Through several of its different branches, Ocotillo is involved in planning the future of instructional technology at Maricopa.
Diana Oblinger presents at an Ocotillo Vision Forum
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Technology Visioning Forums
Ocotillo is collaborating with Vice Chancellor for Information Technologies Services (ITS), Ron Bleed, to provide a series of forums where invited experts challenge us with ideas about the future of technology and learning. These forums are part of the 2004 bond planning process. If you think back to 1994, our last bond had no provisions for the impact of the web (barely on the horizon then), so we are trying to think about how the next generation technologies might impact funding, space planning, and learning.
College and District Office teams participate in the forums and engage in local follow-up discussions. In January, architect Philip Parsons generated thoughts on space and socialization in his forum on "Designing the Hybrid Campus."
In February, educational consultant Diana Oblinger spoke on "Into the Future: What is IT?" and described models of shared service that have caused us to imagine if we can be more effective for students as one organization rather than ten. One of the examples that generated interest was the 24/7 online tutoring service offered by SMARTHINKING, already being piloted at Scottsdale and being investigated by other Maricopa colleges.
The April Forum features educational technology expert Michael Dolence. The ideas from these forums and the continuing discussion by Ocotillo groups at the colleges will lead to focused activity at the May 14-15 Ocotillo Retreat in Tucson. We are looking forward to additional forums to start in the fall. Anyone wishing to attend the Forums should see their college Ocotillo Chair.
For more information, seehttp://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/ocotillo/tv/
Phillip Parsons presents at an Ocotillo Vision Forum
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Ocotillo Online Learning Group (OLG)
The OLG continues its monthly meetings of interested faculty, staff, and administrators involved with online learning. Inspired by the Visioning Forums, our March meeting featured a demo of SMARTHINKING from their Vice President, Andrea Fuller, and an exciting panel of Maricopa faculty who are already teaching in a hybrid format.
To support this effort, we have created a new Ocotillo resource on Hybrid Courses:
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/ocotillo/hybrids/
For more on the OLG meetings, go to:
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/ocotillo/olg/
Technology Survey
We are currently processing and analyzing the data gathered from the Former Student Survey conducted in April, 2001. Gene Schmidt, Scottsdale Community College faculty, is working with the Ocotillo Chair, Doug Sawyer, to prepare a report and executive summary. These data reveal many interesting comparisons between what types of technology we emphasize and what our former students perceive as important.
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/ocotillo/ae/surveys.html
Dialogue Days
Ocotillo and Glendale Community College offered a very successful Dialogue Day on November 9, 2001, "WebDev 2001: The Strongest Link." The Ocotillo chairs also helped plan the March 29, 2002 Dialogue Day, "Technology by the (Discipline) Slice" at GateWay Community College with sessions for faculty to share resources and ideas on classroom and web-based technology.
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/dd/tech02/
In addition, we continue to highlight college efforts via the monthly Ocotillo Spotlight. In February, the spotlight was on the use of digital video at Mesa Community College and in March, the Spotlight moved to the mobile computing lab at Paradise Valley Community College.
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/ocotillo/spotlight/
Ocotillo is proud of the collaborative relationships we have with other technology initiatives throughout Maricopa. Ocotillo works closely with the Technology Leadership Council (TLC). Ocotillo is also a valued part of the strategic planning process of our District: Ocotillo Chair Doug Sawyer continues to serve on the District's Strategic Planning Advisory Council and Rio Salado Ocotillo Chair Pat Case serves as a member of the District's Strategic Planning Team.
So wherever you see efforts to promote the best, most effective, and innovative uses of technology for learning at Maricopa, expect to see a branch of Ocotillo!
 Doug Sawyer, Ph.D., Ocotillo Faculty Chair
Alan Levine, mcli
Ocotillo
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/ocotillo/
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