Expand EmTech’s Digital Literacy Influence: Call for Partnerships

Actively Seeking Partners and Sponsors

We actively seek individual, institutional, and corporate partners and sponsors to improve this valuable learning opportunity. We are open to project sponsorship and institutional adoption. We will work with partners to support their initiatives to reuse or adapt EmTech to meet their specific needs. Together we can assist learners worldwide to understand the value and implications of using emerging technologies and increase digital and media literacy.

 

🌟 EmTech: Expanding Digital Literacy Influence – Join Our Journey! 🌟

Our mission to revolutionize digital literacy education worldwide. But, we can’t do it alone. We need partners and sponsors like you to join forces and make a lasting impact on learners across the globe.

Learn About #EmTechMOOC, our project’s goals, and the Digital  and Media Literacy Objectives that guide participants’ learning to help them build a personal learning toolkit for a lifetime of use.

Technological change drives and sustains the #EmTechMOOC. The use of technology to communicate and collaborate is a vital part of our everyday lives. The ability to evaluate and identify new tools to support specific objectives is essential in order to remain current with current and emerging technologies. Using crowdsourcing and solid project design, this 24×7 resource is reliable and available “on demand.”

Why Partner with EmTechMOOC?

🚀 Lifelong Learning Strategies: Together, we’ll empower participants to find, evaluate, and utilize technology tools and resources, equipping them with 21st-century skills – communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking.

🌐 Accessible Knowledge Hub: Our crowd-sourced platform offers a vast collection of up-to-date technology tools and critical resources. Users can easily search based on their objectives, ensuring they find precisely what they need.

💡 Valuable Feedback and Collaboration: Partnering with us means your voice matters. You’ll have a say in shaping the content we offer.

The Unique Value Proposition of EmTech

  1. Participants gain lifelong learning strategies to find, evaluate, and use technology tools and resources. The central emphasis is on acquiring 21st-century skills: communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking.
  2. Participants access a crowd-sourced collection of freely available current and emerging technology tools and critical resources. A searchable and sortable platform that allows searching based on desired objectives. 
  3. Participants are encouraged to create an ePortfolio or learning journal to reflect on their learning. Digital artifacts are created through hands-on Discovery Exercises.
  4. Participant feedback is valued and contributes to shaping content offerings. The participant rating system is designed to convey a resource’s value; low ratings can inform decisions regarding removing and/or replacing particular tools. 
  5. Our research shows that learning happens vicariously through observations of participants’ experiences. 

Addressing Concerns

🔒 Safety and Privacy: EmTech is committed to promoting safe and secure technology use. We carefully evaluate all tools and resources to ensure they adhere to the highest privacy and security standards.

💼 Community Support: Participants are encouraged to seek solutions independently and through the EmTech Community. We emphasize digital literacy skills rather than a reliance on specific tools, making transitions easier.

Benefits of Partnering 

  1. EmTech’s goals are ripe for grant funding opportunities. A partner institution can use this platform to secure funding opportunities to benefit a wide range of target groups and to address institutional goals:
    • Target groups: Underserved and globally diverse communities, teaching faculty, K-12 instructors, high school to college learners, and adult learners.
    • Related institutional goals: STEM, digital equity, inclusivity/diversity, globalization.
  2. EmTech provides multiple gateways for research and scholarship opportunities. 

Ongoing Growth Areas for EmTech

  1. Communicating about this resource and the outcomes achieved.
  2. Marketing to target groups.
  3. Visual design and WIKI programmatic functionality can still be improved further. 
  4. #EmTechMOOC – Recent steps taken to improve under the MOOC model:
    • Under the recently released version, the entire MOOC can be completed without intervention. Some of the modifications in the newest version include:
      • Digital completion badges awarded after completing objective-based quiz questions that require learners to identify appropriate tools by searching EmTechWIKI to locate the purpose of various tools in addition to other question themes.
      • ePortfolios are now an optional activity.
      • Completers can become EmTech Fellows to help nurture a supportive community (see below).
      • Reduced heavy reliance on mentor interaction.

EmTech’s Impact

  • Infographic with data regarding participation and post-survey responses
  • Enrollment Data (Jan. 2018 – Aug. 2021)
    • 36,000 enrollments from 151+ countries
    • 9th most popular MOOC out of 48 active SUNY MOOC courses
    • 795 SUNY enrollments (including 472 from UB) 
    • Website Analytics – 543 unique visitors from WNY & Rochester (10 months: Jan. 4 – Oct. 31, 2020)

Scholarly Publications and Presentations

Participant Testimonials

  • What are people saying about participating in EmTech? Comments and feedback from #EmTechMOOC participants are continually added to the EmTech site.

Project History

EmTech’s inspiration emerged through a series of professional development initiatives aimed at improving digital and media literacy. A decade of history has resulted in an online community that supports life-long learners at all levels.  

1996 Inspired by 23 Things – a Charlotte Mecklenburg Library (NC) library staff professional development initiative
2010 Graduate student course assignment – “Introduction to Information Technologies,” Department of Library & Information Studies, UB
2012 Tools of Engagement Project (TOEP) – SUNY-wide faculty professional development (5 years)
2016 EmTech University at Buffalo Professional Pathways Grant funding awarded
2017  EmTech SUNY Innovative Instruction Technology Grant (IITG) funding awarded
2018 EmTech Pilot – launched Jan. 2018
2018 EmTech Official Project Launch – March 2018
2021 EmTech Version #2 – launched Jan. 2021

Here are ways you can unlock opportunities, impact lives, and grow the EmTech learning community:

  • Spread the Word: Share EmTech with college students, faculty, and anyone eager to stay ahead in technology.
  • Contribute to the Wiki: Help grow our collection of tools and resources by adding valuable content and insights.
  • Become an EmTech Fellow: Support learners in the EmTech community, providing mentoring and encouragement.
  • Scholarly Research: Dive into our vast data pool to understand and improve EmTech’s impact. Gain access to quantitative and qualitative data collected over the past ten years, while enhancing your own research and scholarly pursuits.
  • Grant writers: Assistance is needed to help us improve and sustain the project for future learners and share project outcomes.

Reach Out and Partner with us Today! We’re actively seeking individuals, institutions, and corporations to contribute to this valuable learning opportunity!

Together, let’s empower learners worldwide and shape a future of digital literacy for all!

Roberta (Robin) Sullivan, Director, rrs@buffalo.edu
SUNY Exploring Emerging Technologies for Lifelong Learning and Success (#EmTechMOOC)
Teaching & Learning Strategist, Education Services Team
University Libraries, University at Buffalo, State University of New York
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/robertarobinsullivan