Download - winter11
Current & Emerging Technologies by Gwen Little
E-Books
Inside this
issue:
Faculty
Spotlight 2
Teaching &
Learning with
Technology 3
Consultant’s
Corner 3
Timely Topics 4
STIC
Workshops 4
Winter 2011 Volume 6, Issue 1
From the
Marygrove
College
Educational
Technology
Services
Department
Student Tech Talk by Jennifer Meacham
Heighten Your Cyber Security, On-Campus and Off
An electronic book, better
known as an e-book, is defined
as a “text and image-based-
publication in digital form pro-
duced on, published by and
readable on computers or other
digital devices.” E-books have
been available since 1971.
These books were first avail-
able for portable personal com-
puters. They were originally
produced for limited audiences
containing such subject matter
as technical manuals for hard-
ware. The 1990s was a decade
that saw many firsts for e-
books: the first software to
read e-books, the first e-book
reader, and websites devel-
oped to sell e-books.
Although the actual e-book is
inexpensive, the reader can
cost between $100 and $189.
Its inexpensiveness is one ad-
vantage, but there are also
others. E-books never go “out
of print,” may be translated
into many different languages,
have text-to-speech software
and can be purchased/
borrowed, downloaded and
used immediately. There are
also disadvantages to e-books.
Some of the disadvantages to
purchasing e-books are they
may need to be converted to
different file types over time,
there are no guarantees that
copies will last, the reader may
malfunction and lose data, and
there are no current markets to
sell used e-books.
Another issue to take into con-
sideration when purchasing e-
books is Digital Rights Manage-
ment. Digital Rights Manage-
ment may cause an e-book to
be linked to a specific com-
puter or device. This limits the
number of times a person can
use the book on additional
computers or devices. If the
purchaser upgrades or re-
places the item the e-book is
loaded on multiple times, ac-
cess to the e-book may be lost.
E-books are becoming popular
with college students and fac-
ulty because of their low cost
and immediate accessibility.
They are becoming so popular
that they’ve surpassed the sale
of paperback and hardcover
books. To browse for interest-
ing e-book titles, visit
www.ebooks.com.
As much as we all use technol-
ogy — daily, even hourly — are
we really doing enough to en-
sure that our property, our
identities, and our very reputa-
tions are protected?
The National Cyber Security
Alliance has done a great job
of identifying what individuals,
and college students in par-
ticular, can do to increase their
cyber security. Here are just a
few of their tips.
Passwords: Use different ones
for different accounts, incorpo-
rate both letters and numbers
into them, and don’t share
them with anyone. Ever.
Electronic copies: Whether it’s
an English 312 paper or a
photo of your sister’s new
baby, if you couldn’t stand to
lose it, back it up.
Social networks: Make sure
you read and understand their
privacy settings. Be very care-
ful about the information you
share: even if you don't think
your identity is worth stealing,
someone else might! And re-
member, once you post it, it
never goes away.
Online shopping: Stick with
sites you know and trust. Look
for “https” in the site’s url to
make sure it’s safe to send
credit card or bank informa-
tion.
Public workstations: Remem-
ber that the computers in the
Library, the STIC, and else-
where on campus are available
to the whole college commu-
nity. Always— always — log off
before you leave.
For more tips on cyber security,
go to StaySafeOnline.org.
E-books are accessible
through a variety of devices
Faculty Spotlight
Page 2 Marygrove Monitor
“Technology
touches all
aspects of our
lives, so it’s
no surprise that
it is
transforming the
way professors
teach and their
students learn.”
The Faculty Spotlight of The
Marygrove Monitor is a place
to highlight the innovative ways
in which Marygrove faculty are
using technology in their
courses.
This month’s Spotlight focuses
on Chukwunyere Okezie,
Ph.D., Associate Professor of
Education and Coordinator of
the Griot Program.
Describe the ways in which you
have integrated technology
into your courses.
