Summer News from Component I

Third Faculty Workshop Held in August

Ten faculty attend the last of three week-long summer technology workshops. As in the two workshops held in May, the first three days were spent on presentations on copyright issues, imaging, PowerPoint, Excel, Dreamweaver and WebCT. During the last two days of the workshop faculty worked on individual projects using the tools learned earlier in the week.

Many faculty developed WebCT courses. A list of WebCT courses at Benedictine is available at http://webct.ben.edu/webct/public/show_courses.pl. WebCT courses require a password for access. If you are interested in learning more about any of the courses, please contact the appropriate faculty member.

Other faculty used the technology workshops to develop or enhance their home page on the Benedictine University web site. In many cases faculty home pages now link to a rich assortment of course materials. Faculty web pages are accessible from http://www.ben.edu/FacultyProfiles/. May and August participants whose home pages were impacted by the workshops include Alex Bolyanatz, Mary Bridges, Tim Comar, Kevin Doyle, Chuck Gahala, Nona Jones, Manu Kaur, Elizabeth Kubek, Warren Luckner, Jeff Madura, Rodney McDanel, Clay Runck, Bill Scarlato, and Fr. David Turner, O.S.B.

A variety of other projects emerged from the workshops. Tom Byrnes created a museum for his Mediterranean World course. Roger Rose developed a student project, Web Page Building for Campaigns and Elections. Tim Comar developed course materials that he will present at the Annual Joint Math Meetings. Several faculty have begun using PowerPoint in their classes. A sampling of their work has been posted at http://owl.ben.edu/TitleIII/projects.html.

New Classroom Equipment & Cameras

Two classrooms - Krasa 015 and Birck 225 - were equipped as "mini-EECs". The typical EEC (Electronically Equipped Classroom) provides a networked PC, a document camera, a VHS player, and a ceiling mounted LCD projector. A mini-EEC provides a networked laptop computer and a ceiling mounted LCD projector. Faculty make arrangements through the IT Helpdesk to have the laptop delivered to class. It is then the faculty member's responsibility to return the laptop to either the Krasa Information Desk or the IT Helpdesk after the class has concluded. As we continue to equip our classrooms we will be seeking faculty input as to the best mix of EECs and mini-EECs.

We have also acquired two additional digital cameras, one that stores images on a 3.5" floppy, and one that stores images on CD. Faculty and staff can make arrangements through the IT Helpdesk to borrow these cameras.