Leveraging Technology to Foster Deeper Learning & Engagement

Leveraging Technology to Foster Deeper Learning & Engagement the Focus of Free Undergrad Faculty Exchange The free Regional Undergraduate Faculty Exchange, entitled "The Integration of Learning Technologies in Undergraduate Teaching," will take place at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology on Friday, February 25, 2011, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Harrisburg, PA, February 06, 2011 -- Join undergraduate faculty from throughout central Pennsylvania for a professional development forum and peer-to-peer exchange on the integration of learning technologies in teaching and learning featuring keynote speaker Carie Page, Community Engagement Manager of Next Generation Learning Challenges at EDUCAUSE. The free Regional Undergraduate Faculty Exchange, entitled "The Integration of Learning Technologies in Undergraduate Teaching," will take place at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology on Friday, February 25, 2011, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Innovation Transfer Network, in cooperation with Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, is hosting the event.

The event is ideal for regional undergraduate faculty interested in integrating learning technologies into the curriculum as faculty will be on hand to share techniques and technologies that have had an impact on their classrooms Page's presentation is entitled Next Generation Learning: Leveraging Technology to Foster Deeper Learning and Engagement. She notes that from YouTube and multi-player games to Twitter and Facebook, today’s tools have transformed the way students connect, communicate, and play. This presentation will explore the ways that faculty and instructional designers are taking advantage of today’s immersive and collaborative tools to foster 21st century skills and help students engage more deeply and master content more quickly.

About Next Generation Learning Challenges: Next Generation Learning Challenges is a new initiative aimed at addressing the barriers to educational innovation and tapping the potential of technology to dramatically improve college readiness and completion in the United States. NGLC is guided by the belief that providing investment capital to expand the use of proven and emerging learning technologies, collecting and sharing evidence of what works, and fostering a community of innovators and adopters will result in a robust pool of solutions and greater institutional adoption which, in turn, will dramatically improve the quality of learning experiences in the United States. In her capacity as community engagement manager, Page helps manage the grant and volunteer process and develops events, resources, and engagement opportunities aimed at sharing evidence of "what works" and building connections between educators, technologists, policy makers, and practitioners.

About the Keynote Speaker: Page's interest in the relationship between campus IT and student outcomes started in the classroom where, as an undergraduate studying history, she discovered that simple online tools and pedagogical methods can yield greater student engagement. She also turned a keen eye to the characteristics of her classmates as a college editor and Student Government official. Those observations culminated in "The Student's Perspective," a chapter in the 2005 EDUCAUSE e-book, "Educating the Net Generation," edited by Diana and James Oblinger.

She has authored several white papers on topics from cyberinfrastructure to ensuring today's students are 'Net Savvy' and Green IT. Recent works include, "Father Google and Mother IM: Confessions of a Net Gen Learner" in the EDUCAUSE Review and a white paper on info literacy, entitled, "Getting Past Google: Perspectives on Information Literacy from the Millennial Mind." Prior to joining NGLC, she worked as program administrator for the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative and assistant director for Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development at EDUCAUSE. She earned a B.A. in History (2005) from North Carolina State University, where she studied as a Park Scholar, and a M.A. in Irish History and Politics (2007) from the University of Ulster in Derry, Northern Ireland, where she spent one year as a Mitchell Scholar. In her spare time, she tries her own suggestions in the classroom at Noah's Landing, a non-profit nature center that her family has operated for 10 years.

Additional Event Information The event is free but re-registration is required. Register online at http://tinyurl.com/4w58h86. For additional information, contact Yvonne Dunst at itnwk@psu.edu or call the ITN offices at (717) 948-6455.

Harrisburg University is located at 326 Market Street in Harrisburg. The Harrisburg Parking Authority operates a garage accessible via Fourth Street. Cost for parking in the garage is $5.00 for 0-2 hours. Kiosk for parking accepts cash only. More information on parking rates and directions to the University are found online at http://www.harrisburgu.net/campuslife/directions.php#parking Founded in 2001 to address Central Pennsylvania’s need for increased opportunities for study leading to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, Harrisburg University is an innovative and ambitious private institution that produces graduates who provide increased competence and capacity in science and technology disciplines to Pennsylvania and the nation. Harrisburg University ensures institutional access for underrepresented students and links learning and research to practical outcomes. As a private University serving the public good, Harrisburg University remains the only STEM-focused comprehensive university located between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

For more information on the University's demand-driven undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs in applied science and technology fields, call 717.901.5146 or email Connect@HarrisburgU.edu.

Contact: Steven Infanti Harrisburg University Communications 326 Market Street Harrisburg, PA 17101 717.901.5146 sinfanti@harrisburgu.edu http://www.harrisburgu.edu/