EduCATE 2005: Abstracts

EduCATE 2005 Abstract Archive:

February 22 - Dr. John Seely Brown's Dinner Presentation

"The Digital Generation--What We Need to Know About How They Learn"

Today's students, many of whom grew up or are growing up digital, have radically different learning styles, modes of interacting and forms of entertainment than we dinosaurs. In addition to covering some of these differences we will also attempt to create a framework for understanding the learning styles of these kids. We will also discuss their emerging digital/screen vernacular and draw some comparisons to what is happening in Asia.

John Seely Brown, former Chief Scientist of Xerox Corporation and director of the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), is currently a visiting scholar at the Annenberg Center at USC. His research interests include digital culture and rich media, ubiquitous computing, web service architectures and organizational and individual learning.

Brown is a member of the National Academy of Education, a Fellow of the American Association for Artificial Intelligence, and a Trustee of Brown University, the MacArthur Foundation and In-Q-Tel. He has published over 100 papers in scientific journals, and his books include Seeing Differently: Insights on Innovation (Harvard Business Review Books, 1997) and The Social Life of Information, co-authored with Paul Duguid (HBS Press, 2000).

Brown received a B.A. from Brown University in 1962 in mathematics and physics and a Ph.D. from University of Michigan in 1970 in computer and communication sciences. In May of 2000 Brown University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Science Degree. It was followed by an Honorary Doctor of Science in Economics conferred by the London Business School in July 2001.

February 23

Abstracts for 9:00 Presentations

12:00: Dr. John Seely Brown's Luncheon Presentation

"Information Technology and the Engaging Learning Environment for the 21st Century"

The tools and resources available today to create new kinds of learning environments are simply awesome but to fully utilize their potential, we will need to engage in quite different teaching strategies, forms of scholarship and perhaps even have to re-design the physical settings of the classroom. If we embrace change, the cost effective learning scenarios will turn out to be virtually countless. If we resist change, we will fail to educate today's students for the challenges of the 21st century.

Teaching Primate Communication Using a Multimedia Approach on Blackboard Presenter: Dr. Sarah Gouzoules, Senior Lecturer Anthropology and NBB, Emory College	A course on the evolution of primate communication and human language was constructed on Blackboard to allow students to access supplementary material critical to understanding and evaluating course readings. Images, audio files, video clips and films were organized around assigned readings and presentations. Use of the Discussion Board feature of Blackboard is also enhanced by students' use of the multimedia material.

Student Researchers: What They Learn and How They Learn It Presenter: Dr. Wendy Newstetter, Director of Learning Sciences Research Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology	More and more undergraduates are having research experiences before graduating. While many tout the benefits of these experiences, little is know about how the research setting supports student learning or what learning is afforded. This talk reports on three years of ethnographic study of learning in two interdiciplinary research settings. Discussion will focus on what makes them unique and often successful as learning environments.

Blackboard Best Practices *Presenters:* Dr. Don Denson, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine Dr. Daphne Norton, Director of General Chemistry Laboratories, Emory College	Dr. Denson Using the Discussion Board Feature of Blackboard for Interactive Clinical Case Discussions Fellows in Pain Medicine in the Department of Anesthesiology rotate in 4-5 clinical locations. As a portion of their training, we conduct interactive case discussions. The discussion board feature of Blackboard has allowed us to post complicated pain management cases in several parts and solicit feedback from the fellows, faculty and residents. Using this approach, we can incorporate text and image files into the forum. Using this vehicle allows for greater and more timely participation since the discussions can be accessed from any location and at any time via the internet. We have also linked some case discussions to both assessments and surveys. This concept has been well received by both the faculty and fellows. Dr. Norton Blackboard and the Interactive Syllabus: A Tool for Managing a Large Enrollment Course This presentation will discuss the organization and distribution of course materials using an interactive syllabus. We will peruse the Blackboard site viewed by the 455 students enrolled in general chemistry. It may seem surprising, but this technology tool creates a greater sense of intimacy in a large enrollment course. Students utilize Blackboard as a pathway to view videoclips, explore websites and enter chat rooms to talk with a TA. We will discuss the organization and presentation of course materials and evaluate the time investment for achieving a successful Blackboard site.

Oxford's Teaching, Learning, and Technology Institute - Going from 0 to 60 mph in Three Weeks! Presenters: Mr. Jim Brown, Director, Academic Computing, Oxford College Dr. Camille Cottrell, Assistant Professor of Studio Art and Art History, Oxford College	Oxford's Teaching, Learning, and Technology Institute (TLTI) provides resources, instruction and consulting for faculty to develop teaching technologies for the classroom. Dr. Cottrell prides herself in being a tech neophite ("0 mph") but benefited from TLTI by developing the Insight image database application for use in her art classes the following academic year.

