| dc.description | At this symposium I attended a variety of sessions in each of the three tracks. I will give a very brief comment on each, although I don’t think I can claim that any one of them will give the session justice. More information on each session is available at: http://www.siguccs.org/Conference/Spring2010/schedule.html
EDU@2020: School of Athens or Mr. Ford's Factory – Opening Plenary
This presentation revolved around a possible future of higher education. This future included a few large corporate distance educators, institutions using standardized (open source or commercial) curriculum that would be easily transferrable between institutions, and only the largest traditional institutions surviving as is. Comparisons were made to the newspaper industry becoming much less profitable due to technological advancements, and not making their adjustments soon enough.
Using VoIP to provide superior online education
This presentation discussed the benefits of teaching classes at a distance with Elluminate. This tool was used for both lectures and for groups to work on team projects. The presenter explained that their results indicated that the students generally had a better learning experience when given the opportunity to work together in this interactive environment.
From the back of napkins to a Project Management Framework, we did it and so can you!
The presenter outlined their move into formalized project management, and some of the lessons learned. This was interesting as a comparison to how we are doing project management here. This was quite detailed, including sample documents and procedures. They also offered a copy of all their documents and procedures, which I will hand off to our project manage group if they are interested.
Everything I Needed to Know about I.T. Leadership I Learned from Star Trek - Plenary
A very good presentation of some leadership rules for I.T. Adding the references to Star Trek really assisted in keeping it interesting for most of the audience. There were tips on how an I.T. leader can most effectively interact with people both within I.T. and in the greater academic community.
Creating a Fertile Environment for Success in IT Client Services
A presentation on how they have become a successful I.T. client service department. This covered a variety of areas including getting the right people on board. It also touched on providing an environment that would keep those people on, while understanding that this area is often a stop on the way to something bigger. They also covered some of the for profit aspects of their business, which was interesting.
Managing in troubled times: Lincoln leadership principles and IT part 2
Another leadership presentation, with examples taken from American history. It covered things like getting the right people, leading by example, and avoiding groupthink. It also pointed out that in many cases the leadership method that normally works does not, and another track needs to be taken.
“Windows 7 or Bust”: What Will it Mean for your Organization
Like us, many places are moving to Windows 7. Due to the schedule of most universities the timing for this move is this summer. There was discussion of the planning and processes as well as many of the challenges we will all face in this process. Very applicable information for my unit.
The Wheels on the Bus…
Some tips on how to keep things moving along with I.T. systems and projects. This session included ideas on innovative solutions, communications and procedures.
Campus Virtualization “Virtually Better: Saving Money with Server Virtualization”
Since we recently moved to virtualization for many of our servers this seemed very applicable. It turns out that they selected a very similar implementation to what we have done at AU. While this did not provide a lot of new technology options for us, it was reassuring to see such a similar result from a similar project. They are certainly further ahead in providing this service outside of their central computing group, which is something we are starting to do. Their experiences (and success) in this regard will be very useful background as we continue to move forward.
Higher Ed IT Career Choices: Past, Current and Future Challenges
A presentation and Q&A session with a few more experienced IT managers. It covered a broad range of questions, and revealed several interesting insights.
As always much of what I have gained from this conference came from interacting with the other attendees, sharing thoughts, concerns and ideas. It also provides a group of resources within my industry that I can call on for advice. | en |
| dc.description.abstract | This symposium focuses on topics relevant to IT decision-makers such as CIOs, directors, managers, project and team leaders, and staff on leadership tracks. Share your management experiences, ideas, and innovative approaches and perspectives to new or ongoing challenges. Lead a thought-provoking discussion on emerging issues for IT management affecting all IT organizations.
The Symposium consists of three tracks:
• Leadership, Management, and Professional Development Strategies
• Strategic Planning, Collaborations and Enriching Services
• Innovation: Options, Implementations, and Technical Solutions | en |
