GoAnimate.com: THON identity by dhall1830
Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It’s free and fun!
It’s my first animation, so be kind. You may want to pause certain frames to read. The timing is a little quick. Enjoy.
by djm5121
GoAnimate.com: THON identity by dhall1830
Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It’s free and fun!
It’s my first animation, so be kind. You may want to pause certain frames to read. The timing is a little quick. Enjoy.
by djm5121
(Video taken from m2387’s youtube channel)
by Laura March
Background
Located in the Eisenhower Auditorium area of campus, Thomas Building was named after Joab Thomas, former president of Penn State. Offering seating for over 700, 100 Thomas offers sophisticated multimedia and computer technology for professors and students along with technical support for its use. Orientation and training sessions are available for all room users, both university faculty and outside parties interested in renting the space. 100 Thomas is used extensively each semester by University classroom courses, but is also available for student organizations, colleges and departments to reserve through the Student Activities Office in 125D HUB.
Physical Layout
Description
Comfortable seating, wide aisles, easy access to well marked exits, storage areas, and more. In terms of ADA accessibility, the back row of seats can accommodate a wheel chair or other mobility-enhancer, however not one of those who used them had any visible impairments. They seemed to fill up faster than other sections of chairs (esp. the front rows). The space is a wedge-shape, with about a 60 degree angle to the front of the room. It has one large screen at the front, and two podiums at the very front. The walls are different rectangular modules of green and white. There is also a ADA section in the front row of each side. You may notice that there is a single chair on the aisle side. This is to “mark” the row and give the wheelchair person someone to sit with if desired. The wheelchair can take the elevator down to the bottom level and come in the side door. There is certainly a unified “vanishing point” of instruction that would exist behind the screen at the front of the room; this is where the instructor is supposed to be positioned. The clock is located there, and the projector and sole computer are locked in the line of that vanishing point.
Impact on Learning and Teaching
In this video, Dr. Shannon Sullivan, department head of Philosophy, discusses the challenges, the benefits, and the implications for student learning. She discusses her difficulty accessing/engaging students in the back of the room (where, in our observation, most students sit), her navigation of the room’s technology, and the inherent limitations of a amphitheater-style lecture room.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q4xFfpPtEg
Based on our data, the room seems to be best fit for transmission-style, direct instruction from teacher to student. As addressed in the video, student-to-student interaction and teacher-to-student interaction are made difficult by the space, although there are certainly examples of ways to make the participation and engagement with and between students wide-spread.
Classroom Ambiance
Description
The classroom has no windows, and was kept somewhat chilly on a cold winter’s day. Many students kept their hats, scarves, and/or jackets on. Others placed their outerwear in empty seats, taking up extra seats. Fluorescent overhead lights made the room incredibly bright, washing out the screen projection. A sign on the inside door of the classroom demanded “No Food or Drink Allowed,” but multiple trash and recycling containers were placed around the room. Sounds resonated and seemed to echo across the large space, making coughs, sneezes, and murmurs easily audible.
Impact on Learning
While the space is quite large, the lack of natural light creates a bunker-like atmosphere. Perhaps the colder climate and bright lights are meant to keep the students alert and focused (instead of falling asleep, a very likely situation in a large lecture hall–see Penn State Meme below). However, the lighting washed out the screen projection, making it more difficult to see digital presentations. The sheer number of trash cans and recycling bins easily accessible across the room challenged the no eating policy. Bodily functions are never pleasant to hear, and the profusion of coughing and sneezing was quite jarring.
