Education Committee (EdComm)
Betha Whitlow, Chair
February 26, 2008
VRA Annual Report
Current Charge
To engage in research, build accessible resources, and share information about educational and professional development opportunities for the VRA membership by remaining in contact with appropriate members of related professional organizations and educational institutions. To regularly solicit information from the VRA membership about interests and educational concerns in order to develop supportive programming at the annual conference and as other opportunities arise.
Accomplishments
The VRA Education Committee (EdComm) successfully follow up on or are continuing to pursue many of the goals it set for itself at the 2007 meeting in Kansas City, including: sponsoring workshops at the annual conference that reflect the needs and interests of VRA members, promoting workshop stipends to the regional VRA Chapter leadership; communication with the VRA membership regarding their educational needs and professional development; developing a proposal for a VRA internship; and better communicating with Chapters, associated committees, and organizations. Due to a transition in committee leadership (and the realization that this committee should have a co-chair, due to the extensive nature of the work), much progress has been made in all areas, but at a slightly slower pace than we expected. This transition is now complete, and it is anticipated that 2008 will be a highly productive year for EdComm.
EdComm sponsored one workshop for San Diego, “Subject Access” and planned, organized, and sponsored the round-table “Space Planning in the Digital Age.” Both of these sponsorships were inspired by attendee feedback from evaluations of the Kansas City conference. In the future, EdComm will continue to work with the Vice-President of Conference Programs to receive such feedback. Depending on the interest in the “Space Planning” roundtable, it is anticipated that it will be proposed as a full workshop for Toronto.
Maureen Burns gamely took on the task of promoting the Chapter stipend program. Each of the Chapter Chairs was contacted by e-mail and post in January, and followed up on as necessary by the Chapter liaisons or the EdComm Chair. Currently, three chapters have not confirmed who will be taking advantage of the stipend—Canada, Midwest, and Texas. Efforts are underway to secure recipients from these Chapters who express a willingness to share what they learn with their fellow chapter members. The 2008 stipend recipients so far, and the workshops they will attend, include, in alphabetical order by Chapter:Canada: TBD
Great Lakes: Kari Smith, Seeking the Right Path for VR Users
Greater New York: Billy Kwan, Seeking the Right Path for VR Users
Greater Philadelphia, Nicole Finzer, TBD
Mid-Atlantic, Steve Tatum: Seeking the Right Path for VR Users
Midwest: TBD
New England: Mary Hughes, VRA Core 4.0 Basics
Northern California: Dasha Dekleva, Subject Access for Visual Materials
Pacific Rim: Bridge Nowlin, VRA Core 4 Intermediate
Southeast Chapter: Barbara Brenny, Seeking the Right Path for VR Users
Southern California: Jennifer Patton, VRA Core 4 Intermediate
Texas: TBD
Upstate New York: Jesse Henderson, Seeking the Right Path for VR Users
The EdComm is trying to strengthen its relationships with several committees, in order to streamline shared interests and processes. This year, the EdComm chair plans to attend the Membership committee meeting, to discuss in particular the issue of expanding student participation in VRA, and the issue of student chapters. The chair will also arrange a meeting with Linda McRae to discuss CCO’s online educational modules, to gauge future directions for the programming and educational opportunities that VRA might pursue. To this end, it would be helpful for EdComm to establish a relationship with the newly established VRA Foundation board, in order to be apprised of their direction and interests. We would invite advice from the VRA Executive Board on how best to work with this group, particularly in regard to fundable opportunities like the VRA Internship proposal. For now, we will operate on the assumption that anything we propose of interest to them will be transmitted by the VRA Executive Board.
The VRA Internship proposal is moving along, but not yet complete. This is due in part to a transition in duties from committee member Sarah Carter, who compiled an excellent first draft but who will be stepping off the committee due to changing job responsibilities, to EdComm Chair Betha Whitlow, who is currently reviewing and altering that draft to share with EdComm in San Diego. We expect to submit a proposal to the Board by before mid-year.
After some discussion, EdComm elected to not include questions about distance learning on this year’s online membership application. In the future, we may consider a more extensive survey regarding educational programming. We hope to discuss this further in San Diego, and will consult CCO as a possible collaborator on such a survey.
The EdComm web resources have been converted to the new Committee template on the VRA web space. At our committee meeting in San Diego, we intend to look at the site and determine potential changes and additions to content that still need to take place.
Goals
Continue to solicit ideas from the membership and from the Vice-President for Conference Programs to determine educational programming needs for 2009 national conference workshop proposals.
Continue the existing process for providing stipends to Regional Chapter leaders for workshops at the annual VRA conferences and work towards continuing to improve communication with Chapter leaders regarding the stipend program, and the obligation of the stipend recipients to share information with their chapters.
Continue to hone EdComm’s web presence within the new VRA website template and structure.
Complete draft recommendation for VRA internship award.
Complete a manual and calendar to standardize EdComm workflow and ensure smoother transitions between leadership.
Improve lines of communication between committees and other VRA entities whose work overlaps with or might benefit from EdComm efforts, including the Membership Committee, CCO Committee, and the new VRA Foundation.
Discuss the possibility of developing a broader survey of VRA Educational needs and interests.
Leadership
Maureen Burns and Jodie Walz handed over leadership to Betha Whitlow. Maureen Burns was extremely helpful in the leadership transition this year, stepping up repeatedly to fill in missing information and much needed assistance. It is hoped that one of our members will step up to consider co-chairing EdComm with Betha, since the responsibilities of the committee are vast and the possibilities for improving our efforts great. If the VRA Executive Board has suggestions about a potential co-chair (perhaps a young or emerging potential leader in VRA), please feel free to filter these to Betha Whitlow. We also hope to add several committee members, ideally encouraging them to attend our committee meeting in San Diego
Board Action Requested
Continue the existing process for providing stipends to the regional Chapter leaders for workshops at the annual VRA conference.
Respond to the membership proposal after it is received in mid-year.
Please send on any suggestions about potential leaders or members for EdComm.
Advise on how best to communicate EdComm activities to the VRA Foundation Board.
List of Committee Members
Merriann Bidgood, University of Houston
Maureen Burns, University of California-Irvine
Nicole Finzer, Bryn Mawr
Wendy Holden, retired University of Michigan
Susan Hoyt, University of Oregon
Carolyn Lucarelli, The Pennsylvania State University
Leah Theis, University of California-Davis
Karin Whalen, Reed College
Jodie Walz, University of Minnesota
Jolene de Verges, MIT, Board Liaison
Betha Whitlow, Washington University in Saint Louis, Chair
Respectfully Submitted,
Betha Whitlow, Chair
Co-chair and members.