“It has been reported that the
use and integration of technol-
ogy by students and teachers
nationwide lags far behind the
expectations. The reason for
this discrepancy is the lack of
preparation and technology
training for teachers. Without
the proper training and profes-
sional development in technol-
ogy, teachers are hesitant to
use it for instruction.” Despite
this report, I have integrated
technology into my courses in
several ways: First, with Foun-
dations of American Education
and second, with Introduction
to Educational Research. In
Foundations of American Edu-
cation, I experienced it when I
taught the course with my col-
league Dr. Maryann Dalton,
SSJ. During that time, we col-
laborated with each other
every step of the way and we
learned and continued to col-
laborate with each other as we
practiced and experimented on
any new discoveries. This ex-
perience was made easy be-
cause of a one-on-one tutorial
from Linda Brawner specifically
on improving course organiza-
tion and on Blackboard man-
agement, setting up all the
assignments and creating a
folder for each week’s assign-
ments. During this tutorial,
several features were intro-
duced which I incorporated
into my courses (Course Man-
agement tools on Blackboard,
Blackboard Discussions, Chat
Groups, Gradebook usage,
etc.). Also, Linda’s staff (John
Stabile and Gwen Little) in the
STIC Lab were very helpful to
me and my students who con-
tacted them for assistance.
What did the students think of
these experiences?
For students who are very fa-
miliar with technology, aside
from the “fun and novelty fac-
tor,” “technology gives them
the convenience of attending
classes no matter where they
are.” Through this means, stu-
dents are able to chat with
each other, exchange docu-
ments; watch videos or Power-
Point presentations their in-
structors set up, conduct a
meeting, or listen to lectures.
This process allows them to
transmit and receive graded
work via this system and check
their progress in the online
grade book. This platform
allows for both synchronous
and asynchronous learning. It
provides a virtual classroom in
which instructors and students
can interact in real time using
audio and video. On the other
hand, for those who are not
familiar with technology, it can
be a very difficult experience.
One good element is that as
students continue to attend
tutorials organized by the STIC
Lab staff; they become more
comfortable with using technol-
ogy to do their own work as
well as their class work. One
drawback is that a lot of our
students themselves do not
have computers at home to
reinforce what they are learn-
ing in school.
Which of these experiences
had the most positive impact
on learning?
Almost all experiences had
impact in one way or another.
However, the one that students
rave about the most is their
ability to respond to their col-
leagues’ postings on a given
topic. Their colleagues’ re-
sponses to some issues help
them to either adjust their own
thinking or to reconfirm what
they already know. Some stu-
dents liked it and “the flexibility
was compatible with their busy
work schedule.” Some others
believe that “it allows them to
work at their own pace.” An-
other application that had a
positive impact was the chat.
During chats, students are
geared up for the discussions
that ensue as the chat begins.
How so? Students are aware
that the professor is also online
and is watching who partici-
pates and who doesn’t. They
are also mindful of their post-
ings as they participate in their
discussions since they are
being graded on the extent of
their participation and the qual-
ity of it. I do emphasize to stu-
dents that their participation is
a necessary part of the learn-
ing experience, and the class
will be more interesting if they
come to class on time, are
prepared and participate.
What are some of the lessons
learned from these experi-
ences?
On my part, it is important to
continue to be up to date in my
skills so that I can be able to
meet the demand of online
teaching. It requires careful
preparation and well-thought-
out plans as to how to struc-
ture the assignments, discus-
sions and chats. If the plan is
effectively implemented, it
becomes a win-win for all in-
volved. However, on the part of
the students, it is worth noting
that many of our students are
not computer literate and
therefore, without the acquisi-
tion of these skills, students
cannot successfully engage in
any meaningful critical thinking
and problem solving activities.
And as a consequence, learn-
ing will not take place. If pro-
fessors and students are to be
successful, there has to be
constant training and updates
to support this teaching strat-
egy. Another observation was
that some of our graduate stu-
dents are having difficulty with
this teaching strategy, and my
recommendation will be for
(Continued on next page)
Teaching & Learning with Technology by Linda Brawner
Activities for Online, Hybrid, or Web Enhanced Courses
Consultant’s Corner
Page 3 Volume 6, Issue 1
When a new feature becomes
available in Blackboard, faculty
often say, “it’s a great feature,
but how can I use it in my
course?” In anticipation of this
question I always do a bit of
research ahead of my consulta-
tions with faculty so I’m ready
with a helpful response. Usu-
ally my goal is to suggest activi-
ties that can help make their
courses exciting and meaning-
ful, are easy to implement, and
are usable in online, hybrid or
web enhanced courses. Unfor-
tunately, space limitations pre-
vent me from including exam-
ples here; however, I have in-
cluded a list of activity types
supported by Blackboard with
links to examples, case stud-
ies, and plans to guide you with
implementation.
