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From the Program Coordinator
Spotlight on Students
Student Services
What's New in Technology
Instructional Technology Program in Action
SOE Faculty Spotlight
UHCL Alumni Association
International Society for
Technology in Education (ISTE)
The Texas Computer Education
Association (TCEA)
Association for the Advancement of
Computing in Education (AACE)
American Society for Training & Development (ASTD)
Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)
Texas Distance Learning Association (TxDLA)
United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)
2008 Summer and Fall INST Course Schedule
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We are very excited about a number of improvements in the Instructional Technology Program. First, our program is now 36 credits instead of 42 credits. The course INST 5233 Performance Technology is no longer in the INST core. Also, the elective requirement has been reduced to six credits from the former requirement of nine credits. Next, starting in fall ’08, we will be offering eight-week versions of many of our 15-week courses making it easier to fit courses for the INST master’s degree into busy schedules.
In addition, the course requirements for the Online Distance Educator Professional Development Certificate have been revised. There are now only three required courses, INST 5635 Instructional Web Design and Development, INST 6437 Interactive Distance Learning, |
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Richard Smith
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and INST 6137 Technology and eLearning. All three courses have been redesigned to better match the requirements of online course developers and online teachers. Those achieving the certificate will be able to effectively and efficiently design and teach online courses. The course management system Moodle is used to enable our students to get hands-on experience in course design and management. Read more...
Richard A. Smith
INST Program Coordinator
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Alison Robinson - Trainer/Instructional Designer
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Alison M. Robinson is currently working as a Trainer/ Instructional Designer at ExecuTrain/Solo Learning, located in Houston, Texas, which specializes in software training and e-learning development. Robinson states that, “although I am new to the job, I can already see many opportunities for me with ExecuTrain/Solo Learning. I truly believe that my interaction with the UHCL |
| Instructional Technology Program and its supportive community of online learners and faculty contributed tremendously to my knowledge in the field of Instructional Technology. In fact, the Instructional Technology Program will continue to be a resource for me for years to come. |
Brenda Quintanilla – Instructional Designer Lee College
Lee College instructional designer and INST graduate Brenda Quintanilla maintains a busy schedule. In addition to serving as the director of Lee College’s Course Design Center, Brenda is also an active member of the Texas Distance Learning Association, where she served on the 2008 Conference Steering Committee as the program chair. For the 2009 conference, Brenda will serve as conference co-chair. Brenda also is a member of the INST Distance Learning Advisory Group. Brenda has also traveled to Romania to encourage a student/teacher exchange partnership.
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Master Technology Teacher Update
The MTT TExES is offered every other month during a one- or two-week administration window at specially equipped computer-administered test centers. The next MTT TExES windows are Monday, April 21 through Saturday, April 26 and Monday, June 9 through Saturday, June 21. Candidates wishing to take the MTT test are encouraged to register well in advance of the upcoming administration window in order to secure registration for their preferred test dates and test centers. Before registering, make certain that you have fulfilled all course requirements. Register by going to www.sbec.state.tx.us to retrieve your TEA ID number. Then go to www.texes.ets.org to register. Read more ...
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The Next Life of Virtual Learning
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Virginia Dickenson, UHCL alumna and CEO of eLumenata Inc., writes that her company is moving into the exciting area of 3D learning application within the next 45 days. Their new product is OpenSim, which is a variation of Second Life. Learn more about OpenSim.
The new eLumenata Technical Learning Center can be accessed by logging into Second Life, entering Silicon Campus and clicking Transport. Learn more
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| about OpenSim . Read more ...
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Technology Research Symposium – February 2008
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 L to R: Richard Smith, Denise Chapman and Caroline Crawford
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For the second year in a row, INST faculty members were selected to present at the Educational Technology Research Symposium held in conjunction with Texas Computer Education Association Conference. INST faculty members Caroline M. Crawford and Richard A. Smith were joined by co-presenter Marion Smith, associate professor of management science at Texas Southern University at the February 2008 edition of the symposium. The three discussed their findings of their preliminary study, “The Impact of Learning Environments upon Students’ Evaluations of the Instructor.” |
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UHCL School of Education , assistant professor, and early childhood expert, Denise Chapman did a fascinating presentation, “Using PulpMotion Videos as Instructional Anchors for Pre-service Teachers Learning about Early Childhood Special Education.” Dr. Chapman is rapidly becoming one of the School of Education’s most technology innovative instructors who is not a member of the Instructional Technology faculty. Read more...
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Gabriel Lomas, instructor of special education, has found ways to integrate technology into his teaching. He moved several of his courses to a Web-enhanced format through the use of the UHCL course management system, WebCT. WebCT allows his students to meet face-to-face for eight of their classes and online for the remaining seven of their classes. However he makes certain that his students feel connected, as a community of scholars.
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Lomas has discovered that by taking advantage of the tools within WebCT, students who might be silent in class are more likely to express their thoughts. In addition, since student responses are not bound by the three-hour class time limit, responding online gives students time to think about their answers and to learn from their peers. Lomas feels that the Web-enhanced format allows students to experience the best of both worlds and fosters the UHCL School of Education goal of preparing outstanding teachers and education leaders. Lomas has also included in his courses a number of videos from You Tube, and Teacher Tube. He has created his own videos for his online course with the help of his colleague, Denise Chapman, a rising star in the use of assistive technology with special education students. Lomas asserts, "Technology has changed the way I teach and helps me to meet the needs of UHCL's students."
"INST Faculty Quoted in Houston Chronicle"
The April 20th 2008 edition of the Houston Chronicle quoted UHCL INST program coordinator Richard Smith, along with other nationally known instructional technology experts, on the application of Second Life to K-12 schools. Smith, referring to meeting teachers' needs stated, "The average classroom teacher here in Texas has enough to worry about with the TAKS exam without buying islands out in virtual space." (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5714836.html)
To hear Associate Professor Caroline M Crawford and Richard A Smith's podcast on Second Life and its application to instruction go to: http://inst.uhcl.edu/podcasts.
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