Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 15, No. 352.
Centre for Computing in the Humanities, King's College London
<http://www.princeton.edu/~mccarty/humanist/>
<http://www.kcl.ac.uk/humanities/cch/humanist/>
[1] From: "James L. Morrison" <morrison@unc.edu> (149)
Subject: November-December Issue of The Technology Source
[2] From: Richard Bear <rbear@OREGON.UOREGON.EDU> (3)
Subject: A merry Ieste of a shrewde and curste Wyfe
--[1]------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 02 Nov 2001 06:38:28 +0000
From: "James L. Morrison" <morrison@unc.edu>
Subject: November-December Issue of The Technology Source
Below is a description of the November/December 2001 issue of The
Technology Source, a free, refereed, e-journal at
http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=issue&id=45
Note the change in our URL. UNC-Chapel Hill has transferred ownership of
The Technology Source to the Michigan Virtual University. I have agreed to
remain as editor-in-chief and MVU has agreed to continue publishing TS as
a free service to the educational community.
Michigan Virtual University is a remarkable institution as you can see
from my interview with the president, David Spencer, in the
September-October issue (see
http://horizon.unc.edu/TS/default.asp?show=article&id=921 ). David sees TS
as an integral tool in assisting MVU implement its mission.
Also note that we are expanding our use of information technology tools to
enhance the e-journal features of TS. As John Walber and Jonathan
Finkelstein describe in their letter to the editor at
http://ts.mivu.org:8000/default.asp?show=article&id=972 , the authors of
all articles in this issue will use OfficeHoursLive (OHL) during November
to chat with you about the topic of their articles. OHL is a powerful,
easy-to-use, Web-based virtual classroom designed to enable instructors to
speak and interact with students live online via a microphone connected to
your computer (no long-distance charges). The office hour schedule is
posted at http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=webchats&issue=45 Check the
schedule, drop in, chat with the authors, and experience another tool that
facilitates communication at a distance. Can't make it? We have added a
button to our interactive options titled "webchat"; click on that button
and you will be taken to the chat archive for that article.
Please forward this announcement to colleagues who are interested in using
information technology tools more effectively in their work.
As always, we seek illuminating articles that will assist educators as
they face the challenge of integrating information technology tools in
teaching and in managing educational organizations. Please review our call
for manuscripts at http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=call and send me a
note if you would like to contribute such an article.
Many thanks.
Jim
-- James L. Morrison morrison@unc.edu Professor of Educational Leadership CB 3500 Peabody Hall Editor, The Technology Source UNC-Chapel Hill http://ts.mivu.org Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3500 Editor Emeritus, On the Horizon Phone: 919 962-2517 http://www.camfordpublishing.com Fax: 919 962-1693IN THIS ISSUE:
In this issue's first case study, Colette Mazzucelli and Roger Boston illustrate their use of Internet technology in an international seminar on conflict prevention in the Balkans. Through a combination of innovative Web development, chat tools, and streaming audio-visuals, the organizers sought to engage seminar participants in an ambitious, cross-cultural study of the factors leading to ethno-political violence. As they discuss the goals of the course, the authors offer a timely model of virtual learning in a global context; as they illustrate the various components of their course design, they provide a range of resources that all promote a highly interactive, dialogue-driven pedagogy. See http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=949
Most educators agree that creating a technology-rich, student-centered learning environment means more than just making an existing syllabus available on the Internet--but questions remain regarding what "more" entails. In our second case study, Marina Milner-Bolotin and Marilla D. Svinicki offer a few suggestions: instructors can adapt their syllabuses to target specific student anxieties, incorporate discussion forums to encourage varied and extensive participation, and employ technological tools that personalize homework assignments to each student. Such advances not only resolve technological difficulties, but also address timeless pedagogical concerns. See http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=909
In this issue's third case study, Donna Wood describes how a simple simulation enabled her students (a group of preservice teachers) to develop their technological skills and to enhance their pedagogical repertoire. Simulating participation in the Oklahoma Governor's Task Force for Technology in Education, Wood's students used Web sources to develop a plan, a curriculum, and instructional materials for helping public school teachers to integrate technology into their work. The students also had a choice to produce a multimedia Web site that would subsequently be accessible to any public school teacher in the state of Oklahoma. See http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=910
