Innov8 Academy

The Innov8 Academy Action Research Project (2013 – 2017)

Background

Instructional technology must impact student learning gains and success to have a significant impact. In general, faculty technology implementation lags behind administration, research, and learning support. Technology integration extends beyond software and skill based training. Intentional focus on technology faculty development with the inclusion of support systems is required to change perspectives, encourage self-directed growth, and wide spread implementation.

PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

1. Develop & implement progressive institutional mechanisms to scaffold/facilitate faculty innovations. Build formal institution mechanisms to scaffold and facilitate faculty innovation.
2. Expand faculty’s skill-base to integrate technology in instructional and learning processes.
3. Increase faculty’s utilization of relevant innovations/best practices in technology in the curriculum.
4. Enable faculty to demonstrate increased confidence to integrate technologies in their instruction.

Program Design

Intensive Summer Academy

• Four Days in two Blocks
• Breadth of Technology
• Community Building

Action Research

• Templates for Planning
•  Implementation Support
• Presentation to College

Communities of Practice

• Monthly Meetings
• Open Forum
• Just In Time Workshops

Method-Action Research

Preliminary Findings and Conclusions

1. The survey at the program onset indicated a significant under utilization of many essential instructional technologies and strong faculty interest to learn more about the featured support tools required for innovations in teaching and learning. The Innov8 program structure was a direct response to the established need.
2. The assessment of faculty technology skills showed significant competence gains across almost all (12 of the 13) assessed implementation domains at the end of the Academy. Gains were particularly strong in the previously weakest skill areas.
3. Significant technology utilization gains have been reported for 9 of the 19 technologies/tools as a result of the Innov8-based impact. Most gains were reported in both high-usage and low-usage LMS (D2L) tools.
4. Faculty expressed significant confidence (self-efficacy) gains with regard to using appropriate technologies for instruction, overcoming implementation barriers/constraints, and supporting students’ technology related needs. Tool-specific confidence also increased significantly across most technologies.

Appendix

Facilitating Innovation in College Environments: The Innov8 Academy

Boyer, N.R., Thomas, C., Usinger, P., Marquez, N., Neuman, N., & Jernigan, K. (2015). Facilitating innovation in college environments: The Innov8 Academy. In H. Shepard.                       (Ed.), Selected papers from the 27th International Conference on College Teaching and Learning.  Jacksonville, FL: Florida State College at Jacksonville.

Using Action Research to Innov8: Facilitating Culture Shifts in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning