Office of IDEAS
Office of IDEAS Annual Report 2022-23
Leveraging the valuable experiences of our team, we have continued to effectively serve our students, staff, and faculty by integrating both in-person and remote modalities. We have expanded our focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and anti-racism as core aspects in all of our professional development offerings. These efforts have had a profound impact on our interactions with our campus and throughout the CSU system.
We aim to create a transformative educational experience that values and respects the unique perspectives and backgrounds of all individuals within our university community. Through these efforts, we provide faculty with the necessary tools and knowledge to deliver exceptional education while actively addressing social issues and promoting equality. Looking ahead, our commitment to excellence remains unwavering as we continuously explore innovative approaches, collaborate with all campus stakeholders, and adapt to the numerous challenges we face in education.
We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment that embraces change, celebrates diversity, and prepares our students for success. Together, we will continue to shape a brighter future for our students, university, and our community.
Bryan D. Berrett, Ed.D.
Director, Office of IDEAS & Professor, Deaf Studies
Strategic Goals 2022-23
- Implement and assess Graduation Initiative 2025 (GI 2025) activities, including Equity Priority 5 and the culturally competent professional development programs for faculty.
- Provide infrastructure for ongoing support, resources, and training for students and employees across our campus and into our community.
- Enhance digital literacy experiences and innovative ways to modernize teaching and learning for all faculty.
- Communicate our stories of innovation, collaboration, and impact.
You may select a link below to quickly view a specific section of the report.
Faculty Development
This year’s faculty development offerings focused on meeting Equity Priority 5 of the CSU system-level initiative GI 2025, which is to promote equitable learning practices and reduce DFW rates.
- ACUE Effective Online Teaching Practices Micro-credential
- Advancing Inclusive Mentoring
- Assignment Design Institute
- Digital Humanities/Digital Scholarship (DH/DS)
- DISCOVERe Mobile Technology Program
- Equity Minded Pedagogy
- Faculty Writing Community
- Humanizing Online STEM
- HyFlex Teaching and Learning Program
- QLT Course Design Bootcamp
- Tequity (Apporto Learning Community)
- Zero-Cost Course Materials
Advancing Inclusive Mentoring (AIM)
- Dr. Nancy Nisbett
- Dr. Earl Aguilera
- Dr. Yuleinys Castillo
- Dr. Elleen Woo
Digital Humanities/Digital Scholarship (DH/DS)
- Dr. J. Ashley Foster
DISCOVERe
- Dr. Megan Pronovost - Facilitator
- Dr. Marvita Gowdy - Facilitator
- Dr. Amanda McKeith
- Dr. Dermot Donnelly-Hermosillo
- Clare Frederick-Anzoleaga, M.A.
- Dr. Laura Huisinga
- Dr. Shahab Tayeb
- Dr. Matin Pirouz
- Justine McAlpine, M.A.
Equity-Minded Pedagogy
- Dr. Ramar Henderson
- Dr. Ulrike Muller
- Dr. Varaxy Yi
- Dr. Matthew Jendian (CSU cohort)
Quality Learning and Teaching (QLT)
- Edward Boyle, MPH
- Dr. Annabella Espana-Najera
Tequity
- Dr. Joseph Ross
Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC)
- Dr. Jenny Krichevsky
Zero-Cost Course Materials (ZCCM)
- Dr. Dermot Donnelly-Hermosillo, Faculty Lead
- Dr. Selena Van Horn
- Jes Therkelsen, MFA
- Dr. Jennifer Miele
- Dr. Mario Banuelos
- Dr. Tanisha Garcia
- Dr. Shahab Tayeb
- Dr. Ranjit Riar
- Dr. Maria-Aparecida Lopes
Faculty Development Data
308 total faculty participants
56 departments with at least 1 participant
497 total program participants
All 8 colleges represented
| Rank | Percentage of Participation |
|---|---|
| Lecturer | 35% |
| Assistant Professor | 31% |
| Associate Professor | 20% |
| Full Professor | 14% |
| College | Percentage of Participation |
|---|---|
| College of Arts and Humanities | 19% |
| College of Science and Mathematics | 19% |
| College of Social Sciences | 16% |
| College of Health & Human Services | 14% |
| Craig School of Business | 10% |
| Kremen School of Education and Human Development | 9% |
| Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology | 7% |
| Lyles College of Engineering | 5% |
Digital Humanities/Digital Scholarship (DH/DS)
The Office of IDEAS, in collaboration with the Digital Humanities/Digital Scholarship (DH/DS) Ad-Hoc Committee, was pleased to offer a faculty certificate program led by Dr. J. Ashley Foster this academic year with nearly 60 participating faculty.
DH/DS is a diverse and interdisciplinary framework, bringing together the arts, humanities, and sciences within the scope of utilizing and developing digital tools to support the scholarly and teaching process. This workshop series, conducted over the course of a full semester, offered faculty an introduction to the practices, methodologies, techniques, and software of DH/DS such as digital mapping, data visualization, digital collections and galleries, XR/VR, and media content creation.
