Task Groups

FACT2 Task Groups seek to engage volunteers throughout SUNY with knowledge in specific areas of interest. The SUNY Provost and Council appoint Task Group Chairs who are responsible for convening efforts and reporting back to the SUNY Provost and Council meetings and CIT. Task Group efforts are time-bound; additional details are available in the Bylaws.

Task Groups are listed in order of recent activity, with current efforts reported at the top of the list.

 

Optimizing AI (Artificial Intelligence) for Teaching and Learning

Billie Franchini, University at Albany, Co-Chair

Jeffrey Riman, Fashion Institute of Technology, Co-Chair

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has improved and become more available at a much faster rate than predicted.

This SUNY-wide Task Group will share findings related to best practices for AI usage, teaching opportunities connected to AI usage, how students might use AI, and related considerations.  This Task Group will confer with the IITG project group exploring use cases for AI to support teaching and learning as well as the University Faculty Senate and the Faculty Council of Community Colleges to ensure that resources are shared and work efforts are not duplicated.

Read the Task Group Guide to Optimizing AI in Higher Education

Leveraging the DLE

John Kane, Co-Chair

Katie Ghidiu, Co-Chair

SUNY's adoption of a multi-tenant version of Brightspace makes it possible to share educational materials developed by anyone within the SUNY system in a system-wide learning repository (LR) that is accessible to any SUNY user. This provides a substantial expansion in possibilities for efficient distribution and sharing of high quality learning materials and reduces the need for duplicative work. The FACT2 Leveraging the DLE task group will spend the 2022-2023 academic year exploring the capabilities for sharing materials in the DLE and developing a process by which materials can be submitted, evaluated, indexed, and shared within the system. A preliminary implementation of this process is planned for the 2023-2024 academic year.  Read the Task Group Charge and Proposal

Inclusive Teaching

Carlos Jones, Co-Chair

Audeliz Matias, Co-Chair

The charge for this group is still in process.  The following is a draft and is a brief description.

The practice of embracing student diversity and designing courses to create inclusive learning environments that reach all students is not a new concept. Nonetheless, recent national events have brought back the need for higher education to consider its role in racial justice and equality. There is no shortage of proposed solutions that involves recruitment of students and faculty from underrepresented backgrounds, first-year programs, expansion of developmental coursework, and focus on diversity in student services and campus life to minimize the disparities. Furthermore, the incorporation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the curriculum and pedagogical approaches have received considerable attention in higher education as a way to help breaking down systemic barriers. As such, it is important that we understand all student populations and that our curriculum provides students with the necessary knowledge and skills to develop awareness of the diversity of individuals, cultures, and communities within the U.S and globally. Perhaps, more importantly, diversity-related competencies possess relevance even after students complete their education.

In alignment with the SUNY Faculty Advisory Council on Teaching and Technology (FACT2) mission to provide a forum for addressing forward-thinking teaching and learning issues, and in recognition of the current events and SUNY’s reaffirmation of education for all, the Inclusive Teaching Task Group aims to move forward the recommendations C3.1 and C3.2 of SUNY’s DEI Action Plan. The Task Group will research, document, and distribute best practices and framework to help SUNY campuses and their faculty to adopt anti-racist curriculum. Read the Task Group Charge and Proposal

P-20+ Education Continuum

Nan Travers, Co-Chair

Anne Reed, Co-Chair

The P-20+ Education Continuum Task Group will identify integrative strategies for promoting education as a continuum, starting with preschool (P) through post-graduate and workforce learning (20+).  The team will explore existing educational initiatives, both internal and external to SUNY, that provide linkages between higher education, PK-12, and industry. Examples of notable practices will be compiled along with pertinent information regarding the identified programs, including any relevant policies, recruitment strategies, persistence and completion data, and credentialing practices. Special attention will be paid to examples that promote equity, such as integrative curriculum, sequences, and credentials that are designed to address academic success and economic advancement of racial minorities and disadvantaged populations. Based upon the findings the team will make recommendations for SUNY P-20+ practices that serve to benefit SUNY students throughout the continuum of their education.

