Goals

Milestones

Performance Indicators

Progress/Results

Individuals Impacted

Improve the effectiveness of NIll's Latino recruitment and retention initiatives for traditional and non-traditional students.

Identification of NIU project steering committee, other interested individuals.

Commitments from a cross-section of the NIU community to serve on the project steering committee.

• All project champions contacted, all but one agreed to serve and the remaining individual identified a colleague to represent their college.
• Five new individuals
  recommended by the Vice-Provost's office were contacted and agreed to serve.
• Project team list is attached.

Outreach and engagement activities will begin in FT13.

Agreement on path forward, identification of "in-reach" strategy.

Overall project work plan developed and approved by the steering committee.

Two steering committee meetings have been held on March 27 and May 1 with three more scheduled over the summer. At the May 1 meeting a work plan for the next quarter was agreed upon.

Selection of four partner community colleges.

Commitments from community colleges selected by the steering committee.

The work group agreed that the first step was to target the desired communities - then the appropriate community colleges would be contacted.

Creation of four community-education partnerships and respective leaders.

Target communities selected

Local leadership/initiatives identified and approached

Partnership members jointly identified and contacted regarding participation

The steering committee has identified the criteria that will be used to select the target criteria: number of Latino residents/high school students; enrollment rates; and the existence of a critical mass of college-going resources on which to build. We are in the process of collecting this information for the June 13th meeting.

Agreement on project outcomes, process, timelines, and learning needs

Individual community-education partnership work plans developed and approved by leadership team

The community partners have not yet been convened, so this milestone has yet to be addressed.

Goals

Milestones

Performance Indicators

Progress/Results

Individuals Impacted

Providing Experiential Learning Opportunities:  The Digital Convergence Lab provides Northern Illinois University students with an opportunity to benefit from the team-based experiential approach to learning. Its focus on the development of sophisticated multimedia materials simultaneously allows student participants to benefit from perspectives provided by peers and instructors drawn from a variety of disciplines; enhance their technical skills; and gain hands-on experience, applying new technologies to a variety of challenges in an atmosphere similar to that found in the modern workplace.

Engaging students in projects

Offer one to two projects per semester

Project coordinators draw collaborators from multiple disciplines and facilitate completion of projects

Student teams develop projects and report to clients

Marketing plan and implementation

Feedback and reflections from students and faculty coaches

Demonstrate an increase in the numbers of students who apply to be on projects in the Experiential Learning Lab (ELL)

List of potential projects and clients updated every six months

Documentation of team composition shows mix of disciplines and positive evaluations of projects using Lab rubric and feedback surveys

Project(s) successfully completed and reports submitted and archived

Increased awareness of the ELL

Positive feedback from students and faculty coaches about the ELL experience

Annual report of student application numbers: 14 students

Computer Science: 6 students

Time Arts: 2 students

Media studies: 1 student

Instructional Tech: 4 students

Illustration: 1 student

Annual report of projects offered and outcomes:

- Literacy in Motion was offered spring 2012 with the design team, and continues with the development team in the fall of 2012.

- Project PROMPT-TS: Promoting Real Outcomes using Mobile Prompting Technologies for Transition Supports – grant funding proposal in process for Spring 2013 development team

Annual report of team composition and complied feedback data.

- Not yet implemented

- Survey will be developed for Fall 2012 team projects.

Annual report provides review of projects

- Literacy in Motion funded by P-20. The design team presented their designs for the game in May 2012

Documentation of new contacts.

- Not yet developed.

Collect, archive, and report on feedback in annual report.

- Not yet implemented

Students: 14 undergraduates; 4 graduate students

Faculty: 6

Providing Research and Development Support:  The DCL offers a centralized lab, and professional expert staff, able to support faculty, staff, and students in the investigation, design, development, and research of digital and interactive media and its educational outcomes.

