Learning: VSU Mailbag

When I checked my VSU mail this morning I was struck by the connections between happenings at Valdosta State University and Eszterházy Károly Föiskola, particularly in content areas that are taught within the Institute of Media Informatics, where I am hosted. I wanted to bring these connections to the attention to faculty at both institutions, to encourage collaboration and communication.

I've written in this blog about the intense interest and activity in film-making here at EKF, both by students and professionals. It seems that everywhere we go, whether to a park, the Castle, or the hallways of the Lyceum, there are students making movies. Thus, the announcement of the 5th annual Valdosta Film Festival posted by Brian Day clearly caught my attention. Here's an excerpt:

"The submission deadline is Thursday March 12 by 5:30. Films, entry forms and dues can be dropped off in the Communication Arts office in Nevins Hall. Entry Forms and more information can be found at the following website: http://www.valdosta.edu/filmfest."

Another posting today connected with library instruction and training, also supported here in the Institute. Emily Rogers (ecrogers@valdosta.edu) encouraged faculty to have students enroll in a one-credit library instruction course, offered either face to face or online. That brought to mind discussions I've had with both the academic librarians here, and a public librarian in the very fine county library they have in Eger. I don't know if EKF is offering any library instruction online, but it might be interesting to compare notes about how instruction is done, and what is included. It may also be interesting to compare opinions about who is responsible for making sure the library skills are strong--the student, the faculty, or the librarians!

An excerpt from Emily's message:

"Do you wish your students had stronger library research skills? Are your students looking for a class to complete their Fall 2009 schedules? Consider LIBS 1000, a one-credit class taught by Odum reference librarians that helps students learn to use library resources more effectively. For Fall 2009, we're offering LIBS 1000 in both face-to-face and online versions..."

Of course, the Institute of Media Informatics in interested in teacher training and technology integration in the classroom. A posting in my mail offered an interesting opportunity to VSU College of Education Faculty and students from the Georgia Educational Technology Centers (a state funded system of centers and staffing dedicated to improving P-16 student performance through technology integration). Here's an excerpt:

"The Georgia Educational Technology Centers (ETC) coordinate a regional/statewide project-based learning competition entitled “GA ETC PBL.” Students in grades K-12th compete to create educational web sites or thematic movies based on Georgia curriculum standards. I am soliciting volunteers to judge the web sites or movies using an established online rubric. Ideally, we need two judges per project to ensure fairness. For those of you at colleges, this would be a great assignment to give to some of your college students as well."

Sheila Hall, the ETC staff member who wrote the posting, gave the deadlines and procedures for volunteering for judging. She also offered the following opportunity that I extend to anyone following the blog who might be interested in creating projects like these:

"If you would like to view last year’s entries, visit http://www.gaetcpbl.org/ and scroll down to the “Projects” section."

As evidenced by the ongoing E-Teaching for E-Learning Seminar I've been leading each week, faculty in the Institute for Media Informatics are, like many faculty at VSU, interested in professional development in the area of technology. I happened to get a e-newsletter issue today from Slideshare.net, which is one avenue through which I've been sharing the Seminar presentation materials. This commercial site is a great place to post your conference presentations, and to look for presentations in which you are interested. It's free to use (has advertising), and has an intriguing set of opportunities for professional development including "presentation camps", awards competitions, featured 'cool' presentations, and hosts synchronous events at many conferences. Here's an excerpt that might intrigue you:

"Watch conferences in your underwear! And continuing with our underwear theme from last newsletter, if budgets have let you down and you are going to miss your favorite conference then check out our events directory. You can also use it to look up presentations after attending a great conference."

Well, I hope we'll continue to have our face-to-face Seminars on E-Teaching, but we may also have some virtual presentations where the dress code will be lax. Who knows? We may even get it together to have an E-Teaching for E-Learning Wimba Classroom session with faculty from her, and my colleagues from VSU. Last week in the seminar, we started learning to use the Wimba classroom, so we should be ready to try it out soon. I hope so, and we'll work on it!