UEIC Student Learning Environment Innovation Contest

What: A contest for students where the University Education Infrastructure Committee (UEIC) works with the SGA to involve students in sharing their ideas about what learning technology they would like to have in their courses. We will ask the SGA to communicate with the student body about the UEIC Student Education Innovation Context. Students will be encouraged to share applications or technology they have either seen from other institutions, conferences, etc. and present it to the UEIC. The UEIC will then vote on the top 3 learning technologies with a first-place winner. All 3 will receive prizes in the form of cash.

• 1st prize: $1,000
• 2nd prize: $500
• 3rd prize: $250

The winning technology will be onboarded for the University.

Why: The University asks Faculty and Staff about possible new technologies for teaching and learning yet students truly know how they learn best! This contest provides an opportunity for the students to be engaged in their learning path and demonstrate the university’s use of and support for student feedback. So, this contest will be empowering, fun and can achieve some excellent teaching/learning results for our students’ learning environments.

When: Starting in January Damon Amella, Director of Classroom Technology and UEIC co-chair, will be meeting with the SGA to show them floor plans for the newly constructed Library. The students will review the layout of Study Space and Lounge Space. During this meeting Damon will provide the contest information and criteria. The contest will occur during Spring semester for a Summer semester onboarding.

Eligibility criteria: A technology that supports learning and that:

1. is non-redundant (unless it is clearly a superior technology that could replace one that exists),
2. is specifically for teaching and learning in the physical or virtual classroom (or both).
   
3. students must consider HIPAA and/or FERPA privacy rules and use the Security Addendum form (UEIC will provide the form to each student entering the contest). Link here: Security Assessment PDF

Evaluation criteria and process for the contest (the technology is limited to a software that is used separately or with the current Brightspace Learning Management System):

1. The student/team will provide the information about how the technology will positively impact the learning environment including:
   1. name of product
   2. product website
   3. cost
   4. vendor contact
   5. purpose of and need for the technology
   6. range of anticipated benefits in terms of learning and teaching
   7. the likely users with program affiliations who will benefit
2. Higher ratings will be given to:
   1. the technology that can be used for both physical and virtual classroom environments
   2. a technology that can be utilized by all colleges
3. The UEIC will review the applications with the Education Innovation Cabinet to determine the top 3 student/team applicants
4. If chosen as one of the top 3 submissions, the student/team will provide a 10-minute presentation to UEIC
   1. The UEIC will vote to determine the winning technology submission
5. The UEIC will work with the Provost’s Office to obtain and implement the technology with Instructional Technology & Faculty Resources (ITFR) and Information Solutions (IS)

Some things to consider in terms of criteria:

1. We are already in a long term contract with the newly onboarded Learning Management System (LMS) Brightspace and cannot replace it.
2. We are in a long-term contract with Panopto our enterprise lecture capture system and would also be difficult to replace.
3. Some things to consider would be applications that integrate with our current LMS, or a VR/AR technology.
4. Optimal choices are learning tools one could use in a physical and virtual classroom.

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