Category: CTCX

BreakDrink, CTCX, Learning Technologies, Podcast, Professional Development

iPads, Nooks & e-Readers… Oh My!

Laura Pasquini

Digital literacy & e-textbooks have been on my mind… (for some time)

I have been pondering e-books, e-readers & online learning materials since the beginning of this academic semester. I am still contemplating a purchase of an e-reader or tablet before the year is out – so this is where my research & review takes me in the #edtech world. My main question is: What does it mean to take the tactile and make it digital for our learners?

Here are a few thoughts I shared during today’s webinar with Higher Ed Hero on just this topic:

A few questions and thoughts to ponder as e-books & e-readers enter our campus environments:

  • Will engagement in the digital material require new instructional methods?
  • Will our textbooks be dynamic & interactive?
  • How doe faculty connect and manage this transition?
  • How do learners retain information from real books vs. e-books?
  • Can faculty ‘win’ in the classroom & academic sphere with digital literacy?
  • How will higher motivate and impact this change?
  • Will there be control over content & learning materials?
  • How can faculty support students  more to make them comfortable with e-books for learning?

In my own research and article collection, I have managed to collected in a few resources in a Google Doc about the topics of e-readers, e-books & e-literacy and discussed it on latest edition of the Campus Tech Connection podcast #18 – E-Books & E-Readers with @jacksonj & @jefflail from BreakDrink. My quest for reading digitally continues…

AcAdv, BreakDrink, CTCX, Podcast, Social Media

Delicious Indulgences in Social Media with Campus Tech & @micala

Laura Pasquini

If you were a fan of the 80’s party line chats, you might like last week’s Campus Tech Connection (#CTCX) podcast #17 with Shannon Ritter (a.k.a.@micala). IRC might have sparked her interests, however Shannon grew to love the power of online interaction and collaboration over the interwebs.

Here’s a quick snapshot of what @micala is all about c/o her posterous account:

Since the #CTCX agrees with both her “thumbs up” and “thumbs down” criterion, we seemed to have quite the engaging chat that included the following topics:

Of course, this list is not exhausted when it comes to the Campus Tech podcast. Many other side topics and tangents entered into our conversation. Listen for yourself HERE. It was a pretty fun episode…. and might we even say, delicious?

Photo c/o micala on Flickr

Besides thanking Shannon for joining us on our last October 2010 podcast, we also want to give her credit for coining the NEW & IMPROVED Campus Tech Connection hashtag that we’ll now be using: #CTCX Thanks @micala!

BreakDrink, CTCX, Podcast

The Power of Podcasting

Laura Pasquini

Podcasting is online audio content that is delivered via an RSS feed, almost like radio-on demand. Listeners can determine the time and the place when they will access this audio (and even video) content they want to hear with the podcast archive.

Podcasting is a powerful learning and training resource for any educators tool box. It’s an easy and simple way to share information, describe a concept or dialog about a relevant topic. Even better, this format of learning is mobile, accessible and a handy application that allows learners to return to for review later.

This photograph is c/o Flickr member martin.canchola

In a previous life at the University of Toronto Scarborough Academic Advising & Career Centre, I helped to initiate a pilot program that developed academic & career vodcasts.  I was fortunate to have a group of great students and staff who were interested in producing podcasts to help optimize our advising & career resources for our office. Word of our podcasting got out, and soon other departments like the ESL Cafe & Writing Centre were interested in joining in on the podcasting fun.

Some of the key reasons we started to podcast included:

  • Same FAQs from students were basic and advisors/counselors wanted deeper, meaningful questions
  • Accessible, bite-sized information
  • Mobile resources “on-the-go” for our large commuter student population
  • New design: beyond the PDF handout – add a new multi-media dimension to our website
  • To archive presentations and information that is shared at a single time in the year
  • Tutorials to help empower our students for their academic & career planning

My first introduction to podcasting started when I attended the NACADA conference in Baltimore & met a couple of Academic Advisors who were doing it well. The Campus Tech Connection podcast #15 shares the story of these advisor podcasting pioneers who were interested in meeting the needs of students in a new digital way:

Podcasting: So easy even a student affairs professional can do it. Guest Clay Schwenn and Kurt Xyst joined us to talk podcasting and Academic Advising. Their podcast has over 14,000 subscribers (that is 1398 more than this podcast). They are both Undergraduate Academic Counselors with the Gateway Center at the University of Washington. They do not have a tech background, but were looking for creative ways to reach students.

Speaking of podcasts…

Stay tuned for tonight’s episode of the Campus Tech Connection as we welcome @EricStoller to the program. Here’s how to listen & participate:

BreakDrink, CTC, CTCX, Open Education, Podcast, SAchat, Social Media

Campus Tech Connection Archives for July

Laura Pasquini

As the summer rolls along, so does the next month of the Campus Tech Connection (CTC) podcasts – have you heard what’s been happening during the month of July on CTC. As I just caught up on the podcasts happenings, I can say that they are worth the listen.

Check them out:

Erik Qualman, author of Socialnomics => July 12, 2010 CTC Podcast #5

Photo from http://outsidethetext.com/main/

The University and the Future of Knowledge is an excellent talk given by Dr. Parry.

David Parry, Assistant Professor at University of Texas Dallas in the Emerging Media & Communication program

=> July 19, 2010 CTC Podcast #6

Live Video Interview with @ReyJunco from Ed Cabellon on Vimeo.

Rey Junco, Associate Professor in the Department of Academic Development and Counseling & the Director of Disability Services at Lock Haven University => July 26, 2010 CTC Podcast #7

Join the Campus Tech Connection show Monday nights from 7-8 pm CDT here => http://www.blogtalkradio.com/breakdrink

We would love to hear from you, so feel free to connect with us during that hour by:

1. Calling in live with a comments and queries – [Phone Number to be posted on Twitter during the show time slot]

2. Tweet your questions/thoughts with the hashtag #ctc or #breakdrink

3. Shy? Or missed us during that time slot? Leave us feedback, thoughts or suggestions by calling 732-98-BREAK (27325)

AcAdv, BreakDrink, CTC, CTCX, Higher Education, Podcast

Campus Tech Connection in June

Laura Pasquini

Is it just me or does summer seem busier than usual?

The Campus Tech Connection (CTC) radio show/podcast has continued to truck along throughout the month of June.  For those of you who have not been able to tune in live, you should play a little catch up during your summer travels or commute to the office.

Here are the latest & greatest shows straight from Campus Tech Connection June archives:

Anya Kamenetz, author of DIY U – June 14th CTC Podcast archived here

Eric Rank from Flatworld Knowledge – June 21st CTC Podcast archived here

Burck Smith from StraigherLine – June 28th CTC Podcast archived here

Join us tonight (Monday July, 12) on the Campus Tech Connection podcast with guest Erik Qualman, author of Socialnomics: How social media transforms the way we live and do business. Erik is also the Global Vice President of Online Marketing for EF Education.

Be sure to listen live here at 7 pm (CST) or check out the archived recording later when it is posted.