Outreach Technology Services

Academic Plan 2004-2009

1 December 2003

Executive Summary

The Outreach School’s mission is to extend the University of Wyoming’s educational programs to the state of Wyoming and beyond.  Outreach Technology Services provides technological support for the statewide programs and services offered through the Outreach School’s divisions and outreach centers.[1]   To prepare for Academic Plan 2004-2009, the Outreach School began a scenario planning process [2] two years ago.  The strategic areas of focus developed from that planning process include creating learning communities, expanding access to learning communities, building effective partnerships and synergisms, and planning for the accommodation of growth.

OTS embraces the concept defined in Academic Plan 1999-2004 that the University of Wyoming has one student body, though the students may live and learn in different geographic areas.  With this perception as a basis for our work, OTS has continued to seek ways to extend UW’s current and new technological services to physical sites around the state.  These modern services provide opportunities to meet students’ and citizens’ educational demands for convenience of service, which make possible the mobility of the learner (as well as the portability of their communication devices), connections from various locations, as well as choices of academic programs and delivery modes.  In addition, well planned and appropriate modern technology supports the distant education principle of transparent technology, which is the foundation for OTS delivery of quality services and products.  The best teaching and learning environment for faculty and students is the provision of a comfortable environment and the smooth operation of the equipment and facilities.

The telecommunications landscape will continue to change and develop at an ever-increasing pace.  In higher education, information technology and telecommunication systems are major influences in creating the increased geographical “reach” to students and in changing classroom environment concepts. In our new digital world, UW and the Outreach School will need a technical plan for modern facilities and equipment to provide the best possible learning communities, the places where individuals interact, teach and learn, and secure their personal goals for education and professional development. 

For the Outreach School and OTS, the question is how to extend UW technology services and infrastructure to outreach centers and other locations where UW provides connections to and for citizens of Wyoming.  Thus, OTS action plans focus on IP desktop video conferencing; streaming video over the Internet; high speed internet connectivity to outreach enters; and the use of digital duplication systems to produce digital discs (CD and DVD) for classroom materials.

In the implementation of Academic Plan 2004-2009, the Division of Outreach Technology Services (OTS) will seek to collaborate with UW departments, community colleges, state agencies, and business organizations in research and development in order to bring well-planned, high quality, modern, and appropriate technological services to UW students, faculty, and staff, as well as the citizens of the state. The Moving Forward III position statements regarding the learning environment, outreach and extension, access, and technological infrastructure provide the focus for OTS future action plans. 

 

Progress on Academic Plan 1999-2004 Action Items

OTS had responsibility for three action items in Academic Plan 1999-2004.  Please see Appendix I for details.

 

Curriculum

OTS is a non-academic unit and does not develop curriculum.  The decision for the appropriate technology-based delivery mode for a particular course is made by collaboratively between Outreach School instructional designers and the individual faculty.  OS instructional designers and OTS advise, consult, and train faculty for the specific technology needs of a course delivery.

 

 

Assssment

Although OTS is primarily a service unit, our central goal is to create transparent technology within the teaching and learning environment.  If the equipment and technical infrastructure work, we are in the background, unnoticed.  If so, we have then made possible the best opportunities for learning and teaching.

Because OTS provides technological and engineering support, our action plans become tasks, progressing from research and development to feasibility assessment to acquiring appropriate funds for implementation, testing, and operation.  These major steps become our primary performance indicators—are we accomplishing what we have set out to do?  Have we done it in a timely and economical manner?  What are the outcomes?

OTS continues to implement on-going “strategic conversations” with divisional managers and employees of the Outreach School.  As we integrate our tasks within the larger perspective of our economic and institutional environment, we assess our progress and examine the impact of what we have accomplished, considering as well the implications for the future.  This cyclical process returns upon itself and we begin again, with a refreshed and possibly new set of goals and objectives.

OTS utilizes several approaches for continuous assessment—regular daily “trouble” reports for statewide compressed video conferencing systems; course evaluations of technological delivery systems (by students and faculty); routine meetings with State agency partners to examine policies and procedures; and occasionally, satisfaction surveys such as a computer support assessment study.  For UWTV and its service contracts for video productions, performance indicators of progress include budget analysis of revenues and expenditures, contract and grant renewals, and the return of clients for additional service.

