Simroid - robotic dental patient

Very cool.....and a little bit creepy! Be sure to watch the video.

From http://www.pinktentacle.com/2007/11/simroid-dentistry-in-the-uncanny-valley-video/

Simroid, a robotic dental patient with an eerily realistic appearance, has been spotted at the 2007 International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo. Designed primarily as a training tool for dentists, the fembot patient can follow spoken instructions, closely monitor a dentist’s performance during mock treatments, and react in a human-like way to mouth pain. Because Simroid’s realistic appearance and behavior motivate people to treat her like a human being, as opposed to an object, she helps dental trainees learn how to better communicate with patients.

Is this the end of cursive writing?

An article from The Christian Science Monitor - Is this the end of cursive writing?
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1114/p13s01-legn.htm
What do you think?

C.L. Lindsay - Legal expert on Facebook/MySpace

Think no one sees those pictures you posted on Myspace or Facebook? Think again! Come see C.L. Lindsay - the Facebook Guy - Thursday, November 8th, 7:00 pm, 072 Science Hall, on the ESU Campus.

C.L Lindsay is a lawyer who will show you how easy it is to find the information you have been trying to hide.

More information about C.L. Lindsay at http://www.bass-schuler.com/cllindsay.php4

Sponsored by UAC Talks and Topics Committee.

Congratulations to Steve and Sandy - PacifiCorp Finalists!

I just got back from the AECT (Association for Educational Communications and Technology) International Conference in Anaheim, CA. As finalists for the PacifiCorp Instructional Design Competition, IDT students Steve Harmon and Sandy Valenti did a masterful job of presenting their solution.

The competition involved having teams of two students design and develop a detailed written solution and presentation/report in response to a quite complex instructional design case study. The other two finalist teams were from Florida State and Virginia Tech. Here's a press release from the 2006 competition (the 2007 press release isn't out yet, and I couldn't wait to announce this). A pretty good brief explanation - The only thing that changed this year is that the conference was in Anaheim, CA this (instead of Dallas) and that it DIDN'T include a scholarship :( They did get really nice plaques, free conference registration, and recognition at the Research and Theory/Design and Development luncheon, though. http://www.rockymtnpower.net/Press_Release/Press_Release62964.html

More information from the competition website.

http://www.aect.org/pacificorp/

General guidelines.

http://www.aect.org/pacificorp/guidelines/guidelines.htm

The problem statement that they addressed is here.

http://www.aect.org/pacificorp/problemstatement.htm

This really is a tremendous accomplishment for Steve, Sandy, and all of ESU IDT!

ESU IDT - Busy with presentations

Next week will be a busy conference presentation week for ESU IDT students and faculty -

EDUCAUSE (Seattle) - http://www.educause.edu/e07

• IDT student Stephanie Gerald will be presenting a seminar on Tues.

http://www.educause.edu/E07/Program/11073?Product_Code=E07/SEM10A

• IDT faculty member Dr. Colorado will be presenting on Wed.

http://www.educause.edu/E07/Program/11073?Product_Code=E07/PS042


AECT (Anaheim) - http://www.aect.org/events/Anaheim/

• IDT students Steve Harmon and Sandy Valenti will be presenting their ID solution for the PacifiCorp Design Competition finals on Thurs.

I will be accompanying Steve and Sandy to help them accept their award at the banquet! :)

IBM Lotus Symphony - Free software suite

From IBM Releases Office Desktop Software at No Charge to Foster Collaboration and Innovation

NEW YORK, September 18, 2007 - IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced IBM Lotus Symphony, a suite of free software tools for creating and sharing documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

Beginning today at http://www.ibm.com/software/lotus/symphony , business, academic, governmental and consumer users alike can download this enterprise-grade office software, which is the same tool inside some of IBM's most popular collaboration products, such as the recently released Lotus Notes 8. In addition, these tools can be used to seamlessly extend a business process or custom application to create dynamic composite applications.

There are three core applications that make up the Lotus Symphony tools: Lotus Symphony Documents, Lotus Symphony Spreadsheets and Lotus Symphony Presentations. These intuitive software tools, which support Windows and Linux desktops, are designed to handle the majority of office productivity tasks that workers typically perform. Lotus Symphony supports multiple file formats including Microsoft Office and Open Document Format (ODF), and also can output content in PDF format.

JOBS!

