In 2011, 13 proposals were submitted to the Innovations in Teaching with Technology Awards. The Academic Technology Advisory Council awarded a total of $100,000 for the following four proposals.
TILE-Configured Audiovisual Workstations for Gross Anatomy Laboratory Instruction
Justin Sipla, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, was awarded $25,170 to boast improvements to the teaching space, enabling active and collaborative learning, increased faculty interaction, and student engagement, consistent with the goals of TILE design. The gross anatomy lab underwent a major renovation and modernization project sponsored by ACB. The budget for this project included upgrades to basic power, lighting, and audiovisual systems, and remodeling of communications infrastructure using principles of the TILE classroom. We use the TILE designation informally and stress that the Anatomy Lab is not becoming a true TILE classroom, but that the designers and engineers involved in this project are using TILE principles to create physical and technology enhancements for the teaching spaces.
Stage Manager Calling Simulator, Phase 2
David McGraw, Department of Theatre Arts, was awarded $17,000 to continue creating a simulator for stage managers calling theatrical cues. In the performing arts, part of a stage manager's role is to verbally signal all lighting, sound, special effects, and stage automation sequences. On a normal theatrical production, a stage manager may verbally call 300 to 700 cues and trigger another 20 to 50 cues through a switchboard of signal lights. It is difficult to teach students how to successfully call a show due to the production and labor costs of a live performance. It also would be very dangerous to place an inexperienced student in the calling position due to the safety concerns of moving scenery and automation.
Transforming Introductory Astronomical Laboratories to Active Learning
Robert Mutel, Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Cornelia Lang, Physics and Astronomy, received $32,000. Undergraduate students in physical science laboratories can be challenged by difficult concepts and unfamiliar instruments and software. This project will address these problems by revising the introductory astronomy laboratory curriculum to use active learning methods and to include a more hands-on approach to the labs. This project will update and supplement classroom technology to facilitate active learning, transform student work areas to spaces for team work, enhance the existing robotic telescope facilities, and support students to help Mutel and Lang develop the new curriculum.
Internet-Controlled Cell Printing Platform for Interactive Biomanufacturing in Engineering Curriculum
Ibrahim Ozbolat, Department of Industrial Engineering, was awarded $25,830 to build upon a previous Office of the Provost funded proposal in laboratory development for engineering undergraduate curriculum. This project aims to develop a web-accessed interactive cell printing platform for effective teaching in biomanufacturing and automation systems. If successful, this project will maneuver the efforts toward integration of new technology and development in science into digital teaching.