User Experience
Description
Comments about the use of the room vary among students and instructors. One student felt that for a large lecture hall, the wide aisles and upholstered seats made the space quite comfortable. She suggested that if you choose to sit close to the front, it had the feeling of a smaller classroom. Another student felt that there were only certain parts of the room that are conducive to participating (the front rows of sections), although the GAs roam around the room with microphones so student responses and questions can be heard. When taking an exam, students were given alternately colored test booklets and after only 30 minutes, students began to get up, hand in their exams and walk through the hall to the exit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkJn3GswUPg
Impact on Learning
If students have questions about the course content, asking can be difficult. You have to first have your need to ask a question acknowledged, then you must get the attention of a GA with a microphone. However, there are those bold enough to shout out a question from their seat, which two white males were observed doing. Would others be so audacious as to shout out? Two students interviewed, however, said that they had a good relationship with their instructor, having met with her on several occasions during office hours. The space, arguably, does not allow for close contact with the instructor. The lecture hall also does not lend itself to small group discussions.
Some professors have invited students to talk to the person beside them or stand and turn to a partner, but with 700 students, debriefing these experiences are difficult to personalize. When taking an exam, there were distractions as students finishing early begin to move to the front to hand in their testing materials and then exit to the rear. Thirty minutes into the exam, there was a lot of movement, clearly creating a distraction for those still working. From the instructors point of view, those who utilize 100 Thomas are often interested in using different types of media as part of their presentation. Professors, such as Sam Richardson, are able to use the space quite effectively by being willing to “walk” while instructing, asking for student participation and getting in close proximity to students. Amina, a teaching assistant in philosophy, illuminates these points from an instructional perspective.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CFq5G37z-Q
Technology
Description
100 Thomas offers a wide assortment of technology choices for instructors. A PC and Mac for projection purposes can both be running at the same time while also taking a texting survey. Music can be playing from an iPod or similar device as class is beginning by merely “plugging in” upon arrival. There is a microphone on the podium and also lapel mics are available. An interactive touch screen allows instructors to monitor their computer screen and interact as needed. The computer monitors are password protected for added safety. There are speakers behind the porous front screen, a large center channel speaker above the screen and two rows of round fill speakers embedded in the ceiling in the back to balance the sound throughout the space. Tools such as a digital document camera and laser pointers are also available. Clickers are also utilized in this space, but must be purchased by students. Settings to control the lighting have been modified to make the adjustment settings more user friendly. Outlets are located on both sides of the room and are also embedded in each student chair and in the ADA table space in the back of the room.
Impact on Learning
The plethora of technology available definitely provides an enhancement to learning in such a large space. Although there is often a significant amount of whispering and murmuring, the professor’s voice is still very audible through the microphone. PowerPoints are usually easy to follow, although one student shared that occasionally the PowerPoint doesn’t project properly and when that happens, it’s very difficult to follow the instructor’s lecture. Students are often able to purchase printouts of the PowerPoints ($20) but they are not eligible for buy-back. Clickers also impose a financial burden on students. Overall, the technology plays a central role in delivering the content and setting the stage for instruction in 100 Thomas.
Unexpected Issues or Positives
Description
The sheer number of students visiting 100 Thomas every day makes it a target for solicitors. During one visit on a Thursday afternoon, a young woman from a sorority (who was not in the class being held) stationed herself at the front door and passed out fliers to a charity event. Her organization assigned different members to this duty on different days. The cavernous room was also once home to a bat, and animal services had to be called and classes were canceled until it was captured. Much of the room’s equipment is publicly accessible, and the supervisory technician spends time reorganizing the setup before classes start in the morning. The space is first come, first served when classes are not scheduled. Since outside scheduling is completed separated from class scheduling, double-bookings occur.
Impact on Learning
Although we are constantly bombarded with promotional materials, students may feel uncomfortable fending off hustlers while entering a classroom. On the other hand, this method of advertising appeals to those who block out other means of communication. Catching a bat is one of the coolest reasons for canceling classes, although professors may not have been as amused with missing course time. Movable and accessible equipment also has its shortfalls. The supervisory technician recalled a time when the tables and podiums were moved and one of the wires broke. One quick fix that could easily solve a common issue is instating a better scheduling system that avoids double-booking the room.