With several years of experience teaching college-level German at UNC-Chapel Hill, Scott Windham knows that students learn best when they engage with foreign languages in realistic contexts. The availability of real-life materials in written and audio format on the Internet, Windham reports in our fourth case study, represents a true innovation in language instruction, and his own use of these resources gives a compelling illustration of this point. Having seen an enthusiastic response from his students, he also notes that student skills in at least two of the four critical areas of foreign language study--listening and reading--have improved. See http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=892
In our final case study, Maggie McVay Lynch reports on how she combated several persistent problems plaguing the distance learning courses at her university. Familiar with the high drop out rates (and low re-enrollment rates) for online courses, she set out to discover what she could do about them. Lynch created a course to prepare students for the distance-learning environment, requiring them to analyze differences between distance and traditional learning, reflect on their academic responsibilities in the new environment, and use technological tools. Students also identified their learning styles and psychological types in order to build plans for adaptation to the online environment. The results? The attrition rate of online students was reduced to an average of 15% and re-enrollment increased to 90%. See http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=901
Michelle A. Johnston and Nancy Cooley's commentary offers some clarity on why the shift toward virtual learning is both confusing and thrilling for many educators. As Johnston and Cooley point out, instructors must develop their own technological expertise and find new ways of teaching if technology is to become transparent and student learning is to become central. In response to demands from contemporary students, their parents, and their future employers, teachers must develop a pedagogy that fosters a technologically astute citizenry. Johnston and Cooley describe the sociological as well as technological shifts driving today's pedagogical transformations. See http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=869
In a commentary interview with James Morrison, Fathom President and CEO Ann Kirschner outlines the collaboration between Fathom and Columbia University. Through this collaboration, Fathom is currently building an international learning network of universities, libraries, museums, and other educational institutions. Such extensive partnerships, Kirschner observes, will not only revolutionize education by expanding accessibility to high-quality course content, but will also serve as a valuable tool for institutions seeking a broader market for their programs. For a provocative glimpse into the future of education, read on at http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=896
How can technology training in higher education be made more cost-efficient as well as more time-efficient? Addressing this crucial question in our faculty and staff development feature, David P. Diaz proposes some key concepts for faculty and administrators: pedogogy-based training, an emphasis on context-specific applications, an ethic of collaboration, and a flexible combination of both virtual and face-to-face interaction. Such a fourfold strategy, Diaz notes, would save valuable resources by streamlining the process, thereby making technology integration a much more accessible goal for institutions. See http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=924
Mary Harrsch recommends an excellent new tool called Dragon Web Surveys. For a reasonable price, Dragon Web enables non-programmers to design full-featured Web-based surveys. Users can define a single response question with either a radio button or a drop-down list, a multiple response question with check boxes, a value response question for a numeric response, a text response question with space for a short or long text response, or a Likert scale question where respondents rate items on a numeric scale. The software also offers different security options and multiuser remote capability, and it outshines its predecessors. Still not sold? Read Harrsch's full report to find out how she took advantage of a free 30-day downloadable demo. See http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=919
In his review of our spotlight site, Stephen Downes introduces Technology Source readers to Harvard University's Research Matters. The site not only offers an impressive range of accessible research from Harvard faculty, but provides such information in a highly polished, easy-to-navigate format reminiscent of the finest commercial e-journals. In its fine balance of content and design, Research Matters provides a worthy standard for bridging the gap between the university and the general public. After a first browse, researchers and web designers alike will find themselves making further visits. See http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=964
--[2]------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Fri, 02 Nov 2001 06:43:30 +0000 From: Richard Bear <rbear@OREGON.UOREGON.EDU> Subject: A merry Ieste of a shrewde and curste Wyfe
Readers of Humanist may wish to know that Renascence Editions has just published its 151st title, _A merry Ieste of a shrewde and curste Wyfe, lapped in Morelles Skin, for her good behauyour_, <http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~rbear/jest.html>.
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