Two position announcements for you -

1) Coordinator of Learning Technology, Cowley College (SSEC - Wichita)

and

2) Learning Consultant, LSI Corporation (within Global Education Services) - Wichita, KS

____________________________________________________

1) Coordinator of Learning Technology, Cowley College (SSEC - Wichita):

This position requires a Bachelor degree, with a Master's degree in Instructional Technology or Design, or a Master's in another subject plus experience in Instructional Design for LMS preferred. It also requires two years of professional experience working with hands-on online course development, including teaching or support; professional experience developing and delivering face-to-face and online training materials; knowledge of current technologies; instructional technologies; online LMS systems; various microcomputer software packages (including information processing, database management, spreadsheet analysis and graphics); instructional design techniques and procedures; be able to develop instructional materials; be able to diagnose microcomputer and other technology and software programs; be able interpret user and owner manuals in layperson's terms; be able to identify advantages and limitations of using various technologies for instructional and other purposes; be able to communicate effectively orally and in writing; and establish cooperative working relationships with persons contacted in the course of performing assigned duties.

For more information, please contact Janice Neagle at 620/441-5214 or Neagle@cowley.edu or Julie Rorabaugh at 316-554-2776 or rorabaughj@cowley.edu



2) Learning Consultant, LSI Corporation (within Global Education Services) - Wichita, KS

Define and assign resources and lead project team to implement training in support of global education services objectives. Requires a solid understanding of the OEM partners and their resellers. Assist content developers in creation of course objectives, identifying resources and developing final materials. Serve as single point of contact for classroom and web-based courses and moderate and facilitate webcast sessions and classroom sessions based on partners and/or project assignments. Develop advertising and promotional programs related to training. Prepare evaluation reports, analyze data, and implement improvements. Edit the Learning Management System as required.

Responsible for coordinating, facilitating, scheduling and marketing the sales training program to meet the needs of LSI Sales Force, Partner sales, OEM sales, and marketing personnel. Required to work with Marketing and Sales teams to remain current on LSI products and technology. Will travel as required to execute training on special projects and attend meetings.

http://lsilogic.apply2jobs.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=mExternal.showJob&RID=2381&CurrentPage=1

2007 Horizon Report

Another good report on new learning technologies. Thanks to IDT alum Barbara Cline for sending it to me!

http://www.nmc.org/horizon/2007/report

7 Things You Should Know About...

Nice, short 2-page information briefs on emerging learning technologies like Wikis, Facebook, Digital Storytelling, Creative Commons, Blogs, YouTube, Google Earth, Wikipedia, Clickers, Virtual Worlds, Mashups....you name it.

Check them out - http://www.educause.edu/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutSeries/7495

The EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative's (ELI's) 7 Things You Should Know About... series provides concise information on emerging learning technologies and related practices. Each brief focuses on a single technology or practice:

• What is it?
• Who's doing it?
• How does it work?
• Why is it significant?
• What are the downsides?
• Where is it going?
• What are the implications for teaching and learning?

The Technology Penalty

You have no doubt noticed that in educational technology there is a "technology penalty."

Where others can prepare a lesson, unit, training module, or lecture and then spend minimal time updating the information or skills presented - educational technologists, such as, the IDT faculty, also have to keep updating the technology/computer side of things.

New software versions come out that must be learned. New computer operating systems like OSX and Vista require more time to be spent. Then the actual work that was previously completed has to be redone to fit the new software or systems.

We often fall into the "don't change" mode because of the extra time required. But we do change and a great deal of that precious commodity is spent again - time!

Finally, someone has written about this in a readable succinct manner. Dr. Royal Van Horn, professor of education at the University of North Florida, Jacksonville, wrote Technology: The Technology Penalty in the Phi Delta Kappan journal. You can find this article at http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/k_v87/k0605van.htm.

Another Apple White Paper - Innovation in Education

Apple has another white paper available for download - Innovation in Education
Enter your contact information and it will take you to a download link. The paper discusses the advantages of using the Apple's new Intel-based Mac computers.

Rob Curley at ESU - April 6, 2007

Rob Curley, Vice-President, Product Development, Washington Post/Newsweek (and ESU alumnus) will be on campus on April 6, 2007. His speaking schedule is below.

Sessions are free and open to the public.

To quote Dr. Jim Stephens (ESU School of Business), "His ideas go beyond newspapers to all virtual communication, to the future of electronic communication, and raises issues about how communities share information."

His bio. can be found at

http://robcurley.com/robs-bio/

2007 Entrepreneurial Distinguished Lecturer

Rob Curley
Vice-President, Product Development, Washington Post/Newsweek Interactive

9:00-11:00 a.m. Presentation, 118 Visser Hall,
"Creating interactive newspaper sites and advertising models that make them profitable ."
Open to the campus and Emporia community

1:00-2:00 p.m. Information technology issues related to interactive newspapers and the skill set and mental attitude needed to operate in this changing communication process..
Cremer Hall, Roe R. Cross Room

2:30:3:30 p.m. Social and communication issues related to interactive communication and the impact on new forms of electronic communication have on people and society.
Cremer Hall, Roe R. Cross Room

Using Palm devices with Vista?

