Application for Student Computer and Technology Fee
Innovative Project Proposal, 2004-2005

 

 

Unit.  College/School/Department:

Department of Geography (Harriot College)

 

In Cooperation with (Optional):

 

(Name of Cooperating Unit)

 

Name of Project Director:

Dr. Thomas Crawford

 

Campus Address:

Brewster A-234

Phone Number:

328-6082

 

E-Mail:

crawfordt@mail.ecu.edu

Total Funding Request:

$10,000

 

Choose One:

X

¬ Distance Education Proposal

 

 

¬ On Campus Proposal

 

Project Title: 

Establishment and Enhancement of Distance Education in Geographic Information Science

 

Please obtain the appropriate authorization to submit this proposal (unit head), which includes acknowledging the conditions specified below.  Identify the person authorizing submission of the proposal.  That person will be contacted to confirm the authorization.

 

The unit accepts the following responsibilities and obligations if full or partial funding of its Student Computer and Technology Fee proposal is awarded:

 

1.      The Student Computer and Technology Fee monies fund proposals which are for departmental facilities for student use in instructional settings.   Any faculty use must be incidental, such as in a student laboratory setting.

2.      The project or items of a project cannot be substantively changed once the award is made.

3.      The unit is to provide insurance for the hardware or technological equipment.

4.      The unit is responsible for repairs to hardware or technological equipment that are beyond the warranty period.

5.      The unit is to provide security and adequate supervision for the hardware or technological equipment and software.

6.      The unit is to maintain the hardware or technological equipment and software in the area described by the proposal.

7.      No unit is permitted to submit more than one proposal in a given year. 

 

Name of Unit Head:

Dr. Ronald Mitchelson

 

Campus Address:

Brewster A-227

Phone Number:

328-6086


 

Goal Statement

The project’s goal is to increase the availability of and enrollment in on-line courses as part Geographic Information Science Undergraduate Certificate Program (GIS Program hereafter).  Establishing distance education offerings in GIS is stated goal in Geography’s 2004-2009 Mission Statement and Strategic Plan.  GIS courses are well suited for distance education approaches due to their digital and visually-based course content that can be transmitted electronically. Funds are requested to purchase hardware and software infrastructure required to support distance education in GIS.

 

In addition to enhancing undergraduate education, the project has great potential to support working professionals, military personnel, or continuing education students seeking GIS coursework to support career needs. 

 

Positive impacts of distance education on student learning include:  (1) round-the-clock access to course materials compared to limited access related to on-site laboratory hours and (2) greater flexibility and time to experiment with and learn the concepts and intricacies of GIS software.

 

 

 

Students and Courses Affected

New distance courses will be developed according to the following time frame*:

1.  3410 Fundamentals of GIS**                          Spring 05 (50 per year)

2.  3420 Remote Sensing I                                    Fall 05 (25 per year)

3.  3460 GIS Programming                                   Fall 05 (25 per year)

4.  3430 GIS I                                                        Spring 06 (25 per year)

5.  5440 Techniques Coastal Analysis                  Fall 07 (15 per year)

*    all courses are currently offered on-site.

** This course is being offered in Spring ’05 separate from this proposal but will benefit in the future from equipment acquired through this proposal.  Lessons learned from prior departmental commitment towards this course serve as a test bed from which refinements can be applied to subsequent courses.

 

Current Facilities

Current facilities include GIS software/hardware and various datasets available in:

 

  1. GIScience Center, Brewster C-201
  2. Spatial Analysis Lab, Brewster D-212

 

Distance education will enhance these facilities indirectly by relieving levels of student pressure on their seating capacities.  Some existing courses enroll more students than available software/hardware and seating capacities thereby requiring some students to “double-up” on existing machines. 

 

Materials Obtained by Routine SCTR Request

 

Facility #1 (Brewster C-201) is funded by Academic Affairs as an all-purpose walk-in laboratory.  Past student use has demonstrated a substantial demand for this facility.

 

Facility #2 (Brewster D-212) is funded by SCTR funds and is used heavily for classroom instruction and general student use during non-classtime hours.


 

Equipment and Software Requested

All requested equipment and software are essential.

 

(1)  Dell PowerEdge 3250 server

A high-speed server capable of handling the substantial processing demands and large data volume typical for most GIS work.

 

(2) Remotely Anywhere software

Enables students and instructors to view demonstrations in real time in either direction (i.e., instructor demo or student demo.)

 

(3) Cisco Virtual Private Network Client security hardware.

VPN creates a secure pathway from the student’s web browser to the server.

 

 

 

Support for the Project

Mr. Rodney Jackson will be the lead support person from Geography.  He is a full-time, term-appointment faculty member with prior distance education experience at the community college level. 

 

Other instructors will work closely with Mr. Jackson as they bring their courses online in subsequent semesters.  They include:  Dr. Yong Wang, Dr. Thomas Crawford, and Mr. Scott Wade. 

 

Collectively, these faculty function as the GIScience faculty in the department, and their continued team approach will help support the new equipment and software and on-line offerings. 

 

After 2004/05, Geography will pay to renew the annual Remotely Anywhere software site license.  Geography commits $2,633 towards the purchase of the server hardware and any costs beyond the $10,000 requested.

 

Assessment of the Educational Impact of the Project

Assessment Methods:

 

  1. Quantification of number of distance offerings and students enrolled (in 2004-2009 Mission Statement and Strategic Plan).
  2. Student Opinion of Instruction Surveys (SOIS)
  3. Comparison of final grade distributions:  distance class vs. on-site class*.
  4. Comparison of individual assignment grades:  distance class vs. on-site class*.
  5. Quality of course work included in senior portfolios**.
  6. Senior exit interviews.

 

* Systematic student characteristic differences must be considered (i.e., older vs. younger)

** Seniors frequently submit GIS coursework products as part of their Senior Portfolio which is a departmental degree requirement.