Innovations in Assessment

Chilton Reynolds, Co-Chair

Nicole Simon, Co-Chair

Assessment strategies and pedagogy are fertile ground for innovative practices that can reshape how course content is designed and how student learning of the content is assessed. There has been so much attention given to course design that does not include looking at how assignments and activities are graded and what feedback students are given. Assessment practices often define student perceptions of achievement as defined by how they are graded.  All too often assessment is seen by students as a process with an underlying threat associated with the grading processes, a perspective that affects how students see themselves as learners and are (or are not) motivated to be achievers. This perception by the student is further exacerbated by the wide variety of approaches students experience from one class to another.  Students are deeply impacted by the linkage of grade performance to financial aid, scholarship funds, and employment which may interfere with their learning goals and perceptions of value.

This task force will explore the latest pedagogical research on in-course assessment, including the use of technological tools and low-tech tools for assessment, feedback, and grading and make broad recommendations for faculty and for future study within SUNY. 

Innovative Assessment Website

Resources

Services

Past Task Groups

TEACHING & LEARNING
 

ADAPTIVE LEARNING

John‌ ‌Kane, Co-Chair

Chilton Reynolds, Co-Chair‌

The‌ ‌SUNY‌ ‌FACT2‌ ‌Adaptive‌ ‌Learning‌ ‌Task‌ ‌group‌ ‌was‌ ‌created‌ ‌in‌ ‌May‌ ‌2018‌ ‌to:‌ ‌ ‌

  • investigate‌ ‌the‌ ‌effectiveness‌ ‌of‌ ‌adaptive‌ ‌and‌ ‌personalized‌ ‌learning‌ ‌platforms‌ ‌in‌ ‌increasing‌ ‌student‌ ‌learning,‌ ‌
  • increase‌ ‌awareness‌ ‌of‌ ‌adaptive‌ ‌learning‌ ‌approaches,‌ ‌
  • ‌encourage‌ ‌the‌ ‌consideration‌ ‌of‌ ‌effective‌ ‌implementations‌ ‌of‌ ‌adaptive‌ ‌or‌ ‌personalized‌ learning approaches,
  • provide recommendations to relevant parties on policies and procedures regarding the adoption of effective adaptive learning approaches, and,
  • provide resources to assist campuses in adopting adaptive and personalized learning systems.

View Adaptive Learning Task Group Final Report

EXAMINING PEDAGOGY AND LEARNING IN ONLINE DOMAINS (EXPLOD)‌ ‌TASK‌ ‌GROUP‌

Audeliz Matias, Co-Chair

Ryan McCabe, Co-Chair

The‌ ‌SUNY‌ ‌FACT2‌ ‌Task‌ ‌Group‌ (TG) ‌on‌ ‌Examining‌ ‌Pedagogy‌ ‌and‌ ‌Learning‌ ‌in‌ ‌Online‌ ‌Domains‌ ‌(ExPLOD) was charged with documenting and analyzing current, well-researched pedagogies for online instruction.  Online learning is moving towards its fourth decade of existence inside of SUNY.  Over this time there have been significant changes in the delivery of online instruction as well as new methods of service delivery for online students.  As SUNY moves forward with SUNY Online, it is imperative that we understand how to better serve our students with innovative instructional methods that not only effectively engage students with the content but also‌ ‌allow‌ ‌for‌ ‌scalability.‌

View Examining Pedagogy and Learning in Online Domains (ExPLOD) Task Group Final Report

EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION

Janet Nepkie, Chair Pro Tem To explore, understand new learning and assessment models (internships, competency-based education, prior-learning assessment) and explore the effect experiential education has had on a student employment and/or graduate opportunities.

  • 2014 FACT2 Progress report PowerPoint
  • Working documents
INTERACTIVE CONTENT IN TEACHING

Jeffrey Riman, Chair

LEARNING ANALYTICS TASK GROUP (LATG)

Clare van den Blink and Greg Ketcham, Co-Chairs

To identify, understand and share known best practices and exemplary uses of Learning Analytics for assessment and early intervention strategies. Among the outcomes objectives, the group seeks to explore tools that will enable a pilot evaluation project.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS TASK GROUP

Joe Moreau and Brad Snyder – Co-Chairs

What began as a SUNY-wide proof of concept project with ARTstor blossomed into a SUNY-led national collaboration called FLEXspace: the Flexible Learning Environments eXchange – an open-access, peer-reviewed repository of learning spaces.

