 + Apps that have been aligned with over ninety-five subject areas from Pre-K to Ph.D., including workforce careers, professional development and lifelong learning, according to one’s mobile device of choice). Melton is the winner of numerous awards; the latest being the 2016 Online Learning Consortium Fellow, 2016 Richard Jonsen Educational Technologies top honor for her lifetime work in educational technology, 2015 MERLOT Leadership Visionary Award, CDE Top 30 2014 Technologists, Transformers and Trailblazers, 2013 Apple Distinguished Educator, 2012, Technology WOW Award, 2013 eAfrica Innovator Education Award.
Dr. Veronica Douglas McEachin, a native of Shreveport, Louisiana is a highly motivated and energetic individual, who received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Southern University in Baton, Rouge, Louisiana. Dr. McEachin continued her studies at Kansas State University where she earned a Ph..D in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Educational Technology and Multicultural Education.
Her love for education followed her into the workplace. She currently serves as the Director of E-Learning at Southern University, Shreveport. Her extensive background includes Director of Academic Information Technology, Chair of the Division of Natural and Computation Sciences, Interim Director of Sponsored Programs, Assistant Professor in Computer Science, Computer Programmer Analyst and Data Processing Analyst. Dr. McEachin is also an experienced trainer who has successfully conducted technological workshops for individuals at all levels.
Extended Abstract
8:30am-8:45am Welcome: AL$ Vice President, CSU AL$ Project Director
8:45am-9:00am Overview HBCU Stragtegy for Affordable Learning Solutions and the HBCU Summit at Innovate:
- Challenges: Cost of textbooks and learning resources
- Solutions: Open Education Resources (OER) - AL$
- Goals: Short term and Long term for AL$
- Strategies: Supporting existing campus priorities and strengthening existing capabilities
- AL$ HBCU Model Campus: Recognition of Southern University
- Pilot AL$ Schools: Acknowledgements
- Tennessee State University (TSU)
- Bethune Cookman Univeristy (BCU)
- Fisk Univeristy (FU)
- Fort Valley State University (FVU)
- Morehouse University (MU)
- Southwest Tennessee Community College
- Volunteer State Community College
9:00am-9:40am Enabling Education Quality and College Affordability Through a System-wide Initiative
The Southern University System just received an Innovation grant funding from the Louisiana Board of Regents to develop a faculty development model for designing OER-based courses aligned to the Quality Matters Standards. The project, entitled "Enabling Educational Quality and College Affordability Through a System-wide implementation of Zero-Textbook-Cost Courses and Degrees", aims at offering an Associate degree in Criminal Justice at Southern University Shreveport campus, a community college member of the SUS. This presentation will discuss the project deliverables and lessons learned while implementing the innovation grant.
9:40am-10:00am Questions, Answers, Discussions
Focus on issues and questions raised from audience about the programmatic, policy, and political topics that need to be addressed when planning an Affordable Learning Solutions initiative