February Session: Paperless Classrooms

In this session  Dean of Education, Dr. Scott Sorvaag, aided by several of his former students, described how they created and sustained not just a paperless classroom, but also a real community of learners. Since the class was Global Issues and Sorvaag's focus was sustainability and community, the paperless component was part of an overall theme and not just an attempt to employ new technologies. Students were given a choice, and all of them chose to go paperless.  Some of the tools employed included a free, cloud-based collaboration program called Typewith.Me; the audience response system, Poll Everywhere; the free zooming presentation editor, Prezi; smart phones; and Sorvaag's syllabus which was loaded with links. Students kept up with their work through discussions in the blogs and wikis they created in Typewith.Me. Rather than taking notes in class, the group spent the last 10 minutes of every session recouping what they had learned and putting it into the class wiki. When they watched videos, the students were encouraged to contribute their reactions into the Poll Everywhere program.  Prezi was used for student presentations.  Listening to the Sorvaag and his enthusiastic students it was clear that not only had they learned some new technologies, but that they had also learned a good deal about how to create community and promote global sustainability as they moved toward future careers.

Missed the session?  See it here on Tegrity.

January's Session

The importance of social media in education was the theme of January's session as Dr. Brett Bodsgard, Chemistry, and Dean Beckman, Mass Communication, talked about how they are using Twitter in their classrooms.

Although initially Bodsgard required Twitter use and used it for assignments and extra credit messages, he scaled back use when students complained that they had too many places to check for this kind of information.  He now uses it very successfully as a supplemental with students who want to get more engagement with the subject of chemistry.  This has helped him to develop relationships with students that have continued even after graduation; now he has alumni involved in keeping up with the people and developments in the field.

Since Twitter has become an industry standard for journalists, Beckman requires the use of Twitter in two of his classes.  Students are awarded up to 25 points for tweeting activity.  They are expected  to use Twitter as  professionals and to follow events and people in their field.  Beckman said Twitter has also become an important networking tool for student  job seekers. Like Bodsgard,  Beckman sees Twitter as a valuable method for keeping in touch with alumni.

The group got a student perspective from Connie Budin, who talked about how she had become a Twitter convert in Beckman's class.  Budin uses Twitter to not only keep up with developments in her field, but as an easy way to stay current with the news.

Missed the session? View it on Tegrity.

Get the Twitter Guidebook

New 2012 Sessions

This semester we are offering 4 new Chat Chow sessions on Fridays at noon in the McEnery Center. Don't miss  this opportunity for a hot lunch, some cool tips, and stimulating fellowship with the SMU community.

"Addicted to News"  Friday Jan 20
As the world discovered during the "Arab Spring," one of the most important ways to get the news was in a tweet.  Can educators get in on that trend? Find out how Brett Bodsgard and Dean Beckman are using Twitter in their classrooms.  If we can't "addict" our students to learning, at least we can keep them engaged.

"Who Wants Yesterday's Papers?"  Friday Feb 17

No one in Dr. Scott Sorvaag's paperless classes needs to worry about a pile up of yesterday's papers and reports. Scott, along with some of his students, will talk about how a paperless class works and provide us with a primer for a "greener" classroom.

"And I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"   Friday March 23

If you are still looking for the best new technologies to facilitate teaching and learning, come to this session to hear about what the futurists have seen in their crystal balls.  In this session we will examine the 2012 Horizon Report and provide concrete examples of how the technologies of the future are being harnessed to enhance the teaching practice.

"It's All Happening at the Zoo"  Friday April 20
What better way to celebrate the onset of Spring then with a trip to a petting zoo? In this session you will have an opportunity to "pet" some of the latest technologies--the Kindle Fire and Kindle Touch, the Nook, iPads, iPods, etc., as well as a variety of new apps.  Stop in for some real "hands on" learning and lots of discussion about how we can use these technologies in the classroom.

December's Session

This session featured two faculty members demonstrating ways in which they are using the Nook and the iPad in the classroom.  Dr. Dave Jackson (Education)  purchased five color Nooks for student use in his classes.  This purchasing decision was driven in part by price (cheaper than the iPad) and functionality--his classes primarily needed Flash and the ability to do simulations. Now his students have internet access without having to make the trip to the computer labs as well as access to a wide variety of useful apps. 



