Tools of Engagement Project (TOEP): On-demand Discovery Learning Professional Development

Principal Investigator:

Roberta (Robin) Sullivan, University at Buffalo

The goal of this project is to pilot the Tools of Engagement Project’s (TOEP) on-demand professional development model among faculty across SUNY campuses, investigating its effectiveness in expanding their pedagogy as they integrate free online Web 2.0 tools into their courses and research. Evolving instructional technologies are changing the ways we collaborate and communicate. Faculty must learn to adapt to this rapidly changing landscape. TOEP’s self-directed professional development gives faculty a platform to experiment with cutting-edge technologies, integrating them into their curricula to engage students and improve learning. Self-directed activities encourage faculty to be lifelong learners, as they become familiar with blogging, wikis, podcasting, online collaborative, and the latest web-based instructional technology tools. After acquiring deeper knowledge about how to use these tools, faculty will become more adept at embedding 21st century skills into their teaching and meeting the expectations of their students. They will also be able to use these tools to diversify assessment of student learning, going beyond traditional strategies.

Co-PI’s and Key Partners:

Beth Burns, Buffalo State
Kathleen Gradel, SUNY Fredonia
Shufang Shi, SUNY Cortland
Cherie van Putten, Binghamton University
Cindi Tysick, University at Buffalo

Reports and Resources:

• TOEP website
• TOEP Poster

Additional Resources:

• Check out the TOEP FAQs
• TOEP Phase 1 – press release & participant recruitment announcements
• TOEP introductory session workshop description
• Watch a teaser video used to introduce TOEP Phase 1
• Listen to an edited audio recording of an introductory session about TOEP (audio length 13 min.)
• Watch a recorded presentation of an introductory session about TOEP (video length 1 hr.)
• View the Prezi presentation used at TOEP introductory sessions
• Download a TOEP poster to hang in your department
• Print TOEP postcards to share with colleagues
• Read comments from TOEP participants
• A parallel IITG project through Empire State College ran concurrently. The idea for the ESC project was based on the original TOEP. In the 13-14 IITG these two separate projects have now combined efforts and lessons learned to further refine and improve TOEP.
• After the second phase of TOEP is completed it will become a SUNY-wide resource.
• View the TOEP – Phase 1 summary presentation from the SUNY 2013 Conference on Instructional Technologies (CIT)
• Contact the TOEP Team

Journal and Press Articles:

http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?id=161005158735577j

This article has been published in the Journal of Educational Technology Systems provides an overview of the initial stages of TOEP. Sullivan, R., Burns, B., Gradel, K., Shi, S., Tysick, C., van Putten, C.. Tools of Engagement Project (TOEP): On-demand Discovery Learning Professional Development. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 41(3). Your institution’s library may be able to grant you direct access to the article. SUNY affiliates can also request a copy of the article by contacting the SUNY TOEP Team at toepsuny@gmail.com

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