Action Project - Develop Mobile Learning Environment

1. Description

Fort Hays State University is positioned to respond to the increasing use of mobile devices by its students and the need to move to the next level of our “high tech/high touch” teaching and learning environment. The University has invested in the completion of a campus-wide wireless infrastructure, the purchase of tablet computers for faculty, the provision of training opportunities for faculty, and the building of a new technical support structure. These elements provide the infrastructure to allow faculty and students to thrive as the University adopts the mandate of required tablet utilization in Fall 2007 for all students.

2. Related AQIP Categories

Primary 1-Helping Students Learn
Related 2-Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives

3. Rationale for Action

FHSU has adopted this action project for the following reasons: 1) Employers demand value-add computing skills, and familiarity with mobile technology is an expectation is most employment sectors; 2) Fort Hays State has long been known for our "high-tech, high-touch" approach. This move enables greater leverage to achieve our mission, vision, and values; 3) There has been a substantial drop in cost associated with tablet ownership allowing our students to acquire the functionality of tablet technology at the cost of a laptop; 4) This move allows FHSU to stay ahead of our competitors in skill set as well as cost; and 5) Most students bring technology to campus, this mandate simply channels student purchases through a standardized process so that all students have similar technology.

4. Areas Affected

The following areas are most likely to be impacted through this action project: 1) Mobile Computing Task Force, University Assessment, and Council for Institutional Effectiveness; 2) Computing and Telecommunications Center, Center for Teaching Excellence and Learning Technology; and 3) All academic departments and colleges.

5. Processes Affected

The following processes (referenced by AQIP category) will be impacted through this action project:
1P6, 1P7, 1P8, 1P9, 1P10, 1P11, 1P12, 1P13, 2P1, 2P2, 2P3.

6. Process Measures

Monitoring will be ongoing. Monthly Task Force and Council meetings provide a launch point to discuss problems. Close monitoring by a project champion will provide necessary oversight. Annual monitoring is assured due to the convergence between this project and our KBOR Performance Agreement reporting process.

7. Outcome Measures

The following gross measures of effectiveness should be realized upon project completion:(1) Increased direct and embedded assessment results at the program level; 2) Improved results in courses; and (3) Direct feedback from faculty and employers.

8. Keeping Focus

A four-year timeframe seems appropriate given the need to plan, implement, and influence student learning beginning in the freshman year. Implementing lag measures like NSSE and ICT will be valuable for documenting results, but changing results in these measures takes years. Finally, this project aligns with our four year Performance Agreement through the Kansas Board of Regents.