Tea Time Tech Talks for Thursdays in October

Tea Time Tech Talks are free-flowing, informal conversations about the pedagogical challenges of teaching in a technology-enhanced learning environment, co-hosted by the Division of Information Technology and the University of Maryland Libraries.  All sessions are located in McKeldin 2109 (Terrapin Learning Commons) from 3-4 p.m. on Thursdays; light refreshments are served and no registration is required.  October conversations will include:

October 3:   “Is it ‘Fair’ to Use Open Source Resources?”
What happens when Open Source meets Fair Use?  What are your thoughts?   Are you aware of the rich array of open source materials available within your discipline?   Do you have favorites to share?

October 10:  “My Professor, My ‘Friend’“
How do you establish boundaries for social (media) behavior in your classes, with your students, and between your students?

October 17: “Securing the Perimeter:  Is this possible in online assessments?”
What are your strategies for trying to limit the potential for cheating when tests and other assessments are delivered online?

October 24:  “Who’s Minding the Outcomes? Designing rubrics to support online instruction.”
How do you share your expected outcomes for a course or assignment with your students?  How are you integrating rubrics into assessment?

October 31:  “Things That Go Bump in the Classroom” 
What do you do when technology fails and there’s still 45 minutes of class time?   What backup plans have worked for you, whether you are teaching online or in a traditional classroom?

Tea Time Tech Talks

Tea Time Tech Talks are informal conversations about pedagogical challenges in teaching in a technologically-enhanced learning environment, co-hosted by the Division of Information Technology and the University of Maryland Libraries. Each talk is mentored by a knowledgeable faculty member or librarian, but the conversation is free flowing and intended to raise as many questions as might be answered.

All sessions are located in McKeldin 2109 (Terrapin Learning Commons) from 3-4pm on Thursdays; light refreshments will be served and no registration is required.

9/19: Facilitated by Robin Dasler

“Tablets and Learning Analytics: Harnessing Ubiquious Data for Education”

The facilitator will raise such questions as: How can deriving information from student-centered “Big Data” help (or hinder) in tailoring education?  How can we harness the “learning anywhere” power of tablets for reaching learning assessment goals?  What are the privacy concerns inherent in the world of ubiquitous mobile learning? When do we know too much about our students’ learning behaviors?

9/26: Facilitated by Scott P. Roberts, Psychology Department and Ronald A. Yaros, Philip Merrill School of Journalism

”Mobile Devices in the Classroom:  BYOD (Bring Your Own Device or Your Own Distraction)?”

The facilitators represent a range of views on the topic.  Dr. Roberts, along with his colleague Dr. Ryan Curtis, has collected and analyzed performance and behavior data from hundreds of students that supports other studies that indicate digital devices can have a negative impact on learning.   Dr. Yaros is a university innovator in the successful integration of mobile devices and technologies in his teaching.  The conversation should be lively!

Summer Changes to LMS

This summer we enacted a great many changes to Language Media Services. From simple room updates to new checkout systems, LMS is on the road to becoming an entity that the SLLC can rely on for all of their technology needs.

The Independent Study Lab
Room 2224 Jiménez Hall is our independent study lab where students may go to watch a faculty assigned video, listen to class audio cassettes or use the latest Wimba tools with blackboard on our two student PCs. This summer, we upgraded the video monitoring stations with 3 brand new 21 inch televisions. The previous 13 inch monitors had outlived their usefulness and drew nothing but complaints from the student body. Attached to the monitors, in the LMS main office, are 3 brand new multi-region multi-system DVD/VCR combos. These players will play nearly any visual media, be it PAL or NTSC, and any DVD region. Students may come to 1204 Jiménez Hall to access room 2224.

The Language Technology Classroom
1205 Jiménez Hall, the "AT&T lab" has been given an upgrade as well. The computers have all been upgraded with the latest version of Respondus, an image editor, audio editor, and all of the language learning apps. In addition, some may remember the loose connections and color issues with the projector. Well, no more! I have replaced the cable running from the instructor PC to the projector and the poor quality image is a thing of the past.

Smart Carts
Two new smart carts have been added to the rotation in LMS. Carts 3 and 4 are both smaller models than their older brethren, containing only a laptop and projector each. They are both now available for reservation and checkout, but slots are filling up fast. In addition to the carts, we still have loose laptops and projector available for checkout.

Technology Classrooms
Jiménez Hall is now home to six technology classrooms. (0220, 0205, 1117, 2206, 3205, 3120) These classrooms are scheduled through Central Scheduling office and are maintained by LMS. For more information about these rooms, visit http://www.classrooms.umd.edu

Student Checkouts
We are now logging the students who checkout items from LMS. So if an instructor wishes to see a log of which students in their classes are coming to LMS for audio or video, we can now supply it to them.

As always, please let us know if there is anything you would like to see more of!

-submitted by Jeff Maurer, LMS