Provost E-Learning Initiative
Background
The University of Florida aspires to greater academic excellence. The Provost E-Learning Initiative seeks to further improve the quality of learning and the learning experience for students, as well as to facilitate the teaching process for faculty. To achieve this, the Provost envisioned a series of course offerings for undergraduate students using pedagogical best practice and transformation of education using information technology. The purpose is to prepare twenty-first century learners for an increasingly connected and complex global society by implementing practices that involve inquiry, interactivity, collaboration and technology enriched learning environments.
Provost E-Learning Initiative website
Goal
To further improve the quality of learning and the learning experience for students and facilitate the teaching process for faculty by developing a series of online exemplary courses that
- Improve the quality of learning while maintaining or reducing the cost of instruction.
- Help satisfy needs in high demand areas (large enrollment, courses with caps).
- Help satisfy general education and Gordon rule requirements.
- Provide flexible offerings that students can access locally and at a distance (including summer).
- Increase student count.
Deliverables
- 2008 - 2009: 21 undergraduate courses developed for online delivery with deployment of courses occurring in Fall 2008, Spring 2009 and Summer 2009
- 2009- 2010: 10 courses are being developed for online delivery and deployment in 2010.
Project Sponsor
- Dr. Joe Glover, Provost
Impact
The availability of online courses in multiple disciplines that allow student location and scheduling flexibility, increased registrations in courses experiencing seating limitation, increased availability of courses satisfying general education and Gordon Rule requirements and maximize University resources .
Timeline
Yearly implementation with a Request for Proposals disseminated in January, selections made by committee development beginning in May, and deployment in the following spring and summer semesters. Due to budget implications, the 2009 timelines were as follows:
| Action | Target Date |
|---|---|
| Proposal Submission Deadline | May 15, 2009, 5pm |
| Proposals Sent to Committee | May 18, 2009 |
| Committee Meeting - Review of Proposals | May 25-29, 2009 |
| Interviews for Finalists | June 1-5, 2009 |
| Committee Meeting - Final Selection of Awardees | June 8-12, 2009 |
| Summer Institute | June 25-26, 2009 |
| Courses Pilot | Spring or Summer 2010 |
