Call for Instructional Technology Grant Proposals

Posted on October 3, 2007 by 00014507

Are you thinking of trying something new with your classes that technology could facilitate? The Teaching Technology Group and the Office of the rovost are awarding grants of up to $5000 for SMU full-time faculty to explore meaningful and innovative uses of instructional technology.

Deadline to apply is October 31st.

In addition to the larger grants, we are also offering mini-grants of up to $500 to fund the purchase of less expensive equipment or software such as an iPod nano and microphone for coursecasting. The mini-grants have a streamlined application process.

For more information on the Instructional Technology grants, please visit
http://www.smu.edu/acs/grants/

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Academic Computing has Moved

Posted on October 3, 2007 by 00014507

Academic Computing has moved all of our staff and facilities to the first floor of Fondren Library West into the space previously occupied by the Center for Media and Instructional Technology. (CMIT is moving into the space we vacated in Fondren Library East.)

The easiest way to find us to is to go through the entrance to Fondren Library West that is across from Hughes-Trigg Student Center. The ACS classrooms will be straight ahead. Our offices are on the left. The Center for Teaching Effectiveness is down the hall on the right.

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RSS in Plain English

Posted on August 14, 2007 by 00014507

If you are still not clear how one subscribes to blogs, podcasts or news services, here is a short video that provides an entertaining, non-technical introduction. It’s available on You Tube, of course. To view, point your favorite browser here

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Music for elearning projects

Posted on August 6, 2007 by 00014507

A perennial faculty question is where can to find free or low cost music that I can use in Powerpoint presentations, Blackboard courses, podcasts, or other pedagogical projects. The July 31, 2007 issue of Online Learning News and Reviews has some suggestions, including RoyaltryFreeMusic, PartnersInRhyme, and Clipart.com. For details, visit their website.

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Blackboard offers $25000 Grant for Virutal Worlds

Posted on August 6, 2007 by 00014507

Blackboard “has created a special Greenhouse Program grant, The Greenhouse Grant for Virtual Worlds, to foster greater educational innovation with virtual worlds such as Active Worlds, There and Second Life. Blackboard is funding a single $25,000 (USD) grant for initiatives that promote the integration of virtual worlds into teaching and learning.”

For more information, click here.

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Educause 2007

Posted on June 20, 2007 by 00014507

It seems like Educause in Dallas was just over and here is another one. This year’s conference is October 23-26 in Seattle. While I don’t know that travel support will be available, if you are a full-time faculty member interested in attending, please contact Bob Skinner.

More information about Educause 2007.

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Second Life

Posted on June 7, 2007 by 00014507

If it weren’t hard enough to live in the real world (or perhaps because of how hard it is), virtual computer worlds have long had a following. Second Life is currently the best known virtual environment, and, as such, has already attracted serious attention from academics, both those who are interested in studying the phenomenon, as well as those who think it can be put to good use in the classroom.

The TLT Group is holding several online workshops in July for educators. For more information, visit http://www.tltgroup.org/Registration/DescriptionPage/2ndlifehow_to.htm

If you are an experienced Second Lifer, you can help Sarab Robbins (Ball State University) write Second Life for Dummies. Visit her blog at http://www.secondlife.intellagirl.com/.

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Internet 2Teleconference with New World Symphony

Posted on May 27, 2007 by 00014507

David Alley reports that ACS Classroom Support was one of several ITS departments who assisted the Meadows School of the Arts in an Internet 2 Distance Learning Teleconference with the New World Symphony.

The teleconference was held on Friday afternoon and was a great success. SMU was able to achieve a 60 mb/per second connection which enabled us to utilize uncompressed DV video and audio streams from point to point. The quality really was phenomenal. There may be a future for this type of service, both in other parts of meadows as well as across the schools.

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NAB Roadshow at SMU

Posted on May 1, 2007 by Ian Aberle

Introducing Final Cut Studio 2
Editing unleashed.

Please join Apple for a special NAB 2007 update to learn more about our digital media tools for creative professionals. You’ll learn how to prepare your students for careers in the creative industry – thanks to innovative solutions from Apple.

Co-sponsored by the Meadows Student Filmmakers Association and the Southern Methodist Mac User Group

Wednesday, May 2nd
10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Southern Methodist University
Meadows Museum
5900 Bishop Boulevard, Dallas

RSVP today at
http://edseminars.apple.com/seminars/event.php?eventID=505

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MIT Open CourseWare

Posted on March 27, 2007 by 00014507

MIT is expanding its open course project to place its entire curriculum online. More than 100 universities are participating in the Open CourseWare movement that MIT spawned in 2002. [From March 13, 2007 03:53 PM; http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=198000568&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_News]

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