Faculty Development
IT Futures Forum |
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February 2, 2007 |
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8:45am BATEC Workforce Study Release and Keynote Peter Saflund, The Saflund Institute BATEC Workforce Study - This study presented data on current and future IT workforce skills requirements gathered from IT workers, hiring managers, and strategic planners in the Boston area and was benchmarked against other regions from across the United States. The study focuses on technician and technologist jobs in IT and will help community colleges, 4-year universities, and secondary schools create the necessary programs that will provide properly skilled IT professionals to domestic and trans-national enterprises whose operations are increasingly IT-enabled and IT-dependent. Peter Saflund's career spans 35 years as technician, engineer, business owner, teacher, dean, CIO, publisher, producer, researcher, speaker, instructional designer and technology expert. He is recognized as a leader in defining emerging technologies, skill standards development, and in shaping technology education in support of technology workforce development. Peter is former associate director of NWCET, the National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies where from 1998 to 2004 he helped shape the direction of the Center and brought many of its achievements into reality. As special advisor to National Skill Standards Board (NSSB) on Information Technology Skill Standards construction and definition, he helped develop the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Skill Standards and collaborated on their national validation. He co-authored a major congressional report by National Academy of Science (NRC) on Information Technology workforce issues and national policy, and is probably best known for his role as publisher and research director for the internationally recognized NWCET Skill Standards for Information Technology. Today Peter has his own practice, evaluating NSF ATE projects and centers, and researching technology workforce needs and trends for educators and industry. |
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“Innovation: The Transition from R&D to IT”. This presentation shared Ann Halford's unique perspective on the cultural, business and technical differences of the R&D and IT worlds. She also discussed how those factors result in divergent attitudes toward innovation and what that means for developing future IT leaders. Ann Halford joined Staples in 2004. She is Vice President of Retail Systems in the Staples IS organization. She is responsible for all store systems in the 1300+ Staples stores in the U.S. and the Point-of-Sales systems in Canada and the UK. In addition to Retail Systems, Ms. Halford also manages the Technology, Strategy, Architecture and Governance (TSAG) group. TSAG drives Enterprise Architecture and the Architecture Review Board at Staples, Inc. Ms. Halford’s technology career began in 1977 and has focused primarily on product development. She has worked with a broad range of technologies from compilers and chip design to massively parallel computers. Prior to joining Staples, she held R&D senior management roles in a variety of companies from startups to multi-billion dollar companies. These include Data General, Sun Microsystems, Alliant Computer Systems, Vacation.com, and Amadeus Global Travel. Ms. Halford has her B.A. in Zoology from the University of Tennessee and her M.S. in Mathematics/Computer Science from the University of Memphis. | |
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Designing Websites for Global Audiences This session touches on the high level process and key learnings of designing web experiences for global audiences. It draws from the practical experience of several internationalization projects to illustrate the process and pitfalls inherent in developing websites for multiple cultures and languages. Attendees will learn practical insights on the challenges, strategies, and lessons learned which are critical to the success of any internationalization project.
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Ann Halford, Vice President of IS Retail, Staples, Inc. “Innovation: The Transition from R&D to IT”. This presentation shared Ann Halford's unique perspective on the cultural, business and technical differences of the R&D and IT worlds. She also discussed how those factors result in divergent attitudes toward innovation and what that means for developing future IT leaders. Ann Halford joined Staples in 2004. She is Vice President of Retail Systems in the Staples IS organization. She is responsible for all store systems in the 1300+ Staples stores in the U.S. and the Point-of-Sales systems in Canada and the UK. In addition to Retail Systems, Ms. Halford also manages the Technology, Strategy, Architecture and Governance (TSAG) group. TSAG drives Enterprise Architecture and the Architecture Review Board at Staples, Inc. Ms. Halford’s technology career began in 1977 and has focused primarily on product development. She has worked with a broad range of technologies from compilers and chip design to massively parallel computers. Prior to joining Staples, she held R&D senior management roles in a variety of companies from startups to multi-billion dollar companies. These include Data General, Sun Microsystems, Alliant Computer Systems, Vacation.com, and Amadeus Global Travel. Ms. Halford has her B.A. in Zoology from the University of Tennessee and her M.S. in Mathematics/Computer Science from the University of Memphis. 4NEXT 4Next is an internally developed software application that is used by Partners Healthcare's Acute Hospitals to disseminate patient data to non acute providers (rehab's, skilled nursing facilities, etc.) in the discharge process- effecting those patients who are not going home, but need additional care at a rehab or skilled nursing facility. 4Next is interfaced to the hospital's clinical information systems and it automates the delivery of that clinical data for the timely and efficient discharge of patients to the next level of care.