“Ultimately, what I appreciated the most about the workshop series was that it was an opportunity to learn and experiment with guidance and support...I appreciate having a space for trial-and-error alongside others similarly thinking through all the new principles and tools...Thank you to Dr. Foster and all the organizers for creating this opportunity!”
Affordable Learning Solutions
Student Perspectives
During Open Education Week in March, students shared their experiences about the effects of high course material costs.
"I work part-time at the moment but will probably have to get a second job to keep up as I am paying for college myself."
"I have a car in the shop right now that I could be paying for."
“I dropped a class because the book was $300.”
Academic Technology Support
DISCOVERe Hub
The DISCOVERe Hub provides device check-outs and hardware and software support, primarily for students, but also for faculty and any library patron.
| Category | % of support interactions |
|---|---|
| Device Appointments | 32% |
| Printing Support | 25% |
|
Wifi Support |
18% |
|
General Questions |
18% |
|
Software Help |
7% |
Academic Technology Resource Center
The ATRC supports faculty and students with all things academic technology and accessibility, by Zoom, phone, email, request forms, and walk-ins.
| Category | % of Support Interactions |
|---|---|
| Canvas | 69% |
| Zoom | 10% |
| Quiz Creation | 9% |
| Panopto | 7% |
| Google & Office 365 | 3% |
| DVD Conversions | 1% |
| Accessibility |
1% |
| Hardware support |
1% |
Accessibility & Universal Design for Learning
In an effort to expand capacity for support and advocacy, the Office of IDEAS added a full-time Universal Design for Learning Accessibility Specialist, Ashley Abrahamson, to the team this year.
Instruction in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Accessibility was provided to faculty throughout the year in a wide array of programming, and outreach visits were made to 6 colleges and 3 individual academic departments to promote document accessibility awareness and IDEAS resources available to support accessibility and UDL.
In collaboration with the Services for Students with Disabilities Office, over 2,700 documents and images in nearly 100 high-need courses were remediated to have improved accessibility for students.
Alternative Formats
7836 unique users downloaded 36,000+ alternate format files
Quality alternatives to accessing course materials allow students to engage in course materials that meet their learning needs and preferences. Canvas provides the ability for students to download files uploaded by faculty into different formats, such as audio versions of PDFs and more mobile-friendly versions of Powerpoint or Word documents.
DISCOVERe
DISCOVERe continues to be a key program toward digital equity efforts on campus. The DISCOVERe device team was tasked to manage the arrival, inventory, and distribution of over 4000 iPads and hotspots this year.
“The devices were key in my classes that require digital interactivity. My students who did not have their own were able to borrow from the University.“
This year saw a pilot project of providing Apple Pencils to students in select classes in Chemistry, to aid in the drawing of chemical structures, and Graphic Design, to refine technique with digital hand-lettering with iPad apps and Adobe Creative Cloud.
“I benefitted greatly with the tablet and pencil. I was able to keep my vast notebook of science notes in one place, import images directly from the internet onto my handwritten notes, and practice drawing relevant chemistry diagrams.”
DISCOVERe High School Outreach
Faculty Presenters
Clare Frederick, M.A. - Communication
Dr. Amanda McKeith - Animal Science and Ag Education
Clare & Amanda met with a group of about 40 students and Principal Katy Culver to
introduce some technology applications they can expect to use should they become Fresno
State students. Clare showcased an app that uses AI to deliver real-time feedback
to students on public speaking, Amanda showcased various aspects of the Google Workspace
suite of tools.
DISCOVERe student guides were on hand to assist students with iPads and hotspots to
participate in the session.
Faculty Presenters
Dr. Dermot Donnelly-Hermosillo - Chemistry & Biochemistry
Dr. Laura Huisinga - Art, Design, and Art History
Dermot & Laura served as judges in a game design & animation student virtual competition hosted by Dinuba High School and Art, Media, and Entertainment teacher Debbie Steuart. They each also gave a talk to participating students, via Zoom, about their careers and the field of interactive design and had time to have students ask questions.
Faculty Presenter
Justine McAlpine, M.A. - Kinesiology
Justine went out to Parlier HS for 4 class sessions, guiding students in a science class taught by Edward Flitcraft, in the creation of STEM career exploration presentations, using Google Slides and Bitmoji avatars. DISCOVERe student guides attended the first session with Dr. McAlpine to aid students in setting up their Bitmoji accounts and avatars, using DISCOVERe iPads and hotspots for students who did not have their own Chromebooks.
Staff Engagement
In addition to programming for faculty, the Office of IDEAS offered several workshops in the area of technology skill development for staff in Spring 2023.
