Mobile Computing Awareness Day Sept. 16; Attend Demos and Poster Sessions at Malpass

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Mobile Computing Awareness Day will include demonstrations and discussions about how devices, such as cell phones, PDAs, laptops and mobile devices like the iPod Touch (pictured above), can provide students with additional technology tools to explore and create meaningful learning experiences. Meet members of WIU's Mobile Computing Task Force at youtube.com/watch?v=d7O3KMOfpy8.
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Mobile Computing Awareness Day Sept. 16; Attend Demos and Poster Sessions at Malpass

September 10, 2009

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MACOMB, IL - -Western Illinois University will celebrate Mobile Computing Awareness Day 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16 in the Leslie F. Malpass Library, Digital Commons (first floor).

According to Chad Dennis, instructional technology systems manager at Western's Center for Innovation in Teaching and Research (CITR), the event will include poster sessions and presentations that examine and demonstrate how mobile technological devices can aid learning opportunities.

"We'll be demonstrating and discussing how cell phones, PDAs, laptops and other mobile devices can provide students with additional technology tools to explore and create meaningful learning experiences," Dennis said. "We'll also be giving away door prizes, including an iPod Touch at the conclusion of the event," he added.

Some of the sessions at the event will include:

Department of Broadcasting Laptop Initiative
Presenters: Sharon Evans, broadcasting department chair and associate dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication; Sam Edsall, professor, broadcasting department
Western's broadcasting department instituted a laptop requirement for all freshmen production courses for Fall 2009. During this session, information will be provided about how this program has impacted curriculum development and content delivery to students. There will be demonstrations of in-class training on software utilized in the broadcasting discipline and profession, including Adobe Audition and Apple's Final Cut Pro, as well as information about how to access class materials using iTunes University (iTunes U) and WesternOnline.

Mobility in Education
Presenter: Mollie Sterling, development executive, Apple, Inc.
Join Apple for a presentation discussing mobile technology trends and student expectations related to technology. The presentation will cover Apple's history of innovation with mobility, including iTunes U.

Classroom Polling
Presenters: Leaunda Hemphill, associate professor, instructional design and technology department; Jill Myers, associate professor, law enforcement and justice administration department
Are you curious as to whether your students have prepared for class, completed the readings or understood the gist of the assignments? Classroom online or telephone polling enables instructors and professors to collect multiple-choice and free-form text responses from their students and instantaneously display the results in a web browser or via PowerPoint software. Come see how to use this free cell phone technology as a teaching aid in the classroom -- to test content consumption, to engage student participation and to spur classroom discussions.

Using Video Podcasts for Fine Art Demonstrations
Bill Howard, professor, art department
In this presentation, attendees will see how to shoot, with a digital video camera, and create an instructional podcast, as well as see how students find and download a podcast to their mobile devices.

In addition to the presentations there will be poster sessions on topics such as mobile web applications and iTunes U.

No registration is required to attend the sessions, but seating will be limited. A free lunch will be served to those who sign up for lunch by Friday, Sept. 11; contact CITR at (309) 298-2434 to register for lunch.

Mobile Computing Awareness Day is a combined initiative of the Mobile Computing Task Force, CITR, the College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) and University Libraries.

For more information about Mobile Computing Awareness Day, contact Dennis at (309) 298-2439. Learn more about mobile computing, e-learning and mobile learning (m-learning) at the Mobile Computing blog at wiu.edu/mobilecomputing/mc-blog/. Meet some of the members of the Mobile Computing Task Force in this video on YouTube: