… where you will find support for a broad range of instruction tools and pragmatic suggestions on how to incorporate these tools into your instructional practice. We provide expert services in areas that complement your teaching such as instructional design, multimedia production and e-learning adaptations to your courses. Our motto is “You can Teach: We can Help!"
We invite you to explore this site, sample our wares, learn how UA instructors are incorporating instructional technology into their teaching and find ideas that will complement your teaching. We also hope that you will take the next step – contact us so we can be of assistance.
The overlap between teaching, learning and technology is continually evolving as elements in all three change over time. Who knew that podcasts and virtual offices would be part of the instructional mix? Our mission is to stay current in the dynamic field of instructional technology and make our knowledge and skill in this discipline available to you.
Instructional Services offers UA instructors access to the expertise and experience of 30+ individuals in Audio Visual Services, Computer Based Assessment and Evaluation, Distance Learning Services and Design and Development Services.
Instructional Services supports the effective utilization of technology in teaching and learning. Instructors are the content experts; we can assist with technology tools and best practices in the delivery of that content.
Design and Development Services is pleased to offer two new tools to the University community beginning in Spring 2009.
Elluminate Live!® is a world-class, real-time training, demonstration and collaboration environment that is powerful, flexible, and easy to use. Elluminate offers the ability to talk over the Internet (with full, 2-way audio), exchange text messages, display live video, share whiteboards, multimedia files, and applications—all in one intuitive, graphical interface. Click here for more information.
Panopto CourseCast, a software-based presentation capture system, allows instructors or presenters to use their own laptops to record any content displayed on screen as well as audio and video. When the instructor publishes the materials after class to a website, students can review all published materials online and download the lecture audio in .mp3 format. Students can take text notes during or after class that are then time-synced with the recorded session. They can then search their notes and go directly to the portions of the presentation that they need to review. In addition, Panopto CourseCast recognizes text from PowerPoint presentations and makes it searchable. Because CourseCast is software-based rather than hardware-based, instructors are not tied to teaching in a particular classroom and can record materials from their office, home or other location. To learn more, contact Design and Development Services.
Michael Cheung, Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering had an accident that made it difficult to type and travel. He emailed a request for assistance on 2/10 and after discussion was set up with a virtual meeting space using Elluminate for his class on 2/12. Dr. Cheung is a quick study and learned the procedures and tools needed to moderate the class session successfully. The ability to speak with the students reduced the need to type. For more information contact Dr. Cheung at cheung@uakron.edu.
Amy Shriver Dreussi, Assistant professor, Social Sciences, Associate Studies, Summit College asked for assistance with a project that incorporated Second Life into Rethinking Race events – specifically an activity to explore the issue: “Does the internet strengthen social connections?” Students learned the basics of Second Life and in three person teams created an avatar that represented “a person” that was different from themselves. Dr. Bill Hauser graciously arranged for time in the Taylor Institute computer lab for the class to work on their projects. The team avatars met on the Akron Island in Second Life for a photo opportunity. For more information contact Amy at: asd@uakron.edu.
Tom Costigan, Instructor in the Finance Department in the College of Business was an early adopter of Elluminate. Course lectures have traditionally been complimented with in-person tutoring provided by graduate assistants. By using Elluminate to add a virtual tutoring capability for the graduate assistants, students in the class can obtain the necessary assistance without driving to campus. For more information contact Tom Costigan at: tec@uakron.edu.
Linda Barrett (Associate Professor) and Kevin Butler (Mgr GIS Research) in the Department of Geography and Planning participated (with five others) in a mini-grant program during summer 2008. The purpose was to promote the adoption of the Competencies and Rubrics toolset available within the Springboard Learning Environment. Linda and Kevin have developed a complete set of standards based program Competencies and aligned those with course specific learning activities that are assessed using clearly defined performance rubrics. For more information contact Kevin Butler at: butler@uakron.edu.