Workshops included:
- Google Workspace Basics: Gmail, Calendar & Drive
- Find What You Need: Best Practices for Effective Google Searches
- SLIDE into Accessible Document Creation
- Gaining Confidence in Learning New Technology
- ProductivityTools
Book Circle
53 faculty and staff participated in 4 book circles this academic year, with circles led by IDEAS team members William Hardaway and Jason McGensy, as well as Dr. Travis Cronin, Associate Professor of Social Work and Georgianna Negron-Long, Health Educator in the Student Health and Counseling Center.
Book Circle Readings
- Design for Belonging by Susie Wise
- The Power of Moments by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
- Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
- Crying in H-Mart by Michelle Zauner
Media Production
The Office of IDEAS Academic Media team provided professional production support to a wide-range of university events throughout the year, such as:
-
Provost Awards Lecture Series
-
Title IX Task Force Open Forum for Faculty & Staff and Students
-
Chicano Youth Conference
-
The Long Struggle for LGBTQ Rights – Dr. Lilian Faderman
-
Climate Now/Future of Agriculture in California
-
Division of Equity and Engagement Town Hall with Dr. Rashanda Booker
-
2023 Fresno State Graduation Ceremonies (11 total ceremonies)
Telling Faculty Stories
App Is In Session
A concerted effort has been made to capture academic classroom footage in diverse subject areas and develop partnerships with faculty. Watch the first episode in this series of narrative stories, "App Is In Session".
Dr. Caio Sarmento was faced with a unique challenge during last year’s COVID-19 interruption: how do you teach a hands-on physical therapy course while being hands-off? He found greater student success with a hybrid solution that he still uses today.
The Learning Curve
The Learning Curve interview series provides a space for faculty to share their insights, reflections, and plans for implementation based on their participation in faculty development programming from the Office of IDEAS with their peers and colleagues.
University Service
- Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI) Committee leadership
- University Strategic Planning subcommittees
- National Coalition-Building Institute (NCBI) Leadership
- Cabinet-level search committees
- Presentation on Leveraging AI in Higher Education for Instructional Design Common Interest Group
- Cross-Campus Collaboration on Productivity Tools with 95 participants across 18 campuses
- Equity-Minded Pedagogy Faculty Program for 115 participants across 6 campuses
Conference Presentations
Several members of the IDEAS team, in collaboration with faculty and staff colleagues, delivered presentations about our programming and processes as models and exemplars.
- Sanchez, R. J & Berrett, B. (2022, December). Making Pandemic “Silver Linings” Stick.
Directors of Educational Technology in California Higher Education Conference
- Berrett, B. & Munoz, N. (2023, February). Scaling Affordable Learning Solutions and
Open Educational Resources. California State University Affordable Learning Solutions
conferences
- Abrahamson, A., Makkaway, A., Berrett, B. (2023, March). Leveraging Technology and
Universal Design for Learning. CSU Northridge Accessibility Conference
- Hardaway, W., Cowan, C., Brady, M., Berrett, B. (2023, April). An Equitable and Inclusive
Approach to Course Design. WSCUC Accreditation Resource Conference 2023.
- Hardaway, W., Hardy, A. (2023, June) Exploring Data, Making Meaning of It, and Changing
Practice. CSU Chancellor’s Office Transforming a Culture of Evidence Convening.
- Hardaway, W., Fu, X., Berrett, B., Woods, C. (2023, July). Equity-Centered Teaching and Learning. American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Academic Affairs Summer Meeting.
Greeting the new CSU Chancellor
Dr. Xuanning Fu, Dr. Bryan Berrett, and William Hardaway had an opportunity to greet the incoming CSU Chancellor Dr. Mildred García at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Academic Affairs Summer Meeting.
Learn more about Chancellor Mildred García
Professional Learning
In an ongoing effort to keep up with the latest in innovative, inclusive, effective teaching strategies and technology, various members of our team completed the following professional learning experiences in the past academic year:
- Humanizing Online STEM Academy
- UDL Training by CAST
- InstructureCon
- IDEO U: Human-Centered Systems Thinking
- Cal State Tech Conference
- Reviewing Courses Using the QLT Rubric
- SJSU Adobe Digital Literacy Day
- Adobe Creative Campus Conference
- ACUE Fostering a Culture of Belonging
- CSU Data Analytics Program
Our student assistants also participated in the following learning experiences:
- Linkedin Learning Accessibility Training
- Apple eBook Development Training
Events
The Office of IDEAS collaborated on a number of events through the year, including:
- Provost Office Hours for Faculty
- Open Forums for search committees
- Top Dog Honoree Luncheon
- Open Ed Week ASC Breakfast
- Technology Services Tabletop Exercises
- MCLL Teachers’ Academy
- Budget Office & Financial Aid Workshops
- Richter Center Ambassador Training
The Celebration of IDEAS
The Celebration of IDEAS is an end-of-semester event to build community while highlighting and celebrating faculty accomplishments throughout the academic year.