Thursday, November 3, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Coordinating Our Planning
Time for the FLC Tech Committee to take the lead in the process for integrating PG committee actions with existing plans and projects underway here at FLC. Here are some docs to get us started:
- FLC Tech and DE Plan
- Nine Accreditation Recommendations from February, 2010 (potential tech items highlighted)
- Performance Dashboard for Recommendation #8 Task Group, Computer Lab Inventory
- Current FLC Strategic Plan Performance Dashboard
Please feel free to use the comment function to record your ideas and suggestions on the integration task ahead of us. Thank you!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Progress on the Accreditation Process
The fact that our accreditation at FLC was reaffirmed does not change the situation that much work needs to be done! In fact, our tasks are still myriad, although somewhat more focused. Here are the details:
1. The FLC Technology Plan is now the FLC Technology and Distance Education Plan. After some more edits, it will go to IPC for first reading. The people who were involved most closely with the first writing have already given their input to this new document. This revision/addition partly meets accreditation recommendation #2 on "electronically delivered courses," which was an expected outcome of the Fall, 2009 team visit.
2. I will be gathering a meeting of responsible persons to address a perceived need on the part of the accreditation team for evaluation of the computer lab effectiveness. This recommendation, #8 on the list of nine, was a surprise outcome of the visit. We already have a task group working on vision, mission and process for the computer lab team.
If you have an interest in either of the two processes briefed above, just let me know and we will include you!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Distance Education Plan
The FLC Technology Subcommittee is working on the distance education plan, and would love your comments on the need for training. Please comment here!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Intel & Apocolyptic Times?
Whether the world's leading chip maker will bring forth the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse or not, Intel's future course of technology is very real.
Recently, the chip making giant came forward with some striking new technology planned for our not-so-distant future: technology that is bound to stir up discussion and valid questions as to how far chip assimilation should go with its biggest fans -- humans.
Computer chips and humans have entered a rather co-dependent type of relationship over the decades: we desire increasingly smarter, faster and cheaper chips to accomplish greater, more important, and ever increasing personal tasks. Think back for a moment; the first computer occupied an entire warehouse and performed basic math functions that a cheap dollar-store calculator could now outperform. Yet today's portable smart phone has more computing power than yester-year's desktop and holds cherished contacts, personal information, photos, videos and favorite websites -- all casually carried around in a pocket. These highly personal valuables, once guarded in the center of the home, are now trusted with a phone doomed to be outdated in a few months, replaced with even more power and thus capable of swallowing even more personal information.
We know our personal data, bank accounts and top secret government files are entrusted to the protection of supercomputers. And the trust between humans and silicon is growing daily.
It seems the more we rely on computer chips, the more we entrust them with our personal data. It can therefore be seen as an important topic among leading technological industries to bridge the gap between the user and his or her silicone counterpart.
Enter a new era of interaction.
What if you could only think a command and your computer would perform it? Intel believes the technology is approaching the ability to do just that. Finger gestures brought into common use by the iPhone are leading the way for users to break the confines of the mouse, but these developments would take things a step further once again.
Harnessing your thoughts would give you access to your personal computer, television, cell phone and more electronic devices all by way of the truly wireless; your personal brainwave. "I think human beings are remarkably adaptive," said Andrew Chien, vice president of research and director of future technologies research at Intel Labs. But will people readily latch on to this new technology?
Emotiv Systems currently offers a $299 headset that uses your thoughts to control video games, so what is so unique about Intel's approach?
A sensor needs to be implanted in your brain for this next big step. Intel promises Big Brother won't be watching your thoughts. But what about little brother - as in your siblings, a hacker, someone with malicious code? Could this be the technology that finally allows us to tap into each other's thoughts?
While it seems tempting, I'd rather not know what you are thinking at this moment and I'd prefer to not give my brain cavity access to a chip. But perhaps I am turning old school at the age of 27 -- hey, where's that old calculator?
Recently, the chip making giant came forward with some striking new technology planned for our not-so-distant future: technology that is bound to stir up discussion and valid questions as to how far chip assimilation should go with its biggest fans -- humans.
