New multimedia database provides learning tool for students

It used to be that if a professor wanted to incorporate visual aids into his lectures, he had to search for the images and arrange them in a particular order for a slide show, all on his own.

But now, with the help of the University's Educational Technologies Center, that professor can design interactive multimedia that will allow instant access to a database of images during lectures, providing increased flexibility. The professor will also be able to put it on the Internet for students to look up on their own time.

Officially established during the summer, the center works to help professors incorporate multimedia and other instructional technologird into their courses.

ETC also works with professors to develop online courseware for alumni.

The center was formed to bring together staff members with expertise in computer technology and database development from across campus.

Rafael Alvarado, the center's director of instruction and database development, explained that ETC functions to keep the University's staff members on the same page in developing educational databases.

At other universities, the staff members who help professors become more flexible with their presentations often work separately from those who work to develop courseware for alumni, he added.

To help professors incorporate technology into their teaching, ETC helps professors gather resources — including movie clips, computer animation and audio — and store them in a database. Douglas Blair, ETC's director of production and client services, said that he and his colleagues look to equip professors with "more powerful tools to work with."

In working with ETC, professors do not have to learn the technology — the staff takes care of that. As Alvarado said, "We give the professors flexibility in the classroom."

Study aid

Furthermore, the database, once developed, can be made available to students who can access it off the Internet to study for an exam, Blair added.

The staff at ETC also works closely with professors to teach them how to use the databases in their lectures. Though Blair said the center sometimes sends staff to help professors the first few times they use the technology in lectures, the staff tries to make it easy for faculty members to use the databases on their own.

In addition to helping faculty members become more flexible in the classroom, the center also works with them to develop online courseware for alumni.