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COURSE REDESIGN initiative 4 - VA a t JMU p resen t s 2012-

Mdevelopment economic OVING 2013 educational technology forward thinking experience ORWARDengineering higher education impact grants mini outcomes student beam

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biology SHARING COURSE DEGREE immersive COMPLETION art scale-up GEORGE MASON grants What people are saying...

It has been an honor to be engaged with the 4-VA initiative from its inception to date. I have seen the true power of partnership between government, educa- tion, and industry coalesce around a common goal. Virginia understands the sig- nificance of higher education being the cornerstone of our country’s economic growth, and through the strong leadership of Governor McDonnell, and the Pres- ident’s and senior leadership of the four founding institutions—JMU, UVA, GMU, and —we are seeing transformation take place in a meaningful, sus- tainable way. — Carol Stillman, Cisco Systems, Inc.

Though we just started this experience four weeks ago, I believe the variety of stu- dents’ backgrounds and educations enriches the learning experience inside the classroom, especially when learning a challenging language like Arabic. My stu- dents at VT had different language skills and their participation with JMU students has had a positive impact so far. — Israa Alhassani

With my unique background as being a practicing medical clinician coupled with my experience as a university educator, I am constantly looking for ways to make content more relevant for students. 4-VA provides me with the opportunity to fur- ther expand this mission. — Erika Kancler, MD Inside this Issue

What is 4-VA? What is the 4-VA mission and how does it work at JMU? 2 Collaborative Research Faculty and students from different universities coming together to accomplish great things 4 Other 4-VA Research Grants 8 Course Sharing Universities collaborating to offer students a wider range of courses 10 Course Redesign Developing courses to utilize new formats for course offerings 12 Technology and STEM Subjects Harnessing group knowledge and modern technology to bring courses into the present 16 Innovation, Collaboration, Entrepreneurship Faculty, students, and community leaders design a collaborative innovation space 18 Degree Completion Universities develop an offering to help non-traditional students complete a degree 20 Contact inside back Contact information for 4-VA staff, industry parters, and featured JMU faculty and staff cover

1 What is Unity is strength...when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved. 4-VA? – Mattie Stepanek

4-VA is a collaborative partnership between four Virginia universities. Its mission is to promote inter- university collaborations that leverage the strengths History of 4-VA of each partner university N 2010, the presidents of four universities com- in order to accomplish much more than any bined forces with the governor, other members of individual university could I the Virginia government and Cisco Systems, Inc. to achieve alone. In addition, launch 4-VA in response to the Governor’s Higher Ed- 4-VA strives to do the ucation Commission and the Governor’s Commission following: on Economic Development & Job Creation. 1. decrease the cost of The commissions are focused on education and inno- delivering instruction vation to “better position Virginia to create jobs and 2. expand access for all grow the economy.” Virginians to programs preparing them for That same year, 4-VA began implementing a telepres- rewarding careers ence system so the universities’ administration, staff 3. increase research and faculty could work toward their common goals in competitiveness a live virtual environment. With two videoconferenc- 4. enhance the success ing rooms on each campus and the infrastructure in rate of students in Science, place, 4-VA was ready to focus on its initiatives. Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses and programs.

2 Unity is strength...when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved. The Board ’S DIRECTION is set by the man- 4-VAagement board, which consists of 4-VA at JMU the four university presidents, Virginia’s Secre- AT tary of Education, the Executive Director of the 4-VA is housed under the Department of State Council of Higher Education for Virginia Information Technology and works closely with (SCHEV), and Carol Stillman, the Business De- Dale Hulvey, the Assistant Vice President of In- velopment Manager for Higher Education for formation Technology. Nick Swayne is the Direc- Cisco. tor and Campus Coordinator. Kai Brokamp is the Assistant Director and also works close- ly with the 4-VA Graduate and Undergraduate Assistants.

