OIT’s Learn IT @ Lunch series offers Duke faculty, students and staff an opportunity to get some information on new technologies in a relaxed setting. Two upcoming session might be of particular interest to Duke faculty:

• Wiki Tricks: DukeWiki Advanced Formatting – highly recommended for those interested in using Duke’s Wiki tool to better manage research groups, projects and documentation.
• VoiceThread – this session will be led by the developers of the VoiceThread tool: Monte Evans & Andrew Synowiez

Most students have cell phones, and more than half of all US undergraduates own an internet-capable handheld device and more plan to purchase one in the next 12 months (ECAR Research Study 2009). Why not use them?

How?  Here are three ideas:

Cell phones and internet-capable phones can be used as polling devices, like clickers, to engage students during class. Poll Everywhere will supply an easy to use interface for small classes for free, or large classes for a fee.

Students could access information during class, to contribute to discussions or to inform critical thinking. How? Students could query Google or Google Scholar, access the library or librarian, use news sources, or specific applications for your topic.

Leverage student interest in texting to learn about their thinking during class, by setting up a backchannel, like Hotseat at Purdue University. A teaching assistant or other instructor can monitor the backchannel, and alert you to questions, problems, and student interest at appropriate points in the class.

Come to a discussion of using mobile devices for education, both in and out of class, on the second Tuesday of each month.

It’s hard to go anywhere or listen to anything without hearing something about Twitter these days, but how does it apply in an academic setting? Can the same technology that was used to communicate during Iranian political protests, following their presidential election, be used to help students learn?

You and several other faculty members can explore that topic during monthly brown bag lunch sessions. We’ll talk about ideas of how Twitter can be used in your course and look at tools that can make using Twitter for teaching easier. The first one will be on September 10th at 12pm. Sign up to join us!

Read more about this year’s Duke Digital Initiative programs.

Now that many students carry a single device that can make phone calls, take pictures, record audio and video, store data, music, and movies, and interact with the Internet, how can we use this in teaching?  This fall, meet with other faculty to discuss and test ideas and software for using cell phones or other small devices in teaching.  We’ll meet once a month, for demonstrations and discussions.  Come and share your ideas and learn.

On Tuesday, September 8th at 10 am, we’ll discuss topics and ideas for this semester.  In addition, Owen Astrachan will talk about his plans for using Poll Everywhere, a simple polling system that uses student cell phones as “clickers” to gather student responses.  We’ll try it out.  Sign up to join us!

Read more from the Duke Digital Initiative.

Get more ideas and share the future of education.

Since its inception in 2004, the Duke Digital Initiative (DDI) has explored the application of a range of new and emerging technologies, including iPods and tablet PCs, in teaching and learning. Funded by the Provost’s Office, the program provides training and support to help faculty and students use the tools effectively.

This year’s DDI programs explore new ways to connect and collaborate using digital media, mobile devices and social networking tools.  Programs for 2009-10 are described on the DDI website and include:

• exploring web-based virtual collaboration such as online office hours, virtual guest speakers, web conferencing and more
• providing flexible web publishing for courses using WordPress MU
• investigating how Twitter could be used to support teaching and other academic work
• several options for learning about and using mobile devices students already have, in and outside the classroom
• creating new and flexible teaching spaces with micro-projectors so small they can fit in your pocket
• continuing to use the VoiceThread online media annotation tool to provide easy ways for students to share and comment on media from their instructors and classmates.

Undergraduate faculty interested in learning more or joining one of these explorations should visit the DDI website to apply, or contact cit@duke.edu.

Faculty and students interested in digital video can still check out a variety of equipment – including high-definition Flip video cameras, video camera kits and web cameras – available for loan at the Link in Perkins Library. No application process is necessary, but see the DDI website for specifics of availability.

To learn more, visit the DDI site: http://dukedigitalinitiative.duke.edu/