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OFE/CIRT Newsletter Podcast
   
SUPPLEMENTING YOUR PUBLICATION PORTFOLIO
Jace Hargis, Director, Office of Faculty Enhancement, jhargis@unf.edu

Hutchins (2002) reminds us that “…the most salient history begins with Scholarship Reconsidered, the 1990 report by Ernest Boyer, writing as president of The Carnegie Foundation. Boyer contends we must "move beyond the tired old ‘teaching versus research' debate and give the familiar and honorable term ‘scholarship' a broader, more capacious meaning," one that includes four distinct but interrelated dimensions: discovery, integration, application, and teaching. In thus staking a claim for the scholarship of teaching, Boyer seeks to bring greater recognition and reward to teaching, and is also suggesting that excellent teaching is marked by the same habits of mind that characterize other types of scholarly work. Scholarship Reconsidered has given powerful momentum to a wave of reports and recommendations from both campuses and scholarly societies that share this agenda of bringing greater attention and recognition to teaching.”

“In 1998, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching launched an initiative known as CASTL: the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Through its higher education program, CASTL aims to advance the development of a scholarship of teaching and learning that will:

  1. foster significant, long-lasting learning for all students;
  2. enhance the practice and profession of teaching; and
  3. bring to faculty's work as teachers the recognition and reward afforded to other forms of scholarly work.” (Hutchins, 2002)

There are now several quality national and international Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) journals available for faculty to publish and document both their innovative instructional strategies as well as empirical quantitative research verifying the validity of effective techniques in specific disciplines. The most prominent new SoTL journal is the International Journal for SoTL (http://www.georgiasouthern.edu/ijsotl/). Another relatively new journal devoted to SoTL is the Journal of Student Centered Learning (http://www.newforums.com/news_jccpage.htm). Teaching at a comprehensive university such as UNF, that places an emphasis on the mutually reinforcing relationship between active scholarship and quality student learning, provides an ideal environment for faculty to combine the scholarships of discovery and application with the scholarship of teaching and learning. Many disciplines now have their own journals which address instructional methodology, such as the Journal of Chemical Education, Journal of Engineering Education, Teaching Sociology, etc., and the dedicated SoTL journals provide yet another avenue for reaching an academic audience with which to share your pedagogical discoveries.

If you are interested in supplementing your research to include SoTL, please contact the Office of Faculty Enhancement, where we can provide additional journals, ideas and connect you to other faculty members who are working in this area.

References
Hutchins, P. (2002). The scholarship of teaching and learning in higher education: An Annotated Bibliography. Found at http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/publications/sub.asp?key=452&subkey=615

NEW INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PEDAGOGICAL RESEARCH
A new, international, peer-reviewed, open access eJournal, entitled International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (IJ-SoTL) at http://www.georgiasouthern.edu/ijsotl/ will be published by the Center for Excellence in Teaching at Georgia Southern University (Statesboro, Georgia, USA) with the inaugural issue scheduled for January 2007.  The deadline for submissions for the first issue is November 1, 2006.

IJ-SoTL focuses upon higher/tertiary education and emphasizes that effective teaching is measured by the qualilty and depth of student learning, that it is serious intellectual work that requires sustained and complex work, that it can be opened for conversations and collaborations among colleagues, and that it can be evidence-based through pedagogical research.  IJ-SoTL has the vision of being the premier international SoTL journal by being an advocate, agent and crucible for international conversations, contacts and work on SoTL.

You can join the IJ-SoTL discussion list for any and all things connected with SoTL and the improvement of student learning athttp://www.georgiasouthern.edu/ijsotl/dl.htm.  