3 Collaborative Research

Strength in numbers is a concept well-known in nature, and it applies to higher education as well. Collaborative research between the four 4-VA institutions has not only Developing a increased the interaction between faculties at each institution, but Diagnostic Tool for the has also increased the competitiveness of their Next Generation research. Principle ITH OUTBREAKS of whooping cough Investigator: on the rise in the United States—even Mini Grants of up to $5,000 Dr. Louise with mandatory vaccinations—it has and Scale-Up Grants of Temple W become increasingly important to detect this $20,000 are awarded to faculty and staff members lung infection at its earliest stages. whose research will With the assistance of Dr. Gordon Archer at Virginia Commonwealth contribute to 4-VA initiatives University, Dr. Louise Temple, a JMU professor in the Department related to research and of Integrated Science and Technology, has started studying borde- instruction. With over tella, the bacterium that causes whooping cough. $100,000 invested in 27 research projects since Focusing their research on isolating bordetella, Dr. Temple hopes October 2012, a $100,000 to develop a diagnostic tool that will decrease the time it takes to return on investment has diagnose the bacterial disease. This tool will also increase knowl- already been recognized. edge of the bacteria, allowing researchers to better understand how and why whooping cough infects humans and is spread to others. Without the support of 4-VA, Dr. Temple said, “I might have been able to do a little bit on it, but I couldn’t have paid students in the summer, so we wouldn’t have gotten as far as we have and wouldn’t have had this really successful summer.” Dr. Temple said she is grateful for the opportunities 4-VA is providing in terms of creating opportunities for students and enabling the creation of relationships between universities.

4 Principle Investigator: Finding a Cure Dr. Bob for Dry Eye McKown

RY EYE is a fairly common condi- Medicine at Virginia Tech and tested for tion, affecting roughly 35 million stimulation of tear production in ca- DAmericans. Those who have it typ- nines. If successful, this research could photo by AlantheBox ically produce tears of inadequate qual- directly result in a treatment for canine ity or quantity. Dry air, wind, allergies, dry eye, which would have an important medications, disease, aging, wearing impact on dry eye syndrome in humans Cloning contact lenses and spending long hours as well. this gene in front of a computer are just some of the potential causes of the uncom- “The safe and effective use of lacritin for is the first treatment of dry eye in an animal mod- step towards fortable sensations and blurred vision brought on by the condition. Artificial el system would help advance devel- development tears are commonly used as a temporary opment of this potential new drug into of a treatment solution for dry eye, but what if there human clinical trials,” said Dr. McKown. for dry eye in was a treatment that could stimulate The two grants awarded to Dr. McKown new tear production? humans. have also provided the means to hire With funding from both a 4-VA Mini two student researchers to focus solely Grant and a Scale-Up Grant, Dr. Bob Mc- on the project. Cara Soyars and Alan Tate Kown is working to find just that—a assisted with dog tear analysis in Dr. Mc- treatment for dry eye in dogs that could Kown’s lab at JMU during the summer of potentially develop into a new topical 2013. therapeutic for the treatment of dry eye Cloning this gene is the first step towards in humans. A professor of Integrated development of a treatment for dry eye Science and Technology at JMU, Dr. Mc- in humans, an accomplish- Kown is collaborating with Dr. Ian P. Her- ment that will improve the ring from the VA-MD Regional College of lives of many and demon- Veterinary Medicine and the College of strate the power of col- Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. laboration in funding A human tear protein called lacritin and and research. the canine version of lacritin are at the center of Dr. McKown’s research. The goal of his Scale-Up Grant is to clone the ca- nine gene for lacritin, produce the canine lacritin protein in bacteria, and purify it for animal studies. The purified protein will be sent to the College of Veterinary What photo by Maria Morri do pharmaceuticals photo by Scientif38 and cosmetics have in common with avalanches and lava flows?

photo by LadyofProcrastination photo by Brocken Inaglory Soft Matter Research: Connecting Physicists across the Commonwealth HAT DO pharmaceuticals and cosmetics time, only recently have scientists begun to explore have in common with avalanches and lava their intricate dynamics, searching for a unified W flows? They are part of a large class of ma- framework to explain and predict their complex be- terials known as Soft matter—the focus of research havior. In order to combine resources to further this led by Dr. Klebert Feitosa, a Physics and Astronomy endeavor, Dr. Feitosa has proposed and was awarded professor at JMU. Soft matter is characterized by a Mini Grant titled Bringing Together a Community complex fluid behavior whose understanding will of Soft Matter Researchers in Virginia. have deep implications for improvement of manu- This initiative will bring keynote speakers and re- facturing processes, as well as predictions of natural searchers together for a Soft Matter Workshop event phenomena such as avalanches, mudslides and lava at James Madison University on February 11th, flows. 2014. This workshop will facilitate statewide net- You may be wondering, “What is soft matter?” working, communication and collaboration on the topic of soft matter research. Soft matter is a term used to describe many systems that are disordered and fragile. Foams, paints, gels, grains, and emulsions are some very familiar exam- Principal Investigator: ples. Dr. Klebert Feitosa Although soft materials have been around for a long