Implementing a High Performance Compute Cluster Presenters: Dr. John Ellis, Director, Academic Technologies & Acting Director, Technical Services, ITD Dr. Kim Gernert, Director BimCore (Biomolecular Computing Resource at Emory) Mr. Keven Haynes, Research Engineer, Information Technology Division Mr. Steve Pittard, Senior Technical Project Manager, BimCore (BioMolecular Computing Resource At Emory	Many of today's current research problems require powerful computational capabilities to generate, model, and analyze the overwhelming amounts of data that can accompany even modest scientific investigations associated with genomic comparisons, neural simulation, data mining, and hybridization analysis. Emory University is responding to this need with the imminent implementation of a 128 CPU research computer cluster, (Emory High Performance Computer Cluster), which is the result of a collaboration between Emory College, ITD, and BimCore (School of Medicine). Compute clusters and "grids" are fast becoming invaluable instruments in the researcher's toolkit since they provide a reasonably inexpensive method to aggregate compute resources. Come see how we are partnering to introduce this new and exciting technology to address the needs of campus researchers and establish a model for computational collaboration with cluster and grid resources at other schools in the area.

Blackboard: What's New? Wimba, e-Portfolio, Content System Presenter: Ms. Sandra W. Butler, Senior Technical Project Manager, ITD Mr. Jose Rodriguez, Director of Technology, Emory College Language Center, ITD	Emory has purchased several new tools to add functionality to Blackboard, the university's adopted online learning system. Horizon Wimba is an online voice-recording, voice-threading tool for disciplines ranging from languages to medicine to literature. Blackboard's new Content System allows you to effectively share and reuse content across sections, courses, organizations, departments and institutions. It also offers a new e-Portfolio feature to allow students and faculty to share information online for documenting academic growth, career evaluation and course preparation. We will demonstrate both tools and answer any questions you may have.

Assessing Teaching with Technology for a New Generation of Learners Presenter: Dr. Carol Herron Lustig, Professor, French, Emory College & Director, Emory College Language Center	Today's students are highly visual, computer-oriented, seekers of worldwide information, multi-tasked, only a cell call or an email away. They have grown up in front of screens of all sizes and are moving from a wired to a wireless world. Technologically-enhanced learning environments would appear to capitalize on these traits and to enhance instruction. In this presentation, I will present the findings of our foreign language classroom research at Emory that assesses the effects of teaching with technology on linguistic and cultural knowledge.

The 21st Century Learner: Student Panel Discussion Presenter: Dr. Paul Lennard, Director, Neuroscience & Behavioral Biology	Emory College science undergraduates will discuss their learning experiences using the instructional technologies tools that are available today. Strategies & directions for enriching the learning experience through technology will also be addressed.

Law and Order: Bringing Digital Technology Into the Classroom Presenter: Mel Gutterman, Professor, School of Law	How is technology changing learning? What new tools will students need to know and use in the marketplace? In Fall 2004, an Emory Law School class "Great Trials of the 20th Century" met in the Cox Computing Center. Each student had to present a case study on a legendary court case of their choosing. They were required to use Powerpoint and incorporate video clips in their presentation. Using iMovie, smartboard, document camera and integrated podiums, students used technologies that are becoming more common in courtrooms across the country. In this workshop, Professor Gutterman and his students will discuss their perspectives on including cutting edge technology in the study of some great trials from the Scopes' "Monkey Trial" to O.J. Simpson.

Shared Database: To Be or Not To Be Presenters: Dr. Timothy Duong, Associate Professor, Neurology, School of Medicine, Yerkes Dr. Stuart Zola, Director, Yerkes National Primate Research Center & Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Mr. Rob Poh, Director of Information Technology, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience	The eight National Primate Centers (NPRCs) need to share data from a number of different domains of research, e.g., brain imaging, microarrays, and genomics.How are we going to do this effectively and securely? Additionally, the Yerkes NPRC needs to share data between investigators at Yerkes and at departments throughout campus. What are the issues associated with this massive exchange of information?

Pedagogy in the Medical Classroom Presenters: Mr. Tom Himelick, Coordiantor, Masters of Medical Science for Career Physician Assistants Program, Family and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine Mr. Allan Platt, PA-C, Coordinator, Career Masters of Medical Science Program, Family and Preventive Medicine - Physician Assistant Program, School of Medicine	The PA Program now offers a distance-based master of medical science degree for career PAs. This session will demonstrate the variety of learning tools we are using in our CMMSc program. Practicing physician assistants complete courses in Biomedical Ethics, Health Promotion, and Biostastics/Epidemiology, and other areas in an on-line format. We will discuss our experiences thus far with streaming video lectures, discussion tools, and other leanring methods.

Using Insight to Teach with Digital Images: Life Beyond Slides Presenters: Dr. Rebecca Stone-Miller, Associate Professor & Faculty Curator of Art of the Ancient Americas, Art History, Emory College Mr. David Lower, Business Analyst, Information Technology Division	Art historians have been weaned on dual slide projection (the presenter actually first taught with some lantern slides at Yale!) but now are switching to using digital images. Though Kodak's decision to stop production of slide projectors has prompted the shift, and though many are loathe to make the change, there are a number of new and creative ways to use the Insight program which Emory has adopted. Maps can be sprinkled with artworks from different, but related cultures, adding to students' understanding of trade and influence patterns. Multi-image screens can give a more coherent, less linear overview of a site, monument, or work of art, followed by single-image sequences. Repetition of the same exact image or map in different parts of a presentation achieves faster recognition and comprehension. Zooming in on images and pointing with the cursor lead students' eyes more exactly to details. Examples from recent lectures using Insight will support these points.