Information of Instructional Technology

IT Master of Science ProgramWhat is IT?

That’s a good question! Instructional Technology and Design is a rela-tively new field that combines ideas and practices from many different disciplines. Most people seem to agree that Instructional Technology and Design combines hardware, such as computers, with ideas, such as constructivism, in order to improve the teaching/learning process. Many people see Instructional Technology and Design as a field dedi-cated to innovation and change in education. Change Agents help peo-ple see the dynamic and powerful possibilities that technology offers. A good Change Agent will also help people anticipate and prepare for the inevitable problems associated with technology and change.

One way to define the field of Instructional Technology and Design would be to look at where Instructional Technologists and Designers work. Instructional Technologists work in a wide variety of environ-ments. Many work in Business and Industry as Instructional Designers or Media Developers. Instructional Designers work with subject-matter experts and production specialists to create instructional products such as training manuals, computer-assisted instruction, and instructional films. Media Developers produce graphics, multimedia, digital video and sound, and text to be used for the World Wide Web, CAI, and other

In This IssueMaster Program of Instructional Technology

NBC Learn K – 12

Coffee in the Cloud summer workshops

From the Director of Technology end of Year Technology Closeout Proce-dures

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November 11th. 2013 Volume 2,

November 11th,2013,Volume 2,Number 4

Huirui Chen/Editor

Cythis Baertich/Editor

Many Instructional Technologists and Designers work as Technology Specialists in Higher Education. These positions involve working with college faculty, administration, and staff to incorporate innovative technologies into the classroom. Instructional Tech-nologists in Higher Education often conduct train-ing workshops, work in the development of labs and other facilities, help faculty purchase and use hard-ware and software, assist in the delivery of distance learning courses, and help faculty develop grants.

Many people in the field of Instructional Technology and Design work in K-12 schools, often as a Technology Coordinator or Tech-nology Teacher. Technology Coordinators work at large schools or school districts and help teachers and administrators effectively use technology. Technology Coordinators typically help set up and maintain labs, administer networks, troubleshoot problems, conduct workshops, advise teachers on copyright law and soft-ware piracy, and work with vendors to order hardware and software. Technology Teachers usually teach one or more computer-related classes such as Tech Prep or Computer Discovery.

There are many other jobs in the area of Instructional Technology. Other popular careers in IT include sales, network management, evaluation, research, private consulting, and corporate training. To find out more about Instructional Technology, please contact IT faculty members at the USM Department of Curricu-lum, Instruction, and Special Education.

What is the M.S. in IT?

The Master of Science in Instructional Technolo-gy at The University of Southern Mississippi is a unique online systematic graduate-level study pro-gram with over 50% of the courses being offered online. The program designed for individuals who wish to become dynamic and innovative leaders in the field of instructional technology, whether

they are in the private or academic sector. The mission of the Master of Science in Instructional Technology is to prepare instructional technolo-gy professionals with a strong theoretical base and practical hands-on experience in the design,

development, implementation, management, and evaluation of leading-edge educational technolo-gies.

The Master’s program requires between 33-36 hours of post-baccalaureate work depending upon the selected graduation requirement. Courses within the program focus upon different areas such as instructional design, learning theory, multimedia development, Web-based education, and technol-ogy research and administration. Thus, students graduating from the program are qualified for the field because of their spansive background in instructional technology.

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The University of Southern Mississippi November 11th, 2013 Volume 2, Number 4

November 11th. 2013 Volume 2,

Look for a flyer in your mailbox, over the next day or so, introducing the first set of a series gust. Designed as either an introduction or refresher, these workshops are short two hour morning

sessions that focus on various WEB 2.0 tools and how to use them in teaching and learning. Some topics include: Envision Math, Google Docs, Strat-alogica, and NBC Learn. Come to one session or as many as you like...bring your coffee mug!

NBC Learn

NBC LearnK-12 is a part of digital offerings! Now the middle and high school will be able to access thousands of high-quality archival, original, and currents events videos from NBC LEARN K-12 for use in classroom instruction, student projects, and homework. There are over 12,000 resources for you to use including:

• Current Events and historic videos• News broadcasts and interviews• Hundreds of primary source documents• Images, charts, graphics, cartoons, and more

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November 11th. 2013 Volume 2, In working with teachers thisyear, I have hadthe opportunity ofhelping studentsuse MS Officeproducts, such asPublisher and Power Point, introduced video collaborations with other districts using SKYPE, watched as students in Kindergarten grew to be able to log onto our network independent-ly, and helped students understand the benefit of collaboration and e- portfolios. We have dipped our toe in the BYOD and Mobile Device pool and are beginning to integrate student response systems and web cam use in our lessons. With the enhanced net-work, fantastic IT support, and a myriad of new tools, technologies, and programs I am looking forward to what the 2012 – 2013 school year holds!

that are not ceiling mounted, on the student com-puter table in the classroom. Projector remotes should be stored in your top desk drawer, which should remain unlocked.

Smartboards

If you disconnect the cable that connects the Smart-board to your computer, please disconnect from the computer and drape the cable over the Smartboard. Many Smartboard cables have been lost in the past and they take time and money to replace.

Laptops

If you are not planning on taking your laptop home over the summer, please label both the computer and the case with your name, building, and class-room number and drop it offin the technology department at the District Of-fice prior to the end of the school year. They will be cleaned up, reimaged, and ready for pick up no earlier than two weeks prior to the start of the school year. If you do plan on taking your laptop home then you must bring your lap top to the tech department no later than two (2) weeks before the start of school so that it can be cleaned and reim-aged. Please be sure that all cords are included and the equipment is clearly labeled.

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Coffee in the Cloudsummer workshops

From the Director of Technology end of Year Technology Closeout Procedures

Over the summer, enhancements to our technology will take place. There is a computer reimaging plan which is designed to improve overall efficiency and effectiveness of the programs currently used. In order to ensure a smooth school opening in September, and to improve your technology experiences, classroom closure procedures pertaining to your technology have been established. These procedures have been designed so that classrooms will be instructionally ready upon your return to school in the fall.

Classroom Equipment

This includes but is not limited to; computers, mon-itors, projectors, remotes, cables, printers, Smart-boards. All building technology is room specific and cannot be moved from room to room, regardless of whether you change your classroom or not. If you are moved to another room then you will use the equipment that is assigned to that particular room. It is also important that no equipment, cords, or cables be locked away as the technicians have no access to locked cabinets, desks, or drawers. Locking equipment away will result in a delay in having your room ready when school reopens.

Teacher Data

After the migration to the new network had taken place, all data should have been saved to the teachers network (H) drive. However, in the event anything was saved to the computer locally, (c) drive, that data will not be saved and teachers are advised to back this data up if they wish to keep it as all computers will be wiped over the summer. Going forward teachers should save to their network drive.

Projectors that are not ceiling mounted

Please leave projectors along with cables and cords,