UPCOMING EVENTS

Brown Bag Series: Respondus – Erin Soles
Friday, September 8
12 – 1:30 pm • Building 10/Room 1102
Respondus is a powerful tool, recently licensed by the university, for creating and managing exams that can be printed to paper or published directly to Blackboard. This demonstration covers importing exam questions from publisher test banks and Word documents and publishing to Bb. Respondus installation CDs will be available for interested UNF faculty.
RSVP to: ofe@unf.edu

Learning Objects Awareness Brownbag – Erin Soles & Dave Wilson
Friday, September 15
12 – 1:30 pm •Building 10/Room 1102
This brownbag is an introduction to the world of learning objects. Discover what learning objects are, view several examples of learning objects, learn how to find and use learning objects, and receive an overview of the process for creating a learning object.
RSVP to: ofe@unf.edu

Using Respondus – Erin Soles
Tuesday, September 19
10 – 11:30 am • Building 10/Room 1106
In this hands-on session, faculty learn how to create exams using Respondus, a software program for creating and managing exams that can be printed to paper or published directly to Blackboard and other eLearning systems. Respondus provides many time-saving tools, such as the ability to import existing exams from word processor files and publisher test banks and the ability to upload an exam to multiple courses – a single click. Respondus installation CDs will be available for workshop participants.
RSVP to:ofe@unf.edu

Student Grades in Excel – Erin Soles
Tuesday, September 19
2 – 3 pm • Building 10/Room 1106
In this hands-on workshop, participants learn to create a course gradebook using Microsoft Excel. Learn to use basic formulas and functions including sum and average, drop the lowest grade for an assessment, import class lists, sort student information, and upload grades to and download grades from Blackboard.
RSVP to:ofe@unf.edu

Learning Objects Cohort Planning Session – Erin Soles & Dave Wilson
Monday, September 25
2 – 3 pm • Building 10/Room 1106
The Learning Objects Cohort will meet periodically throughout the 2006-2007 Academic Year. Cohort members will work together on the steps for creating learning objects: from the planning phase until the publication phase. Interested faculty members should come to the initial meeting – a learning object in mind and should have an interest in working collaboratively – other faculty members on a long-term project. The purpose of this initial meeting is to establish a working timeline, participate in a brainstorming session designed to refine ideas, identify the necessary creation software, and develop a plan of action.
RSVP to:ofe@unf.edu

Extending the Classroom – Erin Soles
Thursday, October 5
2 – 3 pm • Building 10/Room 1106
Participants learn how to extend learning beyond the classroom using online components for traditional courses including: websites, blogs, discussion boards, course journals, and groups. Successful strategies for incorporating online methods will be shared by UNF faculty and CIRT staff.
RSVP to:ofe@unf.edu

Brown Bag Series: Google Tools – Dave Wilson
Friday, October 13
12 – 1:30 pm • Building 10/Room 1102
A discussion of the free tools and applications available from Google. This diverse selection includes Google Earth, Google Reader, Google Notebook, Sketch-up and more.
RSVP to:ofe@unf.edu

Audacity - Free Audio Editing Tool – Dave Wilson
Wednesday, October 25
3 – 4 pm • Building 10/Room 1106
In this hands-on workshop participants learn to set up Audacity and use it to create and edit digital audio. The focus is on working – spoken audio for use in several applications including podcasts, Blackboard, web pages, and presentations.
RSVP to:ofe@unf.edu

For the rest of our events, view the online calendar.

Also, check out our past events and handouts, sortable by topic:
http://www.unf.edu/dept/cirt/workshops/past_events.html
FREE STUFF:GOOGLE EARTH
David Wilson, Coordinator of Educational Media, david.wilson@unf.edu

I am going to continue the theme from the last issue and share another of Google’s mapping tools, Google Earth. Google Earth is Google Maps on steroids. Unlike Maps, Earth requires you to download an application. The main component of Google Earth is a detailed 3D globe, all the map information provided from satellite images. Because the images were taken at different times by different satellites, the quality and level of detail varies, but overall in populated areas the quality is good. In addition to the satellite information, Google Earth includes ‘layers’ of information superimposed on to the globe. For example, the roads layer highlights roads on the globe and provides identification information for them and the banks layer adds pins (called Placemarks) on the map indicating the location of banks. For some major cities like Washington DC and New York, 3D buildings have been added, you can actually see them rising up from the map. Like Google Maps, Google Earth will provide driving instructions to get from place to place, and has the added feature of allowing you to virtually fly over the route.