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The Word on Word of Mouth and Social Media Marketing Word of mouth and social media are having a significant impact on businesses today. Honest opinions are more powerful than interruptive marketing messages and new social media sites are making it easier than ever before for consumers to connect with each other and share their product opinions, suggestions and experiences with many others. This session explores how this is changing marketing and what companies are doing to harness this new influence.
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Mobility Collaboration This session introduces the latest technologies that are currently being used in mobility – syncing mobile phone to PCs, slingbox, Windows Mobile 5.0, and other ways to get work done when on the road.
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Enterprise Unified Communications Voice over IP (VoIP) and Unified Communications (UC) have become the “killer applications” for enterprise networks. They have allowed companies to become more efficient while providing additional services to their employees. This session will review VoIP technologies and UC applications, including a review of the network infrastructure and the importance of Quality of Service (QOS) to support VoIP traffic. We will discuss the protocols and dependencies on traditional network services that allow components of UC to interoperate and function. Finally, we will review the applications that make up UC: call control, messaging, collaboration, and presence.
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workshop #2 12:00 - 12:50 |
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Web 2.0 You may have heard 2.0 million different descriptions – but it’s time to get to the bottom line of Web 2.0. What is this new phenomenon, and what does it mean for your site and your ebusiness? Web 2.0 is a set of new philosophies and approaches to Web site strategy and design, but with this philosophy in its infancy, many are struggling with not only defining it, but uncovering what it can do for the online channel and how to make it happen. During this session, leading experts offer attendees an overview of this ground-breaking e-philosophy, with a detailed breakdown of each facet: user participation, openness and rich interfaces. They delve into each area, sharing their in-depth knowledge and real-Web experiences, including emerging best practices, usability challenges, implications to your ebusiness, and many examples of what Web 2.0 makes possible.
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RFID This session includes an overview of RFID and its applications followed by a description of RFID in the healthcare industry and initiatives at Partner's Healthcare. The session ends with a brief description of the RFID Program at Middlesex Community College.
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Not Your Average Robot iRobot provides robots that enable people to complete complex tasks in a better way. We have developed technology incorporating advanced concepts in navigation, mobility, manipulation and artificial intelligence to build industry-leading robots. The iRobot Roomba floor vacuuming robot and Scooba floor washing robot perform time-consuming domestic chores, and the iRobot PackBot line of tactical military robots perform battlefield reconnaissance and bomb disposal. In addition, we are developing the Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle reconnaissance robot for the U.S. Army’s transformational Future Combat Systems program and, in conjunction with Deere & Company, the R-Gator unmanned ground vehicle. We also have an active Research Group whose mission is to provide the innovation that drives the company’s products forward. Robotic research has always been the foundation of iRobot, with each advance driving the next one forward. From the insectoid Ghengis to the crablike Ariel, from the battle-proven PackBot to the heavy-duty Warrior, from the networked robots of the Swarm to the many generations of Roomba, each iRobot offering is the result of vision, teamwork, and world-class research. This talk provides an overview of these and other of iRobot’s past and present research and development programs as well as the foundational skills and technologies that enabled them and will drive the next-generation robotic systems.
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Six-Sigma Tools Six-Sigma was developed by business leaders to create a community of change agents throughout an organization. It represents an integrated, disciplined proven approach for improving business performance to achieve organizational success. Participants will be introduced to the Six-Sigma process through "hands on" use of problem solving tools such as affinity diagrams, fishbone diagrams and process flow diagrams.
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The Message is the Medium This session will discuss the use of technology in delivering computing education and how it impacts the message itself. |
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workshop #3 1:00 - 1:50 |
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MA K-12 Educational Technology Standards Working with a group of educators from K12 and higher ed. plus business partners, the Massachusetts Department of Education is revising the Massachusetts Recommended PreK -12 Instructional Technology Standards. These standards define what students should know and be able to do to use technologies for learning. In this session, the presenter will share the process in the revision of the standards with the participants and will solicit feedback on the revised document.
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Cisco Network Academies This presentation will be an overview of the Cisco Networking Academies in Massachusetts. It will provide information about the various courses that are offered and an update on upcoming changes in the curriculum. |
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Microsoft Vista/Office 2007 Microsoft has just released its long-awaited VISTA operating system and Office 2007. Come see what these new versions have to offer in ease of use and power. |
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Workforce Study Q&A This workshop will give participants the opportunity to discuss detailed information about the BATEC Workforce Study as well as to ask questions about the research. |
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workshop #4 2:00-2:50
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MSDNAA Tutorial Microsoft has generously offered schools in Massachusetts, as well as BATEC partners, access to Microsoft products through its Academic Alliance. Come see how you can take advantage of this exciting opportunity!! |
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The CITI Program… Next Steps |
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