Four faculty members in two MUSC colleges have been awarded small grants to enhance their use of educational technology for teaching-learning.
Funds were awarded through the University's Information Technology Innovation (ITI) Grants program, which is in its second year. The primary purpose of the ITI internal grants program is to develop and strengthen the faculty's use of educational technologies for teaching and learning.
Elizabeth
Ricciardone, MHS, Valerie T.
West, Ed.D., and Lilless Shilling,
Ph.D., of the College of Health Profession's Division of Continuing Professional
Education received $6,500 to support their proposal “Customer Service in
Health Care: An Interdisciplinary Course Using Interactive CD Rom and Internet
Links.”
Their proposal is part of a larger project to create a technology-based offering that addresses the core competency of improved customer service to ensure quality while delivering health care. The ITI-funded component includes the production of video vignette case studies that will be transferred to CD-ROM for delivery.
Once the course is redesigned, it will be submitted for acceptance as a web-based university-wide interdisciplinary elective.
The
review committee also approved supplemental funding to Robert
Holmes, DDS, Department of Prosthodontics, College of Dental
Medicine. Holmes received $1,205 to cover the cost of software to complete
the project he had taken over when the original investigator left the university.
Holmes' project is entitled “Three-dimensional Object Digitizing, Modeling,
and Rendering for Teaching Three-dimensional Spatial Concepts in Dentistry.”
In keeping with the goal of the ITI program, the faculty skill development aspects of each proposal are evaluated by the committee. In addition, proposals are evaluated using the following criteria:
- Clearly defined aims and expected deliverables/outcomes.
- Degree to which the proposed project contributes to the educational mission and priorities of the university, college, and/or department.
- The project faculty's capacity for successfully implementing the project, including evidence that the project will contribute directly to enhancing the applicant's and/or other faculty's skills in using the proposed technology for teaching-learning.
- The potential for replicability in other courses or departments.
- Clearly specified plan for measuring the project's impact.
The ITI grants program is administered through the Provost's office. The ITI Subcommittee of the University Educational Infrastructure Committee serves as the review committee for the awards. Members of the subcommittee are listed in the accompanying box. Copies of funded ITI proposals are available in the library at the main circulation desk on the second floor.
The ITI Grant program draws to a close with the 1998-99 funding.
Some funds remain to be awarded, however. One final proposal cycle is planned for late summer or early fall, 1999. A copy of the complete guidelines and format for applying for an ITI grant may be obtained from Marcia Higaki, Office of the Associate Provost for Education, Rm. 200G Administration Building, 792-1928.
Questions may be directed to Professor Nancy McKeehan, chair of the ITI Subcommittee, 792-7672.
ITI Subcommittee
Nancy McKeehan, MSLS, Library & Learning Resources—Chair; Thierry Bacro, Ph.D., College of Health Professions; Gail Barbosa, Ph.D., College of Nursing; Elizabeth Bear, Ph.D., College of Nursing; Kathy Chessman, Pharm.D., College of Pharmacy; Richard Gadsden Jr., B.S., CCIT; Robert Gellin, DMD, College of Dental Medicine; Richard Hernandez, MPH, College of Health Professions; Ronald Nickel, Ph.D., College of Pharmacy; Elizabeth Pilcher, DMD, College of Dental Medicine; Michael Schmidt, Ph.D., College of Medicine; Tracy Smith, B.A., SC AHEC; Thomas Trusk, Ph.D., College of Medicine; Vickie Womble, MLIS, Enrollment Services