UNF Campus from Google Earth

 

When clicked on, a placemark will bring up a bubble with additional information including hyperlinks that are loaded into the included web browser. Anyone can create a placemark and share it on the web for others to use. Google Earth can also be used to create tours. A tour is a set of placemarks that Google Earth will “fly-to” in order.

Google Earth is available for PC or Mac.


MACINTOSH USERS GROUP

The Macintosh Users Group is focused on bringing together faculty and staff who choose a Mac as their campus computing platform.  Membership meetings are held quarterly and typically include sessions covering product announcements, support, usage and training. The next Quarterly Membership Meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 20th in the Faculty Commons (Bldg 10) at 12:00 pm.

More information about our activities be found at http://www.unf.edu/dept/its/facstaff/mug

 


NEW IN CIRT
Deb Miller, Assistant Director, OFE/CIRT, deb.miller@unf.edu

We are delighted to be able to offer a number of new services and equipment in CIRT. First, we have a new wide format printer to support your scholarship efforts; information on the printer is available below. Also new to the lab is a CD/DVD duplicator which can copy and print on up to 50 discs in a session. We have also upgraded our video-editing capabilities and now have more more streamlined processes available to assist you in capturing and working with digital audio and video. We can assist you with the conversion of instructional VHS tapes to DVD and capture from digital camera, VHS, or DVD into streaming format to make video available to your students online and/or through Blackboard.

So, stop by soon, we look forward to supporting you in your teaching and scholarship. Also, if there are other capabilities you are interested in, please let me know.

Policy for Wide-Format Printer (HP DesignJet 800ps) in CIRT

Conference Posters, up to 42" x 85" inches, may be printed at no cost for UNF faculty members who are first author on a paper or poster session that takes place off campus. The faculty member simply needs to submit a copy of their acceptance letter /email when making an appointment for printing. Acceptable file formats include PDF, PowerPoint, or Photoshop. CIRT staff are also available to assist with poster design.

Other posters and/or large format jobs may be printed at a cost of $3 per linear foot. Faculty will receive an invoice for prints which may be paid at the cashiers office with personal funds, or by budget transfer through their department.

 
 


BLACKBOARD: ADDED VALUE
Erin Soles, Coordinator of Instructional Design, esoles@unf.edu

 

Blackboard is a powerful tool for online learning that includes tools for content management, online communication, assessment and online grade management. In a recent article in Campus Technology, a graduate of the University of Puget Sound critiques his professors' use of the course management system and explains how the campus use of Blackboard added to the value of his education. The student made important observations such as “Those faculty who actively put material online and clarified assignments made it easier for everyone to maximize their time in class. …I found the classroom discussions in these courses broader and livelier” and “Faculty who created assignments that required Blackboard participation had students who came to class better prepared to participate in classroom discussions.” 

Click here to read the complete article.

We are pleased to announce several exciting new features available in Blackboard and for use with Blackboard, which we hope will add value to your use of Blackboard.

Journal LX:
With Journal LX, instructors can create journaling areas in which students can reflect on course-related topics and assignments.  Students can review and comment on their peers' postings, and instructors can participate with students in the evolving dialog. Course Journals may be used simultaneously on a course, group, and individual level. Click here for more information.

Please Note: Journal LX replaces the Online Journal that has been used previously in Blackboard and the Online Journal will not be available in Blackboard after the end of the Fall 2006 semester.

Teams LX:
With Teams LX, instructors can organize students into groups and assign each group to jointly author a dynamic website with multi-media content (wiki).  And when the Teams site is done, instructors can view each group member's contributions and grade them accordingly.
Click here for more information.