6 By better understanding our treasured aquatic resources, we can develop better conservation and management strategies. Researching the : Coldwater Ecosystems IVER SYSTEMS support complex networks of life, including microscopic algae, animals, and R of course, humans. Dr. Christine May, an assis- tant professor of biology at JMU, is no stranger to the significance of these systems. By forming collabo- rations with scientists, businesses, and government departments and agencies, Dr. May has been able to increase awareness for research and educational needs for rivers, streams, and springs in the Shenan- doah Valley. The city of Waynesboro, located 45 minutes south of Harrisonburg, is home to a section of the South River and is at the center of Dr. May’s grant. As the city strives to revive itself by increasing attractions that draw tourism to this gateway to the Shenandoah Val- ley and the Blue Ridge Parkway, Dr. May and her col- laborators became involved in the effort to highlight unique attributes of the South River. The overarching Challenges for Critical Ecosystems, a one day sympo- goal of this endeavor is to increase interest in the de- sium that was conducted to reach their goal—in- velopment of the Center for Coldwaters Restoration, creasing awareness. The symposium was open to the which will serve as a collaborative research center public, and featured fourteen speakers from various and educational facility for aquatic ecosystems. Virginia universities and government agencies. Also featured were poster presentations and displays sub- “The mountain streams and large river valleys of mitted by participants of the symposium, including Virginia are iconic ecosystems that provide a critical several community-based programs. habitat for native brook trout populations,” said Dr. May, “By better understanding our treasured aquatic resources, we can develop better conservation and Principal Investigator: management strategies.” Dr. Christine May In September 2013, Dr. May and collaborators over- saw the Mountain Stream Symposium II: Continuing

7 Cross Country Adventures on an Electric Motorcycle

N JUNE 6, 2013, former pro- a support van. Will Hays, a sophomore fessional motorcycle racer Thad at JMU and part of the research team O Wolff drove the electric motorcy- on the trip said “This experience taught cle that broke the cross-country record. me a lot about working on research The journey totaled 2,500 miles and with a team and adapting to situations Principal went from Jacksonville, Florida to Santa along the way.” Hays was in charge of Investigator: Monica, California. Even with a severe the data, tracking amps, GPS data, wind Dr. Robert rainstorm and sweltering heat, it only speed and direction, and temperature. Prins took 84.5 hours, just over three days. The previous record was about six days. This experience But Mr. Wolff didn’t do it alone. Dr. taught me Robert Prins, a Professor in the De- a lot about partment of Engineering at JMU had working on partnered with Moto Electra, a Shenan- research doah Valley electric motorcycle com- with a pany. Together they have been con- team and ducting research on the efficacy of adapting to electric mobility. The cross-country trip was a test based on their research. situations along the A support team from JMU and Moto way. Electra rode along with Mr. Wolff in

October 2012 Other Dr. Nathan Wright – Structure and Function Studies on Dispersin Homologues in Enterotoxic Bacteria 4-VA January 2013 Dr. Anne De Piante Henriksen – Using the Mouse Four – Core Genotype Model and Estradiol to Elucidate the Effects of Gonadal Sex vs. Genes on RNA Sequences in the Cerebellum Research Dr. Michele Estes and Dr. Stephanie Moore (UVA) – Reaching the Greatest Number of Learners: Improving Access to STEM Undergraduate Education Through Online Engineering Labs for Students Across Virginia Grants Dr. Roshna Wunderlich and Dr. Mark Gabriele – Design of Innovative Virtual Human Anatomy Modules to be Shared Across the Commonwealth Dr. Susan Halsell – Seeding a Research Collaboration: Regulation of Dendritic Morphogenesis in the Ge- netic Model Organism, Drosophila melanogaster 8 Dr. Louise Temple – Finding and Analyzing Methicillin Resistance Genes in Viruses from Environmental Samples in the Shenandoah Valley: a Partnership between JMU and VCU Principle Thermal Conductance for Investigator: Dr. Costel the Next Generation Constantin

ORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES such as laptops, tablets, and cell phones are increasingly becoming As devices improve in Pan integral part of our daily lives, creating a de- functionality, the changes in speed mand for constant improvement. As devices improve in and size generate excess heat. functionality, the changes in speed (bit rates) and size bounce back and forth within the first material—for ex- (making processors as small as possible) generate excess ample, the stovetop—only some of these particles are heat. This heat can be a health hazard and can damage transferred to the second material—the pan. the devices themselves. Improving a device’s ability to keep up with these changes and dissipate heat is there- When applied to microelectronics, such as cell phones, fore crucial. Dr. Constantin said, “It is increasingly important to study the Kapitza conductance of interfaces to fully understand With the help of a 4-VA Mini Grant and a Scale-Up Grant, and engineer the thermal transport in next generation Dr. Costel Constantin, a Physics professor at JMU has nanodevices.” Kapitza conductance, also known as Ka- partnered with Dr. Patrick Hopkins, a Mechanical and pitza resistance, is a measurement of thermal flow resis- Aerospace Engineering professor at UVA. Together they tance. will study the transfer of heat between materials in these devices. Dr. Constantin and Dr. Hopkins’ efforts have already been a success, receiving recognition from the Commonwealth When cooking on a stovetop, heat transfers from the stove Research Commercialization Fund as well as a $100,000 through the bottom of the pan to the cooking surface of grant to continue this research. In addition, funding from the pan, in order to heat and cook the food. Although the the 4-VA Scale-Up Grant has enabled three students to stovetop itself may be hot after a minute or two, it could attend conferences and utilize labs and equipment at take a while to heat the pan because of thermal conduc- UVA, which would have been otherwise impossible. tance, or transfer of heat particles. As the heat particles

May 2013 July 2013 Trudy Cole – Visual Literacy, Beyond Linguistic Communication Dr. Christopher Berndsen – Structure of human BST-2 with BST-2 Dr. Anca Constantin – The WISE Search for Megamasers antagonist Vpu Dr. LouAnn Lovin – Fraction Schemes and Operations: An Exten- Dr. Carol A. Hurney – Exploring Tail Development from Three Ends sion to Prospective PreK-8 Teachers Dr. Patrice Ludwig – Scientific teaching workshop Dr. Robert Nagel – Distributable Stereo Hearing Test Kit Dr. Teresa Harris – Effects of Preschool Attendance on Middle School Outcomes in Virginia Alleyn Harned – Virginia Clean Fuels Student Partnership 2013- 2014 9 Dr. James Wilson – JMU-ESRI Geoportal Collaborative Benefits Course OURSE SHARING reduces the costs of uneven student to faculty ratios, commuting, class cancellations and Sharing Ctravel abroad. Prior to 4-VA’s existence, for example, an advanced business Chinese course was only available to those JMU students who paid for a semester abroad. As another ex- As members of 4-VA, ample, when a professor of Korean retired, JMU relied on 4-VA the students and faculty offerings to teach Korean rather than cancelling classes until a of the four universities new professor was hired. have the opportunity to share courses across institutions using telepresence classrooms. Therefore courses that aren’t available at one university may be taken at another.

Moving Forward VER 125 STUDENTS have participated in shared cours- es with JMU since Spring 2012 and preparations are now Ounderway to create opportunities for shared courses in physics and engineering between 4-VA institutions! New and existing technologies will be adapted so that students and fac- ulty can effectively share projects and lab experiences.

10 shared courses For Example... offered so far HARED COURSES mean that students don’t Colored according to host university have to compromise their goals based on course JMU GMU VT UVA Savailability. Consider the following beneficial sit- uations that have occurred since 4-VA began sharing * planned courses courses: art digital • A student in the Integrated Science and Tech- photography* nology Graduate program was able to enroll in a literature graduate level Community Ecology course being chinese literature taught at . This student after mao had a very restrictive schedule including an as- critical thinking on business issues* sistantship, part-time job, and heavy course load. The ability to take this class gave her schedule business more flexibility and allowed for her to stay on track advanced with her predicted graduation date. business chinese • Through the shared course program we were able to share a course in Population Ecology to engineering & biomechanics* students at UVA. In this situation, the Population Ecology course had previously been taught by a science & faculty member at UVA who then went on to re- engineering tire. A faculty member here at James Madison Uni- ornithology* versity, Patrice Ludwig, was familiar with the UVA course and began developing a similar course to population ecology graduate be shared in telepresence. We were able to share ecology one section of this Population Ecology course to UVA and achieved maximum enrollment.

