W O R K I N G S
TAYLOR JONES
I N N E R
the
FACULTY RESOURCE CENTER
turning professors into tech experts
By Michelle Martinez, ’01
PowerPoint. Digital imaging. HTML. Learning to use modern technological tools in the classroom requires a lot of hard work. Luckily, the Faculty Resource Center has the solution for professors at St. Edward’s who are not as tech-savvy as they would like to be. Located on the third floor of Moody Hall, the FRC helps faculty members integrate technology into classroom lectures and materials. The FRC houses Macintosh G5 computers and Windows PCs, flatbed and film scanners, audio and video editing equipment, and two new digital editing bays. In addition, the center offers software that faculty can check out. On any given day, educators stop by the office to learn how to build web pages, use new software or check their e-mail. Others use
the facility to edit digital footage for classroom presentations. “The assistance of the FRC staff stimulates me to continue to develop technological resources for my classroom,” said Associate Professor Paula Marks, ’78, who uses the FRC about four times a semester. “I also get to talk with other professors who are working in the center on more sophisticated presentations and follow their examples for developing projects.” The FRC, along with Student Computing, Technical Support Services, the Help Desk, the Web Team, Instructional Computing and Media Services, is part of Instructional Technology. Together, the groups provide support through computing and media labs, technical assistance in the use of hardware and software, and a range of training classes.
IT serves the university community by offering technical leadership, education and support essential for a premier learning environment. “We enjoy helping professors with their media needs,” said FRC Manager Eric Trimble, ’98. “It’s important to teach them how to use the equipment because as technology evolves, so do the needs of students.” Instructional Computing Coordinator Rui Li, Online Course Coordinator Lisa Barnett, Raul A. Cabezas, ’04, and Vidya Ved, MBA ’04, also assist faculty in the center. “The FRC is a wonderful resource for me as a technology-challenged professor,” said Marks. “I am increasingly able to use the technology at my disposal to enhance students’ learning experiences and my own in the classroom.”
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