Keynote Speaker

• Susan Lee, Delta State University

The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) located in the College of Education at Delta State was envisioned in the 1999-2000 school year as a catalyst for systemic change across the college and region as related to technology and its place in the education of the P-12 community. The Center’s goals include: 1) implementing appropriate standards for technology and high quality educator preparation programs across the graduate and undergraduate curricula, 2) providing access to technology for students and faculty in a variety of settings within the college, 3) providing access to state-of-the-art, technologically resource-rich environments for P-12 partner schools and the greater community, 4) supporting web-based teaching and learning components, and 5) expanding e-learning capabilities to meet regional needs. The staff of the CTL provides on-going, on-site training and technical support for the greater DSU community. The Technology Coordinator for the College, the CTL Director and a Technical Specialist provide a full range of services for all CTL users. Student staff members in the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) have been a vital and valuable component of the Center’s success. The student staff members provide individual and small group training and support for a wide range of technological applications including WebCT and the full complement of Microsoft Office programs. Major initiatives include: The E-Learning Program The Delta State University E-Learning Pilot Program was implemented in the 2004-05 school year as a new initiative of the Center for Teaching and Learning. During the pilot year, a certified Spanish teacher appropriately trained in distance learning techniques taught classes to 60+ students via an interactive video system. Because the pilot year proved to be very successful, additional funding to continue the program was sought and provided from the State Board of the Institutions of Higher Learning and the Mississippi Department of Education. The Technology Coordinator for the College of Education provides oversight for the E-Learning Program with the involvement of the Dean of the College of Education. The staff of the Center for Teaching and Learning supports the technical aspects of the program. Mississippi Public Broadcasting serves as the connectivity bridge between the school districts and the university while Delta State University provides financial and managerial oversight for the program. Participating school districts have provided appropriate classroom space and on-site equipment including computer access for students. Additionally, districts have purchased textbooks and workbooks, provided a classroom facilitator, and made technical support available as needed. The major components of the E-Learning Program include the following: •Two interactive video studios used to broadcast classes to area schools; •Fully certified faculty providing instruction in advanced courses; •Appropriate staff to ensure efficient operation and sufficient technology support; •State-of-the-art equipment for operations and broadcasts; •Training for Center faculty/staff and district personnel; and •Collaborative structures to foster strong communication among districts, university personnel, and Center staff. Five area high schools with a total of 208 students are currently enrolled in e-learning classes of Spanish I and Spanish II for the 2005-06 school year. TEK PAKS Although teacher candidates have the responsibility of including technology in their field experience lesson presentations, many Delta area schools do not provide the technology needed for teacher candidates to be successful in this aspect of their teaching. The Office of Field Experiences and the Center for Teaching and Learning have equipped TEK PAKS for student to check out and use during their field experiences. Each TEK PAK includes a digital still camera, a digital movie camera, a Tablet PC, and an LCD projector to provide teacher candidates with the most up-to-date technology tools needed for the immersion of technology into their lessons. The Portable Lab A portable lab with wireless connectivity and 20 state of the art lap top computers is available to faculty for use in their classrooms. Each lap top is equipped with all software applications available to students and faculty in the Center for Teaching and Learning training lab. The increasing use of technology by all programs in the College of Education has been evidenced by the large number of reservation requests for the training lab. The portable lab offers faculty members an alternate solution for technology use when the CTL training lab is not available. Mini-Labs Mini-Labs containing program-specific software and 5-8 computers have been provided through the CTL for several programs within the college. These labs allow faculty close proximity to computer use for research activities with their students. The labs provide an invaluable service in promoting student research activities in a user-friendly environment and support the belief that research can inform practice. Technology Assessment for Teacher Education and Leadership Preparation Programs The College of Education at Delta State University has created a Technology Assessment for Teacher Education and Leadership Preparation programs. The assessment consists of four modules, each of which assesses basic computer skills in the areas of word processing, multimedia presentations, telecommunications, and databases/spreadsheets. Students complete each module on the computer, banking each portion successfully completed and receiving the opportunity for instruction on portions needing remediation and reassessment. The successful completion of this assessment is a requirement for admission to Teacher Education and for completion of Leadership Preparation programs. The Learning Curve An increasing number of students come to Delta State University with deficiencies in one or more areas of basic skills. In an effort to assist these students, the College of Education has created The Learning Curve, a lab within a lab in The Center for Teaching and Learning. The Learning Curve provides computer-assisted instruction and technology support to students under the tutelage of the Tech Fellows. Faculty members send students to the CTL using referral forms noting areas in which student need improvement. Students receive instruction in generating programs and sites to help with their remedial areas. Successful remediation and assessment will be reported to the appropriate faculty member(s) and tracked by the CTL.