Monday, November 24, 2014

November Session: Freedom to Roam

Jason Spartz (Instructional Technology) opened the session with the latest updates on Blackboard enhancements coming next semester.  Some of the improvements include date management, badging, group management, and inline grading.  Mobile apps will also be featured and, while on that subject, Spartz offered some illuminating data on mobile trends involving the dramatic increases in smart phone ownership and use.

Dr. Moni Berg-Binder (Biology) then took the group through a day in the life of a one of her botany classes, handing out iPads and providing a hands-on  demonstration of how students use them to map experiments.  Using her iPad and Doceri Desktop, Berg-Binder is able to roam freely through the classroom  changing what appears on the big screen as she sees the need. 

Dr. Kristen Selke (Math) and Dr. Demian Cho (Physics) followed up talking about their experiences using the technology. Selke says her iPad basically functions as a remote controller as she move through the classroom.  She can take pictures of the student work and then put it up on the big screen to help others understand a concept. 

Missed the session? View here on Tegrity.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

October Session--"Curiouser and curiouser"

Jason Spartz (Instructional Technology) opened the session with a fascinating discussion of the newest phenomenon in the printing world, 3-D printing. The College currently owns two 3-D printers, and, although Jason did not actually bring one in to demonstrate, he did provide a plastic artifact that had been created by one of them to demonstrate what these printers can do.  He also provided extensive information about how these printers are being used from the business world to the commercial kitchen and suggested ways in which the SMUMN community might get involved. 


Michael Ratajczyk (Business) concluded the session with an explanation of business intelligence, sometimes referred to as big data. This is the subject matter of a course he currently teaches.  In his presentation Ratajczyk described some of the analysis that his students get involved in and talked about how they will be able to use these skills in the real world. 


Missed the session?  Watch it here on Tegrity.