Improvement Ideas
by Laura March
Our Occupy Learning assessment for 100 Thomas Building can be accessed through the following link:
https://sites.google.com/site/occupylearning/100thomas
We are asking you to do a little exploration into emerging technologies as teams. One of the better resources on the web for educators to tap into is Educause. They produce an excellent series called, “7 Things You Should Know About …” It is essentially a series of short white papers that answer seven simple questions about a given technology. On lots of levels it the first place we stop when researching a new technology in a teaching or learning context. Find the seven things series by visiting the Educause site (http://www.educause.edu/7Things).
With that in mind, we’d like you to look at a few of the ones they have there that perk your interests as a team. Once you’ve organized your thoughts a bit about it we’d like you to create and share a short YouTube video that lets us know the following:
If you don’t have a YouTube account, just create one and record your video. If you don’t have a webcam, all the machines in our classroom have one … otherwise, most of the campus labs have webcams available. Once your video is recorded on YouTube, you’ll use the Embed Code to create a new entry at the course site with your video in it. To embed a video follow these directions:
Your entry format field should look like this before adding your embed code:
Hi everyone … we have quite a bit to get working on today in class. The first thing we will do is get you into your teams. We used a very complicated method to make sure we had perfectly balanced teams — trust us, we use quite the method. We will then move to a discussion about our readings from last week that will move into the generation of your team’s first operational definition of community. We will turn you loose in the Knowledge Commons as teams for 30 minutes to work towards a single blog post that we will then share out in class.
Scott will then lead a discussion of about disruptive technologies as we begin to frame it in relation to our primary themes of the course. The remainder of class will be yours to work on your team video assignment.
Week 2: 1/17/2012 (Focus on Community)
Out of Class Assignments
by jfs199
Hi, I’m Julie Schappe. Some university documentation lists my full name as Julie Frear Schappe to accommodate shifting names on transcripts. Names are odd things – each of the components to my name have a fleeting quality, all having been changed in spelling form by one generation or another. Although I’ve lived in Pennsylvania for the past twenty years (and Ohio and New York before that), I consider myself a Michigan native. The best thing about moving to PA is the trees. I’m a nature lover and seeing treed areas rather than canvases of flat farmland (Ohio) or concrete walls (NYC) brought a sense of peace to my life and a daily reminder of the trees from my childhood in Michigan. However, I must admit that being in nature means that we are periodically complicitous in the cycle of life – our bird feeder acts as a regular feeding station for a pair of red tailed hawks that live in the woods behind the house.
My professional interests center on notions of meaning making entangled with ways we understand literacy, embodiment, places and social practices and cultural beliefs. I began my professional life in the business world; however, one too many flights and our move to PA prompted me to put my English literature and language degree to work. Fifteen years ago I transitioned to education and haven’t looked back. I’ve been lucky to work with students and teachers in a range of K-12 and university settings. My studies have evolved from a M.Ed. in Curriculum and a fellowship with the National Writing Project to my current Ph.D. studies in Language, Culture & Society within Curriculum & Instruction here in State College. Although I’m a full time student, I live in Harrisburg and commute to State College for classes and meetings. My husband, Steve, and I have three sons. With one still at home, commuting is the best avenue for our family.
Anything interesting about me? Well, I’m used to chaos and have been trained organically as an observer given my status as the youngest of six kids (including four brothers). I have a fair amount of emergency room experience – as a healthy companion – and tend not to be shy about risk taking. My dislike of roller coasters is not consistent with this image, but life is loaded with inconsistencies.
Technology is fascinating to me, but I am a pragmatic user. I embrace the technology that facilitates the way I wish to live. As such, I freely admit that I have chosen not to set up my voicemail on my iPhone. People who know me know that texting is my friend and voicemail has become a time sucker for me. In June, I happily became an iPad user and entered a new phase of productivity and play that pleases me in an aesthetic manner that I had not imagined. The touch technology, portability and access to readings, news, information, and Netflix does it all for me at the moment. My union with Apple was completed over the semester break with the conversion from PC to iMac. Play with devices attracts me, social networking platforms have not. Although I have a Facebook, I rarely check it. I use my Twitter as a news feed. I have not discovered how those particular networks will add to my life but am open to learning more.