Lab equipment expanded and upgraded

Graduate Assistants hired and engaged in DCL support and production

Local, national, and international collaborations

Innovative products and applications

Affiliates and Fellows join the Lab

Departments assign interns to the Lab

Camp and workshop numbers increased, programs expanded to include more diverse offerings.

Workshop and product numbers increase. Students gain valuable experience. Expanded lab hours.

Log of collaborations and documentation of results increases NIU partnerships

Continued development of products such as mobile Apps, virtual learning spaces, video games, and mixed media development.

Annotated roster on DCL website expands list of  affiliates

Students gain valuable experience

List of lab equipment purchased and how it benefited the lab projects, research, and workshops. Equipment is just getting in and set up but we have already held one workshop for iPads on how to use iAuthor, for the.

• iPads – 30 – workshops on iAuthor
• MacBook Pros – 15 – Games camp, experiential learning team, workshops
• AutoDesk Suite – for 3D development, authoring, and simulation development
• Adobe suite – for media development and editing

GA surveys and interviews summarized in annual report.

• Eamon Newman – Art Education Graduate student supporting the lab Virtual World server, as well as faculty research for Lilly Lu.
• Raymond Maximo – Geology Graduate Student supporting the lab by helping with transcription for learning materials and research
• Renee Powers – Communications Graduate Student supporting for the “Just for Girls – Games Camp”
• Becky Griffith -  Undergraduate Art Ed student supporting for the “Just for Girls – Games Camp”

Annual report of collaborations.

• Wei-Chen Hung, Toni Van Laarhoven, and Tom Smith on an app to help support disabled individuals.
• Wei-Chen Hung on an NSF grant proposal to study Kinect games for learning.
• Lilly Lu – Highly Interactive Virtual Environments and Schaumburg High School

Annual report of products developed in the lab.

• Picodroid – an Xbox 360 Kinect game that teaches physics
• Literacy in Motion – an Xbox 360 game that teaches kids to read
• Guru Ve – iBook on religion and natural healing

Report on faculty and staff who support the lab, either directly or through a advisory position.

• Lilly Lu – Faculty fellow
• Wei-Chen Hung – ELL coach
• Cindy York – ELL coach
• Hayley Mayall - ELL coach

Report of students who completed internships.

• Wendy Marshall will be doing an internship with the lab this summer. Wendy is a Graduate student from the College of Education.

Community Engagement: The Digital Convergence Lab will foster community engagement by actively extending educational experiences for our diverse regional youth, promoting self-efficacy in both digital media and technology.

Camps and workshops

Invitation to the NIU community to learn from projects and research in the lab

Research into media and technologies

Staff participation in individual and group professional development activities to maintain currency

Continuation and expansion of summer camps and workshops for community and outreach

Documentation of introduction of new digital media and technologies; positive evaluations from users

Reports and publications; identification of benchmarks at similar labs at other universities

Staff publications, presentations at professional conferences, and recognition for leadership

Post-survey of participants about their experience. Results provided in annual report

- We have not held any camps since receiving the grant.

Annual review of documentation and user evaluations

- Provided a workshop for the College of Education at the LearnIT  conference on iBooks and Game Maker.

Annual report lists conference presentations and journal submissions supported by the lab.

- Games Learning and Society conference in Madison Wisconsin. Presentation “Picodroid: Designing and Developing a Physics Game using the Kinect Motion Controller” June 2012

Annual report of professional development, and lessons learned

- Games Learning and Society conference in Madison Wisconsin, June 2012

- Reaction Grid Jibe Worlds, May 2012

Goals

Milestones

Performance Indicators

Progress/Results

Individuals Impacted

Raise student achievement

• Strategic plans and evaluation processes completed for each strategy
• Activities implemented on time and on budget
• Results documented

Virtual Lab School

• Advisory Committee established, FY13‐14 action plan developed
• Coordinator implements VLS plans on time and on budget
• Internal and external constituencies built and VLS‐related needs identified
• Sustainability plan prepared