Eric Heukeshoven (Music and Technology) billing himself as the "free range presenter," was able to walk around the room with his iPad while his presentation displayed on the screen (apple digital adapter required).  In his work with music students he has developed multiple uses for his iPad including performing, recording, composing, and presenting. He wowed the crowd with his video of alpine cows being serenaded by a dixieland band and his jamming on a standard blues riff. Eric claimed that he can now can use the iPad for the majority of his computing needs. After the session this was abundantly clear.


Missed the session?  View it here on Tegrity

November's Session: The Wanderer

 As the Horizon Report correctly predicted, mobile technology has arrived and is changing how we communicate. In this session participants highlighted the ways in which the library has responded to these changes and demonstrated how library resources can now be accessed wherever patrons may wander.

Reference Librarian, Ruth Ann Torstenson LeMasters, described the new text messaging service from Mosio that the library  inaugurated this fall. Since texting seems to be the preferred method of communication for students, librarians wanted to be able to provide a reference service students would be most likely to use.



 Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, from the music department, clearly enthralled by the Naxos Music Library database and the ease with which its app can be downloaded and used both for student learning and pure listening  pleasure, most definitely passed her enthusiasm on to the audience.  Librarians now  may need  to increase the number of users allowed on the database at one time.


Up next Carol Dahl Elhindi, Instructional Services Librarian, demonstrated how to load and use the EBSCO app which gives mobile users access to a wide variety of databases including Academic Search Premier, Business Source Premier and ATLA.  Not only can users search for and read articles with this app, they can also use the library's link resolver to order articles not in full text through interlibrary loan.

Ruth Ann then described how to load apps for the library's Gale databases and for Science Direct. The presentation  highlighted the fact that each app has its own loading peculiarities.  See a help sheet for downloading each of them.




Carol ended the session by explaining  how the university community can access  library books and media collections  on their mobile devices using both WorldCat Local and WorldCat Mobile. No apps to download here, access to these catalogs is simply through a browser. 

Be sure to check out this rousing portrayal of the Gale app for Access My Library College Edition on YouTube.

Missed the session?  View it here on Tegrity. 

October's Session

In this well attended session, panelists Sarah Bearbower, Joe Dulak, and Mat Klosky discussed the University's embrace of Google Apps--why did we make the transition, what applications are part of the package, and how can we benefit from them? Sarah noted that campus wide dissatisfaction with the old email system coupled with Office Logic's  failure to bring new features to the program prompted IT to look for alternatives.  The switch to Google Apps not only offered the University a dynamic email system but also  included many other features--Google calendar, docs, blogs,etc.

Sarah talked about the transition timetable. Expectations are for the entire community to be migrated by the end of Christmas break. A survey of the participants  in the session revealed that most had made the transition to Google Apps and all were happy with the change. Sarah then highlighted some of the new features in the g-mail system and took comments and questions.

The session concluded with panelists demonstrating the collaborative features found in Google Apps.  Mat was a hit when he demonstrated how his meat pie recipe could be improved upon online by his wife Tricia  with help from Joe and Sarah using the apps.

If you missed the session you can  view it on Tegrity

Upcoming Sessions

Friday Oct 21
12:00 to 1:00
"Wasted Days and Wasted Nights"
Tired of wasting time trying to keep your online life organized? The solution may be at hand. GoogleApps has come to Saint Mary's . Now, not only will your email no longer feel "clunky," but you will be amazed at how easy it is to use Google Docs to "create, store, and share online documents, spreadsheets, and presentations." Sarah Bearbower, with a panel of early adapters, will share the inside scoop on the all-campus transition to GoogleApps and its benefits.

Friday Nov 18
12:00 to 1:00
"The Wanderer"
If you're "the type of guy who likes to roam around" with your technology, and your computer is "never in one place," come and find out how you can take the library with you on your travels. Soon you can access the library catalog, look at your borrowing record, and search library databases like EBSCO and Naxos all from your mobile device. Get some specifics about how mobile technology is changing the ways in which the university community accesses information. Stay on the move, but don't be "going nowhere."


Friday Dec 9
12:00 to 1:00
"You've Got the Magic Touch"
In this session you'll see how faculty at Saint Mary's are teaching minds and touching screens. Eric Heukeshoven and Dave Jackson will demonstrate how they use iPads and Nooks to create magic in the classroom. Want the glow of new technology under the Christmas tree? Come and get a first-hand look.