In This Issue
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Opening of New Computing Facilities - Fletcher Jones Center

User Services/Help Desk

Fall Printing Study

Staff Changes in ITS

Are You Cyber-Savvy?

Changes to Wireless Access

Stay Informed with Bulldog Alert

Discounted Services through AT&T

Off-Campus Access

Change to Datatel Colleage Advancement

Technology Enabled Classroom (TEC) Update

Fifteen Minutes of Fame

Spatial Analysis Workshops Begin Again

Moodle Under Review

Two High-Tech Options in the Fletcher Jones Center

Spatial Analysis Workshops Begin Again
The spatial curriculum and research initiative, LENS, led by Dr. Diana Sinton, is heading into its third year.  On-board to assist with this program is David Smith, the university’s new GIS and Computer Mapping Support Consultant who joined ITS in April, 2009.

All faculty are invited to come and learn more about spatial analysis and map making by attending a series of hands-on workshops.  Workshop reminders are posted in URNotes.  The schedule is also posted on http://lens.redlands.edu (under workshops).

November is shaping up to be ESRI month with all of the hands-on workshops focused on this company’s tools.  We will also be celebrating GIS Day on November 18, 2009.

To register for any of the LENS workshops, contact Monica Hally via e-mail at monica_hally@redlands.edu.  For additional information regarding this initiative, Diana Sinton can be reached by phone at extension 8687. David Smith can be reached by phone at extension 8057.

Moodle Under Review
In the realm of technology, hardware and software is constantly evolving.  One interesting development is the growing acceptance of open source applications in the higher education community.  The concept behind open source applications is that there is not a license fee to use them.  In addition, the growth and support for such applications comes from the community of users that have adopted them.  One particular open source application, called Moodle, has been selected by a number of institutions as their learning management system.

ITS is in the beginning stages of reviewing the merits of Moodle.  At first glance, Moodle’s instructional tools seem to offer great promise.  Moodle’s constructivist-based approach to course development allows faculty members to engage their students in a much more participatory and social manner.  This is reflective of the many new web-accessible tools that we have seen come available in the past year or so.

While ITS is exploring Moodle, there are no definite plans to change learning management systems at this time.  Much more work needs to be done, including a faculty and student review of any option we are considering.   For more information on this review process, contact Catherine Walker at extension 8321.

Two High-Tech Options in the Fletcher Jones Center
The Fletcher Jones Center is home to five of the university’s computer labs.  These labs have varied workstation layouts that accommodate different styles of teaching and learning, as well as some new high-tech options.  Four of the computer labs have a Samsung document camera connected to the LCD projector.  In addition, two of the computer labs (rooms 104 and 140) are equipped with two instructor computers and two LCD projectors.

Document cameras allow for 2D (such as paper) and 3D items (such as objects) to be displayed and manipulated.  The paper being displayed can be written on, while objects can be rotated and shown in different ways.  Document cameras also work well for projecting demonstrations of an experiment that would be otherwise difficult for all of the students to see. 

Dual projectors in the classroom offer faculty members and students additional instructional benefits.  Two images could be shown, one on each projection screen, for a side-by-side comparison.  Video from the DVD player could be projected on one screen while study prompts are shown on the other.  Students, debating a topic, could co-present using the two systems to display their separate presentations. 

These new high-tech options provide interesting opportunities for multi-modal instruction.  Faculty members who are interested in exploring these options further should contact Catherine Walker at extension 8321 or Kimberly Perna at extension 8316.