Faculty Directions, Spring 2006 - Director's Corner

Carla Rathbone
Director, Educational Technology Services and Distance Education

ETS has been quite busy during the past year supporting and exploring current and new technology. Various pilot programs are either in progress or nearing completion, including clicker systems, podcasting, and tablet PCs. One important highlight is our recent acceptance for participation in the iTunes University program sponsored by Apple.

We've also increased our usage of Breeze technologies to address distance courses and enhance such academic initiatives as Creative Inquiry. Training and development are well underway on tools to support general education ePortfolios. We are excited about the opportunities for students to use emerging technologies to demonstrate competencies in these areas.

ETS has recently acquired the responsibility of supporting Web accessibility requirements for the University. These are the State mandated requirements to meet the Section 508 Federal regulations for accessibility. Our office is working very diligently to ensure that departments and programs have the plans, the necessary technology, and the support services in place to meet these stringent requirements for all Clemson University Web pages.

One of our most exciting developments this year has been in the area of distance education, specifically with the use of Breeze technologies to supplement the course management system and enhance the user experience. I recently had the pleasure of traveling to Otto-Freidrich-Universitat in Bamberg, Germany with faculty and students in an International Business class, International Business Honors Program, in the College of Business and Behavioral Science (CBBS), to test these new technologies.

CBBS is considering joint programs with other European schools, and currently requires students in their International Business Honors Program to study abroad for one academic year. Consequently, it was very important to test our distance technologies with these partner schools to ensure compatibility and appropriate access.

I must say that the technology worked beautifully, allowing us to personalize the learning environment to Clemson, even though we were physically in Germany. German participants at the University of Bamberg got a taste of Clemson, while the visiting Clemson students got a reminder of that unique Clemson experience.

We included audio of the Tiger Rag playing in the background, while running a Web camera from Clemson so the students could see live glimpses of Clemson. We also allowed the participants in Clemson to see what the students were experiencing in Germany. They all took turns presenting their images, video, and presentations, while using the chat feature to share what they had learned. The students really enjoyed this collaboration in an environment that allowed them to experience Clemson from a distant location.

ETS is very fortunate to be involved in all these exciting programs and initiatives that integrate teaching and technology in ways that promote innovation, provide opportunities to explore various methods for course delivery, and enhance the learning experience. We look forward to continued service in this area and welcome your feedback on ways to improve.

Clemson University students use technologies to communicate with other students back home while studying at Otto-Freidrich-Universitat in Bamberg, Germany.

Clemson University students proudly display their school colors and Tiger Rags while touring Bamberg, Germany.