AT News - January/February 2005
Academic Technologies (AT) is a department of Information Technology Services (ITS). AT News is a periodic newsletter about academic technology events and issues of interest to instructors and researchers.
To learn more about AT, visit our web site: http://at.its.uiowa.edu/
News Items
- ICON: Iowa Courses Online is UI's New Course Management System
- 2004 Innovations in Instructional Computing Grants Awarded
- AT Research Services and Collaborators Grant Funded
- Hawk Grid Monitor is On Line
- High Definition Video Exploration
- Studio 107 Make-Over
Events
News items
ICON: Iowa Courses Online is UI's New Course Management System
Following a thorough evaluation phase with broad campus involvement, The University has selected Desire2Learn as its new course management system. The new system will be known as ICON: Iowa Courses Online. For details on the selection process and the decision, point your browser to http://www.uiowa.edu/~provost/elearning/cms_selection/index.shtml.
Planning for the implementation is underway. Following the approach used in the evaluation and selection phase, we are forming an Advisory Team consisting of representatives from each college.
ICON will be available in the Fall 2005 semester for use by faculty and students. The previously used course management systems, WebCT and Blackboard, will continue to be available until Fall 2006. Academic Technologies staff are available to work with faculty to migrate their courses to ICON. For more information about implementation plans, point your browser to http://www.uiowa.edu/~provost/elearning/cms_implementation/index.shtml.
2004 Innovations in Instructional Computing Grants Awarded
The Academic Technologies Advisory Council awarded $100,750 to seven recipients to support their applications of technology to enhance teaching and learning at The University. For recipients and details on each of the projects, point your browser to http://at.its.uiowa.edu/atac/awards/2004/index.shtml.
AT Research Services and Collaborators Grant Funded
A proposal developed by RS staff and collaborators in Engineering and Physics to prototype and develop an intracampus research grid has been funded. For more information, point your browser to https://cio.uiowa.edu/communication/its/news/20050118/default.htm#atrs.
Hawk Grid Monitor is On Line
Hawk Grid is a grid connecting a growing number of clusters around the University of Iowa campus. Currently Hawk Grid has 60 nodes in three different buildings. Check out the new line monitor at http://rsgrid1.its.uiowa.edu/HawkGrid/ for live status reports and network performance at http://dmzmon0.deemz.net/iepm-bw/html/wan_bw_tests.html#node1.uiowa.edu.
High Definition Video Exploration
Last fall the AT Digital Media group initiated a small-scale High Definition video exploration. The goals of the exploration are to help us make better decisions when making upgrades to our video acquisition, editing, and delivery infrastructure. Preservation and archiving issues related to the shift to HD will also be explored.
What is HD?
During the last decade both the government and television industry have pushed a gradual movement towards a higher-quality system. This system, called High Definition television is finally going mainstream; with most broadcasters now delivering signals and electronics stores selling compatible sets for less than $500.
The HDV format
The exploration is built around the HDV format. HDV is a prosumer implementation of the High Definition standards. The format uses standard DV tapes so most computer hardware capable of editing DV video today can be used to edit HDV tomorrow. HDV achieves this by using MPEG-2 compression, the same technology used on DVD discs.
Progress
So far we have purchased a camera and a display. Using the camera we have captured video footage around campus. The footage has been demonstrated to faculty and other UIowa video technologists on our display, and on the 63" display in the new Lindquist Center video conference room. We are still awaiting an editing solution for the video, but expect to have one solution (Apple iMovie) shortly. Eventually we expect to be able to support professional-level editing in Final Cut Pro.
Studio 107 Make-Over
Studio 107, the faculty computing lab of Academic Technologies, will be getting a make-over in the next few months to accommodate AT's changing needs. Highlights of the makeover include more computing stations, an improved layout, and better workspaces for staff.
The main area will gain three new computers, and the scanning stations will be moved to improve their availability. Combining these stations with the existing faculty stations, the main area will be more functional for faculty as well as AT's student employees.
Another change to the main area is the placement of Amir Bozorgzadeh at the front desk. Amir oversees the daily operations of the Studio, so his presence at the front desk will improve the overall Studio experience. Peggy Streb will move to a more private area, which better suits her financial and HR responsibilities.
The remainder of the Studio area is being reworked to improve traffic flow, and to improve the accessibility of the Graduate Assistants for Studio visitors. Four desks will be devoted to GA use, and the Linux and test computers will be split to provide improved flexibility. Power and data will be improved so that walkways no longer have cable runs.
Events
Sybyl Workshop
Research Services is offering a training session in the use of Sybyl, a molecular modeling program, on Monday, February 28th, from 1:00-4:00 in the Information Commons West in the Hardin Library for Health Sciences. Register at: http://at.its.uiowa.edu/rs/training/sybyl/index.shtml.
Please let us know what you think about this newsletter.
Email your comments and suggestions to: its-academic@uiowa.edu.