Computer chips and humans have entered a rather co-dependent type of relationship over the decades: we desire increasingly smarter, faster and cheaper chips to accomplish greater, more important, and ever increasing personal tasks. Think back for a moment; the first computer occupied an entire warehouse and performed basic math functions that a cheap dollar-store calculator could now outperform. Yet today's portable smart phone has more computing power than yester-year's desktop and holds cherished contacts, personal information, photos, videos and favorite websites -- all casually carried around in a pocket. These highly personal valuables, once guarded in the center of the home, are now trusted with a phone doomed to be outdated in a few months, replaced with even more power and thus capable of swallowing even more personal information.
We know our personal data, bank accounts and top secret government files are entrusted to the protection of supercomputers. And the trust between humans and silicon is growing daily.
It seems the more we rely on computer chips, the more we entrust them with our personal data. It can therefore be seen as an important topic among leading technological industries to bridge the gap between the user and his or her silicone counterpart.
Enter a new era of interaction.
What if you could only think a command and your computer would perform it? Intel believes the technology is approaching the ability to do just that. Finger gestures brought into common use by the iPhone are leading the way for users to break the confines of the mouse, but these developments would take things a step further once again.
Harnessing your thoughts would give you access to your personal computer, television, cell phone and more electronic devices all by way of the truly wireless; your personal brainwave. "I think human beings are remarkably adaptive," said Andrew Chien, vice president of research and director of future technologies research at Intel Labs. But will people readily latch on to this new technology?
Emotiv Systems currently offers a $299 headset that uses your thoughts to control video games, so what is so unique about Intel's approach?
A sensor needs to be implanted in your brain for this next big step. Intel promises Big Brother won't be watching your thoughts. But what about little brother - as in your siblings, a hacker, someone with malicious code? Could this be the technology that finally allows us to tap into each other's thoughts?
While it seems tempting, I'd rather not know what you are thinking at this moment and I'd prefer to not give my brain cavity access to a chip. But perhaps I am turning old school at the age of 27 -- hey, where's that old calculator?
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Training for Faculty @ CRC in January!
Check out the opportunities coming up at CRC for enhancing your tech and teaching skills @ http://www.cccone.org/institutes, which is a great use for the faculty stipend of $75!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Welcome to the FLC Tech Training BLOG!
Hi, Everyone!
In Spring, 2009, Folsom Lake College concluded its self-study in preparation for the accreditation team's visit the next semester. Standard 3.c. identified a need for greater involvement in technology decisions, with a view to keeping the distinctive of FLC as a high tech, high touch institution. This concept also received backing in the newly developed FLC Technology Plan, and the notion of formalizing the idea continued to advance.
In Fall, 2009, the FLC community of learners added a new participatory governance (PG) committee, the FLC Technology Committee. Zack Dowell and Kathleen Kirklin chair the committee, with participation from a wide variety of tech experts and users from the college. The subcommittee on training and assessment will be focusing on the training needs of FLC, and will work through the PG committee to make it happen. This is truly an exciting development which also presents us with many challenges!
The purpose of this BLOG is to give members of the FLC community an opportunity to express themselves on the type and duration of training they need to be more effective in their work here. Our vision is to serve students in pursuit of their educational goals, and technology training is part of what will help us get there. On the FLCTT we will be posting examples of and opportunities for tech training, and you will be able to comment on those posts.
So, give us your input and we will get this train(ing) rolling!
In Spring, 2009, Folsom Lake College concluded its self-study in preparation for the accreditation team's visit the next semester. Standard 3.c. identified a need for greater involvement in technology decisions, with a view to keeping the distinctive of FLC as a high tech, high touch institution. This concept also received backing in the newly developed FLC Technology Plan, and the notion of formalizing the idea continued to advance.
In Fall, 2009, the FLC community of learners added a new participatory governance (PG) committee, the FLC Technology Committee. Zack Dowell and Kathleen Kirklin chair the committee, with participation from a wide variety of tech experts and users from the college. The subcommittee on training and assessment will be focusing on the training needs of FLC, and will work through the PG committee to make it happen. This is truly an exciting development which also presents us with many challenges!
The purpose of this BLOG is to give members of the FLC community an opportunity to express themselves on the type and duration of training they need to be more effective in their work here. Our vision is to serve students in pursuit of their educational goals, and technology training is part of what will help us get there. On the FLCTT we will be posting examples of and opportunities for tech training, and you will be able to comment on those posts.
So, give us your input and we will get this train(ing) rolling!
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