One of the real treasures for information on how instructional technologies are being used in higher education is the Academic Commons http://www.academiccommons.org/, "a community of faculty, academic technologists, librarians, administrators, and other academic professionals who will help create a comprehensive web resource focused on liberal arts education."
Sponsored by the Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts at Wabash College, the Academic Commons features an online publication, as well as collaborative tools for private and public member groups.
The third issue of the Academic Commons publication is now available and I was pleased to see that a number of articles discuss technologies that have been posted in this blog recently, including:
Using World of Warcraft and Other MMORPGs to Foster a Targeted, Social, and Cooperative Approach Toward Language Learning by Todd Bryant, Dickinson College
http://www.academiccommons.org/commons/essay/bryant-MMORPGs-for-SLA
"For foreign languages, games—especially massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs)—create a simulated environment of language immersion where students are given the opportunity to apply their language skills toward “real life” goals within an extensive context that is, by design, supportive of a wide variety of solutions."
Notes & Ideas: What Are You Implying About My First Life? Real Students, Virtual Space and Second Life by Christopher Watts, St. Lawrence University
http://www.academiccommons.org/commons/essay/watts-second-life
"A number of individuals and groups are exploring the educational potential of Second Life. The New Media Consortium, with the support of the MacArthur Foundation, has purchased a private island in the virtual world of Second Life and has built a campus there. "
Also of interest were two "vignettes" of educational uses of audio in podcasts and in MP3 files:
Using Student Podcasts in Literature Classes from Peter Schmidt, Swarthmore College
http://www.academiccommons.org/ctfl/vignette/using-student-podcasts-in-literature-classes
"Each podcast assignment consisted of a “podcast pair” (two podcasts); students made a five-minute reading of a passage from a novel, coupled with a five-minute discussion of that passage: why the student chose it, what details were most important, what themes and issues the passage raised, and how the passage related to the rest of the novel. These podcasts were posted on a server and all students in the class were required to listen to selected podcasts on what they were reading before coming to class discussions."
and
Digitized Audio Commentary in First Year Writing Classes by Susan Snipple, University of Cincinnati, Raymond Walters College
http://www.academiccommons.org/ctfl/vignette/digitized-audio-commentary
"Audio commentary on student writing can be produced in a variety of ways, from the low-tech method of recording comments on cassette tape, to producing MP3 files that can be burned on CD-Rs, e-mailed as attachments to students, or even placed in the Digital Dropbox on Blackboard course websites. In addition, MSWord offers the option of introducing audio inserts into computer files of student texts, using the “voice comment” menu selection on the reviewing toolbar."
Finally a little "plug" for me - if you read about a technology or instructional strategy you would like to try with your students, give me a call at 7-4182 or email me at paula.vincini@tufts.edu. As the instructional design specialist for University Information Technology - Academic Technology (UIT-AT), I am happy to consult with you.
