Technology Fair helps USA teachers

The University of South Alabama's Technology Fair, featuring faculty technology showcases and vendor exhibits, was held last week at the USA Student Center. The fair was presented by the Biomedical Library, USA Online Learning Lab, Faculty Senate Technology Utilization Committee, University Academic Computing Committee and received technical support from the Computer Center. The fair featured vendor exhibits from Apple, Daniel Communications, eCollege, Ovid Technologies and the National Network of Libraries in Medicine. "We have invited several outside vendors for exhibit here, such as Apple and their podcast creation for iTunes," said Jie Li, faculty senate technology utilization committee chair. Apple demonstrated the iPod's usefulness as an extension of the classroom to students and a free resource, iTunes U, that will provide learners with on-demand access to university based digital content. Another vendor, Ovid Technologies, displayed its access to premier electronic content, including journals, books and databases. Ovid Technologies is an internationally recognized leader of electronic medical, scientific and academic research information solutions. "We also have faculty showcases, which include simulations and using the Web to help with education and teaching," Li said. Some faculty showcases include technologies from the USA Children's and Women's Hospital and demonstrations on supercharging your browser, the use of Web 2.0 tools in curriculum and clinical practice, a PDA/Smart Lab demo and "Ten Useful Things You Can do With Google." "We work with the different colleges and departments and we plan the fair to help faculty see new technology to be used in their curriculum. There are several showcases here from the University Library and the Biomedical Library," said Judy Burnham, director of the Biomedical Library. USA Online provided a demo of USA online courses and the College of Medicine presented new technologies used for instruction in classrooms. The demonstration included examples of secure online exams and computer based instruction. Another faculty exhibit involved the College of Nursing's "Simulation Technology in Health Care" showcase. It demonstrated the importance of the METI portable human patient simulator. The simulator has the same physiologic responses to various real-life scenarios. It allows students to further their assessments, diagnosis and skills in maintaining human life, without exposing risks to actual patients. As Dr. Mike Jacobs, Adult Health Nursing department chair explained, students are able to take traumas from real life and apply them to the simulators. The simulator has pulses in the same anatomical locations as humans. "We are ultimately trying to improve patients' safety through simulators. It will increase a student's confidence in working with patients." Jacobs said that around 500 students used and practiced on the simulators this summer. The simulators also serve the community. Other nurses throughout the area can come and work on the simulators as well. "Our main purpose with this technology is to deliver as many well-trained nurses as we can to the community," said Jeff Thompson, Management Systems Specialist for the College of Nursing. Overall, the hands-on demonstrations, latest online technologies and software proved to be a great way to benefit faculty and students in their learning experiences at USA. As Jack Dempsey, chair of the USA Online Learning Lab explained, the fair is allowing people to come and learn about new technologies and incorporate them in their classes. "This fair is a great opportunity for people that have shared interests in technology to interact and communicate with the tools we use. We are here and willing to help."