Peer Review: Asking students
to comment on each other’s
work is a common way to get
feedback on assignments,
essays, and reports. The Peer
Review feature of the Discus-
sion Board in Blackboard
makes it easy to incorporate
this form of review into your
course. cit.duke.edu/ideas/
projects/category/type/
blackboard-great-ideas/
Debate: When facilitated cor-
rectly, the Discussion Board in
Blackboard can be the perfect
place to conduct an online
debate. onlinelearn.edschool.
virginia.edu/debate/home.html
Journal: The Journal tool in
Blackboard can be useful for
getting students to reflect on a
class discussion, lecture, pres-
entation or log experiences
throughout the semester. They
are private by default, and only
instructors can comment on a
student’s journal.
web.presby.edu/writingcenter/
newsletter/journals.html
Blog: Unlike in Journals in
Blackboard, blogs are public by
default and can be viewed and
commented on by everyone in
the course.
www.emergingedtech.com/200
9/05/blogging-in-and-out-of-the
-classroom/
Wiki: Blackboard wikis provide
a space for students to work
collaboratively to construct
documents such as an online
newspaper, stories, and re-
source lists.
www.teachersfirst.com/
content/wiki/wikiideas1.cfm
Summaries: In large classes
with lots of interactivity, asking
students to write summaries is
a great way to reinforce mate-
rial and help them synthesize
what they have learned. The
Discussion Board, blogs and
even journals can provide a
good place for students to
summarize what has been
covered.
As always, the Educational
Technology Services depart-
ment is available to work with
you to develop and implement
any of these activity types.
What made you choose to at-
tend Marygrove?
Initially I chose Marygrove for
the simple pleasure of playing
basketball and not being too
far from my community. How-
ever, once my time in high
school started coming to an
end and I began to receive
other offers from schools in
and out of state, other criteria
for my school started coming
into play. I visited the Mary-
grove campus and met a lot of
interesting people, very lively
teachers and, to me, the possi-
bilities seemed endless. I could
The STIC’s Student Consultants
are an integral part of the op-
eration of the lab. They provide
computer support and knowl-
edge in other subject areas.
Consultant: Michael Jackson
Major: Computer Information
Systems (CIS)
pursue my major, my passion,
and be far enough away from
home to not be attached to my
family but close enough to see
them when I wanted to. With all
this favoring Marygrove, plus
my relationships with players
and coaches growing over the
summer, my choice was rela-
tively easy.
Why did you apply to work in
the STIC?
I wanted to work here ever
since I was a Freshman but the
absence of Work/Study on my
financial aid made it impossi-
ble. So when I was finally
granted Work/Study, I took full
advantage of it. Working in the
STIC lab not only gives me ex-
perience with computer appli-
cations but also in applying
those applications to everyday
life. I have also gained commu-
nication skills and learned how
key patience is to any job that
pertains to working with the
public. I knew I would acquire
these skills working here, so
why not do something you en-
joy while getting some job ex-
perience, and a little bit of
money on the side?
(Cont’d from previous page)
graduate students to take the
same technology assessment
that is given to undergraduate
students, with the result sent
to their respective program
coordinators. This will help
those who might want to take
an online class or use it in their
own practice.
A variety of teaching strategies
are used to provide students
with a better understanding of
how to provide differentiated
instruction. Examples of teach-
ing strategies utilized include
discussion, lecture and coop-
erative learning activities.
The Education Department
clearly demonstrates a strong
commitment to technology. The
department has identified
some technology-based com-
petencies in its conceptual
framework. Students have
many opportunities to demon-
strate an understanding of
technology in their teaching
experiences.
What are your plans for the
future with regard to technol-
ogy integration?
Technology integration is here
to stay. Technology touches all
aspects of our lives, so it’s no
surprise that it is transforming
the way professors teach and
their students learn. Marygrove
certainly is no exception to this
national trend. “Today, the
distinction between classroom
instruction and online activity
is blurred.” What is more, fac-
ulty are integrating technologi-
cal tools such as interactive
whiteboards, response
“clickers,” and virtual presen-
tations with the traditional
course lectures. All in all, I find
the experience fulfilling. I will
continue to integrate technol-
ogy into my courses.
