CCNMTL: A Decade of Innovation

New York –March 3, 2009. This month the Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNMTL) is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Under the leadership of co-founders Frank Moretti and Maurice Matiz, the Center opened its doors ten years ago to promote the purposeful use of new media and technology in education. Since then, the Center has worked with over 4,000 faculty and instructors representing each school at Columbia University to develop over 200 educational projects and initiatives.

“When recalling the last ten years, I am most grateful for tremendous faculty partnerships,” said Maurice Matiz, CCNMTL vice executive director, “and I am amazed by the achievements of our dedicated staff, whose work has affected positive change in Columbia University’s classrooms.”

Faculty and school partnerships continue to be a hallmark of the Center’s work. In December 2000, an additional office was opened with the College of Dental Medicine and Dr. John Zimmerman to serve faculty on Columbia University’s Medical Campus. The establishment of this office led to the development of many rewarding projects with CUMC faculty including the Heart Simulator, Virtual Techniques in Dentistry, and a number of simulations around public health issues.

CCNMTL has been integral to the adoption and support of critical teaching and learning platforms at Columbia University including CourseWorks, Columbia Wikispaces, and Columbia on iTunes U. CourseWorks, launched in 2001, offered instructors a new, online space for course materials and collaboration. Additionally, the CU Analyzer project, also released in 2001, exemplified early analysis and synthesis tools, which are critical for encouraging student learning.

In 2002, CCNMTL pioneered design research methodology for project development that integrates the exploration and development of digital technologies with pedagogical theory and practice; all of the Center’s projects follow the iterative cycle of research, development, and assessment defined by this methodology.

“From the outset, we have been a learning organization that fosters and uses build-to-learn principles,” said Frank Moretti, CCNMTL executive director, “this philosophy has allowed us to assume a leadership role in the conversations around education and technology.” The Center has leveraged its leadership role on campus to host four New Media in Education conferences highlighting faculty partnerships, classroom innovations, and new tools for instructors.

Over the past decade, CCNMTL has received over $10 million in grant funding and has helped faculty partners obtain much more in project funding. Recent grants have supported many of the Center’s Strategic Initiatives, which are paving the way toward the next decade of innovation. Read more about CCNMTL at http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/10th.