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Strategic plan is blueprint for distributed education at IU
Aug. 29, 2000
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University's efforts to become a national leader in integrating distributed education into the mainstream of teaching and learning will be guided by the newly released Strategic Plan for Distributed Education: Charting a Course Toward an Indiana Virtual University.
The strategic plan includes seven general recommendations and 35 proposed actions that focus on innovations in information technology for distributed learning, greater access to IU educational resources, and increased participation in lifelong learning in Indiana and beyond.
"The plan is firmly grounded on sound pedagogy, which will be our constant guide," said Erwin Boschmann, IU associate vice president for distributed education.
The plan is the result of an intensive planning process involving input from faculty and staff statewide, as well as input from the broader university community. It represents the distilled thinking of the academic leadership regarding teaching and learning in a modern information technology environment.
"Technology is transforming ways of teaching and learning both inside and outside the classroom. Business as usual simply won't do," said Blaise Cronin, dean of the IU School of Library and Information Science and Rudy Professor of Information Science.
Cronin and Stephen Jay, chair of the Department of Public Health in the IU School of Medicine and associate dean for continuing medical education, co-chaired the planning advisory committee that helped prepare the plan.
The Strategic Plan for Distributed Education provides a framework for moving ahead, Jay said. "The plan addresses the nexus of technological, social, pedagogic and institutional issues associated with developing a sustainable distributed education capability at Indiana University."
Plan highlights include the following:
• A recognition of the need to engage faculty in all distributed education initiatives and to provide the structures and services they need to develop and offer distributed education courses
• A focus on course and program development in high-profile and high-impact areas, on online degree programs, on opportunities for high school students, and on cooperative programs with partner institutions
• A call for the highest level of student services and for an expanded faculty reward system.
The plan is available on the Web at http://www.indiana.edu/~iude/frameset-publications.html
(Lisa Denlinger, 812-855-1656, ldenling@indiana.edu or George Vlahakis, 812-855-0846, gvlahaki@indiana.edu)