intermediate advanced portuguese arabic advanced (grammar & italian communication) introductory portuguese (phonetics) intelligence analysis advanced introductory italian language korean political (grammar & science communication) advanced intermediate business korean international chinese 11 crisis simulations* intermediate advanced italian chinese Course Changing the Way We Teach: A Scientific Redesign Teaching Workshop We all remember the HESE DAYS science, technology, worst class we ever took engineering and math (STEM) sub- in college. Lectures T jects are increasingly part of an didn’t correspond to the integrated curriculum, transcending the book, activities were limits of individual subjects and gener- outdated, and there was ating increased interest from students. no interactive learning. Students can only Gone are the days of mundane lectures Principal experience the value of and PowerPoint slides—at least that is Investigators: what Dr. Patrice Ludwig of JMU’s Depart- higher education when Dr. Marta Bechtel, classes are engaging, ment of Biology is hoping. accessible, and inspiring. Dr. Kerry Cresawn, Through Course Redesign, In collaboration with two of her col- and Dr. Patrice 4-VA hopes to increase the leagues from the Department of Biology, Ludwig value of classes with fresh Dr. Marta Bechtel and Dr. Kerry Cresawn, and up-to-date information Dr. Ludwig is planning a one-day Intro- and platforms. duction to Scientific Teaching workshop. Scheduled for Spring 2014, the work- Gone Through 4-VA, professors shop will provide faculty members with are the days can make classes more new teaching methods and activities accessible by redesigning of mundane them for online use, or by that will, as stated in their course rede- sign proposal, “lead to improved student lectures and developing classes that PowerPoint can be shared with other critical thinking and thus student suc- 4-VA institutions. In addition, cess while at JMU and in the workforce.” slides... updating courses to integrate technology and The Spring 2014 workshop is part of a new methods of teaching series that includes a workshop dedicat- and learning can make ed to JMU Biology faculty, to be held in classes more engaging. Fall 2013, and a workshop for all 4-VA schools, to be held in the late Summer 2014.

12 Virtual Human Anatomy

ITH OVER 1,000 seats decrease the amount of time intro- ...professors available for JMU students ducing the material. Students will are looking for to take a human anatomy have access to the modules before W innovative and course (BIO 290) each school year, completing the lab, allowing them creative ways it’s no wonder that the professors to become familiar with the content to adapt the are looking for innovative and cre- outside of the classroom, as well as Principal ative ways to adapt the reputed access to the modules for reference reputed JMU Investigators: JMU anatomy course model to the after the lab is completed. anatomy course Dr. Roshna growing number of students taking model to the “Each picture or diagram we see Wunderlich and the course. growing number Dr. Mark Gabriele in class corresponds to a module of students Dr. Roshna Wunderlich and Dr. Mark online,” explained Caitlin Biddle, a taking the Gabriele, both professors in the JMU student currently enrolled in course... Department of Biology at JMU, are BIO 290, “These images also appear developing online modules for the on the tests, so this is great practice course that will increase the amount to see different parts of the body of hands-on instruction time and from all different angles and views.”

Conferences Through 2 S ONE OF 4-VA’s main ini- The 4-VA Biology Conference took conferences, tiatives, course redesign has place in July 2012 and set the 4-VA A impacted numerous univer- stage for discussing the problems established sity-level courses. However, 4-VA surrounding students advancing relationships has reached beyond the university through Biology courses at different among many level, reaching out to the Virginia levels of education. The Biology Ar- different Department of Education, Virginia ticulation Conference followed this high school educators, and repre- conference in May 2013 and brought educators, sentatives from the Virginia Com- together educators and administra- focusing munity College System to redesign tors to discuss best practices for on Biology courses for students as they move making these changes. Discussions courses... through different levels of educa- at each conference ranged from AP tion. Through 2 conferences, 4-VA Biology preparation courses to in- established relationships among tegrating updated technology into many different educators, focus- Biology courses. Because of these ing on Biology courses at the high conferences, each 4-VA institution school, community college, and is now responsible for working on 4-year institution levels. the articulation issues in their spec- ified content area.

