Academic Computing Offers Courseware Development Service

By Aaron Price, ACS Documentation Services Assistant (price@cc1.unt.edu)

Bringing technology to the classroom is becoming easier thanks to a new service being offered by Academic Computing Services. The Computing Center has begun working with other Academic departments at UNT to develop software platforms that students can use as supplementary learning tools for classes.

The designers of the programs will create interactive learning sessions consisting of information provided by the instructor of a particular class. Students can then use these programs at their own pace to learn and study the material.

Beginning last summer The Computing Center has been working with Professor Allen Jackson of the Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation to develop a software platform that would supplement the teaching of PHED 1000, Scientific Principles and Practices of Health-Related Fitness.

This project is funded by a grant Professor Jackson secured and by matching funds provided by the Computing Center. The project is targeted to be completed by August of 1995.

We want to create a computer supplement to the lecture material. We are taking material from lecture notes and creating an interactive lesson guide, Neale said. This lesson guide will cover all of Jackson s lessons.

Dr. Jackson provides an outline of the information that is to be included to project designer Jenny Jopling. She takes that information plus notes from classroom lectures and designs screen layouts that are given to Eriq Neale. Jopling uses multimedia programs such as Photoshop, Superpaint, Premiere, Corel Draw, Harvard Graphics, and others to design the pages and graphics. She plans to work with Cad and 3D-Studio for 3D computer animation on a future project.

In the next step Neale programs the screen layouts on a Macintosh using Authorware and then gives those to Joseph Hoffmann. It is Hoffmann s job to convert the Macintosh programs to IBM- PC format and make the changes and updates needed on both the Macintosh and PC platforms.

When the project is completed, students taking the class will be able to use the program in a computer lab or check out a CD-ROM disk containing the material for use on home computers. If students prefer this learning method they can use the software to actually replace those lectures.

It will also help solve the problems of overcrowded classrooms by allowing students more freedom to learn material on an individual basis.

We are focusing on the core subjects since they are typically the larger size classes. Software is more personal than a classroom with 500 people. This provides students with the benefit of a professional expert and it won t monopolize the time of teachers with large-scale classes, Dr. Philip Baczewski, Assistant Director of Academic Computing, said.

The Computing Center is also involved in developing an interactive program with the School of Rehabilitation. However, this program does not focus on a single class but on five different disabilities as an assistance tool to train counselors.

The first segment, about deafness and hearing impairment, is due to be completed by August of 1995. The following four segments are scheduled to be completed over the next two years. This program will be distributed to other institutions of higher learning and to the Texas Rehabilitation Commission field offices throughout the state.

These are our first projects and we hope they will be a springboard to show others what we can accomplish and get some interest from others, Neale said.

The Computing Center Interactive Learning DevelopmenTeam consists of Eriq Neale, Joseph Hoffmann, and Project Manager Jenny Jopling. The Managerial Steering Committee consists of Dr. Philip Baczewski, Assistant Director of Adacemic Computing (baczewski@ unt.edu) and Dr. Paul Gandel, Senior Director of Academic Computing (gandel@unt.edu).

Contact Jenny Jopling (565-4462) if you are interested in this new program. She will be glad to answer any questions you may have. The Computing Center will also help with locating funding for any projects undertaken.

The next issue of Benchmarks will feature more information about this project and interactive multimedia program development.

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