 |
Student Orientations
At the beginning of each semester, the Language Resource Center offers student orientations to students of all levels. We find that those students who attend the orientations are: a) more knowledgeable of the LRC resources and staff and therefore more likely to request assistance or seek out these resources to complete their course assignments; b) more aware of resources available on campus to assist them in their studies; and c) more likely to seek resolutions to technical issues earlier in the semester (particularly related to access to on-line course textbook materials).
Faculty may choose to have their students attend one of two kinds of orientations:
1. Class-time orientations
These are orientations that are scheduled during a class period, with all students receiving the same information at the same time. The content of these orientations are determined entirely by the professor in talking with the LRC Director. They are highly personalized to the perceived needs and focus of that class and that instructor's teaching style. When a faculty member books one of these orientations we work with them to determine a) what technology we are to show to the students, b) how the students are expected to be using this technology throughout the semester and c) how much time and emphasis they wish to place on the different technologies. These orientations rarely take the entire class-time; however, we do recommend to faculty that they come to the lab for the full period and use the room as a substitute classroom for that day to minimize time-wasted in moving between rooms. We also encourage faculty to plan an in-class assignment for their students in the lab that day (even just 5 minutes) so that the students may use the technology, become comfortable with it and have most of their questions answered that day.
These sessions do not have to be held only at the beginning of the semester. Faculty are welcome to book class-time orientations throughout the semester as new technologies are needed by their students.
2. Drop-In Orientations (outside of class time)
These orientations are scheduled by the LRC Director with a focus on providing as many options in time/day to students as possible. They are grouped by language and level according to a basic conception of what technologies will be used by the students. Faculty may choose to require attendance as part of student homework, offer bonus marks or other incentives to encourage students to come. If the scheduled times do not fit a student's schedule, they may make arrangements for an alternative time with the LRC staff/Director.
The primary purposes of these orientations are as follows:
- introducing LRC staff & encouraging students to seek us out for assistance with the technology & the subject they are studying
- verify students have access to the technological resources they will need (e.g., if an on-line textbook is being used)
- verifying that students know how to find their assignments and the materials they need to complete them
- showing students "extra" study materials for learning success
- talking (variable amount of time depending on level) about additional software (e.g., writing assistant software) available to assist them in producing quality assignments
- language assistance in the LRC and in Beekey
- Live Satellite TV resources
- any other information relevant to the language, culture and course level
We encourage feedback from faculty/students and seek to improve these orientations each semester.
We offer training and orientations for a variety of programs used in the lab:
- SmartBoard
- Vokis
- Voice Threads
- Prezi.com
- Google Docs
- Atajo/Systeme-D
- Glogster
- Desire2Learn
- iLrn
- Audio Dropbox
- Audio Recordings
..and many many more!