Institute, special sessions to focus on teaching and technology

The Winter Teaching, Learning and Technology Institute (TLT), is scheduled from Jan. 14-21, and will provide a variety of faculty development opportunities for all UD instructors. Sessions include topics on such topics as WebCT, Word 2000, graphics for the web and video conferencing.

As part of the TLT, faculty members are invited to participate in several demonstrations and hands-on sessions that will give them the opportunity to experience and explore how technology can promote student learning.

Showcase sessions Jan. 7

A faculty showcase, “Expanding Learning Opportunities by Applying Technology,” will be presented from 1-4 p.m., Monday, Jan. 7, in 011 Smith Hall. Light refreshments will be served at 12:30 p.m.

The sessions will feature five UD faculty presentations highlighting how technology can enhance learning. Attendees will hear about the process for developing and implementing technology-enhanced modules, and other topics may include lessons learned and the impact of technology on the traditional classroom.

The scheduled sessions include:

• "Web-based Simulations for Active Learning," with George Watson, associate dean of the College of Arts and Science, and Becky Kinney, educational technology consultant with the PRESENT (Practical Resources for Educators Seeking Effective New Technologies), at 1 p.m.;

• "Using Multimedia for Cultural Immersion," with Carolyn Manning, associate professor of nutrition and dietetics; and Debbie Jeffers, graphics specialist, Information Technologies/User Services, at 1:30 p.m.;

• "Problems in Environmental Conflict Resolution," Joshua Duke, assistant professor of food and resource economics, at 2 p.m.;

• "E-labs: Combining the Best of the Internet and Traditional Labs," with Harry Shipman, Annie Jump Cannon Professor of Physics and Astronomy, at 2:30 p.m.; and

• "Science and the Detection of Art Forgeries: An Online Case Study Approach," with Chandra Reedy, professor of museum studies, at 3 p.m. Each presenter is a recipient of a technology assistance grant from the PRESENT and an ITUE fellow.

Institute schedule

The WebCT/Active Learning Institute, from Jan. 14-18 will offer hands-on sessions that will introduce specific WebCT tools. In the corresponding afternoon sessions, an experienced WebCT faculty user will collaborate with PRESENT staff to guide participants through exercises designed to connect those tools to their own courses.

The afternoon sessions include:

“Using Discussion Groups for Active Learning,” from 1:30-4:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan.15, in 116 Pearson Hall, conducted by Valerie Hans, professor of criminal justice and Watson;

“Using WebCT's Content Module to Promote Active Engagement with Material,” from 1:30-4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 16, in 116 Pearson Hall, with Katrien Christie, assistant professor of foreign languages and literatures;

“Using WebCT's Grading Feature to Assess Student Learning (Intermediate),” from 1:30-4:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 17, in 116 Pearson Hall, with George Conrade, assistant professor of hotel, restaurant and institutional management; and Catherine Davies, assistant professor of animal and food sciences; and

“Using WebCT's Presentation Feature to Promote Student Collaboration,” from 1:30-4:30 p.m., in 116 Pearson Hall, with John Deiner, associate professor of political science and international relations.

Special presentation Jan. 30

A special presentation, entitled “Pushing the Envelope; Interface Between Innovative Technologies and Student Learning” will be presented from 9-11:30 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 30, in 110 Memorial Hall.

At this session, faculty recipients of the Advanced and Emerging Technologies in Instructional Contexts grants will share information on their projects. Through demonstrations, the participants will experience the instructional use of these advanced technologies from both the students' and the faculty member's viewpoint. Presenters also will address a particular aspect of their project, such as the reasons for integrating this particular technology in their teaching, the impact on student learning and the assessment of a particular technology's impact.

This interactive session will give participants the opportunity to experience firsthand the integration of high-end technologies into the instructional process, to get ideas for their own teaching and to network and connect with faculty colleagues with strong instructional technology backgrounds and interests.

Visit [http://www.udel.edu/cte/hightechgrantrecipients.html] for a listing of the funded proposals.

Refreshments will be available at 8:30 a.m., and participants are invited to join the presenters for lunch (reservation required). Register by sending e-mail to [cte-reg@udel.edu], and please indicate if you'd like to join the presenters for lunch.

The TLT is sponsored collaboratively by Information Technologies and PRESENT, Institute for Transforming Undergraduate Education, University of Delaware Library, Office of Educational Technology and the Center for Teaching Effectiveness.

Visit [http://present.smith.udel.edu/calendar/] for more information and to register for individual sessions.

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