Course Delete Tool:
On the Bb homepage (http://blackboard.unf.edu) you will find a new link called “Blackboard Course Delete Request” (https://blackboard.unf.edu/webapps/unf-jBbCAR-bb_bb60/entry.do).  Once you click on the link and login with your UNF ID and password, you will be able to place requests to have old course sites **permanently deleted** from Bb.   Please, backup your course data before   placing the delete request! ( Instructions ).  Once you have placed a delete request, yourself and each person indicated as an Instructor on the course will receive an e-mail acknowledgement for the request.  The request will then be queued up for deletion on a Saturday morning in the near future.  (The tool will indicate the estimated date of actual deletion.)

If you need to cancel a request, you can do so *before* the course is deleted. 
**Once a course is deleted, it cannot be restored**! 

Respondus Campus License:
Respondus is a software program for creating and managing exams that can be printed to paper or published directly to Blackboard and other eLearning systems. Exams are created offline in a familiar Windows environment and the software provides many time-saving tools, such as the ability to import existing exams from word processor files and the ability to publish exams to multiple courses with a single click. Stop by the CIRT Lab for a copy of a Respondus installation CD to install Respondus on your home or laptop computer. If you would like a copy of Respondus installed on your office computer, please contact your C-Tech to set up an installation. Click here for more information.


CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY UPDATE
News from ITS

During the last academic year, Classroom Technology Action Team (CTAT) was charged with reviewing the current state of technology classrooms at UNF and making recommendations to better meet faculty needs in this area. The group designated 21 classrooms for priority upgrades to the status of technology classroom. ITS has been hard at work and there are 15 new technology-equipped classrooms and auditoriums available at the start of this term. Their locations are:

  • Building 2  - 2061, 2062, 2063
  •  Building 3  -1351, 1371
  • Building 8 - 2117
  • Building 10 - 1343
  • Building 45 - 2403, 2610
  • Building 51 (New Social Sciences Building) - 1101, 1102, 1103, 1104, 1205 & 1209

It is anticipated that an additional 11 classroomswill be complete prior to Spring 2007. The standard configuration being installed includes: instructor podium with PC, document camera, DVD/VCR combo, control system, and mounted projector.

To view the technology available in any classroom at UNF, please visit ITS's Classroom Equipment Link. This page also includes a Classroom Informational sheet for each room that provides info on location of switches and a support contact.

Podium combinations are available here.
 


OFE/CIRT WEBSITE RESOURCES: SEMESTER SCHEDULES & PT DOSSIERS

The OFE/CIRT website is full of great resources designed to support faculty. One example is the Semester Schedule available for download, which include dates and holidays. Each file contains a schedule for MWF and TR classes.

Exemplary Promotion & Tenure dossiers are also available for new faculty to review as models in preparation of their dossier.

If you'd like to create a shortcut, to the OFE/CIRT website on to your desktop please click this link.  When asked if you would like to open or save the document choose Save.  A window will open asking where you would like to save the shortcut.  Browse to your desktop and click Save.

 


SPOTLIGHT: PHOTOGRAPHY FOR PUBLICATION
Joel Beam, Athletic Training & Physical Therapy

When Dr. Joel Beam was working on a book that examines taping, wrapping, bracing, and padding techniques for the treatment and prevention of common athletic injuries and conditions, he had difficulty obtaining photographs of the equipment he wanted to depict in a particular chapter.

He consulted with CIRT and checked out a high-quality digital camera and got lessons in its use. Dr. Beam was able to take high-resolution photographs of the equipment he needed and CIRT staff then assisted with color correction, cropping and other editing tasks in Adobe Photoshop to prepare the images to the specifications provided by the publisher.

CIRT has a variety of digital cameras available for check out and can assist faculty with photographic retouching and the preparation of images and figures for publication.

Orthopedic Taping, Wrapping, Bracing, & Padding was published by the F. A. Davis Company in 2006.

This newsletter is a publication of the Office of Faculty Enhancement and the
Center for Instruction & Research Technology at the University of North Florida.
Deb Miller, Editor

Please direct any comments or questions to ofe@unf.edu
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