Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Your Favorite Applications

What is your favorite application? A recent article in the Chronicle by ProfHacker, Brian Croxall, lists a number of helpful applications and invites you share your favorites.

Mine are Jing by TechSmith and Prezi. Jing is a screen image and video capture software that allows you to make short videos of what you are doing on your computer. The interface is simple and direct. Prezi is a new presentation software that allows for a more conceptually meaningful presentation (in my opinion). The interface is intuitive and fun.

What are your favorites?

Innovative Pedagogy & Course Redesign Conference


Check out this conference on course redesign and innovative pedagogy. Some of you might wish to apply.

We are delighted to invite you to submit a proposal for our 11th annual summer conference, Learning in Action: Innovative Pedagogy & Course Redesign XI, Wed. – Fri. June 1-3, 2011. 

Our theme this year is “Learning in Action.”  While all submissions are welcome, we especially encourage team and cross-disciplinary presentations.  We welcome you to consider presenting your own projects in concurrent paper sessions, in a panel discussion, or through a hands-on demonstration.  Submit a 350 word proposal (with 50 word abstract) by Fri. Apr. 8; see our for details: http://www.fairfield.edu/cae/cae_conference.html

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Ableism & Universal Design for Learning

Please see the post below about a course design workshop offered at UNF:


The Division of Student Affairs, the Disability Resource Center, and Intergroup Dialogue (a component of the Institute for Values, Community, and Leadership) have collaborated to sponsor the Ableism & Universal Design for Learning workshop scheduled 10 – 11:30 a.m. Friday, April 15 in the Student Union, Building 58E, Room 2100. This workshop is part of an identity development series that offers one workshop per semester exploring a different social identity pertinent to the work of UNF employees. 

To register log onto the myWings portal and click on “CPDT Class Register (Training)” in the Quick Links channel on the Home tab. For more information, contact the Center for Professional Development and Training at ext. 1707 or mailto:training@unf.edu

Engaged Department Grant Program Deadline

The submission deadline to apply for the Community Engaged Department Institute and Grant Program is 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 23. Departments are encouraged to apply for funding to develop, strengthen and integrate sustainable Community-Based Transformational Learning initiatives into their academic curriculum. Selected department teams will participate in a planning institute and will be eligible for grants up to $12,000 to implement planned curricular changes. For additional information and a copy of the application, visit http://www.unf.edu/ccbl/Community-Based_Engaged_Department_Grant_Program.aspx. Notification of grant recipients will be Friday, April 15. Technical assistance is available to all potential applicants. To arrange a consultation, contact Tracey Funtanilla at ext. 3545 or mailto:t.funtanilla@unf.edu.

UNF Community Scholars Program Application Deadline

The submission deadline to apply for the Community Scholars Program is 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 23. The program is a professional “community of practice” to support faculty members and student-affairs professionals in the practice of Community-Based Transformational Learning (CBTL) forms of instruction. Participation will enhance a participants’ knowledge of and proficiency in CBTL instruction and will articulate strategies to diffuse CBTL pedagogies using evidence-based practices. Full-time, tenured, tenure-earning and non tenure-earning faculty members and student-affairs professionals with interests in CBTL are eligible to apply (some restrictions apply). Information and applications can be found at http://www.unf.edu/ccbl/Community_Scholars_Program.aspx. For more information, contact Heather Burk at mailto:hburk@unf.edu or ext. 3549.

Diversity Conference in Cape Town

See the announcement below on an upcoming Diversity Conference:


ELEVENTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITIES AND NATIONS     
University of the Western Cape     
Cape Town, South Africa      
20-22 June 2011       

The Diversity Conference has a history of bringing together scholarly, government and practice-based participants with an interest in the issues of diversity and community. The conference examines the concept of diversity as a positive aspect of a global world and globalized society. Diversity is in many ways reflective of our present world order, but there are ways of taking this further without necessarily engendering its alternatives: racism, conflict, discrimination and inequity. Diversity as a mode of social existence can be projected in ways that deepen the range of human experience. The conference will seek to explore the full range of what diversity means and explore modes of diversity in real-life situations of living together in community. The conference supports a move away from simple affirmations that 'diversity is good' to a more nuanced account of the effects and uses of diversity on differently situated communities in the context of our current epoch of globalization.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Scholars Transforming Academic Research Symposium


The Scholars Transforming Academic Research Symposium (S.T.A.R.S.) will take place from noon to 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, March 22, in the Student Union Ballroom, Building 58W, Room 3703. S.T.A.R.S. is an annual showcase of research excellence highlighting faculty, staff, administrators and graduate students across all disciplines within the University community. This event will include oral presentations, poster presentations and roundtable discussions. The theme for this year’s symposium is “Growing Your Legacy.” This event is free to the UNF community, however, pre-registration is required. To register for a session, visit https://survey.unf.edu/survey/se.ashx?s=5A1E27D264520C89 or call the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs at ext. 2455.

eBooks becoming more streamlined

Talk in a recent report indicates that eBooks may be more accessible in the future. The variation of formats for readers and eBooks has hindered the growth of the eBook option on college campuses. A recent report suggests that companies are working together to straighten out the differences and make eBooks a more viable option for colleges.

Do you offer or require eBooks for your courses? What barriers have you experienced? Are you hoping for this technology to become more common at UNF?

Note that UNF subscribes to SkillSoft through MyWings (bottom right-hand corner when you log in). This service provides access to a number of eBooks as well as access to technical skill training (all free to students and faculty).