 

 

Areas of Distinction

The various programs and disciplines addressed as Areas of Distinction specified in Moving Forward III  will need effective methods of communication, including the possible use of state of the art telecommunication systems that are utilized globally based on international standard H.323 IP video conferencing, high quality desktop video conferencing (see OTS Action Items 1.1,1.2, and 2.1).  UW colleges and departments, with IT and Outreach School support, are currently implementing the first stages of a H.323 IP video conferencing system.  OTS will be a major source for technological support and engineering expertise as this new telecommunication system is established at UW.  H.323 will enhance and support UW’s competitive edge in relation to other higher education institutions.

 

 

Institutional and Outreach School Issues

Learning communities and access to learning via technology infrastructure.  For the university, the Outreach School, and Outreach Technology Services, creating learning communities and expanding access to learning communities are intrinsically connected to the investment in technology infrastructure.  It is now well understood that universities must incorporate technology planning in their institutional planning processes.  In higher education, information technology and telecommunication systems are major influences on changing concepts of the classroom environment, that is, where and how students are taught and how students learn, as well as creating the increased geographical “reach” to students necessary for increasing enrollments.  This inclusion of technology in the planning process is the first step in addressing issues pertaining to technology advancements, costs, and the appropriateness of the technological investments for the university.

The telecommunications landscape will continue to change and develop at an ever-increasing pace.  The compelling issues for the university include:

1.       Timing of investments:  when is the best time to invest our resources and will the technology we invest in be useful for the long term?

 

2.       Competitiveness:  will the technology be effective for the users and will it allow us to remain competitive with other institutions and to serve the state effectively?

 

3.       Cost:  can we afford the technologies we want or will resources need to be shifted from other priorities? 

 

4.       Implementation:  how can we best put into place the technologies we invest in, and how can we best help users learn to utilize the technologies effectively? 

 

 

Partnerships and Synergism.  In our new digital world, UW will need modern facilities and equipment to provide the best possible learning communities, the places where individuals interact, teach and learn, and secure their personal goals for education and professional development.  An institutional plan for technology infrastructure that is reliable and flexible will create the possibility of more course offerings, creating more choices and access for learners.  Advanced technology will provide opportunities for creating personalized and connected educational programs, bringing learners closer to teachers in a more interactive process.  And collaboration with and amongst university units dispersed across the state, such as the Outreach School, Cooperative Extension Service, SEO, ECTL, and others, will be made possible and improve through appropriate high speed broadband capacity and connectivity, supporting distant students as well as campus students, UW faculty, and other users (OTS 1.2, 2.1).  Access and growth will be stimulated through new forms of distribution, e.g., “intercasting” over the Internet with live streaming video.  Streaming video on the internet also provides for "video-on-demand" (VOD) opportunities, which will improve the timely delivery of instructional and informational materials (OTS 1.3, 2.2).

 

Accommodation of growth.  For the Outreach School and OTS, the question is how to extend UW technology services and infrastructure to outreach centers and other locations where UW provides physical and human connections to and for the citizens of Wyoming? (OTS 1.1, 2.1)  The technologies noted below will be the focus of OTS efforts in addressing this central issue of extending the telecommunication and information services of UW to statewide communities:

