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TECH EXPO 99
Tech Expo 99, held recently at Los Angeles Valley College, was the Los Angeles Community College District’s (LACCD) second annual instructional technology conference. In joint sponsorship with the District Academic Senate, District Staff Development, and the LACCD Distance Education Task Force, this highly successful event included over 250 participants, representing over 20 Community College campuses. This was an opportunity to embrace the challenge of expanding and enriching their knowledge and expertise in academic-based technology. The Tech Expo 99 theme was "Teaching, Learning, Technology, and Change." Track sessions promised to stimulate excitement and provide solid information to all community college educators interested in the impact of instructional technology in education. "It was a great event. A lot of thought and work went into the event and the attendees I talked to were favorably impressed," said Catherine McKenzie, of the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO). Following last year’s successful program, organizers focused on providing a forum for the exchange of ideas on using alternate delivery systems. The event offered interactive environments, bringing together faculty, exhibitors, and instructional leaders to share in the California Community Colleges (CCC) statewide vision. Twenty Department of Education Officials from various provinces in China also attended the Expo. The group is currently visiting the California State University, Northridge campus where they are studying the educational process in the United States. The event offered an extensive program that included vendor demonstrations, interactive workshops, and a keynote panel comprised of CCCCO technology leaders Lebaron Woodyard, Cher Weahunt, Catherine McKenzie, Jose Michel, and Ric Mathews. The panel discussion covered topics such as balancing academic tradition with innovative change, insuring quality of instruction in the digital or virtual classroom, protecting the integrity of curriculum, changing roles of faculty, intellectual property and copyright laws, technology maintenance and upgrades, cooperative purchase opportunities, and the changing roles of faculty and administration. Dan Estrada, from the Community College California Virtual University Cooperative Purchase Program, demonstrated affordable videoconference equipment designed to provide high quality capabilities for outreach, distance education, and job training. John Hartzog, from California State University, Northridge, provided a two-session lab experience in the newly opened campus Lab for Academic & Instructional Resources (LAIR). Dr. Hartzog, and part of his renowned Cyber-Seven Team, discussed their collaborative work in developing and teaching online courses. In addition, the Team offered an approach in dealing with central support problems in creating and maintaining reliable Web servers, administering an effective set of Internet teaching tools, and developing inexpensive resources for software and teaching tools. Dave Diaz, a faculty member from Cuesta Community College, provided two resourceful sessions on how faculty can use a personal Web site to supplement a traditional course offering and deliver educational content in an online course. Dave’s presentation emphasized using multimedia effectively when creating a presentation. Linda Delzeit, faculty member at Los Angeles Trade Technical College, provided a demonstration on the @ONE Web location during a bridged videoconference with KCET public broadcasting and Sacramento City College. She was able to utilize the campus Professional Media Resource Center, a model state-of-the-art multimedia site, on the Los Angeles Valley College campus. A vendor track provided an opportunity for participants to become familiar with products and services developed by various educational manufacturers. Many of the exhibitors showcased their technology products coupled with an interactive presentation that offered solutions and enhancements to enrich specific institutional needs. Vendor participation included representatives from IBM, Apple, Advanced Systems Technologies, Archipelago Productions, Embanet Corporation, New Horizons Computer Learning Center, Pacific Bell - Education First, Prentice Hall Publishing, Minnesota Western, Steck-Vaughn Publishing, and others. The Community College Foundation’s Multimedia Bus was also a part of the day’s activities. This vehicle has made numerous visits throughout the state to demonstrate the advantages of multimedia instructional technology. Visitors to the bus had the opportunity to view state-of-the-art equipment and training options. In a collaborative effort with the State Academic Senate and Faculty Association of California Community Colleges, Los Angeles Valley College conducted a six-hour videoconference, bridging KCET, Los Angeles Valley College, and Sacramento City College. This experience clearly demonstrated how distance learning could effectively bring enriched content and discussion to remote locations. Alan Sacks, instructor of broadcasting at Los Angeles Valley College, delivered a lesson from the studios of KCET on "The Disney Effects." Alan is the Executive Producer of a new Disney Channel film to be released in the fall 1999. The story, rich with technological wonder, is about a family living in a virtual home By utilizing partnerships with presentations from CSU Northridge, community colleges, and KCET, the event met the challenge of delivering quality presentations to its intended audience and bridging educational entities with greater potential for future partnerships. A promotional video will be developed this summer to highlight Tech Expo 99. Through a shared vision of an expanding learning community and the richness of developing technologies, the prospects of Tech Expo 2000 becomes an exciting ‘new millennium’ challenge. You may be asked to help us! |
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