SOE Tech Info 

Issue 4: April, 2007 

Tech @ CofC

Student Response Systems in the Classroom

TLT recently purchased two different types of student response systems.  For those who aren't up on the lingo, these are small devices that allow a professor to quickly, an anonymously if desired, to poll a class.   These systems allow a professor a wide range of uses.  From an anonymous class poll to handheld electonic tests that can be submitted directly to the professor's computer, these devices can make information gathering instant and painless.

We have purchased two different systems that are available for faculty checkout.  The first is a basic system from TurningPoint Technologies.  This system interfaces with PowerPoint and allows you to embed questions in advance or on the fly into your presentations.  This is a great system to discover who has read the text or how many people aren't understanding a topic.  The other system is the Renaissance Classroom Response System. This is a more comprehensive system and can allow for tests, quizzes and homework assignments to be pushed to the students' devices.  This is a great way to hold a quiz at the beginning of class on the reading if you are not in a computer classroom and the quizzes can be automatically graded and placed into an online gradebook for you.

Some of the faculty in the health area will be conducting a pilot this summer of the Renaissance system and I look forward to reporting the results of this pilot to you in the fall. 

If you are interested in exploring these systems then give me a holler at benignim@cofc.edu.

RefWorks 

In Februrary I told you about RefWorks, the new bibliographic software available in the Library. Since then I’ve gone to a training session to figure out how it works and I think it’s something that you all are going to be able to use.

RefWorks is a software application accessed from the CofC library website that will help you…

  • Format bibliographies and citations automatically while you research
  • Create and organize a personal research database online
  • Access your information online from any computer, anywhere
  • Share your database with colleagues around the world

There is also a plugin for Microsoft Word that allows you to interface your citations with RefWorks.  This is really handy because you can create the link to your RefWorks references then export the document using any number of citation styles.  Therefore, if one publication requires MLA style but you'd also like to submit the article to a publication that requires Chicage Style then you don't have to rework the article.  All you do is export the Word file the first time in MLA then again as Chicago.  It takes seconds to change your citation style.

Since RefWorks is an online service it also allows you to access your research links from anywhere.  This is handy if you are doing research at another library because you can just add them to your database.  No bookmarks to worry about or paper references to misplace.  From most journals you can get a reference by merely clicking on the RefWorks link in the journal citation and it will automatically create the citation link in your database.  You can also create different accounts and allow others to share your research database.  This is great if you are collaborating on a project and want to collect resources together.

Not everything in RefWorks is effortless but it's a heck of a lot better than trying to keep track of all these references on your personal computer.

Go online and create your account today.  If you want any help using it just give me a call and I'll try to figure it out.  I'll also be setting up some training sessions in the fall for anyone who is interested.  Check it out.  I think you'll like it.

 

Dates to Remember: 

  • May 1 - Must notify the helpdesk if you want any additional software loaded in the labs and classrooms.
  • May 15 - Classes begin. 

Don't forget to activate your WebCT classes for May!  See instructions. 

 

Don't forget to listen to the podcast of this newsletter.  It contains more info and more indepth examples of the items mentioned here! 

Tech in K-12

Classrooms Connecting Gobally using Skye

One of the hottest new trends in K-12 education is to help  students gain a better understanding of the world giving them a context to better understand many subject.  For instance, a world history lesson is normally learned through the eyes of Americans.  However, this same lesson can be more powerful if it is also viewed through the eyes of someone in another country.  This understanding gives the student a more rounded view of a subject matter and a greater understanding of the world in which they live.  

Now it's easier than ever to make contact with students in another country using free software and a cheap microphone and/or webcam.  Skype is a wonderful free tool that allows you to connect to anyone for free that is also running Skype on their computer, regardless of where they live.  Through Skype classrooms can speak and/or see students in another classroom anywhere in the world.  There are several organizations and teachers that have compiled lists of folks in other countries interested in conferencing with classrooms in the US.  It's free and easy.  The hardest part is working around the time difference :)

Check out Skype and the links below if you are interested in learning more about global internet communication.