Information Technology Services (ITS)

Academic Technology Reference Group (ATRG)

The teaching mission at the University of Toronto is shared by all divisions and on all campuses. Enterprise instructional technologies and services are critical to the success of that mission. The “Academic Toolbox” represents the organic growth of enterprise instructional technologies at the University of Toronto. To move forward from here, we need a multi-faceted but coordinated approach to community consultation and project prioritization for further development of the “Academic Toolbox” (beyond “Blackboard”). This includes the development of the Academic Technology Reference Group (ATRG) – a multi-divisional, tri-campus advisory group that will serve as a forum for the discussion of planning strategies and priorities vis-à-vis instructional technologies.

The reference group does not have governance or operational responsibilities for enterprise instructional technologies. Operational responsibilities, including formal strategic planning, continue to reside with the Academic & Collaborative Technologies group collaborating with divisional operations groups, and governance will continue to follow the normal governance processes in place. The advice of the ATRG will be reported up to the Teaching, Learning & Technology Advisory Group (TLTAC) and other relevant committees, and will help inform the work of the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation (CTSI) and Information + Technology Services (ITS), and decisions made by the Provost¹s Office.

Terms of Reference:

  • provide a forum for the discussion of community stakeholder feedback on current and future services, objectives, standards and requirements for enterprise instructional technologies
  • review and discuss benchmarks, standards and risk that ensure excellence for enterprise instructional technologies, and services that support the University¹s teaching mission
  • review and discuss new standards, priorities and directions for enterprise instructional technology
  • review current services and discuss enterprise instructional technology planning across the University
  • discuss and recommend solutions for improved services and operations related to enterprise instructional technologies
  • enable informed decision-making by operational groups and by the institutional leadership
  • monitor and discuss appropriate metrics to measure the work of the committee, and publish where appropriate

The work of the ATRG is particularly important in the lead-up to 2015, when the vast majority of licenses for current pieces of the “Academic Toolbox” come up for reconsideration and renewal.

Over the coming months, CTSI and ITS will be conducting the Academic Toolbox Renewal Initiative and this committee will be actively involved in that process. We hope to meet synchronously between four and six times between now and the summer of 2015. We will also set up an asynchronous channel as well. I expect that most of our discussions over the coming months will be related to the Renewal Initiative.

Meeting Notes:

  1. ATRG Kickoff Meeting Summary – October 29, 2014

Members

(Updated September 2019)

Name Division / Faculty / Department
Susan Bondy – CHAIR Della Lana
Steven Bailey ACE
Johann Bayer UTSC
Sebastiano Bisciglia Music
Don Boyes Arts & Science
Kristine Collins SCS
Kripa Freitas Arts & Science
Laurie Harrison OLS
Monika Havelka UTM
Jessica Hill Medicine
Diane Horton Arts & Science
Annie Lee Pharmacy
Kimberly MacKinnon OISE
Jan Mahrt-Smith Rotman
Sian Meikle Library
Melody Neumann Arts & Science
Andrew Petersen UTM
Michael Reid Arts & Science
Creso Sa OISE
Olivier St-Cyr Information
Franco Taverna Arts & Science
Gerhard Trippen UTM
Marco Di Vittorio Rapporteur
Jeremy Graham Rapporteur
Avi Hyman Rapporteur