We see it every day in our homes and even in our workplace; wireless technology is here and has reshaped the way we go about our daily lives but that doesn't mean we always see that in our classrooms. The UGLC has embarked upon a project to upgrade our classrooms starting first with a pilot program in our auditoriums to bring wireless projection technologies such as Airplay into the classroom setting. 

This new feature will begin to bring the consumer technologies we see and live with everyday out of our homes and workspaces and into our classrooms to be utilized to the benefit of all. Our goal is to be able to allow our instructors to get out from behind that podium and out into the audience to engage them, interact with them, and yes take their teaching tools, an iPad, a laptop, or other device out into the audience with them. 

The possibilities here are endless but it all starts with these first foot steps into a new interactive classroom that provides the freedom for our faculty to move about and not be chained to the traditional teaching desk so to speak. We are now out looking for faculty that have creative ideas and want to work with us on defining some model applications and uses for these new teaching tools. If you are interested or want more information about this project send us an email at  

In the Summer of 2008, the Department of English First-Year Composition Program redesigned its English 1312 Research and Critical Writing course through a grant received by Dr. Kate Mangelsdorf from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Led by Dr. Beth Brunk-Chavez, and piloted by First-Year Composition faculty, this redesign yielded many dramatic changes to the course in delivery, content, and use of technology. This includes a new assignment--students now create a documentary film in FYC.

 
I have been using twitter for the last two semesters to keep students informed of upcoming course events such as quizzes or clinical visits.  I also use it to post questions for students to submit for extra credit.  Students post the answer on blackboard within 24h from the tweet. Approximately 50% of students participate at one time. This was a new method of communication for me and for most students since most had not used it before and required guidance to set it up.  What helped students to buy into this idea was that there was no cost associated with this technology and they can get messages in their phone and PDA or any computer device they are using.  This is presented as an optional tool and students are not left out of the course if they choose to not use it. 

I like to see how a product works and for the bugs to be fixed before I use it.  So, when I discovered SoftChalk this summer, I was ecstatic! Up to this point, I had made anything I needed for my online courses in Microsoft Word or through the available tools in Blackboard.  All of a sudden, there were several new options available to me which captured my imagination and transformed my course. I’m going to talk about the pros and cons of SoftChalk, as well as show you some of the things that I have been doing with it. 

I want to find the most reliable and valid means to provide assessment of group and team work in all of my courses.  It is my goal to use the iPeer concept to continue to develop and attain this.  Students in the major I direct are supportive of using iPeer.  I have found students want to have some way to measure contributions to a group. It is not uncommon to hear the complaint of how one or two students carry another when it comes to group work.