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Wed., Jan.12, 2005
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IN THIS ISSUE
VIEWPOINT
NEWS & PRODUCT UPDATES
CASE STUDY
TECH NOTES
READER RESPONSE
Sponsors
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Viewpoint
Facultyware: An Online Resource on Universal Design for Instruction
By Joseph W. Madaus, Joan M. McGuire, and Sally S. Scott
University of Connecticut
With increasing numbers of students with “hidden disabilities”
(e.g., learning disabilities) and other diverse learning needs
accessing higher education, institutions are challenged to assure
access to programs and courses while maintaining academic and technical
standards. Universal Design for Instruction (UDI) offers an innovative
means to promote academic access for a broad range of diverse learners.
UDI represents a paradigm shift from a retroactive accommodation model
of access to a proactive inclusive approach that anticipates and values
human diversity.
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News & Product Updates
Google Project with U Michigan Opens Access to Information
Google recently announced several deals with major universities to make
collections searchable. Perhaps the most extensive is with Michigan:
Google will scan and produce searchable digital copies of practically
every book on the Ann Arbor campus. (The University Record Online)
Read
more
Exponential Upgrade: MapleNet Academic 2.5
MapleNet Academic provides a complete Web infrastructure for deploying
live mathematical applications online. New features in version 2.5
include full compatibility with Maple 9.5 and institution-wide
scalability. The integration with Maple 9.5 enables users to take
advantage of all the enhancements and power of Maple when authoring
MapleNet Academic content. The increased scalability meets customer
demand for large deployments
Read
more
Blackboard Greenhouse Project Deadline Extended to Jan. 25
There’s still time to submit your proposal to Blackboard’s Greenhouse
project. Grants will cover a range of initiatives relating to scholarly
discussions eLearning, including research, publication, faculty
development, and establishing best practices. A request for proposals
is available on Blackboard’s Web site.
Read
more
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Case Study
Blogs in Higher Ed: Personal Voice as Part of Learning
By Ruth Reynard, Trevecca Nazarene University
The use of Internet technology to facilitate interaction, communication, and
collaboration is well documented but its use in establishing and developing
“personal voice” as part of learning is also now being addressed through the
use of blogs. Finding personal voice as a pedagogical method is important to
establish learner identity and focus, and journaling has long been recognized
as an effective way to provide space for this to occur. The blog, however, provides
a context in which personal voice can be “published” by the student, which means
that attention is given to content, relevancy, and connection with learning
outcomes to a higher degree than a traditional journal submission. The idea
that more than one person will view the work is quite powerful in promoting
a sense of ownership from the student. Teachers can also benefit from “hearing”
the personal voice of their students to begin to really understand the learning
path of each student through a course.
Read
more
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Tech Notes
OSP2/Sakai White Paper
A PDF, “The Open Source Portfolio (OSP) Version 2: Built on the Sakai
Framework,” by John Ellis and Chris Coppola, illustrates how Version 2
leverages the Sakai framework.
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more
“Instant Messaging—Collaborative Tool or Educator’s Nightmare!”
This well-researched white paper by Robert Farmer, posted on the
University of New Brunswick Web site, examines the pros and cons.
Read
more
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Reader Response
From the Reader Response Forum
Pro-CMS publications/studies
Posted by: pandolfi
Any instruction on the use of a CMS should be tied to the advantages for both
teaching and learning. Convenience and material repository is one thing, but
there are far greater advantages including on-line discussions and on-line group
areas for students to share documents and advise each other.
I have found that on-line discussion is valuable in teaching
discussion techniques and in knowing students ideas and areas
of difficulty before my next class. I have even used our CMS
for peer review of writing assignments. Students have generally
found it a valuable tool that d'esn't cut into valuable class
time. How the tool is used makes all the difference.
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