AIT&L & University Libraries Train Faculty through the Early Summer Institute

Each June twenty UC faculty members spend a full week improving their technology skills through the Early Summer Institute. Organized by Academic Information Technology and Libraries (AIT&L) and University Libraries, the Institute provides faculty participants with a broad overview of technology resources to improve teaching, learning, and research. The Institute is designed for faculty with basic computer skills who are seeking to enhance their understanding of technology and its applications in the higher education environment.

“The Early Summer Institute provides faculty an intensive weeklong experience where they are exposed to various software programs and techniques that can help them in their work,” said Leslie Schick, Director of Library Services, AIT&L.

Jane Carlin, Coordinator of Library Instruction, University Libraries, added: “The bottom line is to demonstrate how effective use of technology can positively impact teaching and learning and assist students and faculty with a fuller utilization of UC’s extensive library collections. For example, participants may learn how to scan archival images from the library and then combine them with audio and digital files to add to an existing PowerPoint presentation that is then made accessible via Blackboard.”

Participants in the most recent Institute, held June 20-24, learned about Blackboard’s ePortfolio, digital images, PDAs and other handheld devices, as well as how to use select computer software such as Photoshop, PowerPoint, Producer, Dreamweaver, Adobe Acrobat, and Refworks effectively. The classes were taught by librarians from AIT&L and University Libraries.

At the end of the Early Summer Institute, participants presented projects demonstrating what they learned throughout the week. The projects included Web sites created with Dreamweaver, numerous PowerPoint presentations, and a multimedia presentation using Producer software.

Many of the participants commented favorably on the experience and the benefits they received through the Institute. One faculty member noted, “The entire program was excellent! Even though I had some experience with a few of the programs, I still learned something in those sessions. The information I acquired will be truly beneficial to me and my program.”

The learning does not stop at the conclusion of the Institute, however. Participants are expected to continue training and demonstrate their progress and activities through periodic Web surveys and discussions, as well as by attending follow-up workshops offered by both AIT&L and University Libraries throughout the academic year.

Since attending the Institute, Howard Tolley, Professor of Political Science, has acquired an iMac computer with a Web cam and a PDA. With this new technology and the training he received, he has developed a distance-learning human rights class that will be offered to UC students during Winter Quarter 2006. For Fall 2006, he is working on providing a distance-learning human rights continuing-education course to be taught by the University of Mambia, India for police, lawyers, and civil servants.

This is the sixth year of the Early Summer Institute, which continues to grow in popularity. Participants must apply to attend; this year 32 competed for the 20 spots. “We cap attendance at 20 so that we can guarantee a most rewarding and beneficial experience for all participants,” said Carlin. “A reasonable class size allows us to provide hands-on instruction and personal assistance in a comfortable environment conducive to learning,” added Schick.

Participants came from all areas of UC, including five from the College of Applied Science; four from the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences; three from the College of Medicine; two from the College of Nursing; two from the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning; and one each from the Colleges of Engineering, Business, and Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services, as well as from AIT&L.

The Early Summer Institute is funded through a Faculty Development Grant from the Faculty Development Council. For more information on the Institute or other library instruction initiatives, contact AIT&L’s Leslie Schick at leslie.schick@uc.edu or at (513) 558-4321 or University Libraries’ Jane Carlin at jane.carlin@uc.edu or at (513) 556-1319.

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