Steve Sosa

TRC Training Coordinator, EdCC

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Can you briefly tell us about yourself and types of Distance Learning courses you are familiar with?

I work out of the Technology Resource Center (TRC) and teach on campus at night in the Visual Communications Department. During the day I help train other instructors on the use of technology and Blackboard. Each instructor utilizes Blackboard in different ways and I help them integrate into their teaching process.

What are you most excited/impressed with when using the iPad and the Blackboard Mobile application?

I love that I now have the option of interacting with my courses even though I'm not physically tied to the desk in the office. I've checked into the class, posted announcements, and even responded to discussion board postings using the iPad.I have used the device at the airport, in a different state, and at local coffee shops. It is much lighter than carrying around a laptop and performs much of the same functions.

What do you hope to get out of this pilot?

I would love to see more and more instructors utilize Blackboard to interact with their students. As a student I would expect to see my current grade, the current assignment, and respond to other students twenty-four hours a day. Learning doesn't stop when the class does and students today have busy schedules. As an institution, I would hope that we value any device that enables learning and makes it accessible both on and off the campus. By participating in this pilot I hope to gain a better understanding of the options students have to learn, their preference for accessing the content in my course, and how a portable device such as the iPad contributes to the learning process.