What is the role of the registrar when it comes to MOOCs, "competency-based" learning and other disruptive innovations in higher education? What is the best way to implement various technologies at your campus? The Registrar Forum at the Technology and Transfer Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, is a preconference workshop that gives attendees the opportunity to discuss the principles, issues, foundations, trends and future directions of higher education both enabled and bounded by information technology. The forum will be led by experts including the distinguished faculty below and a presenter from Parchment, the forum sponsor.
Joseph Salomone, University Registrar at Drexel University, attended the Registrar Forum -- not once, but twice. He attended the Registrar Forum @ Tech in 2011 and again at 2012.
"[The Registrar Forum] really helped me see where we could better use technology and what we should invest in for the future," said Salomone. "You can [return to the Registrar Forum with] testimonials of what you may have implemented and whether or not it actually worked. The best part is to participate in the continued discussions of the ongoing technology advancements. The ability to see such varied interpretations helps as you are in the creative stages of implementing such technologies. I loved it!"
We talked with some of the faculty on what attendees can expect from the Registrar Forum:
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Tom Black
Associate Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Registrar
Stanford University | Adrian R. Cornelius University Registrar University of Maryland | Mary Beth Myers Registrar Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis | Scott Owczarek University Registrar University of Wisconsin - Madison |
What are some problems registrars face that your workshop would provide tools and solutions to?
This year the Forum is focusing on the significant changes we are experiencing in “inputs” and “outputs.” Simply put, our students are now often coming to us with a “backpack” full of credentials and expectations that we evaluate and translate their varied experiences to something credible on our official academic record. From dual credit in high school, college transfer credit, military experience, event , MOOC badges and beyond, we are being asked to evaluate all of that learning history and equate it so something meaningful on our academic record that appropriately advances the student toward their academic goal. In some cases, this flies in the face of the current course/credit hour/grade paradigm that has been the basis of our academic record for more than a hundred years. So, how do we respond? What technology is available to support these changes? What could/should our record now look like? How do we communicate these awards to a variety of constituencies? Do we put our heads in the sand and try to fit these new needs and expectations into the “record status quo” or are we in a place to use technology to revolutionize our record keeping?
How would the registrar forum enhance an attendee's Tech Conference experience?
The Forum provides a venue for true interaction with colleagues in the profession with the time and structure to think beyond operations. The Registrar Forum at Tech is NOT a nuts and bolts workshop addressing a specific issue and providing solutions. What makes the Forum unique, special and a great professional development experience is that we address higher level, strategic and even philosophical issues that we are facing as a profession. While the Forum Faculty have insights and creative ideas to share, it is the direct interaction of the participants and the Faculty facilitating the discussion that provides for a deeper experience. The number of Forum participants is restricted purposefully so that each attendee has the opportunity to be involved and heard and energized about a topic that is “out of the box” and engaging.
Who would best benefit from this workshop? What tools or lessons can these attendees expect to leave with?
Whether new to the profession or seasoned veterans, the individuals best suited for the Registrar Forum are those with sound experience and respect for our role as Registrars who also either possess or want to hear from those who with an open mind, interested in thinking outside the box and unafraid to use technology to accomplish our goals. It is an opportunity to discuss our ever changing landscape and how technology provides us with numerous opportunities to incorporate new strategies and efficiencies. In fact, is technology leading us to a fundamentally new practice in maintaining and communicating the student academic history? Institutions across the country have much in common….yet institutions adopt technology at varying rates and in various formats in order to address constituent need. Some of those strategies will be shared….and many more will come to light as part of the Forum discussion and experience. No one will walk away with all of the answers…but everyone should walk away with rich information and a renewed energy to tackle some of the fundamental changes sweeping through our institutions today when it comes to how we evaluate and communicate what our students have LEARNED at our institutions.
The Registrar Forum @ Tech: Inputs and Outputs | sponsored by Parchment
Sunday, July 6
8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Fee: $525 Forum Only / $375 If Also Attending Full Conference
Separate Registration is required to attend this workshop.
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Additionally, AACRAO is hosting a live, free webinar Thursday, June 5 -- MOOC's are not moot anymore! Click here to learn more.