Faculty Spotlight
The Marygrove Monitor is a publication of the Department of Educational Technology Services. The mission of the ETS department is to
provide technology training and support to students to enable them to succeed at Marygrove and beyond, to assist faculty in success-
fully integrating technology to enhance the teaching and learning process, and to help staff develop and improve the technology skills
necessary to increase productivity.
Physical facilities are located in the lower level of the Library, and include the Faculty Technology Center (FTC) and the Student Tech-
nology Instruction Center (STIC). Services provided include access to computer workstations, numerous workshops, individualized
tutorials, and useful training documents.
©2011 Marygrove College
Marygrove College
Educational Technology Services Department
Website: marygrove.edu/ets
Linda Brawner
Director
Jennifer Meacham
Reference & Instructional Technology
Librarian II
Gwen Little
Technical Training
Specialist II
John Stabile
Technical Training
Specialist
STIC Workshops
Timely Topics by John Stabile
PowerPoint’s Photo Album Option
Scenario 1: You went to a new art gallery
and took lots of photos; now you want to
share them with others in a group presen-
tation.
Scenario 2: The trip was fabulous and you
need to discuss it with a group of people
and show them what you saw and did!
PowerPoint 2007 has a feature making
this easy with a few clicks. You don’t
have to individually select a picture for
each slide and insert it. The Photo Album
feature will bring in all your photos and
automatically place one on each slide.
1. Have all your photos in a file that is
easily accessible.
2. Open a blank PowerPoint document.
3. Click on the Insert tab and in the Illus-
trations group, click Photo Album.
4. Click New Photo Album
5. Click the File/Disk button, which opens
an Insert New Pictures dialog box.
a. Locate the file with the photos and
select those to be placed on a slide.
i. [Ctrl+A] selects all the items in the
folder
ii. Holding down the [Ctrl] key and
then clicking on the individual
photo lets you select certain ones
b. Click Insert. The names of the se-
lected photos appear in the Pictures
in album: section and a miniature
version in the Preview area. Rotate,
contrast and brightness are available
beneath the image.
c. Album Layout: Use the Picture Layout
menu to select the number of pic-
tures per slide and an optional title
on each slide. An example of the
option you choose appears just to
the right of the choices area.
6. Click the Insert button; all the slides are
put into the presentation as selected.
It’s now easy to rearrange, remove, add a
design and transitions and any other op-
tions readily available with PowerPoint.
Now get those photos and put together a
presentation you’ve always wanted to do
but didn’t have the time. There’s no ex-
cuse not to create it!
Word 2007: Basic
Tues., Feb. 8, 10 - noon
Thurs., Feb. 10, 6 - 8 p.m.
Word 2007: Intermediate
Tues., Feb. 15, 10 - noon
Thurs., Feb. 17, 6 - 8 p.m.
Word 2007: Advanced
Tues., Feb. 22, 10 - noon
Thurs., Feb. 24, 6 - 8 p.m.
PowerPoint 2007:
Quick Learn
Mon., March 14, 10 - noon
Wed., March 16, 2 - 4 p.m.
Mon., April 4, 10 - noon
Wed., April 6, 2 - 4 p.m.
PowerPoint 2007: Basic
Tues., March 1, 10 - noon
Thurs., March 3, 6 - 8 p.m.
PowerPoint 2007:
Intermediate
Tues., March 15, 10 - noon
Thurs., March 17, 6 - 8 p.m.
PowerPoint2007:
Advanced
Tues., March 22, 10 - noon
Thurs., March 24, 6 - 8 p.m.
Excel 2007: Basic
Tues., March 29, 10 - noon
Thurs., March 31, 6 - 8 p.m.
Excel 2007: Intermediate
Tues., Apr. 5, 10 - noon
Thurs., Apr. 7, 6 - 8 p.m.
Excel 2007: Advanced
Tues., April 12, 10 - noon
Thurs., April 14, 6 - 8 p.m.
Excel 2007:
Creating Charts
Mon., Feb. 21, 11 - noon
Wed., Feb 23, 2 - 3 p.m.
Mon., March, 21, 11 - noon
Wed., March 23, 2 - 3 p.m.
Mon., April, 11, 10 - 11 a.m.
Wed., April 13, 2 - 3 p.m.
SPSS v. 17 for Beginners
Tues., March 15, 2 - 4 p.m.
Mon., April 11, 6 - 8 p.m.
All workshops are FREE to current Marygrove students, staff, and alumni,
but seating is limited!
Please call 313-927-1582 to reserve your seat.