Spotlight Sandburg College
This podcast is is dedicated to news, sports, and the arts related to Carl Sandburg College located in Galesburg, Illinois.
Spotlight Sandburg College
Beyond the Classroom: Sandburg's Strategic Technology Revolution
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Introduction to Sandburg College
Speaker 1Welcome to the Deep Dive . Today we're heading out , virtually at least , to Western Illinois . We're looking at Sandburg College and how they're strategically using technology and learning .
Speaker 2That's right , and we're drawing from their ACCT 2024 presentation PDF , so it's straight from the source .
Speaker 1Right . So our mission , our goal for this Deep Dive is really to get under the hood . How is this college actually adopting tech ?
Speaker 2Exactly . We want to see how they're boosting their online courses , getting students more engaged and even starting to think about AI , all while keeping an eye on the budget .
Speaker 1And Sandberg . It's not a tiny operation . It serves a pretty big chunk of Western Illinois right Multiple locations .
Speaker 2Yeah , ten counties , main campus , a branch , an annex , even working with high schools .
Speaker 1And the student body itself is quite diverse . I mean , look at these numbers Over 2,300 students total . That's about 1,125 full-time equivalents . And breakdown-wise Well , about 71% white , but also 12% Hispanic , latino , 7% Black , african American students from 31 states , 25 countries , even .
Speaker 2Wow , quite a mix .
Speaker 1Yeah , and demographics like 65% female two-thirds are part-time . That's significant .
Speaker 2That part-time number really stands out and dual credit 29% plus 34% nontraditional students , so over 24 .
Speaker 1And nearly 60% are Pell Grant eligible . It paints a picture
Diverse Student Demographics
Speaker 1of who they're serving .
Speaker 2It really does . Accessible education seems key , so okay , with that diverse group . How are they tackling quality in their online courses ? That's a big challenge .
Speaker 1Yeah , how do you ensure standards ?
Speaker 2Well , one big thing is their partnership with Quality Matters . You know the national group for online standards . They've got a membership costs about $1,925 a year .
Speaker 1Okay , so they're bringing in outside expertise , research-backed stuff .
Speaker 2Exactly . And they're not just stopping at the membership .
Quality Matters Partnership
Speaker 2They're sending faculty to QM workshops those run like $165 to $220 each . What Plus developing their own custom rubrics .
Speaker 1Tailored to their programs Makes sense .
Speaker 2Yeah , it shows they're really digging into what makes effective online learning for them .
Speaker 1And it's not just like a top-down thing . It sounds like faculty are involved .
Speaker 2Oh , definitely . They've got a dedicated faculty team for this Five members , different departments represented , tied into their faculty development center , the FPLC .
Speaker 1So the faculty are driving it .
Speaker 2They really are .
Speaker 1And they have this two-semester process for improving courses .
Speaker 2Two semesters ? Ok , tell me about that . What does that involve ? So , first semester , it's all about the course design , or maybe a redesign using those QM principles in their own rubrics , right . Then the second semester is for peer evaluation Faculty look at each other's courses , give feedback .
Speaker 1Oh , ok , and they get compensated for that .
Speaker 2They do yeah , which shows the college values that time and effort .
Speaker 1Good , and they're specifically looking at certain student groups .
Speaker 2Yes , they mentioned focusing on special populations and also what they call the heavy lifting areas Heavy lifting . Like what ? Course mapping , making sure everything aligns . And accessibility , really making sure courses work for everyone .
Speaker 1Accessibility yes , so critical online OK , so this sounds like a solid plan . When does
Low-Cost Tech: Podcasting
Speaker 1it actually hit the ground ? When do students feel it ?
Speaker 2Well , it's happening now , really In the 23-24 year . They focused on 132 unique online courses Okay , which translated to 217 actual classes taught by 77 different instructors , a mix of full-time and part-time .
Speaker 1Got it and looking ahead .
Speaker 2They've got a pilot year , that's AY 2025 . Then two years 26 and 27 , just for getting all online courses aligned with these standards .
Speaker 1So a multi-year rollout .
Speaker 2Right and after that a five-year review cycle tied into their regular program review . So it's ongoing sustainable improvement .
Speaker 1That's smart , tying it into existing processes . Okay , let's switch gears a bit . The presentation also talks about low-cost , high-impact tech . What are they doing there ?
Speaker 2Yeah , this part's really interesting . They're being clever with resources , podcasting , for instance . Podcasting , okay , they already have some official college podcasts Running Athletics General News , the Foundation Right but instructors are using it in class too , like the basketball theory coach interviews people , Sociology talks , diversity Speech classes . Use it for promoting a new product assignment .
Speaker 1Oh cool , so students are actually creating podcasts .
Speaker 2Exactly , or listening to specialized ones , and they mention the potential for students to bring in outside experts using call-in tech .
Speaker 1That's a great idea . Lowers the barrier to bringing in guest speakers . What's the cost for that setup ?
Speaker 2They mention a RODECaster Pro package for about $1,200 , which , for the flexibility it offers , seems pretty reasonable .
Speaker 1Yeah , definitely high impact potential there . Okay
One Button Studio & VR Initiatives
Speaker 1, what else ? One Button Studio Sounds easy .
Speaker 2It really does . The name says it all pretty much Press a button , record a video presentation Simple .
Speaker 1Okay , and how's that being used ?
Speaker 2Lots of ways Dental hygiene , students recording practice , patient interaction .
