Dear Colleagues,

I am honored to be named Old Dominion University’s Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.  During the open forum for the search, I was asked to address the following question: What do you see as the role of the Provost in shaping the future of higher education, specifically blending pedagogy, technology, and student engagement?  Attendees asked excellent questions after my presentation.  While there are no “do overs” in interviews, I want to share with all of you a summary of my answer to this very timely question.  I see the Provost’s role in blending pedagogy, technology, and student engagement as involving the following activities:

 

  • Communicating the “why” so that all stakeholders are aware of the need to integrate pedagogy, technology, and student engagement;
  • Developing a framework that is focused on academic excellence, learners, on-campus and online learning spaces, and research, and driven by student success goals that inspire our talented faculty and staff;
  • Leading change, which includes regularly communicating our shared vision, celebrating short-term wins, monitoring progress, and addressing barriers that arise;
  • Embracing faculty recruitment and development so that faculty members have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to use current and future technologies in ways that promote engagement and enhance learning;
  • Promoting research into the effectiveness of our technology-enhanced instructional efforts as well as an overall body of scientific research and creative endeavors that produce knowledge that we, and others, will distribute to future learners;
  • Allocating resources in a way that drives growth, embraces faculty support, and enhances student success; and
  • Ensuring integrity across all of our efforts to ensure that a degree from Old Dominion University instills pride, reflects our institutional commitment to academic excellence, and stands the test of time.

 

It’s no accident that my list began with “communicating the why.”  Some of you may have heard me share my appreciation from Simon Sinek’s Start with Why, a must-read for those interested in promoting teamwork and creating a future that fully realizes our collective potential.  While there are several reasons why we should blend pedagogy, technology, and engagement, a few stand out.  Consider a growing body of research that suggests that different types of technology-enhanced learning strategies have the potential to increase student motivation, improve student engagement, facilitate personal adaptive learning, increase learner confidence, and promote accessibility. 

Some have suggested that learning technologies help students choose or prepare for their careers,  many of which are going to require enhanced technical skills.  So, by using technology, we are better preparing students for futures that increasingly rely on technology.  Because of the potential to reshape the learning experience, it has even been suggested by some that technology-enhanced instruction has the potential to reverse the decade-long trend that shows declining confidence in higher education. 

I fully anticipate that some will question whether technology-enhanced learning will make a difference.  After all, as scientists, we are trained to question and re-question everything.  At the same time, as innovators, we are called upon to use scientific research to promote change.  A large amount of literature from the learning sciences supports the opportunity to enhance learning by blending pedagogy, technology, and engagement.

It's also no accident that I ended my list with ensuring integrity.  Indeed, while it may not be the most interesting part of the provost’s role, ensuring integrity is the most important.  As part of this commitment, we ensure that we hire the most talented faculty, commit to ongoing assessment, change direction where appropriate, and rigorously study our efforts.

I would like to thank President Hemphill for naming me Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.  His faith in my ability to lead the Division of Academic Affairs is much appreciated and not taken lightly.   Our forward-focused approach to becoming a premier public research institution that creates and generates knowledge to a wide range of learners has the potential for social transformation.   Embracing excellence on this journey is not just an opportunity – it’s also an obligation.

I look forward to taking this journey with you.

Regards,

Brian K. Payne, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA 23529