Information Technology Services News
- May 9, 2007
On April 9, 2007 Charter Communications installed new high-speed network connections among the Alton, East St. Louis, and Edwardsville campuses as well as a faster link to the Illinois Century Network, the University’s route to the Internet. Bandwidth from the University to the Internet has increase from 45 megabits per second to 92 megabits per second. Data among the three campuses now travels at 100 megabits per second. The University’s five year contract with Charter provides for additional bandwidth increases as needs grow.
The University has published a Request for Proposals to install fiber optic data cables from the central campus to each building at Cougar Village. When built, the new facilities will deliver faster, more reliable network service to student residents at the Village. Responses from contractors are due this month with construction anticipated during Fall Semester.
In order to implement mandates of the Illinois Auditor General, the University has expanded its use of Microsoft’s Active Directory technology. Every University-owned and –leased computer must become part of the University’s Active Directory structure by June 30. Approximately 63% of SIUE's Windows-based machines currently use ADS. A representative from the Office of Information Technology will contact each unit to make arrangements for service. In those situations where Active Directory is not technically feasible, alternative methods will be used. Active Directory will be used to ensure that all computers have
More information about Active Directory is available at http://www.siue.edu/its/ads/index.shtml or from the OIT Customer Support Center at x3739.
The idea started when faculty from the School of Nursing and Library and Information Services met to discuss adding live audio and video to Blackboard courses. The product of that meeting was a grant application to the Illinois State Library for $83,000 to fund the use of audio and video conferencing to teach information literacy competencies in the Nursing and Pharmacy Schools
The products chosen are Wimba Live Classroom and Wimba Voice Tools. Live Classroom combines state-of-the-art interactive technologies such as voice, video, application sharing, polling, and whiteboarding. Voice Tools enables faculty and students to embed vocal interactions into Blackboard pages.
The Wimba technology is being used for live library instruction, curriculum delivery, and faculty office hours. Library instruction sessions for the Nursing and Pharmacy courses began in February, using live audio. The Pharmacy students participated in live audio sessions in early March and discussed journals articles they were assigned to read. These students were in their clinical rotations in hospitals throughout the region. Beta testing of Wimba video began this month. Student response to the new technology has been very positive.
Grant investigators include Elizabeth Delfert (Project Director), Kathy Behm, Jennifer Vandever, Charlotte Johnson, and Lydia Jackson from Library and Information Services, Marjorie Baier and Gladys Mabunda from the School of Nursing, and William Wuller from the School of Pharmacy.
Wimba technology will be available to all faculty teaching Blackboard courses after July 1.
SIUE recently joined the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, an organization committed to advancing learning through innovations in information technology. ELI helps members focus on staying on the leading edge of teaching and learning practices by providing resources on teaching, learning, and technology, access to professional development opportunities, and a network of colleagues. At its Spring Focus Session last month in Raleigh, North Carolina, ELI members explored the pedagogical value and impact of online games, virtual worlds, simulations, and other “immersive learning environments”. ELI membership will assist SIUE in exploring new learning environments that use technology to improve the quality of teaching and learning, contain or reduce rising costs, and provide greater access to higher education.
As always, Campus Technology Policies are at http://www.siue.edu/campustechnology/policies/index.shtml .
