Earlier this year I received an invitation from colleagues at EDUCAUSE to do featured session on "Doing More with Much Less: Pursuing an Innovative Teaching and Learning Agenda in a Time of Fiscal Austerity" at the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) 2010 Annual Meeting. I am honored to be part of a panel that will take time to talk to the audience about the things we are each doing at our institutions to help continue to push forward even in times of economic turmoil. I plan to spend my time discussing how we've re-evaluated our strategic planning, how we've turned to the community to produce local (and high value) professional development, and how we have leveraged existing IT infrastructure to innovate. I would be lying if I didn't mention that I am a bit intimidated to be a part of a panel like this and hope I can hold my own with my fellow panelists. From the program:
Supporting an innovative program for teaching and learning is challenging even in the best of times. But when institutions face severe fiscal austerity, such support becomes a difficult task. We all face tough choices about what to emphasize and what to stop supporting. We find we must tax our creativity to the utmost to find new support strategies and resources. We are all asking ourselves similar questions: Is the cloud our salvation? Should we focus on support services and scale back on providing learning infrastructure? Can institutions collaborate on resource development? What are the core priorities that need to be retained? At this discussion, leaders in the field will discuss their ideas, programs, and the decisions they have made and are facing, and they will facilitate a brainstorming session with audience participants.
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