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DRAFT PROJECT CHARTER

Developing Instructional Applications for the BUMobile Initiative

Submitted by:

Sam Hammer, Associate Professor

College of General Studies cladonia@bu.edu

24 November 2009

Table of Contents

Executive Summary....………………………………….3

Background……...………………………………………4

Goal and Objectives…..…...…………………………...5

Scope of Activities……………………………...……… 5

Proposed Architecture…………...…..…………………6

Implementation Approach...........................................7

High Level Schedule.................................................10

Resources and Assumptions....................................11

Risks.........................................................................11

Project Charter Approvals.........................................13

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The BU Mobile Initiatives working group was convened by Vice President for IS&T Tracy Schroeder during Fall 2009. The working group established a goal for creating a University presence on the iPhone and other mobile devices.

The project charter of the working group outlined three phases of the project in its Scope of Activities.

Phases 1 & 2: Developing iPhone applications (Apps)

from pre-existing, high-profile, widely used University data sources.

Phase 3: Developing “other” iPhone Apps in support of

teaching, learning, research, and other activities.

This document outlines a plan for developing instructional apps during Phase 3 that will carry the BU brand. All references to “Phases” that follow refer to phases described in the present document. This document is intended for review, discussion, and approval by the appropriate governance bodies as determined by VP Schroeder.

As discussed below, the Scope of Activities focuses on Apps related to science instruction. The long-term completion of this plan will also rely on external funding. In spite of its focus on science, this model is intended to guide further instructional App development with interdisciplinary content as well as specialized content in other disciplines.

This project will be a joint effort between key content and application stakeholders, New Media (NM), and Information Services & Technology (IS&T).

BACKGROUND

In 2006 I received a BU Instructional Technology Grant for a project called “VisionU,” (Visualizing Science in our Non-Major Undergraduates). Project activities included developing short video animations that were posted for my BU students on YouTube. In addition to intensive use by my students, the videos have received over 200,000 hits, far beyond their intended audience. Correspondence from viewers indicates that many of them are high school and college age, and that the videos help them prepare for AP classes and placement exams. These are important potential BU applicants who we can reach via new media like iPhone Apps.

Similar to YouTube, the iPhone App environment is a unique universe of content delivery. While it is partially internet-based, it also transcends the web, in that users can search for a topic and obtain a very different result than using other sites. The iPhone App environment allows content delivery that is intimate, interactive, fun, and highly specialized. A high school junior with a content question can search for a relevant App while using Facebook and playing a game online. Downloading and owning a superb, targeted BU product that answers the content need will be quick and seamless.

GOAL

To reach BU students and the iPhone App-using community outside of the University with targeted instructional content provided exclusively by BU.

OBJECTIVES

1) To enable new kinds of interactive, tactile learning

through concise, user-friendly

instructional Apps in the iPhone venue.

2) To introduce a large and selective body of prospective students to the BU Brand.

3) To involve BU faculty talent in a collaborative venture

with IS&T developers and BU New Media (NM).

4) To reward BU faculty for developing creative, robust

learning objects that serve BU students and the larger community.

SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES

Phase 1:

Develop 1-3 “Science Review” Instructional Apps as a model for other Instructional Apps and as a template for faculty-developer collaboration and project performance. We will set operational expectations, budget parameters, and standards for success during this seed phase.

Phase 2:

Apply for National Science Foundation and/or other external funding to support the development of future Apps. Use funding and/or App download fees to build and maintain an ongoing program of development with a preliminary goal of a series of 12-20 “Science Review” Apps.

Phase 3:

Using performance templates established during Phases 1 & 2 invite further interdisciplinary and/or discipline-specific collaborations with BU faculty.

Note: The project charter of the BU Mobile working group lists “Instructional Applications” and a “Learning Objects Repository” together. For the purposes of this document, “Learning Objects Repository” is the same thing as “Instructional Applications.”

PROPOSED ARCHITECTURE

The basic architecture for Instructional Apps will be similar to the Apps produced in Phases 1 & 2 (see BU Mobile Project Charter). The data source for Instructional Apps will be original content material provided by BU faculty instead of content from existing sources.

New Media (NM) will provide a special role interfacing with IS&T and content providers to produce consistent, visually appealing, user-friendly Apps with distinctive BU Brand recognition.

IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH

Phase 1:

A partial prototype for the first planned instructional App (“ATP in Cells”) can be found on the BU Mobile Blog at:



After governance approval the prototype will be completed. The next step is to work closely with IS&T and NM to translate the prototype into a useable App. During this phase of the work we will keep track descriptively and quantitatively of the time commitment and steps-to-completion. In collaboration with IS&T and NM we will also develop budgetary expectations that will be applied to future App development. IS&T will test and submit Apps to the App Store. Performance and budget parameters will be used in grant proposals that are prepared for Phase 2.

A second planned App (“Structure of Water”) received a BU GUTS grant during Summer 2009. Pending governance approval that will be the second App to be developed, after launch of the first App.

Note: The Apps proposed here are intentionally narrowly scientific in their scope. They are intended as a way to develop templates for future Apps as well as examples of work completed for potential external funding. While they are also seen as first installments in an anticipated series of science-related Apps they are not intended as a model for all content to be used in Instructional Apps.

Phase 2:

Following launch of the Apps from Phase 1 we will develop grant proposals to submit to external funding sources. External funding will provide an ongoing opportunity to develop this App series, as well asseed money for future Instructional Apps. The National Science Foundation, The MacArthur Foundation, and other agencies will be solicited. A recent article in the New York Times (11/23/09)



states the case for science instruction via new media. In addition, we will develop press releases to utilize University, local, and national media in promoting this initiative. Pre-publicity as well as our proven results should help us build a case for external funding.

Note: The budget we submit to external funding agencies will include 1) Infrastructure costs (based on IS&T and NM hours spent to develop and launch an App) 2) Stipends for App writers (overbase for BU professors) and 3) “Royalties” for BU professors whose Apps attract a certain level of subscribers. This business model is based roughly on the extremely successful model used by the BU Office of Distance Education in collaboration with Metropolitan College.

Phase 3:

During this phase we will open the development process to invite further interdisciplinary and/or discipline-specific collaborations with BU faculty.

A high level of enthusiasm is anticipated and we want to harness this enthusiasm to produce a unique and highly productive working environment. Reiterating a concern from the BU Mobile Apps working committee, “One continuing challenge will be to balance what will surely be an avalanche of intriguing and intoxicating ideas with the sober realities of the associated development costs.”

To mitigate this challenge a disciplined proposal/review process will be developed. As part of this process, prospective collaborators (BU faculty) will submit a detailed plan for their App that includes an outline of the project, goals and objectives of the prospective App, targeted audience parameters, and sketches and/or prototypes modeled after those found in the BU Mobile blog: .

Because of the radically new nature of Apps, it is assumed that most submitters will not have had previous experience writing for this venue. However, proven results in other technology-based projects (such as online course development at BU) will provide evidence for presumed success in this project. In addition, faculty with previous experience in instructional technology, GUTS grants recipients, and presenters at the BU Center for Teaching Excellence (CET) Instructional Innovation Conference will receive preference.

A committee representing key interests will review proposals for feasibility, creativity, budget considerations, and promise as to suitability for the stated goals of the BU Mobile App Initiative.

Successful submitters will receive a Letter of Understanding from the Committee that outlines expectations, activities, timeline, and compensation schedule.

HIGH-LEVEL SCHEDULE

Date Activity

March 2010 Governance approval for this Project Charter

June 2010 First Instructional App launched

August 2010 Second Instructional App launched

September 2010 Project Evaluation and Write

External Grant Proposals

November 2010 External Funding Proposals sent

Third Instructional App launched

Invitation for Submissions

January 2011 Submissions Chosen

March 2011 Continuous App Launches

May 2011 Project Evaluation and

Discussions of Future Projects

RESOURCES and ASSUMPTIONS

This charter presumes the same resources and assumptions as outlined in the BU Mobile Project Charter.

RISKS

Risk Likelihood Impact

External funding not received Medium Re-evaluate budget structure and production schedule

Re-submit proposals

Low response to submission Low Carry on with existing

invitation production schedule

Re-open invitation

Instructional Apps from other Medium Our Apps are a unique

sources appear superb-quality product

PROJECT CHARTER APPROVALS

Project Sponsors

Names___________________________________________

Signatures

Date:___/___/___

Project Business Owners

Names_____________________________________

Signatures

Date___/___/___

IS&T Project Manager

Name______________________________

Signature

Date:___/___/___

The above signees agree with the contents of this charter and authorize the approval of this project.

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