Interested in using Palm devices with Vista? I found this.
Looks like what you need to know.

At this point, moving to Pocket PC might be the best solution for use with Vista? - at least until Palm does some development (with apologies to Dr. Foyle and Dr. Kasnic).

iPod in Education: The Potential for Teaching and Learning

Apple has a 13-page white paper available for download - iPod in Education: The Potential for Teaching and Learning. Enter your contact information and it will take you to a download link. The paper discusses the use of iPods and podcasting for teaching and learning.

Academic Achievement Award applications due April 2, 2007

Thinking about going back to school, full-time? Want to hang with the coolest professors at Emporia State? Looking to live the leisure life of a campus-based college student?
How would you like a full-time graduate assistantship, here on the beautiful ESU campus? Plus, an additional stipend? If so, read on!

Last year, Sandra Valenti was our first-ever IDT student to be awarded the prestigious Academic Achievement Award! You could be next! If you think you qualify and would be willing to be on-campus next year, download the following AAA application form and send it to me by April 2, 2007.
http://www.emporia.edu/grad/docs/aaaapp2.pdf

The AAA assistantship would involve overseeing the daily operations and maintenance of our IDT PC and Mac computer labs, in addition to assisting IDT professors with teaching our many on-campus pre-service instructional technology courses. The AAA awarded graduate assistantship comes with a tuition waiver and pays a whopping $6,752 for the academic year (working 20 hours per week)! Wait, that's not all! You also get an additional stipend on top of all of this!

The application is pretty simple:
A typed statement not to exceed one page on specific research interests and/or career goals. (I can work with you on this, if needed)
You already have transcripts on file with us, so you don't have to worry about those.
You need 3 recommendations, so you might have to get one more, in addition to what you sent with your IDT application.

Come on, you know you want to do it! Re-live those animal house experiences from your undergraduate days (BYOT - bring your own toga)!
Contact Dr. Childress, if interested!

More about Academic Achievement Awards:

Academic Achievement Awards (AAA) are awarded annually for a total of ten awards. AAA's are special graduate assistantships that are available on a competitive basis to graduate students with outstanding academic records. Recipients of the AAA are automatically awarded a full-time assistantship with an additional stipend. Applications must be nominated and ranked by their major department. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic record, application letter, recommendations, and department rankings.

Call for presenters! 2007 ESU Research and Creativity Forum

Here's an opportunity for you to show the ESU campus some of the outstanding things that you are doing!

The Office of Graduate Studies and Research is sponsoring the annual research and creativity forum on Thursday, April 12, beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the Colonial Ballroom, on the ESU campus.

The poster session will be held from 1:30-4:00 with the awards ceremony beginning at 3:15. The posters will be judged by three faculty members - criteria are included on the second page of this announcement. Awards, in the form of travel funds, will be given for the best faculty poster and the best student poster ($500 for the faculty award and $300 for the student award). ALL POSTERS ARE WELCOME! You don't have to submit a competitive poster.

If you would like to exhibit a poster, please complete this form http://www.emporia.edu/research/documents/Poster-invite_001.pdf and return it, along with a brief abstract, to Pam Fillmore via email by Friday, March 16. The abstracts will appear in the printed program.

POSTERS may be computer-based. They don't have to be on a POSTER.

Those of you who presented your master's projects in December should consider this. And, those of you who are in the process of your doing master's project now might want to consider this, too! And, I think MANY of the projects that ALL of you are doing (possibly part of one of our classes) would be great for this. It will look really nice on your resume :)

***A special note to those of you who are at a distance: We are aware that this is a campus-based program and that it excludes you from participation. A real bummer! Hopefully in the future, online/web-based posters for this forum will be a reality. I will keep fighting the fight on your behalf!

Once again, you can download the announcement/proposal form, here:

http://www.emporia.edu/research/documents/Poster-invite_001.pdf

Deadline - Friday, March 16

Please an email to me mchildre@emporia.edu , if you are interested or have any questions. If you should decide to submit a poster session, please cc: me on your email/attached form to Pam Fillmore fillmorp@emporia.edu

I hope you will join us in this celebration and exhibition of research and graduate studies at ESU!

(Unfortunately, I won't be able to present or be there for this one; the first one that I have missed! I will be presenting at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) in Chicago) However, I am sure that my IDT faculty colleagues will be at the forum to support you!

Dr. Childress

Seymour Papert update

According to VietnamNet, Seymour Paper has been discharged from his Boston hospital and is recovering. This is great news!
Read more at:
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/tech/2007/01/656865/

Have you signed the Get Well Seymour! card at MIT?
http://papert.media.mit.edu/