Instructional Technology

Defining IT

Instructional Technology begins with Instruction. Instructional Technology is charged with the mission of improving the quality of instruction through the integration of technology into the teaching and learning processes. This will encompass many aspects of other areas represented in the College including Information Services (computing, networks, and telephony) and media (video and audio). Instructional Technology many times also includes areas commonly found in information processing and research disciplines found in library science. The field is a mediated field bridging technology and instruction. A strong emphasis in instructional design and educational psychology is included in most graduate programs in Instructional Technology.

Because of the multidisciplinary nature of the field, it is sometimes hard to know when to contact the instructional technology staff.

All passwords and account creation should be handled by the helpdesk. Training and instructional support is handled by instructional technology staff.

Specialist: Theresa Swann, Asst Prof Instructional Technology. MA Appalachian State Univ, Instructional Technology w/ specialist in Computer education, ABD, Virginia Tech Instructional Technology. http://www.tusculum.edu/faculty/home/tswann/index.htm

My google pages (http://tecwrk.googlepages.com/home) which have resources for faculty, staff and students

Current Projects:

Stepping Stones is a community service and technology based cross disciplinary project to integrate Tusculum students into the community. The focus is a service based integrative active learning environment. The Center for Civic Advancement and Instructional Technology are coordinating this project together. If you would like to develop a project for your class, contact either department for assistance.

Resources for faculty staff and students:

Course management. Is currently Sakai (http://lamp.acaweb.org/). This is subscribed to from the Appalachian College Association(http://www.acaweb.org) and is hosted by the Longsight Group.. All faculty, staff and students have accounts and can be added to any course created there. For Sakai training, schedule through the instructional technologist Theresa Swann (tswann@tusculum.edu)

Training: IT staff can conduct training for faculty, staff and students. Staff are conversant on many levels with the standard installations on campus. However if a software tool is a standard to your discipline and not many others, you are expected to be or become the expert. We will be happy to assist you but can not be expected to be an expert in all things technical.

Equipment training: Schedule training for the library classrooms prior to using them the first time.

Weekly brown bag lunch and learn session provide quick and easy methods to learn about new technology or information literacy resources or methods.

Instructional Design and Curriculum Development: The Instructional Technology Specialist is former teachers (preschool through graduate classes) and has additional training in this area and can assist you in targeting areas of your courses to best integrate technology. We can team teach, model instructional methods or observe to help you with your courses. If you have an idea or want help with your course, I am a non-threatening source of help.

Equipment: Multimedia carts with Computer, DVD-VCR and a projector are available at all sites for checkout from the helpdesk via online forms ( https://www.tusculum.edu/it/techreserve.php) . In addition many classrooms have permanent installations of similar equipment. Other equipment is available in limited number for check out for instructional purposes by faculty. Please inquire at the helpdesk. If we currently don’t own equipment you want, every effort will be made (within budget constraint to plan for its future purchase) so please ask for what your need and want.

Every effort is made to make technology readily available for instructional purposes. Please be sure that you communicate those needs to the Informaiton Systems department. If equipment is not working properly please contact tchelp@tusculum.edu or via phone from 8 am to 8pm at 423-636-7346 or 636-7300 ext 5346.

Web Pages: Faulty are expected to have a web presence. Contact Travis Crabtree, the college webmaster at webmaster@tusculum.edu for assistance. We prefer that instructional materials be placed on the course managemnt program (Sakai) See examples of faculty pages at: http://www.tusculum.edu/faculty/

College email: All college community members (faculty, staff and students) are issued email accounts by the college and are expected to use them for all college business. Please use your personal email for your personal mail and keep the college email account for business and learning purposes. Password and account management can be gotten through the IS Helpdesk tchelp@tusculum.edu

Server accounts: All community members are also issued an account on the instructional server (AKA as the “active directory accounts”) these accounts allow you to log into computers on the main campus and to the teacher stations there as well. In addition, there is file storage and web storage for all students, faculty and staff which are accessible via the internet any where the internet is. Directions are found on the student portal at: http://tclabserv.tusculum.edu/