In all, nearly 12,900 students and 40 departments were served. We tried to encourage faculty to consider how technology could boost curriculum, said Sally Thomas, project director. For example, online discussions can extend classroom interaction or provide a forum of expression for students who aren t comfortable speaking up in class. A number of faculty involved in the project discovered unique and innovative uses of technology. The course Web site created for Art History Professor Elizabeth Honig s Cities and the Arts class includes links to maps of the towns on the curriculum.
Student can click on specific areas and view the monuments located there.
It s a good way to get a visual sense of urban topography, she said. Other project clients find the administrative functions of their course Web sites most useful. Posting lectures and additional materials on the Web frees up more time in class for discussion and to pursue ideas that arise as we go along, said Charles Altieri, English professor. Perhaps the ultimate use of technology is employed by the Chem1A course Web site, which features live Web casts of lectures, interactive quizzes and online grading. We d like to add animations and real-time interaction with live streaming video of lectures, said Chem 1A instructor Mark Kubinec.