Plans posted online

• Number of P‐12 students, teachers, community members participating
• Number of on‐campus and off‐campus events/activities and attendance numbers
• School performance data over time
• Students enrolling at NIU from participating high schools
• Publications, presentations, reports, workshops
• Grants, donations, revenues
• Evaluation results reported

Virtual Lab School

• Production and delivery of VLS instructional modules that address constituent needs
• Number of students (K‐12, pre‐service and in‐service teachers) enrolled in VLS modules
• VLS infrastructure and web presence in operation
• Number of external partnerships established
• Presentations and reports
• Grants, donations, revenues
• Evaluation results

• Website being updated in June
• 781 NIU students, 134 NIU faculty and staff; 27,461 P‐12 students; 1,488 P‐12 teachers
• More than 140 events with attendance exceeding 32,000. See Table 3.
• DHS scores on PSAE jumped from 50% passing to 58% in 2011
• STEM Outreach is considering software options for tracking and will begin a pilot project in FY13
• 35 publications, 12 scholarly presentations, 80 workshops
• $58,682 + grants pending
• Project evaluations will be available on the P‐20 website.

Virtual Lab School

• 8 Virtual Learning Experiences (VLEs) in development – 3 for grades 7‐12 students, 2 for NIU students, 2 for educators, 1 for parents; also under development educator PD modules, NIU grad and under grad courses and clinical experiences, interactive 7‐12 student program pilots; 2 courses in Virtual Pedagogy will be piloted in FY13
• Coordinators designated, initial advisory board meeting scheduled for June 2012, web presence launching June 2012, pedagogy model created
• 3 school districts (Rockford Dist 205, Belvidere Dist 100, and Kaneland Dist 302); partnerships established with CCWE, NIU Libraries, local libraries; discussions underway with Waubsonsee CC and others
• Proposals submitted to two national conferences
• No external funding applications
• Evaluation plan in development

Students: 718

Faculty: 134

Community members: 32000

Improve Teaching

Center for Economic Education

• Attainment of Level 1 status by NIU Center for Economic Education

Professional Development Schools

• Coordinate and expand PDS partnerships
• New clinical courses and co‐teaching model developed
• Customized professional development delivered to PDS sites
• Governance committees meet at all levels
• Results documented

Online Catalog

• Development of online catalog that accurately reflects NIU’s PD offerings
• Discussions with regional educators convened to identify other PD needs

Common Core Implementation

• Process implemented for alignment at high schools and NIU to the Common Core Standards in math
• Results documented

Middle Grades Preparation Program

• Creation of the MGPC, establishment of meeting schedule, production of a draft curriculum
• Completion of the curriculum for the September 2014 deadline
• Student enrollment in program

Center for Economic Education

• # of workshops and teachers receiving Econ training
• # of public Econ‐related events and # of participants
• # of K‐12 students affected by Econ activities

Professional Development Schools

• Coordinator hired and established with PDS partners
• #PDS sites
• # NIU students and NIU faculty
• # of P‐12 faculty & P‐12 students
• # professional development sessions delivered
• Governance committee reports
• Presentations and publications
• Evaluation results reported

Online Catalog

• # and increases of offerings in catalog
• Innovative technologies in PD
• # of PD workshops and courses delivered
• # of K‐12 participants
• Presentations and reports
• Grants, donations, revenues
• Evaluation results reported

Common Core Implementation

• Partnership projects established
• Process development underway
• Reports of results

Middle Grades Preparation Program

• Number of NIU students who participate in the middle grades certification program

Center for Economic Education

• Level 1 status expected in 2013
• 3 workshops in FY12, 57 teachers
• 4 events, 600 participants
• 3,504 students affected
• Presentations ‐ 5 partner districts
• Web presence updated

Professional Development Schools

• Coordinator hired, PDS offerings sustained and expanded
• 4 buildings in FY12, 20 in FY13
• 87 NIU students and 16 faculty and staff participated in the PDS
• 97 P‐12 faculty participated and 2,189 P‐12 students were positively affected
• 35 elementary and 5 HS sessions delivered to teachers
• DHS committee met 6 times, elementary and district‐level
• committees each met once
• 3 presentations at NAPDS in March; publication in progress
• Report on PDS website in August

Online Catalog

• Offerings updated in ENGAGE! and managed with PDS and VLS
• 3 online modules in development
• 80 workshops delivered
• # of participants will be tracked
• See Table 1
• None
• PDS Office assessed needs; met with Partnership Office and P‐20 Center to develop workshops

Common Core Implementation

• KCC, DHS, NIU – alignment of math expectations; (2) ECC, District 303, U‐46, NIU – 4th year math course in development
• Faculty to faculty discussions in math being scheduled for FY13
• ECC partnership literacy across the curriculum project results to be released in June 2012.
• Middle Grades Preparation Program
• Managed by JD Bowers, UOTC
• Program is still in development, so no courses are yet available

Facilitate Transitions

• Facilitation of regular high school and community college HETC meetings, produce plans, and report results annually
• Participation in regional/state college readiness initiatives
• Facilitation of meetings of three broadband work groups and partnerships to develop uses
• Regional P‐20 Council established, linked to Illinois P‐20 Council

• Community college transfer survey results reported
• # of HS and CC participating in HETC
• Transitions findings, progress, recommendations reported annually
• # and location of broadband partnerships
• # of uses and tools developed
• Report of regional P‐20 Council members, strategic agenda, and activities
• Publications and presentations
• Grants and other revenues
• Evaluation results reported for all projects

• Reports sent in January 2012. Survey to be repeated in October
• 3‐5 community colleges and up to 10 high schools
• 1st annual report published in February 2012
• Government, Innovation, and Sustainability committee added
• Other Broadband activities redirected to VLS support
• Regional P‐20 Council on hold pending recommendations by Lt. Gov. and the Illinois P‐20 Council
• Annual HETC Report and Transfer survey reports sent to 8 colleges
• Participated in two ICCB‐funded projects managed by ECC
• Evaluations will be posted on the P‐20 website

Conduct research and assessment

• Annual completion of DHS/NIU PDS evaluation, identification of new goals for next school year
• Implementation of PDS evaluation plan at other sites
• Honor Roll updated
• DSI marketing campaign launched
• ISLE funded & implemented

• Report of DHS PDS results
• Results of DHS surveys
• # of students and teachers affected by PDS
• Timely release of Honor Roll
• Increase in DSI subscribers
• NIU faculty participate in ISLE projects
• Scholarly presentations
• Grants and other resources

• Program evaluation will be completed and distributed by August 2012
• Results of the DHS surveys will be incorporated into the report
• 87 NIU students, 16 faculty; 97 P‐12 faculty and 2,189 students
• January 30, 2012
• From 40 subscribers in FY11 to 120 in FY12
• ISLE funded in May 2012; IIRC will oversee all learning and instructional content for ISLE
• 2 presentations and 40 IIRC training workshops
• Proposals pending

Promote engagement

• Upgrade and promote ENGAGE!
• Manage PEP selection
• Regional newsletter featuring campus activities for families and educators updated weekly
• Reports of partnership activities with four districts
• New engagement projects launched and promoted
• Plan for collecting engagement metrics developed by APLU and other national organizations

• Increase in ENGAGE! listings and analysis of use by faculty, students, community
• PEPs announced in April
• # of newsletter subscribers, analysis of users
• # of students, teachers, and community members participating in partnership and new engagement activities
• Publications and reports
• Grants and other resources
• Results of APLU metrics

• 63 new entries; link to ENGAGE! appears on five College, Office, and Division Websites; 75 site visits; plan developed for FY13 marketing
• Jim Ciesla received PEP award
• 315 subscribers; circulation through schools to households of 10,000 DeKalb‐area students
• # will be tracked in FY13
• Reports to be posted on P‐20 website
• See Table 1
• See Table 2
• APLU metrics were delayed until June 2012