13 Bringing Robotics and Mechatronics into the Classroom OBOTS ARE the elec- construction—but he is also tronics of the future, incorporating them into the R an idea that has been course design. around for decades. In Spring Partnering with Virginia Tech, 2014, Dr. Kevin Giovanetti, a Dr. Giovanetti will be sharing professor in the Department this course utilizing Kubi Re- of Physics and Astronomy at volve Robotics systems as well JMU, is bringing this idea to as Zoom, a video conferencing life through a course in robot- system. ics and mechatronics. Not only is Dr. Giovanetti planning to Principal teach his students about these Investigator: topics—which combine com- Dr. Kevin Giovanetti puter engineering, mechanical engineering, and prototype

Teaching Photography with Technology

ANIEL ROBINSON, Assistant Director of the Insti- Principal tute for Visual Studies at JMU, is currently rede- Investigator: D signing a photography course that will be taught Daniel Robinson utilizing telepresence in Spring 2014. This course will help meet the goals of the Institute for Visual Studies by promoting discovery and research in terms of visual projects and innovation.

14 College Wars: Simulating International Security Situations HE 4-VA COURSE, “VA Col- be trained to apply various conflict lege Wars” provides students resolution methods based on these T with an in-depth introduction concepts. to the field of international security Since this course aims to provide by using a wide array of approach- both a theoretical understanding es to examine the nature and ob- of security as well as exposure to jective of security at state and in- a wide range of professional posi- Principal Investigator: ternational levels. The theoretical Dr. Bernrd Kaussler tions, students will be required to framework for the course examines apply the security techniques and various concepts of human, nation- approaches in various simulations. Students al and international security, vari- will be trained Simulations may include maritime to apply ous threats to security, and ways in security, energy security, humani- various conflict which states have sought to address tarian intervention, and simulations resolution them both unilaterally and in multi- of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. methods... lateral organizations. Students will

Technology Teaching Technology

Principal R. CHRIS MAYFIELD earned his first degree in Com- Investigator: puter Science in 2005 at the University of Utah. Since Dr. Chris D then, he has interned at IBM and Google and is cur- Mayfield rently redesigning a computer science course for 4-VA. The availability of computer science education, one of Dr. Mayfield’s scholarly interests, will expand as a result of his course redesign, which is projected to be offered to stu- dents starting in Spring 2014.

15 Technology Robots in the Lab ORKING WITH Virgin- and STEM ia Tech, an institution W known for its engi- neering programs, required Subjects a few changes for Dr. Kevin Giovanetti. Sharing a robotics Dr. Kevin Giovanetti course with Virginia Tech meant Changing how courses are developing a new lab where taught requires changes to the students and faculty could in- environments in which they are teract seamlessly regardless Sharing taught. 4-VA at JMU is currently of location. Dr. Giovanetti had a robotics developing labs for hands- on learning, making them an been teaching robotics courses course with ideal space for robotics and to JMU students, but their lab Virginia other physically engaging STEM needed updating with telepres- Tech meant courses. These labs will enable ence equipment that would al- developing STEM courses—which lie at the low professors at Virginia Tech heart of 4-VA’s initiatives—to a new lab the ability to see student work facilitate the needs of students in where those disciplines. in action. students and By implementing telepresence faculty could calling systems and Kubi Re- interact volve Robotics systems, which seamlessly are mounts that can pan and tilt regardless of iPads, students and professors location. can share computer screens and pan to different parts of the room. The lab is projected to be completed in time for the start of the Spring 2014 semester. Kubi, a new company based in San Francisco, California, is working with 4-VA at JMU to develop computer interfaces that will continue to better suit student and faculty needs.

