ACE IT SIG Annual Report 2006
From Extension Collaborative Wiki
Special Interest Group Report
Name of SIG: Information Technology SIG
Mission statement: The Information Technology Special Interest Group (IT SIG) provides a means for communicators and technologists to share information internationally on current and emerging technologies with an emphasis on the intelligent and appropriate use of these computer-based technologies for education and information dissemination.
Officers (current year):
Chair – Beth Raney, Penn State
Vice Chair – Gary Kepka, Kansas State
Vice Chair-elect – Ray Kimsey, North Carolina State University
Officers (next year):
Chair: Gary Kepka, Kansas State University
Vice-Chair: Ray Kimsey, North Carolina State
Vice-Chair Elect: Vishal Singh, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Did the SIG present an Award of Excellence this year?
Yes. A call (via email) for nominations for the Award of Excellence this year yielded two names. David Foote, University of New Hampshire, was selected because of his consistent contributions to the IT SIG of ACE. He was chosen by a unanimous vote of the three officers.
What were your goals for the year (from your strategic plan)?
Goal 1. Update the IT SIG's Web site.
Goal 2. Create an instructional module to help extension people learn to work in the eXtension wiki.
What successes did you have in reaching those goals?
Goal 1: The IT SIG's Web site was moved to the ACE Web server in October 2005 by Ray Kimsey, Vice-Chair Elect. Links and reference documents were updated to be current. During the year, the SIG's newsletter issues, ITS Alive, were added as well.
Goal 2: Ray Kimsey, Vice-Chair Elect, created an outline for the instructional module on working in the eXtension wiki. Beth Raney, Chair, provided an update during the September 20, 2005 eXtension VideoConference about the work of the SIG in that area.
What barriers kept you from achieving the goals?
Goal 1: Goal of moving the Web site was achieved, and some updating of the site was accomplished.
Goal 2: After the initial planning and announcement, eXtension determined a different approach to editing the FAQs, so the instruction by the IT SIG was put on hold.
What would you have done differently?
Goal 1: There is still much that could be done to update the web site to make it potentially more useful to members of the SIG.
Did you use the funds provided by the ACE board? If so, please describe how the money was used and how it benefited all SIG members.
The funds provided by the ACE board were not used.
What can the board do to help SIG leaders in their responsibilities and to make SIGs more effective?
The monthly conference calls for SIG leadership are important. Allowing all 3 of the SIG leaders participation in the call helps build understanding and interest for vice-chairs and vice-chair elects.
What other concerns or thoughts would you like to share with the Board?
As suggestions for additional, more specific, SIGs are considered, it is important to also consider where the leadership for those additional SIGs will come from. Again this year, there were no volunteers or nominations for our vice-chair elect. However, the officers were able to find a willing person by asking a specific individual.
Submitted by Beth Raney
