Jill Reese recipient of SUNY ITG Grant

Assistant Professor Jill Reese of the Fredonia School of Music is the recipient of a $10,000 SUNY Innovative Instruction Technology Grant (IITG). The IITG program funds campus innovations and initiatives that have the potential to be replicated elsewhere within SUNY to benefit students and faculty across the state and worldwide.

"The IITG program has enabled our campuses to enhance the quality of a SUNY education by leveraging our systemness and bringing students the best that technology has to offer," said SUNY Chancellor Zimpher. "This program is one of many that exemplify SUNY's capacity to model innovative instructional practices for higher education nationally and globally. We look forward to seeing these outstanding ideas replicated across SUNY to benefit even more of our students, faculty and staff."

Dr. Reese’s project, “iPads for Music Making and Music Teaching,” will provide the opportunity for undergraduate music education majors to develop their abilities to effectively use technology to scaffold and encourage the music creativity and expression of all learners (regardless of age or ability). The related projects include partnerships with local schools, childcare programs, retirement and rehabilitation centers, and multiple student associations on campus. The grant will also assist the School of Music in meeting the standards for teacher preparation set forth by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Through the projects, students will have the opportunity to contribute to the local community, enhance local opportunities for music expression and collaboration in the community, and develop the skills required to interact and teach in a digital society. Dr. Reese’s co-investigator is Matthew Wilson, visiting lecturer of music technology and lab coordinator of the School of Music Technology Lab.

SUNY faculty and staff across all disciplines were eligible to apply for the IITG competitive grant. Recipients will openly share project outcomes, enabling SUNY colleagues state-wide to replicate and build upon the innovations, many supporting the university system’s new Open SUNY initiative, which will bring together all of the online courses offered at SUNY campuses.

In its inaugural year, the 2012 program resulted in 117 grant proposals and 48 awarded grants. Of the 93 proposals submitted for this year’s competition, 33 were selected to receive awards. In addition, six projects from round one were funded for a second round. Several projects included collaborations by two or more campuses and/or with local organizations and businesses.