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An ‘entitled’ generation of grads fail to launch into the working world • page 05
universityofwindsor’s studentnewspaper • oct.05.2011 • vol#84 • issue#05 • uwindsorlance.ca
The future is in your pocket Consumer-tech products to change how we learn in and out of the classroom rahul radhakrishnan NEWS EDITOR ________________________________
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ncreased expectations of mobility and interconnectivity will have students and faculty using the devices they already have in their pockets to operate a new wave of campus and classroom technologies.
Several new systems are slated to go live this academic year, allowing students and staff to utilize consumer technology to meet their academic needs. Blackboard Communicate, Google Apps for Education, Classroom Response System and Fluid Surveys are some of the projects that will be integrated by Information Technology Services on campus. Updates to CLEW, ‘myUWindsor’ and campus wireless services have already been made. “Technology is starting to permeate every aspect of student life,” said Sean Moriarty, acting director of IT Services. “It’s great to bring more student engagement and using technology effectively is really important since it can really help bring the students in the classroom closer to the subject they learn.”
The new Google webmail, due to launch early November, will provide 7.2 GB of online storage space and the familiar interface of Google’s GMail. IT Services is currently finalizing the contracts with Google and ensuring accordance with the Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection Act of Ontario. Fluid Surveys, a web tool to develop surveys, was introduced this fall. According to Moriarty, it was the IT Services’ goal to find an application that could standardize survey creation across the university. The utility of the application was devised after consulting the psychology department, the research ethics board, IT staff and statisticians. With the introduction of another application, Blackboard Communicate, instructors will be able to show PowerPoint slides, host web meetings and interact with distance education students and those enrolled in open learning courses. Blackboard Commu-
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Interactive teaching in classrooms is the result of the natural trend in which students are taking various electronic devices to their classrooms. - Mohsen Shahini, COO Top Hat Monocle
the use of his system large classrooms are brought closer together.
“With the classroom becoming larger and larger there was a need for such a system. This caused a growing New technologies allow students to interact using the devices they already have in their pockets. concern for profes• graphic courtesy of Top Hat Monocle | tophatmonocle.com sors that students were not engaged nicate will be pilot tested next semester. in classroom discussions,” said Shahini. Moriarty said that IT Services is able to “Interactive teaching in classrooms is the provide far more services at a lower cost, Classroom Response System, created by result of the natural trend in which stuas many of the new projects are either free Top Hat Monocle as a result of research dents are taking various electronic devices to use or open-source, meaning the code conducted at the University of Waterloo on to their classrooms.” behind the system is available for anyone interactive teaching, is already replacing to view or change. the single task clicker devices to promote Jennifer Johrendt, professor in mechanifurther interaction in classrooms. Though cal, automotive and materials engineering, The biggest change most students will nostudents will save the cost of buying a was one of the first University of Windsor tice is the introduction of Google Apps for clicker, they will need to own a mobile de- professors to experiment with Top Hat Education, replacing the current student e-mail system. “Webmail is extremely reli- vice, such as their laptop, smart phone, cell Monocle’s systems. phone or iPad and pay $20 per semester, or able and worked very well, but only offers $38 for the year, to utilize the system. “It’s not always the best idea to use mul100 MB in space, which is not enough tiple choice questions within engineering nowadays,” said Moriarty “Google is one Mohsen Shahini, chief operating officer of courses, and that is limitation of clickers. of the biggest players. It is one of the best Top Hat Monocle, believes that through The Top Hat Monocle system allows you options for us to use.”
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to have very specific questions where students can calculate things and write out long-form answers,” added Johrendt. According to Johrendt, Classroom Response System allows her to have “interactive discussions” with her students both in-class, as well as assist with and assign homework outside of the classroom. “Another thing we use on that system is our demos, where the company designs animations to help me illustrate certain functions: for instance, an engine. That ability to customize simulations is an additional learning resource for them,” she added. Johrendt added that the tools and illustrations are being built into a library by the developers, helping to enhance the academic material in engineering. Whether a classroom filled with laptops and smartphones is conducive to learning or too distracting remains unknown, though Top Hat Monocle claim they are conducting a study to find out.
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