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New technology for education GAY RIGHTS ACTIVISTS LIGHT THE WAY Ole Miss School of Education students are being prepared for classroom settings in a unique, interactive way. BY Houston Brock thedmnews@gmail.com
In its second semester in The University of Mississippi’s School of Education, TeachLive is preparing future teachers in an innovative way. TeachLive is a simulation program that allows education students to gain experience in the classroom. Using Skype, students are asked to give a 10-minute presentation to avatars displayed on a screen. The avatars are controlled by humans that the student teacher cannot see. Larry Christman, adjunct instructor in teacher education, could not confirm that the people who control these avatars are actually children, but he did say that the responses and movements were authentically human. Christman, a former principal at Oxford Elementary, said he thinks the TeachLive program is a great way for students to get teaching experience. “The juniors have not done any public speaking
where they’re up in front of people,” Christman said. “It’s also their first introduction to classroom management.” The program simulates a variety of children’s personalities. One of the kids is a special education student. The pre-service teachers must make adjustments for their needs without making it obvious to the rest of the students. Talkative, disruptive or quiet children make appearances as well, and the teachers have to teach their lesson plans to the avatar students while keeping them under control. The teachers’ movements are documented through two motion-detector cameras that are set up in the classroom and correspond to the virtual classroom displayed in front of them. Junior elementary education major Angela Rushing completed her second lesson plan on Tuesday. She said the first time was a learning experience for See TEACHLIVE, PAGE 3
PHOTOS BY THOMAS GRANING (TOP) AND AUSTIN McAFEE (BOTTOM) | The Daily Mississippian
Tuesday night, gay rights activists gathered in front of Oxford’s federal courthouse during the Light the Way to Justice Candlelight Vigil. The event was organized by Barbara Bugg, a representative of GetEqual Mississippi. On Wednesday afternoon, Ole Miss faculty and students filmed an “It Gets Better” video on the steps of the Lyceum. The video is a part of the online campaign that supports LGBT youth. These events illustrate support for equality and coincide with the U.S. Supreme Court’s hearings concerning California’s Proposition 8 and the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act.
Library ambassadors reach out through textbook drive UM Library Ambassadors is working with WorldWide Book Drive to collect books throughout the semester, including two events during finals week. BY Kayla Carpenter krcarpen@go.olemiss.edu
Of the multiple events hosted throughout the semester by the Ambassadors, the textbook drive is one of the biggest and will be an ongoing project. “Worldwide contacted me because they heard about what we were doing with this group and how it was really big on our campus,” Library Ambassadors adviser Amy Mark said. “They provide free shipping (to Worldwide) and help us keep up with how many books count for the fundraising.” According to the J.D. Wil-
liams library website, the Library Ambassadors are a group that represents and promotes the library at campus events and raises awareness of the library’s program and service. Worldwide Book Drive will pay $1 to the Library Ambassadors for each book that is less than 5 years old, and the money will fund additional programs for the group. There are currently several bins around campus for students to drop off books. “There are bins located in the Union, in the library and by Starbucks,” Mark said. “Although our emphasis is on
textbooks, we take any kind of books, so students can get rid of those books that they don’t need anymore.” According to its website, Worldwide Book Drive is a social venture, not a nonprofit organization. This is not the first time the group has worked with the organization. “Last semester we did a book drive through this organization to benefit (the) American Association (of) University Women in order to help women in need, and they assisted in fundraising for that book drive,” junior criminal justice major Austin Sigl said. “It was really
successful, so we decided to do it again.” During the last few weeks of school, including finals week, the Library Ambassadors expect donations to increase. “During finals week, when students are selling back their books, we want to encourage them to donate textbooks that may be outdated or that they do not need,” Sigl said. ”We will have a table set up outside of the Union.” The group also encourages teachers to donate old textbooks that they do not use in class anymore. The ambassadors will be collecting books at
THOMAS GRANING | The Daily Mississippian
two events during finals week. They will host a pet-a-pup day and a game night. “I encourage anyone interested in the library to join our group,” Mark said.