News from Instructional Technology

Equipment Check Out Center (ECHO)

By Gail Ring, Director of Instructional Technology

Electronic PortfolioThe Office of Instructional Technology (OIT) staff in room G525 of Norman Hall are having success in their attempts to place technology in the hands of faculty and students. Recently, OIT implemented the online ECHO Center (http://tech.coe.ufl.edu/echo/) where faculty and students can check out an assortment of computer and video equipment. Opportunities to play with technology are continually offered in the hopes that once professors and students are comfortable with technology they will use it in the classroom. Because of generous donations from the Dean’s Office, the PT3 Teaching and Technology Initiative, and Apple Computer, the ECHO Center has three laptop carts available for check out (both Macintosh and PC compatible), five digital video cameras, three digital still cameras, several CD burners, two portable projectors, ten Web cameras, and more. Faculty have used this equipment in a variety of ways. For example, the laptop carts have allowed professors to convert any classroom in Norman Hall into a computer lab.

Electronic PortfolioIn conjunction with faculty development workshops, faculty and students learn how to utilize the technology that is readily available to them. For example, after attending an image processing workshop, some faculty began video projects and encouraged their students to explore a variety of uses for video in their coursework. Examples of student videos may be found on the e-portfolio examples page at education.ufl.edu/oit/ . Students have been using their experience with this technology to get jobs, to get into graduate school, and to document their PROTEACH experiences using a variety of media.

Electronic Portfolios

Electronic PortfolioSpecial thanks are extended to Courtney Herosy, Sherri Sakai, Breanna Seidel, Jillian Landers, Holly Moody, and Sara Rhouzihad who demonstrated their electronic portfolios at the 2003 Homecoming Reception.

The electronic portfolio project is a nationally recognized initiative in which teacher education students are required to develop and maintain teaching portfolios connected to the Florida Accomplished Practices. Students collect work throughout the PROTEACH Program, select illustrations to include in their electronic portfolios, and reflect on those choices in a rationale statement which articulates the reasoning behind their choice. In this way students make connections between theory and practice: the theories they learn in the classroom and the practical teaching experiences they have in the program.

For a closer look at the portfolio project, please visit the website at: https://education.ufl.edu/OIT/ep-main.html . You may also view the electronic portfolios of

Courtney (http://www.ep.coe.ufl.edu/2003/courtneyherosy/index.htm),

Sherri (http://www.ep.coe.ufl.edu/2003/SherrySakai/index.htm),

Breanna (http://www.ep.coe.ufl.edu/2003/breannaseidel/index.htm),

Jillian (http://www.ep.coe.ufl.edu/2004/JillianLanders/index.htm),

Holly (http://www.ep.coe.ufl.edu/2004/Hollymoody/index.htm), and

Sara (http://www.ep.coe.ufl.edu/2003/SaraRouhizad/index.htm).

Watch for more opportunities in the future to see the graduating elementary PROTEACH students demonstrate their “completed” electronic portfolios and discuss the portfolios with showcase attendees.

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