16 Planning Telepresence Sharing STEM Courses through illustrations by Katie Thomas Telepresence ELEPRESENCE CLASSES pecially for hands-on classes. have broken the boundar- The telepresence lab planned for ies of space and time, mak- T the Health and Human Services ing classes available in situations building at JMU has been designed where they would have otherwise to break this boundary, too. With been impossible. The primary lim- use of the Suitable Technologies itation in telepresence classrooms Beam and other telepresence sys- today is that students and instruc- tems, students will feel like their tors can’t interact directly with professor is in the classroom with each other. In situations where them. Beam is a remotely con- an instructor would normally look trolled robot on wheels with a over a student’s shoulder to see screen displaying the controller. what she is struggling with, stu- With the ability to move around dents must instead verbally articu- the classroom and individually or late their questions over a remote collectively guide students, in- system. This can take up valuable structors can look over a student’s time and generate frustration, es- shoulder!

Bridging the Gap Between Technology and Education HE SUCCESS of 4-VA’s on the technologies and techniques course redesign and course that could support course collabo- T sharing endeavors required rations among 4-VA institutions. looking at more than just how to Their research led to a STEM Fac- make classes available online and ulty Technology Fun Day that al- instructing faculty on how to use lowed faculty members to test and the telepresence equipment. A lot evaluate prospective methods and more went on behind the scenes to technologies, such as the Suitable Faculty Members establish highly effective learning Technologies Beam and Double environments. Robotics mobile telepresence sys- tems. As a result of their research Dr. Michele Estes, Dr. Juhong and evaluation of these technolo- “Christie” Liu and Dr. Shenghua Zha gies, these systems and new soft- spent time researching require- ware applications will be utilized in ments for STEM learning environ- Dr. Michelle Dr. Christie Dr. Shenghua the Robotics lab for course sharing Estes Liu Zha ments at JMU and did a case study with Virginia Tech.

17 Innovation, Collaboration, Entrepreneurship

S AN INTEGRAL part of the Harrisonburg community, JMU continues to enrich and The ICE House will A preserve aspects of the area’s history. Most recently, JMU has partnered with the City of Har- be advertised as risonburg to renovate the historic Cassco Ice House an entrepreneurial Complex. Built in 1934, the Ice House was a land- prototyping lab, where mark in Harrisonburg’s downtown, but as the city JMU students and faculty grew, the building was forgotten. With a $500,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and can work together with Community Development to the city, 4-VA at JMU Harrisonburg residents, will help develop a new space, turning the original potentially developing name into an acronym to reflect its updated veneer: new businesses and Innovation, Collaboration and Entrepreneurship (ICE). products. As part of the project Audrey Barnes, an Assistant Professor of Industrial Design at JMU, is having her Industrial Design (INDU) 492 students design furni-

...Audrey Barnes, an Assistant Professor of Industrial Design at JMU, is having her Industrial Design (INDU) 492 students design furniture for the space.

18 JMU and the Harrisonburg community are finding ways to work together. By remodeling the old Cassco Ice House in Downtown Harrisonburg, the two communities are combining resources to develop a collaboration center for innovators and entrepreneurs. The ICE House project has also provided real-world experience to JMU Industrial Design students.

ture for the space. With 16 upperclassmen enrolled in the course, Professor Barnes has split them into teams of four to develop full-scale furniture proto- types. The students will then present their proto- types to those involved with the ICE House project The students will then present their prototypes to those involved with the ICE to determine which design will be mass-produced House project to determine which design will for the space. The opportunity 4-VA has given her be mass-produced for the space. to apply classroom topics to real-world situations, Professor Barnes said, has “encouraged new ways of thinking about education and collaboration.” The ICE House will be advertised as an entrepreneur- ial prototyping lab, where JMU students and faculty can work together with Harrisonburg residents, po- tentially developing new businesses and products. In this sense, not only is 4-VA encouraging collab- oration and innovation among the four schools, but also between communities and disciplines.

19 Degree Completion

For some students, life doesn’t accommodate finishing a degree...

TARTING A FAMILY, moving, a changing economy, fam- ily illness, lack of transportation or childcare, and other Current Areas of Study Scircumstances can make it difficult for an adult to com- Business Technology plete his or her college education. One of 4-VA’s goals is to make Entrepreneurship it easier for adults who have earned their associate’s degree at Sustainability one of Virginia’s community colleges to earn a bachelor’s degree from one of the 4-VA institutions. As a result of 4-VA’s financial RN to BSN support, JMU has improved access to educational opportunities for non-traditional students through expanded online course Future Areas of Study offerings. Natural Sciences JMU’s new RN-BSN program Humanities ... is now available fully online, as of Written Communication Fall 2013. available. The online program provides a supportive environ- The 4-VA program has made it possible for JMU faculty to rede- ment for students within a community of learning, and offers sign face-to-face classes into dynamic, interactive online class- a foundation for professional practice. Offering this program es for the Adult Degree Program. In just its first year, 4-VA has fully online allows nurses across Virginia to attain their bache- supported the redesign transition for 23 unique courses concen- lor’s degree in nursing, which is quickly becoming the standard trated in 6 distinct modules. These modules can be combined to across all healthcare settings. meet the relevant needs of each student; ultimately designing a specific program of study that satisfies the core requirements Classes are offered online of the Individualized Study major. Modules developed this year are: business technology, entrepreneurship, public policy and to allow students to maintain administration, and sustainability. employment while completing In addition, funding from 4-VA has supported online course de- [their] degree. velopment for JMU’s new RN-BSN program which is now avail- able fully online, as of Fall 2013. The RN to BSN program pro- In just the first year the total individual course enrollments vides flexible, online learning opportunities for students who has reached 141 students. A computer science/programming are graduates of community college or diploma nursing schools module is in development, as are classes that will fulfill gener- and are licensed registered nurses. Classes are offered online al education requirements in natural science, humanities, and to allow students to maintain employment while completing written communication for students needing those core liberal the BSN degree. Full-time or part-time enrollment options are arts courses.

20 Contact

4-VA Staff at JMU Name Title Email Nick Swayne Campus Coordinator [email protected] Kai Brokamp Deputy Campus Coordinator/STEM Coordinator [email protected] Steve Abel Graduate Assistant [email protected] Andrea Costello Undergraduate Assistant [email protected]

JMU Steering Committee JMU Contributing Members Name Title Name Title Sarah Cheverton Director, Center For Instructional Technology David Lamm Network Services Manager Dale Hulvey AVP for Information Technology Jim West Assistant Director, Classroom Technology Services Carol Hurney Executive Director, Center For Faculty Innovation John Knight AVP for Finance Jim Schaeffer AVP for Outreach and Engagement

Corporate and State Partners Name Title Peter Blake Director, State Council of Higher Education for Virginia Laura Fornash Virginia Secretary of Education Carol Stillman Business Development Manager - Higher Education at Cisco

Featured Faculty 4-VA Working Group Name Page Email Name Title University Email Audrey Barnes 18 [email protected] Amy Brener Deputy Director, 4-VA GMU [email protected] Dr. Marta Bechtel 12 [email protected] Kelsey Brunton 4-VA Assessment Coordinator VT [email protected] Dr. Kerry Cresawn 12 [email protected] David Kniola Assistant Director, Office of VT [email protected] Assessment and Evaluation Dr. Costel Constantin 9 [email protected] Michael McPherson Campus Coordinator UVA [email protected] Dr. Michele Estes 17 [email protected] Anne Moore Campus Coordinator VT [email protected] Dr. Klebert Feitosa 6 [email protected] Janette Muir Campus Coordinator GMU [email protected] Dr. Mark Gabriele 13 [email protected] Sharon Pitt Executive Director, 4-VA GMU [email protected] Dr. Kevin Giovanetti 14, 16 [email protected] Linda Sheridan Shared Course Coordinator GMU [email protected] Dr. Bernrd Kaussler 15 [email protected] Jennifer Sparrow Deputy Campus Coordinator VT [email protected] Dr. Christie Liu 17 [email protected] Dr. Patrice Ludwig 12 [email protected] Dr. Christine May 7 [email protected] Dr. Chris Mayfield 15 [email protected] Dr. Bob McKown 5 [email protected] Dr. Robert Prins 8 [email protected] Daniel Robinson 14 [email protected] Dr. Louise Temple 4 [email protected] Dr. Roshna Wunderlich 13 [email protected] Dr. Shenghua Zha 17 [email protected] http://www.jmu.edu/4-va/ www.facebook.com/4VA.JMU @4VA_JMU

Project Manager and Content Writer Content Writer and Editor Artistic Director and Graphic Designer Photography Editing Andrea Costello K. A. Reedy Rosalind O’Brien www.rammelkampfoto.com