Click here to receive your FREE subscription to Campus Technology
6/1/2007
Two unique features of the workshops are notable: 1) Aside from the cost of housing, transportation, and meals, they are fee-free to participants, through financial support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; and 2) Each institution participating must commit to sending three representatives: the library director, a "rainmaker" faculty member who can shape faculty opinion, and the chief academic officer. Bennett offers simply, "If you can't get all three together in one place at our workshop, then you're going to be wasting our time and resources."
That may sound a bit harsh, but by the time participants leave, he insists, their teams have developed a plan for strengthening their information literacy programs, encouraging faculty and librarians to work together, and fostering collaboration between IT and library staffs. No small feat. Yet, even with all that effort behind it, persistence is the operative word: Transformation, Bennett acknowledges, "is going to take a while."
Immaculata also joined the consortium of schools using Searchpath, a flash tutorial originally created by librarians and staff from Western Michigan University in 2001/2002. Searchpath teaches students the basics of information literacy: how to conduct research in the library and on the web more effectively and accurately, including performing a qualitative evaluation of the source being used for research.
In addition, the librarians and IT team behind the library went on to adopt Adobe Captivate (formerly from Macromedia), a flash creation tool. The library uses Captivate to create brief tutorials that walk students through the use of its specialized online databases. And the school is producing three new tutorials a month, not limited to the library, reports Isselmann, who adds that the team has applied the technology to the creation of lessons designed to teach new users how to work with the school's course management system and portal.
Still, the evolution of Immaculata's digital library didn't simply kick off with the ribbon-cutting of the new building, even though "We had this new building with space, and not much space in other places," recalls Isselmann. "So, seeing the library as the center of information, we made the decision to house the technical folks in the library." The initiative really shifted into high gear four years later, when university administrators made the decision to outsource the management of the institution's technology and IT services--including the post of the campus CIO. After an evaluation process, the campus chose Collegis (since subsumed into SunGard).
Knowing what to spend on data protection and where to focus the effort isn't easy. Security assessments help eliminate the guesswork by identifying where your most critical risks lurk.
Who says classroom learning has to culminate with a formal degree? Tech-enabled lifelong learning programs are utilizing videoconferencing, vodcasting, and more to reach out to the 50-plus nontraditional student.
As sustainability efforts ramp up on campuses, educators share eco-friendly dorm practices-- the ideal way to educate students about environmental issues.
Sure, cellular and handheld devices are quintessential communication tools, but savvy institutions are getting extra bang for their mobile tech bucks.
Colleges and universities worldwide are turning to the hosted SaaS model and saying goodbye to issues like patch management and server optimization.
Have you given up trying to bring faculty into the world of emerging technology for teaching and learning?
Campus Technology 2009
July 27 - 30, 2009
Boston, MA
Campus Technology 2008
July 28 - 31, 2008
Boston, MA
One stop for Solutions on Specific Topics
Copyright 1998-2008 1105 Media Inc.. See our Privacy Policy