Speaker 1Oh , interesting For a review .
Speaker 2Exactly Instructors , offering it as an alternative to live presentations for anxious students , speech classes , using it for makeups or redos , even the foundation making thank you videos for sponsors .
Speaker 1That makes video creation much more accessible . I can see the appeal . What's the price tag on that ?
Speaker 2This is where they're super resourceful . They use free OBS software , repurposed computers , so basically zero cost there .
Speaker 1Nice .
Speaker 2The main cost is about $1,500 for lighting , sound , the camera setup .
Speaker 1Again pretty cost effective for what it enables , Totally .
Speaker 2Strategic spending .
Speaker 1Okay , moving on Virtual reality , that sounds a bit higher tech , maybe higher costs .
Speaker 2It can be . Yeah , they've invested , though . They have 24 Oculus Quest 2s and one Quest 3 .
Speaker 1OK , quite a few headsets . What do those run ?
Speaker 2The Quest 2s are around $280 each , the Quest 3 , about $450 . But then you have app costs which vary a lot Subscriptions , one-time buys , some are free .
Speaker 1Right , the software isn't free Very a lot .
Speaker 2Subscriptions , one-time buys , some are free , right , the software isn't free , nope . And to manage all those headsets they use something called ManageXR , which is $100 per headset per year .
Speaker 1So there's an ongoing cost there too , but they see VR as important .
Speaker 2Yeah , the presentation flags it as a key element . They're definitely exploring its potential , even with the costs involved .
Speaker 1It'd be interesting to know exactly how they're using it in classes . The presentation didn't detail that .
Speaker 2Not specific examples , no , but you can imagine the possibilities , right ? No-transcript .
Speaker 1True , okay , what about software ? They mentioned Harmonize .
Speaker 2Right Harmonize sounds like it's aimed at making online discussions maybe assignments too more engaging , moving beyond just text forums .
Speaker 1Okay , so improving that interaction piece online .
Speaker 2Yeah , trying to make it richer , more dynamic and also maybe streamlining assessment for instructors .
Speaker 1Anything to make online discussions better is usually welcome . Then there was the UGA Collection . Sounds like a suite of tools .
Speaker 2It is . They subscribe to several parts Verity , which is for test proctoring .
Speaker 1Okay , ensuring integrity .
Speaker 2Panorama for accessibility , making sure materials work for everyone , crucial Engage , which sounds like interactive polls , quizzes within content , and then the main video platform for hosting and managing video .
Speaker 1So kind of an all-in-one platform approach for several needs .
Speaker 2Seems like it Consolidating things under one umbrella .
Speaker 1Okay , building a solid foundation there . Now the big topic AI ,
AI Integration and Future Direction
Speaker 1artificial intelligence . The presentation says they're in a state of early reluctance .
Speaker 2Yeah , this feels pretty common across education right now , doesn't it ?
Speaker 1It does A lot of caution .
Speaker 2The sense is a few faculty are starting to explore it , but most are still figuring it out , Like how do we use this without undermining actual learning and critical thinking ?
Speaker 1That's the core tension , isn't it ? But they are using something specific .
Speaker 2They mentioned using a chat . Gpt integration with their Moodle system Cost them $10 a month .
Speaker 1Okay , so dipping a toe in the water there , maybe for student support or basic questions .
Speaker 2Potentially yeah , or maybe helping instructors . They also recommended a book , ai and the Future of Education , so they're actively trying to learn more .
Speaker 1That's proactive .
Speaker 2Right .
Speaker 1And didn't you say some of their other tools already have AI built in .
Speaker 2That's a really important point . Tools like Harmonize , Yuja , even Turnitin , which they likely use Many of these platforms are already using AI behind the scenes .
Speaker 1For things like feedback or accessibility checks .
Speaker 2Exactly so . Even if faculty aren't directly using something like ChatGPT , they're interacting with AI anyway through these other systems .
Speaker 1Interesting . So okay , let's try and wrap this up . What's the big picture takeaway from Sandbird's approach ?
Speaker 2I think it's their deliberate and cost-conscious strategy . They're not just grabbing shiny objects . They're building a quality foundation first , especially with online learning via quality matters .
Speaker 1Right , getting the fundamentals solid .
Speaker 2And then layering on these low cost , high impact tools like the podcasting setup , the one button studio , very practical , very focused on utility .
Speaker 1What surprised me , or what I found really interesting , was just how specific the uses were for those tools , like the dental hygiene patient recordings . The speech class product promos , it's not just theoretical .
Speaker 2Absolutely . It shows faculty are empowered to find real world applications that fit their courses and their students . It's not just IT rolling something out .
Speaker 1Yeah , and for you , our listener , maybe seeing Sandberg's approach makes you think right . How could this focus on quality first , then smart , low cost tools , maybe a cautious look at AI . How could that apply where you learn or work ?
Speaker 2There's a good framework to consider Quality foundation , practical tools , thoughtful innovation .
Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts
Speaker 1So here's a final thought , then . Given that early reluctance around AI , what do you think the tipping point will be for wider use in education ? What really pushes it forward ?
Speaker 2Good question .
Speaker 1And maybe more importantly , as AI gets more integrated , what are the big ethical questions we really need to grapple with Something to chew on .
Speaker 2Definitely food for thought .
Speaker 1Well , thanks for exploring Sandberg College's tech journey with us on this deep dive .