Teaching More Effectively with Technology A Conference and Exhibition at New York University By Faculty Resource Network Staff frn@nyu.edu

On Wednesday, April 11 and Thursday, April 12, 2001, the newly established Center for Teaching Excellence at New York University, in cooperation with Information Technology Services, the NYU Libraries, the Faculty Resource Network and the Humanities Council, organized and presented Teaching More Effectively With Technology: A Conference and Exhibition at New York University, a high-level, major initiative by NYU to focus on the role of technology in teaching. The conference opened with introductory remarks by Vice Provost Sharon L. Weinberg and a welcome by NYU President L. Jay Oliva, and featured a keynote address by Marc Hamilton, Director of Technology, Worldwide Education, and Research Computing for Sun Microsystems. The conference was the very first university-wide event of its kind and included panel discussions on theory and practice, interactive workshops and instructional open houses. An Educational Technology Expo was open both days, and featured displays by Apple Computer, Blackboard, Dell Computer, Gateway Computer, Macromedia, John Wiley & Sons, Sun Microsystems, NYU Bookstores and Palm, Inc.

Figure 1. Sun Microsystems representative, Marc Hamilton, delivers his keynote address.

Figure 2. After a question and answer period, Michael Reed of the NYU School of Education (far right), delivered a talk entitled "What the Research Shows". (On the left, Sharon L. Weinberg; in the center, Marc Hamilton.)

The conference targeted faculty, administrators and graduate students interested in using powerful new technological tools to improve and innovate both the content and methods of their teaching, and was attended by 250-300 participants from NYU, as well as from member institutions of the Faculty Resource Network and beyond. In showcasing the technological strengths of our faculty, the conference amply demonstrated how NYU has become a leader in the technological revolution that is taking place on college campuses. On the first day of the conference, twenty-one faculty members from virtually all NYU schools and divisions demonstrated their innovative use of technology in teaching. Sessions as diverse as "Research Methods in West European Social Science", "Performance Studies: Going Virtual", "Demonstrating Concepts in 20th Century Physics with Interactive Animation", "Online Nursing Resource: A Self-Paced Tutorial and Refresher", "Use of the Computer for Designs of Costume and Set on Stage and Screen", "What the Research Shows", and "Oral Cancer Diagnostics: Practicing for Life" were selected to appeal to the many disciplines represented by conference attendees. Many of the speakers also gave presentations at the recent Faculty Resource Network Summer 2001 Seminar, Instructional Design for the World-Wide-Web.

Figure 3. NYU President L. Jay Oliva with Sharon L. Weinberg, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.

On day two of the conference, thirty-three hands-on workshops were presented by ITS and the NYU Libraries on such topics as "Introduction to PowerPoint to Enhance Teaching and Learning" and "Journal Club and Science Course Readings on the World-Wide-Web", as well as on various computer programs, such as "Introduction to Blackboard: A Learning Management System", "Introduction to Apple's iDVD Studio Pro", and much more. The conference concluded with the NYU Humanities Council Presidential Lecture by Demetri Terzopoulos, Lucy and Henry Moses Professor in the Sciences and Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, NYU. His fascinating lecture addressed the topic of "Synthetic Animals (and Humans): Artificial Life in Virtual Reality", and came complete with an impressive visual showcasing of recent advancements in the field. The conference was a complete success, and response to the event was extremely positive and enthusiastic.

Figure 4. President Oliva welcomes the conference participants.