  1. A virtual private network (VPN) connecting UW to UW outreach centers will be researched for feasibility and costs.  This VPN will provide connectivity for hi-speed data, voice (IP telephony), and IP video conferencing (OTS 1.1, 2.3).
  2. Video conferencing on the "net" or H.323 technology and equipment makes it possible to provide desktop video conferencing at the office, home, or classroom, providing world wide connectivity for learning and research collaboration.  The current experimental implementation of H.323 IP videoconferencing at UW will build a foundation for expansion of IP video conferencing services throughout the State (OTS 1.2, 2.1).
  3. Streaming video is the distribution of moving video images over the Internet. Rapidly growing high speed Internet access will provide the means for the use of high quality moving images for instructional materials and for promotional and informational programming.  Users can become their own program schedulers, using “video on demand” (VOD) and other materials at their convenience (OTS 1.3, 2.2).
  4. UW’s wireless system provides for high-speed data connectivity over very short distances between and within buildings.  How do we extend applications of wireless technologies to UW outreach centers as well as other physical UW sites around the state (OTS 1.1, 1.4)? 
  5. DVD players in homes and workplace are becoming commonplace, and there is an increasing demand for DVDs in the classroom.  While the use of VCRs will continue, digital duplication systems will be researched, designed, and phased into OTS facilities and operations (OTS 1.3, 2.2).
  6. The UW contract with the current vendor and provider of campus cable programming could be renewed, allowing for digital upgrades and increased programming services.  An alternative, a UW “co-op” cable programming service, continues to be considered and researched (OTS 1.4).

 

 

Division of Outreach Technology Services

Action Items for Academic Plan 2004-2009

[This list of action items is not in priority order.]

 

Short Term Action Items:  One to two years or less

OTS   1.1          In cooperation with the University IT Division, OTS will develop a plan to create UW Virtual Private Network (VPN) to outreach centers via a frame relay system or wireless microwave system to provide connectivity for UW sites statewide for data, voice (IP telephony), and H.323 IP video-conferencing.

OTS   1.2          In cooperation with the University IT Division and other appropriate UW                          units, OTS will complete research and development of H.323 IP video                                        conferencing and begin limited implementation. 

OTS   1.3          In cooperation with the University IT Division, E-CTL, Libraries, and other                                   UW units, OTS will continue research and development of video streaming                          and develop a funding plan for video streaming services.

OTS   1.4          OTS will assist UW administrators in the development of an institutional                           technology plan.

 

Mid-Term Action Items:  Two to three years

OTS 2.1            In cooperation with the University IT Division, OTS will implement an IP                                     video conferencing system at outreach centers.

OTS 2.2            In cooperation with the University IT Division, OTS will implement a pilot                                     program for a video streaming system from the UW-Laramie campus.

OTS 2.3            In cooperation with the University IT Division, OTS will continue research                                   efforts to create a UW VPN for statewide UW physical sites, including                                          outreach centers.

 

Long Term Action Items:   Three to five years and beyond

OTS 3.1            In cooperation with other Outreach School units, OTS will research and                                       prepare a development plan for funding and creating centralized office                                            space, public meeting space, and modern production facilities for the services                                of OTS.


Appendix I

Division of Outreach Technology Services

 

Progress on Action Items from Academic Plan 1999-2004

 

The Division of Outreach Technology Services was involved in or impacted by three action items of Academic Plan 1999-2004.  These action items included:

 

Action Item 5:   Investigate alternatives to compressed video.

 

OTS has completed one year of initial research of H.323 IP video conferencing, or video conferencing on the Internet.  OTS is coordinating with IT and several UW departments who were recipients of an U.S. Department of Education funding award for technical equipment and facilities.  OTS will assist in the implementation of an H.323 central video conferencing bridge and multiple endpoints on and off campus in the Fall 2003 semester.  The scalability of the infrastructure facilities will allow for future expansion of this new video conferencing system.

 

Item 52:   Focus UW/TV on outreach efforts.

 

UWTV, the TV and video production unit of the Division, has focused on outreach efforts, upgrading production facilities for instructional program productions, and, in partnership with the UW Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, is producing the continuing educational series, “Cent$ible Nutrition,” broadcast on Wyoming Public TV.  UWTV continues to produce public informational programs, many in cooperation with other State agencies. Many of these programs are funded in part by federal grants.

 

Item 73:   Eliminate the Broadcasting option within Communication and Mass Media. 

 

The Broadcasting option within Communication and Mass Media (now Communication and Journalism) was phased out as of December 2001.  UWTV, provider of production facilities for Broadcast students, has eliminated student video editing and production facilities utilizing S-VHS video formats.   However, UWTV continues to provide training and internships in broadcast and video technologies to UW students.