Data Security

Yes, this blog is back.

Saw two interesting items on data security. The first is about security of physical devices - particularly Flash drives.

A second one is on hackers getting in to systems to steal information.

The security of our data is everyone's concern. Do not leave flash drives lying around. Do not have easy passwords. Do not put passwords on a sticky note on your monitor.

Basically: do not make it easy for someone to break in!

WCU Campus IT News

These items were in the Provost's e-mail newsletter.

• The student computer lab in Hunter is now on the ground floor rather than the main floor
• The PAWS server is being upgraded - be in touch with IT Services if you have materials you use on the PAWS server
• A CMS Review Task Force has been established to review the various course management system alternatives (e.g. Blackboard, Moodle, Sakai, etc.) and recommend our future direction. In other words: it is possible we will switch from WebCat at some point.

Training Opportunities in January

HR has a new website to inform us about training opportunities AND to register for them:

www.wcu.edu/hr/training

They have Technology and Classroom Training in the near future, including:

• Introduction to SchoolVue
• BLOGS
• How to Use the Electronic Classroom Hardware

I'll be in the Blogs class myself.

Teaching and Learning: What does Technology Have to Do with It?

[I like the perspective on "technology" and education, and it sounds like an interesting training/workshop opportunity. -Lee Nickles]

Teaching and Learning: What does Technology Have to Do with It?

Ray Schroeder
Director, Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning
Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois at Springfield

When most people think about teaching and learning, they conjure up images of classroom engagement between student and faculty member using a black or white board; reading books; taking notes on paper; and typing papers. Each of these images involves technologies: blackboards; whiteboards; books; pen and paper; typewriter or computer. Technology tools have always been a part of the teaching and learning process. From pre-history to today, they are integral to the way in which humans store information and help to build knowledge.

From drawings on cave walls to cuneiform tablets, the leaps in technology afforded significant benefits. Cavemen (and women) drew and scratched on cave walls, in part to illustrate concepts and techniques. Those cave walls were not "mobile" technologies. As civilization evolved, "mobile-learning" technologies came about. I can only suppose that the clay cuneiform tablets dating back six millennia were used by Sumerians to teach and learn. But, those tablets certainly must have been awkward, heavy, and required time for the clay to dry (or be fired for a more permanent record). Over time, the clay cuneiform tablets were replaced by the equivalent of the iPod — the new technology of papyrus, which was much lighter and on which the ink dried instantly. Later, there were erasable wax tablets followed by a continuous stream of ever-evolving, ever-improving technologies.

Imagine the burden on the teachers of shifting from clay to papyrus; from papyrus to wax. A busy teacher would hardly have the time to learn how to best use the new technology and what advantages it afforded to students. Becoming facile with the stylus was hard enough, but then having to learn to use a pen was just over the top! And, building the infrastructure to supply the ink and replacement pens, let alone sheaves of papyrus must have seemed insurmountable!

From the very beginnings of civilization, technology has had a central communication role in facilitating information transfer and knowledge-building. Certainly, this is no more true than today. We are confronted with an accelerating array of new technologies. Many of these provide significant enhancements to information exchange, retention of data, and the building of knowledge. And the same is true with the new technologies of today.

The challenge remains in finding ways to most efficiently teach technology to the teachers so that they can best use these new technologies to do their work better. Just as we teach our students in groups — thereby drawing upon the collective wisdom and the range of questions of the diverse group of learners — there are advantages to teaching the teachers in groups. The diversity of the group can create a fertile ground to grow broader and deeper understandings of how the technologies might best be used. That is the principle underlying our approach to Sloan-C workshops. Learning together, we will build greater knowledge and support networks as we move beyond the cuneiform to Web 2.0.

(Join Sloan-C in our online workshop- Technology Bootcamp – February 6 to March 7. Burks Oakley II and Ray Schroeder of the University of Illinois and John Bourne of Sloan-C will host.)

Source: Sloan-C electronic newsletter, Volume 7 Issue 1 - January 2008, ISSN 1541-2806

The Sloan-C View is published by Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C™). Responsibility for the contents rests with the authors and not with Sloan-C™. Copyright ©2007 by Sloan-C™.

Book Review: Digital Portfolios: Powerful Tools for Promoting Professional Growth and Reflection

This book provides a very surface level look at using digital portfolios as a professional development tool for teachers. The chapters covered the use of portfolios in professional development of educators (very broad and jargon-y), the need to have a digital portfolio (5 pages to say what you could in one paragraph), defining a personal vision (useful), specific steps in creating a portfolio (best part), covering the technology used to create portfolios (woefully lacking in detail), presenting your portfolio to the world (some good parts, especially on including material by children), evaluating the portfolio (lacking in detail), “sharing the knowledge” (not sure what the main idea was of this chapter), and the potential for development through portfolios (sketchy vision).

Another problem I had with the book is the references used to support it. Several appear to be non-peer reviewed reports posted on websites (typically on the author’s website). Others only weakly support the point made in the text (in my opinion). There were many statements in the book that I hoped would be backed up in some way (by references or logical argument), but were not. Does all this mean the authors are wrong? No, but it means support for some claims they make is weak.

The paperback itself is workbook sized and fairly sturdy. The larger page size is a good call considering the frequent use of tables and figures. So, the physical book is good quality.

I can’t really recommend it as I’m not sure who it would be useful to. It’s not detailed enough for practitioners and I assume theoreticians would already know all this. Two stars.

Book Review: Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms

This book gives an introduction to a number of Internet-based tools and how they can be used by teachers. The focus tends to be on K-12, but the principles are applicable (generally) to other settings, including higher education.

The author covers blogs, wikis, RSS, social bookmarking, Flickr, and podcasting. Some strengths of this book include:
-Solid introduction to each tool for those not familiar
-Simple "how to" to get started with each tool
-Good pointers to resources, especially the free ones
-Some commentary on the significance of these tools that goes beyond "gee whiz"

Some weaknesses:
-In spite of a focus on K-12, there was little discussion of how to use these tools to support specific educational standards. Granted, that's a huge task, but some examples would be nice. Then again, if you "get" the tools, that exercise is for the reader.
-Huge emphasis on blogs, much shorter entry on podcasting. I can only guess that the author wrote about what he knew most about.

Overall: if you're a teacher (or technology coordinator) and are a relative newcomer to these tools, this is a very good place to start. 4 stars. Feel free to borrow my copy.

Training from the Faculty Center

As you plan for 2008, check out the following CFC events and resources:

1) Macintosh Refresher Course, January 9 from 1:00 to 3:00 in the Cordelia Camp Building, Room 143

The Coulter Faculty Center is offering a workshop to get you familiar with using a Macintosh Macbook Laptop. These laptops are going to be used for the Digital Campus Academy (see #2 below). If you have not used a Mac laptop before, you should register for this course so that you will be up to speed on using one before the DCA event.

To register, please go to http://blog.wcu.edu/DCA/macintro

2) The Digital Campus Academy, January 10 and 11, 2008, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM in the Cordelia Camp Building, Room 143

Join us for a hands-on, project-based, two-day course of study designed to provide higher education faculty with practical and immediately useable skills and knowledge on 21st century teaching and learning. Macbook Laptops will be available for use or bring your own. Limiting seats available. For more information and to register online, please go to http://wiki2.wcu.edu/groups/digitalcampus/wiki/88554/Digital_Campus_Academy_Invitation.html



3) Online Course Development Day, January 8, 2008 from 9:00—4:00 in Hunter 186 and Hunter 156. Teaching online for the first time? Need to make changes to an existing course or learn some techniques to enhance student engagement? Both mini-presentations and working sessions are included in the day-long workshop. Consult and collaborate with other online teachers and with Faculty Center staff. For more information and to register online, please go to http://www.wcu.edu/it/workshops/display.asp?qryid=CourseDevelopmentDay

4) Creating a Syllabus to Support Synthesis of Student Learning, January 9, 2008 from 9:00—10:30 and 10:30—12:00 in Hunter 156

Bring an existing syllabus or create a new one for printing or online. FREE syllabi resources provided. For more information and to register online, please go to http://www.wcu.edu/it/workshops/display.asp?qryid=Syllabus

Please find a Spring 2008 Syllabus Calendar at the following link.. Click on Syllabus Calendar: http://facctr.wcu.edu/TeachingandLearning/SyllabusResources/index.html

5) Take a break from winter doldrums and join us at the first Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Retreat, February 23-24 at the Nantahala Inn and Resort. Beginners and those with more experience in SoTL are encouraged to participate. Attendance is limited and on a first-come basis so make plans now. To learn more, visit http://www.wcu.edu/facctr/sotl/events/sotlretreat/sotl2008/index.htm In the left menu find the preregistration link or click here: http://www.wcu.edu/facctr/SOTL/Events/SoTLRetreat/SoTL2008/login.asp


6) If you missed the web conference Collecting, Analyzing, and Using Faculty Evaluation Data on November 16, 2007, check out the online archived version in iTunes University. This archive and related resources will be available until January 27th, 2008. For additional information and instructions to view, please go to http://www.wcu.edu/facctr/webconf.htm

7) If you missed instructional developer Amy Martin’s workshop on plagiarism, you will find the podcast at this link
https://deimos.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/BrowsePrivately/wcu.edu.1418648407.01418648413.1419840794?i=1330974162

8) Don't forget the next round of Microgrant Applications are due Tuesday, January 15 at 5:00. Click here for details:
http://facctr.wcu.edu/OtherFacultyServices/GrantsAwards/micrograntguidelines.html