CLT has initiated many activities to empower faculty to use the latest technological advances for improved classroom teaching and learning. This does not include the mere knowledge of technology but a focus on the considered use of the tool to enhance learning. CLT is developing its programs and services in keeping with the direction laid out by the Academic Technology Committee. Some of the basic skills facilitated as hand-on session for faculty are briefly described below. The effort is to ensure that all our faculty are proficient in the use of the following as a basic minimum.
Turnitin is an Internet-based plagiarism-prevention commercial service created by iParadigms, LLC, first launched in 1997. Since 2011, Turnitin is offered to our faculty through the courtesy of HEC.
Typically, student essays and assignments are submitted to the Turnitin website, which check the documents for unoriginal content. The results can be used to identify similarities to existing sources or can be used in formative assessment to help students learn how to avoid plagiarism and improve their writing. Turnitin, is used by us as a deterrent to plagiarism. Many other tools included with Turnitin are GradeMark (online grading and feedback) and PeerMark (peer review) services.
All new faculty members are offered accounts for Turnitin and CLT periodically offers one to one tutorials as required.
Empower is an online portal used by our Academic office for keeping records of students learning. Faculty are regularly offered sessions on using the service effectively and efficiently.
Smart Board was installed in 8 classrooms across the campus in 2016, with many more in progress. All faculty that opt to teach through such boards are provided hands-on sessions before the start of every semester.
Moodle was customized by a LG on technology, in keeping with the demands of FCCU faculty. It was offered to our faculty in 2014 and it is still a work in progress of refinement in keeping with the demands of our faculty
Many other sessions are periodically offered like use of Social Media in Classroom. We are committed to expanding our repertoire of services for continuous improvement of our faculty. Our challenge will be to keep our teachers a step ahead of the demands on teaching placed by the changes in technology and our ever-evolving student body.