Technology interests me not as an end in itself but in how it facilitates living, learning, and play. Thinking about contexts entangling teaching, learning, and technology raises the glimmering potential for purposeful play but also the specter of imposed tasks glorifying a facet of technology for its own sake losing the learner, the person, in the process. My interest is in exploring how technology may be used to bring the learner and her/his experiences to the forefront. Making connections is central to my interest in technology to disrupt the routine of learning that actually distances the learner from their needs and goals.
by mjc224
My official, full name is Mary Jayne Coon-Kitt, but I like to be called MJ. I’m originally from Meadville, located in northwest PA. I moved to State College in 1969 as a freshman at Penn State and never left the area. My master’s degree is also from Penn State in Curriculum and Instruction.
I play the violin in the Nittany Valley Symphony (www.nvs.org/). We have a concert coming up this month on the 28th. If anyone is interested, student tickets are only $5. I also play percussion in the Bellefonte Community Band, which is a growing group of local musicians. We currently have over 50 members (bellefonteband.net) in our band. Other interests include cooking, biking and cross country skiing. We have an adorable 3 year old dog named Ozziemae. She’s a cross between a golden retriever and black lab/mix. My husband’s name is Bernie. He owns and operates Kitt Accounting in downtown Bellefonte. We’ve been happily married for 25 years.
I’m taking this class because it was highly recommended to me by Becci Burns. I also am interested in teacher learning and obviously this course takes a close look at a very important component of teacher learning.
Something interesting about myself is that I have walked the Susan G Komen 60 mile Walk for the Cure twice, once this past September in Washington DC and four years ago in Philadelphia. Our team raised over $15K each time we walked. (the3day.org/)
I would say my comfort level with technology is “average”. I am willing to take risks with new technologies as long as I have someone to help answer questions for me when I get stuck. I’m part of the PDA group using iPads for supervision. I’m also on a committee that is exploring ways to motivate classroom teachers in SCASD to use Studio Code to study their own practice. I’m not, however, familiar with a lot of the social networks that we are going to be using in this course.
I think technology plays a huge role in teaching and learning. I supervise interns in sixth grade at the middle school and I am amazed at what the students do on a daily basis with technology. They work extensively in google.docs, using laptop carts. I was in two classrooms just last week in which students were either setting up or adding to their own website through google. (I’m learning a lot while I’m there.) There is a definite need for meaningful professional development for teachers in using the latest technologies that are available. Although I think the district does an admirable job providing pd, the needs are continuously changing and new pd is always needed.
Hi all and welcome to CI 598A, Disruptive Technologies (for teaching and learning). As you can imagine, today will be relatively light — introductions, a presentation, an overview of the primary technologies we will be using, and a few other house cleaning items. Today is really all about meeting each other and understanding what the course is all about.
Typically we will post a “Class Today” update 30 or so minutes before class each week that will outline what we are doing for the day. This is obviously one of those posts. This course is really about how we can work to come together as we explore the notions of community, identity, and design — especially how they intersect with both physical and online teaching and learning spaces. We will be doing quite a bit together over the next 15 or so weeks and it will seem like quite a bit at times. With that said, please know that both Scott and I are open to revisiting the design over the next several weeks.
Class Today
Out of Class Assignments
We will be taking advantage of the Penn State Yammer network for several parts of the course. Using Yammer is very similar to using Facebook, so it should be familiar to most. From yammer.com:
Yammer is a simple, scalable solution that lets employees share and connect with coworkers in a private, secure enterprise social network. Collaborate in teams, see what your colleagues are working on, share ideas and get feedback, create and edit content, and receive updates from other enterprise applications – all in one place.
We want to see how a private social network might work to support the work of a course. One of the first accounts we need you to create is your Penn State Yammer username. Getting started with Yammer is simple: