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VCU is closed for the Winter Break for the period of December 22 through January 2, 2005. If you need technical assistance during this time please call the AT Help Desk at 828-2227 or leave a message at http://www.at.vcu.edu/helpdesk/
AT staff will frequently check messages left at the Help Desk throughout the Winter Break. Have a happy holiday!
Academic Technology Instructional Development Center Reaches Out to Faculty in Qatar
VCU faculty in the School of the Arts, who teach on the Qatar campus, expressed the need for training in the use of Blackboard. To address this need, the Instructional Development Center is experimenting with various technologies which enable live presentations via the internet. Products that are being tested allow trainers to share their desktop and interact with remote classes or users via voice and video. Although there have been some technical issues, tests have been successful. This technology is exciting and promises to allow enhanced communication of this nature as needed. In addition, travel time, long distance and international telephone charges and other expenses may be greatly reduced.
On December 1, 2004, Sheila Chandler presented an overview of Blackboard to faculty in Dohar, Qatar via NetMeeting. On Dec. 8, 2004, Bud Deihl met again with that group to teach the first Introduction to Blackboard class from his desktop on the Monroe Park campus. Sheila Chandler assisted by monitoring the class as a student to test any delay in transmission. It is worth noting that in addition to the communication technologies, Blackboard was being used to teach the use of Blackboard as a course management tool.
Bud Deihl teaching Blackboard to faculty in Dohar, Qatar (Dec. 8, 2004)
For the Dec. 8 class and for further testing throughout December and January of next year, FutureU and Steve Saltzberg are allowing us to pilot test Elluminate to meet this need. So far, the results have been very rewarding.
Feedback from faculty and technical support staff in from Qatar, as well as other participants in West Virginia and on the Monroe Park Campus has been positive. Our next class will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 15 with a follow-up in early January.