Updated: SmartBoard & Clickers

ITS has completed installing SmartNotebook (the Smartboard software) and Turning Point (the clickers software) on all of the 97 Lab computers. SmartNotebook should be available on the desktop of every computer and Turning Point 2008 is listed in Programs in the Start Menu under Turning Technologies. So at this point any students that wish to experiment with SmartBoard and/or clickers can create, view and work with presentations on any 97 Lab computer.

We will now be promoting these services on the blog and the featured content section of the homepage. I have created a guide to help students, faculty and all of us become more familiar with using these technologies. Please take a look at it and let me know if you have any questions.

Also, please review Belinda's post on the process of checking out the Clicker set that is on reserve.

Aimee

Lion Heads will once again be in use for Chinese New Year celebrations

As the Chinese New Year approaches, students in the Chinese program will once again be using the lion heads for various practices and events. Students will be coming mainly on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning on Tuesday, January 19. All they really need is to have the cases opened. The key for the cases is in the key box on a yellow tab, #46. Whoever is on desk when the students arrive on Tuesday will need to unlock the cases for them. Once they take the lion heads, just re-lock the empty cases and put the key back in the key box. When they return with the Lion Heads, they will again need to have the cases opened - but they will be responsible for "arranging" the Lion Heads in the cases.

Clickers

There are now clickers on reserve. These are intended primarily for students who would like to learn how to use them and to practice using them in the '97 lab. At this time, the software is loaded only on the "instructor's" computer, but we have requested that ITS load it (and the SmartBoard software) on all computers in that lab.

We have placed the clickers on reserve as two sets:

The smaller set is in a see through plastic pouch. This set contains the transmitter and 3 clickers. It is intended for those who are just learning to use the system and only need a few clickers to practice. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WHEN THIS POUCH IS RETURNED, THE STUDENT ASSISTANT OR STAFF MEMBER CHECKING IT IN MAKES SURE THAT THE TRANSMITTER IS WITH THE SET!

The other set is in a black carry case. This contains the rest of the clickers (37) and would be used, in addition to the pouch, by those who are actually using the set with a full class.

Both sets are "cataloged" individually, and when someone checks out both, you need to be sure to check out both sets in Voyager.

Finally, we have marked these as "in house use." However, there may be situations where a faculty member (or even a student) may need to take them out of the building for use in another classroom. This is fine, as long as they understand that these are intended for short-term use. If a set is needed for a longer period of time, the faculty/student should contact Tom in IM.

Please let me know if you have questions/suggestions.

HST 111 assignment

I did an instruction session with the HST 111 class today, and I wanted to make you aware of the resources that they may need in order to complete their "annotation assignment." Dr. Keating has given them links to three online primary source documents, and they are to select a piece of that document and complete an annotation on it. The annotation will consist of checking a fact (historical figure, date, place, action, event, etc.) and writing about it specifically and then in the general context of the history they are studying. What they might be looking for your help with is finding a reference resource that helps them verify the fact that they have selected from the document. I have put together a LibGuide listing all of the resources I talked about in the session this morning. It is a tab on the History subject guide, and it's labeled "HST 111." As I pointed out to them, I'm sure that there are other sources in our collection that might help them as well, but these are some good starting places. One of the main considerations is selecting a reliable/authoritative source (not Wikipedia!). Please let me know if you have questions/suggestions.

Harvard Business School Case Studies

I'm recycling a post from last year. It appears this issue, or one similar to it, is popping back up again. The two cases I've been asked about refer to a Wii and Starbucks. We assume they are available in the bookstore as the ones in the past were, but haven't received conformation on that. All we know is that we don't have access to them and they are not available through ILL.

As happens periodically, we are getting questions from Prof. Woodruff's students about accessing/borrowing Harvard Business School Case Studies. These are not available through Oesterle Library, and we cannot borrow them via interlibrary loan. These are materials that the students need to purchase, and they are available from the NCC Bookstore. If you get questions from these students, please direct them to the bookstore.