Technology Training

Members

Faculty Chair: Pearl Williams, EMCCC
Co-Chair: Debbie Krumtinger, DIST

Linda Austin, GCC
Chrystle Hall, DIST
Nancy Johnson, GWCC
Margaret Macias, PC
Marie Olsen, MSC
Dean Peterson, CGCC

Charge

The Technology Training group will focus on a plan for preparing faculty to use technology and providing ongoing training and support for faculty. Discussions will address issues such as educating faculty past the stage of computer literacy to computer proficiency, educating faculty on issues of technology specific to their curriculum areas, and providing ongoing support.

Introduction

This report focuses on identifying training and support for new and continuing faculty; defining levels of training; guidelines for implementation, and a discussion of the assumptions and issues surrounding the use of technology in facilitating communication, teaching, and learning. The members of the committee recognize that a search for new systems is currently underway. Thus, the levels of training and guidelines for implementation are generic.

The Ocotillo Technology Training Committee focused on the following charge:

The committee considered the following assumptions:

The following issues emerged:

Year in Review

The committee explored the concept of providing training and support for new and continuing faculty. Dynamic discussion included assumptions, issues and the diversity of faculty needs. It is evident that each campus has some faculty who are sophisticated technology users while other faculty members at each campus are at beginning, or intermediate level, or are reluctant users. Consequently, the consensus of the group was to design levels of training and support mechanisms to address a variety of needs. (See Addendum)

Additionally, the committee members conducted an informal survey of college training practices. The results indicated that consistent on-going training with mentors would be helpful. The general consensus of the committee was that time, budget, hardware availability and support are major constraints to equitable training for all faculty. The latter two are most in need of improvement

Subsequently, the committee made two key recommendations: (1) that the first level of training be mandatory for new faculty, and should be a part of new employee orientation, and (2) that professional growth incentives be attached to training levels for both new and continuing employees.

Conclusion

It is the hope and the intent of this committee that adequate training of new employees will remove their reluctance to use technology and will encourage them to explore opportunities in this area. The establishment of a network of college technology mentors should help continuing as well as new employees to feel more comfortable with the "continuing education" required by ever-changing and developing technologies. Availability of appropriate hardware and software is also crucial to the success of these recommendations.

The use of technology is no longer optional; it is essential to effective communication and for the delivery of quality service in teaching and learning. Therefore, we at Maricopa County Community College District cannot afford to let technology training occur by chance. This training must have a priority in Maricopa's investment of personnel, capital dollars and time for training.

Addendum

Level I:  Survival Skills for New Faculty

    Activity                              Timeline

1.  A1: E-Mail Basics                     Session 1-1st Week
      --Advanced E-Mail                   Session 2-1st Week

2.  Telephone Training                    Session 1-1st Week
      --Voice Mail (one class)            Session 1-1st Week
      --College/District Specific

3.  Fax Training                          Within 1st Semester
      --College Specific

4.  Time/Calendar Management              If/When Necessary
      --College/Department Specific

Recommendations for Level I:
Level I is mandatory for new faculty and should be part of 
a New Employee Program.  Level I is recommended for continuing 
faculty.  Level I should have professional growth incentives.  
All necessary job aids should be available on new faculty desks.  
A campus technology/department mentoring team should be 
assigned to new faculty members.

Level II: Basic Computing Skills

    Activity                              Timeline

1.  Basic Computing Literacy Training     Session 1-1st Semester
      --Hardware
      --Software Operating System
      --College/District Specific

2.  Introduction to IBM/MAC               Session 1-1st Semester
      --Operating System
      --Word Processing
      --Data Base
      --Spread Sheet
      --Graphics
      --College/District Specific

3.  Electronic Forum                      Session 2-1st Semester
      --College/District Specific

4.  External Information Access           Session 3-1st Semester
      --Internet
      --Gopher
      --Mosaic

5.  Library Information Access            Session 1-1st Semester

Recommendations for Level II:
This level is optional.  Some faculty will need specific 
sections for the training.  It is recommended that these 
classes be taught within the first semester, continuing 
thereafter.  The classes should also be campus specific.

Level III: Advanced Training

    Activity                              Timeline

1.  Accessing Student Records             As needed
      --MAPS
      --SIS

2.  Creating Presentation models          As needed
      --Persuasion
      --Powerpoint

3.  Using Grading Systems                 As needed
      --Inform
      --Others Designated by Campus/Department

4.  Desktop Publishing for Brochures      As needed
      --Pagemaker
      --Harvard Graphics
      --Others

5.  Using Authoring Systems               As needed
      --Toolbook
      --Hypercard
      --Others

Recommendation for Level III:
This type of training and the timelines will 
depend on specialty or job responsibilities.

Index

Ocotillo Report '94-- Technology Training
back
c 1994, Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction (MCLI) Maricopa County Community College District, Arizona