ONLINE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT MODELS

Jill Pippin, Chair

How students engage and interact on campus and in their courses has a significant impact on their perceptions of learning and value. This is especially true for online classes where the interaction is remote and primarily asynchronous. Because the online user experience is especially isolated, opportunities to recognize problems require systematic interaction that closely monitors each point of contact and measures performance. The holistic view is to include the dynamic at the peer to peer, course, and support system levels. This task group will explore existing systems and philosophy to compare with other models of success both in practice and emerging tools and strategies designed to address student needs for guidance, support, affinity, and accountability.

The work of the Task Force is rooted in the belief that uplifting the experience of online students enhances the experience of all students.

View Online Student Engagement & Support Models Task Group Final Report

STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Kathleen Gradel, Chair

  • The Task Group will collect data about
    • what SUNY campuses are already thinking about this
    • what activities have they been doing around this
  • Make recommendations about what SUNY should be doing to serve these students
  • Evaluate how technology may address the diverse student body with varying needs
  • This task group will:
    • organize a webinar series,
    • provide a report on effective practices, and present at CIT.
TEACHING AND LEARNING TASK GROUP

Graham Glynn – Chair

Faculty support centers are a prominent resource on many of SUNY campuses. This task group sought to survey these centers to better understand how faculty are supported with “teaching and learning with technology” and other types of pedagogical considerations across the system. The SUNY Center for Professional Development, under the leadership of Lisa Miles Raposo has played a prominent role in supporting and sustaining the findings of this group.

An EDUCAUSE Quarterly Article “Advisory Groups to Encourage Collaboration: A Case Study” describes the SUNY Faculty Advisory Council on Teaching and Technology, and features interviews with the first wave of FACT2 Task Group Chairs.

TECHNOLOGY
 

EDUCATIONAL TRANSFORMATION (EDUXFORM TG)

Nan Travers, Co-Chair

To investigate the current transformational practice landscape and identify opportunities for SUNY to exercise leadership in terms of process, policy and outcomes. Examples may include (but not limited to):

  • Open Educational Resources to support learning outcomes and lower cost to students
  • Adaptive, modular and self-guided learning tools and practices to support both time-to-degree completion and personalized learning pathways
  • MOOCs as part of credit-based landscape (stackable, iterative credentials to certificates and degrees
  • Support of lifelong and professional learning to respond to a changing, agile workforce landscape.
  • Investigate how new technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence, AR/VR, analytics) is being leveraged in higher education.

View Final Report of the Educational Transformation (EduXform) Task Group

E-PORTFOLIO TASK GROUP

Ellen Murphy, Chair

To develop a strategy and plan to encourage ePortfolio implementation across the SUNY system; including review of current and past practices within SUNY and an environmental scan of implementations both nationally and internationally.

E-PUBLISHING TASK GROUP

Mary Jo Orzech – Chair

This group was active between 2011-12 exploring e-Textbook opportunities and Open Education Resources (OER). A workshop was held to enable librarians, bookstore representatives, publishers, faculty and instructional designers to discuss the potential impact of digital scholarship and publishing.

MIXED REALITIES 

Jeffrey Riman, Chair

Mixed Reality (MR) is comprised of Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and arguably, 360-degree video. AR and VR are in use in numerous commercial applications from Pokémon Go to the NY Times. These tools have serious implications for higher education in areas that include virtual labs, student engagement, and student success and retention.

The charge of the SUNY FACT2 Mixed Reality Task Group was to explore the use of Mixed Realities in the higher education setting and analyze the opportunities they offer to enhance the teaching, learning, and professional development experiences of students and faculty using the following paths of inquiry:

  • What are the opportunities for these emergent tools to be integrated into higher education outcomes?
  • What training, tools and hardware are needed to initiate and support integration into teaching and learning?
  • Describe the learning curve to optimize course and degree outcomes.
  • Is there enough research and experience to frame the potential benefits of these tools in fully online, hybrid and conventional modalities?

View Final Report of the Mixed Realities Task Group

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

John Kane, Chair

  • Collect information on effective educational uses of mobile technology
  • Identify and disseminate information on pedagogical implications, effective practices and technology support
  • Assist campuses in transitioning to providing support of continuously evolving mobile technology, especially in a BYOD environment
  • Develop mechanisms for sharing effective practices
  • Assist in developing a SUNY community of practice for users of mobile technology
  • Assist in developing a SUNY community of practice for those that support mobile technology
  • Identify and disseminate information concerning ongoing trends in the use of mobile technologies in education
  • Webinar series
  • Task group members
ONLINE ACCESSIBILITY TASK GROUP

Meghan Pereira, Chair

To research best practices for online accessibility in regards to online resources, software/ hardware used in SUNY and other education systems and to engage and communicate with stakeholders at all levels throughout the system to benefit SUNY Online.

VIRTUAL & ALTERNATIVE LABS INITIATIVE

Rachael M. Hagerman, Chair

The group will study virtual and alternative labs and the student populations utilizing them within SUNY.  Focus will be on developing a framework for creation of virtual and alternative labs; developing an assessment tool for determining the quality of such lab experiences for transfer consideration; and highlighting how virtual and alternative labs can be used to provide greater access to students when executed and assessed with quality.

  • Collect and document information on virtual labs and their current use within the SUNY System and higher education in general
  • Raise the level of understanding of the use, effectiveness, and various modes of implementation of virtual labs among SUNY STEM faculty
  • Establish mechanisms for SUNY STEM faculty to assess learning gained through virtual labs
  • Establish quality standards for faculty to use when selecting or developing virtual labs
  • FACT 2 V & A Labs Final Report Presentation
  • FACT2 Task Group Final Report Documents

EDUCATION INITIATIVES

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY TASK GROUP

Janet Nepkie– Chair

As the Power of SUNY began building the foundation of SUNY Online, faculty began expressing a renewed interest in Copyright policies governing ownership of course materials. A task group, including members of Law School faculty explored how to work with SUNY Counsel to review and clarify the impact digital scholarship may have on SUNY Board of Trustees policies.

MICRO CREDENTIALING

Jill Pippin, Chair

The SUNY FACT2 Task Group on Micro Credentialing was charged with documenting current practices within higher education and establishing frameworks, protocols, and learning opportunities that can be used by SUNY institutions to effectively initiate a micro-credentialing effort following the guiding principles proposed by the SUNY Provost’s Committee and subsequently, SUNY Trustee Policy.  This approach allows for campus autonomy while reducing the effort required by each campus to establish such procedures and will create a common language surrounding micro-credentialing, providing an environment in which campuses can learn best practices, network with other SUNY institutions and advance their own effort.

View Final Report of the Micro Credentialing Task Group

OPEN EDUCATION INITIATIVES

MaryLou Forward, Co-Chair

Nan Travers, Co-Chair

Open Education increases student access to high quality, affordable post-secondary education to a diverse body of students through innovative teaching practices designed around personalized learning, providing more equitable learning experiences for greater student success. Open Education includes content, practice, access and policy.

Open Pedagogy encourages faculty and students to engage in the co-development of knowledge, allowing authentic contributions that will continue to be shared and built upon. Open Pedagogy includes learning processes and products that are open, collaborative and accessible while promoting practices that support innovations in learner choice, agency, and curriculum.

This year, the Open Education Initiatives Task Group will focus on Open Pedagogy resources, practices and tools, and recommending policy considerations.

View Open Education Initiatives Task Group Final Report

OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

Tony DeFranco, Chair

  • Standardize a definition of OER for the purposes of this task group
  • Engage the SUNY community and other experts on OER to determine the necessary elements for campuses to have in place to be successful in a campus-wide OER implementation.
  • Review the SUNY Online Institutional Readiness Process as a model to adapt for helping campuses to build their own capability to implement a successful OER initiative
  • Create a potential set of tools that would be helpful to campuses for implementation of OER (consider the tools used in the SUNY Online Institutional Readiness Process as a starting point)
  • Determine where there would be benefits for benchmarking and sharing best practices between campuses to advance the development and implementation of OERs across the SUNY System
  • Guide SUNY campuses in using OER to improve the academic quality of educational offerings
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