Workshop: The 5th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies
Joseph G. Tront
Virginia Tech
jgtront@vt.edu
Jane Prey
Microsoft Corp.
jprey@microsoft.com
Patricia McCarthy
Hewlett-Packard Corp.
pat_mccarthy@hp.com
Brandon Muramatsu
University of California , Berkeley
mura@needs.org
Tablet PCs are one of the newest innovations in the computing and communications world. These devices consist of a standard notebook PC configured with a screen (tablet/slate) which acts as both a display device as well as an input device. A stylus or pen can be used to input standard mouse-type commands as well as gesture commands and electronic ink drawing. Native tablet operating systems support the use of this new input capability allowing users to input basic commands and drawings, while also facilitating the development of innovative applications by software developers. Typical tablet PCs also include built-in wireless networking hardware that allows the user to relatively easily communicate in localized ad hoc networks or over the broader Internet.
Several software packages are available to support the pedagogical needs of the engineering classroom as well as typical engineering group collaborative environments. Classroom Presenter and MS OneNote are examples of two packages that provide excellent classroom presentation capabilities. These packages also allow for a highly interactive environment with both teacher-student and student-student bi-direction real-time interaction.
In this two hour workshop faculty will receive a hands-on introduction to the use of Presenter and OneNote along with a rudimentary drawing package. We will provide sufficient instruction for faculty to be competent with the technology. Most importantly, we will show faculty various pedagogical practices that we have found useful in using these technology tools in the classroom. Active learning exercises for various disciplines will be emphasized. Faculty will be tasked with developing short active learning exercises starting from the development of goals for the exercise, through the desired student interaction, and ending with the exercise assessment and improvement strategy. Exercises will be determined by the individual faculty member’s disciplinary interests.
Workshop participants:
Engineering faculty members from the broad spectrum of engineering disciplines can benefit from attending this workshop. The desire to improve teaching and learning through the appropriate use technology is the only prerequisite. Participants should also be willing to partake in the lively discussions that this workshop generally invokes. The workshop will be at a level that will allow faculty members who have a minimum of technology training to participate. Faculty should know how to develop PowerPoint presentations.
Joseph G. Tront, Virginia Tech, jgtront@vt.edu, 540-231-5067
Jane Chu Prey, Microsoft Corporation, jprey@microsoft.com, 425-703-5485
Brandon Muramatsu, University of California , Berkeley , mura@needs.org, 510-643-1817
Dr. Joseph G. Tront is a professor in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech. He has had a leadership role in the NSF sponsored engineering education coalition called SUCCEED where he has been the director of the center for computing and communications for the nine university coalition since 1994. He is a co-editor for NEEDS and is also co-editor for the MERLOT engineering collection. Dr. Tront also serves as co-editor for the Premier Award for Excellence in Engineering Education – an international award competition aimed at recognizing outstanding non-commercial courseware for use in engineering education. He has published articles in various venues describing the appropriate use of technology in higher education. He is currently leading a team of about 20 faculty and staff from six universities who are developing technology-based courseware modules to improve teaching and learning. This work is sponsored by the NSF.
Dr. Jane Prey is an Academic Innovation Manager at Microsoft Research. She spent 11 years as a faculty member in the Computer Science Department at the University of Virginia . In addition, Jane spent 2 years as a Program Director in the Division of Undergraduate Education at the National Science Foundation. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and her Ph.D. from the University of Virginia . Jane is an IEEE CS representative and the chair of the FIE Steering Committee as well as a former member of the ACM SIGCSE board.
Brandon Muramatsu has a leadership role in a number of educational digital library projects. He has been closely involved in the development of NSF's National STEM Education Digital Library program since 1996. He is the Project Director for NEEDS-A Digital Library for Engineering Education ( www.needs.org) and SMETE.ORG ( www.smete.org). He works with the thirty plus members of the SMETE Open Federation as they develop a digital learning community for science, mathematics, engineering and technology education. Recently he began working with MERLOT ( www.merlot.org) as the Director of Organizational Development and Outreach where he develops and maintains institutional partnerships and organizational alliances with the twenty plus institutional partners and growing organizational alliances of the MERLOT collaborative. His research interests include the development of next-generation digital libraries for education and the use and evaluation of technology to enhance learning. He is a lecturer in multimedia at UC Berkeley and directs the Berkeley Instructional Technology Studio, where he consults with faculty and graduate students on the use of technology to enhance learning. He has personally developed and evaluated interactive multimedia learning modules for engineering education. Through NEEDS, he coordinates the Premier Award for Excellence in Engineering Education, which recognizes outstanding courseware designed to enhance engineering education. Recently, Mr. Muramatsu helped launch the University of California Teaching and Learning with technology Center ( www.uctltc.org), a center without walls showcasing the innovative instructional materials developed at the University of California . Mr. Muramatsu also works with the IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee in the development of metadata standards for educational digital libraries.