SmartClassroom
Frank Tansey and Steve Acker, co-editors
In This Issue
VIEWPOINT
NEWS & PRODUCT UPDATES
CASE STUDY
TECH NOTES
READER RESPONSE
Sponsors
Online Resources
Viewpoint
By Will Craig
Multimedia Systems Design Consultant
Elert & Associates
No enthusiasm for document or PTZ cameras? Maybe you’ve been looking at the wrong angles. When discussing the technology needs of a classroom, be careful about mentioning the word “camera.” It always requires further qualification. To non-technical people, “camera” can mean any type of electronic device that resides in a classroom and isn’t a computer. Following are some thoughts on two specific types of legitimate cameras increasingly found in today’s classrooms...
News & Product Updates
Sonic Foundry Inc. has announced that it is now accepting nominations for its annual Rich Media Impact Awards program. The awards recognize excellence in the practical and creative integration of webcasting technology in a number of areas, including education through distance learning. Winners of the awards demonstrate how rich media has transformed their institutions through measurable improvements in accessibility, cost savings, efficiency, and productivity. The entry deadline is April 14 and winners will be announced on June 8. (Sonic Foundry)
Higher education leaders praised a bill introduced last week by U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) to prevent high-speed Internet service providers from charging content companies extra for faster delivery of their Web sites. "Neutrality in technology enables small businesses to thrive on the Internet, and allows folks to start small and dream big," Wyden stated. "That's what I want to protect with this legislation.” Wyden's bill would prohibit high speed Internet providers from creating priority channels and charging extra to deliver different types of content.
The newly-introduced MacBook Pro notebook features the Intel Core Duo processor. It comes with Mac OS X Tiger installed and includes iLife '06, a suite of tools designed to allow easy editing of photos, video, music, podcasts, and much more. The built-in iSight video camera is also standard equipment. It weighs in at 5.6 pounds with a 15.4-inch screen. Special education pricing is available. (Apple)
Case Study
By
Linda Briggs
Contemporary learning theory emphasizes the importance of student involvement during class. For example, the National Research Council encourages educators to provide active learning environments for all students, even in large lecture classes.
That can be difficult to achieve, especially when students represent a wide range of learning abilities and backgrounds. At Joliet Junior College in Illinois, Professor Rich McNeil is using technology to help students get involved and stay engaged using an interactive learning product called DyKnow Vision...
Tech Notes
As the demand for technology continues to rise, colleges and universities are moving all sorts of student services, from laundry monitoring to snack delivery, online. At Columbia, a real-time Web-based service called LaundryView lets students log on to a Web-based system to see which washing machines are free before they head to the laundry room. They can monitor their wash and can even program the service to e-mail them when their load is done.
Many other schools are also making use of innovative ideas to “Webify” their once off-line services. Some schools are providing a variety of new interactive services such as online advising and Web-based self-assessments in the areas of career decision-making, learning styles, study skills, personality type, and readiness for online learning. (Campus Technology)
Reader Response
From the Reader Response Forum
Creating the Classroom of Tomorrow
Posted by: jmoney
Exchange ideas on the latest enterprise technologies and discuss the dilemmas of implementation and budget issues.
