UCC Library now subscribes to LearningExpress, a database full of many, many self-paced tests and skills improvement courses. Test your knowledge--no pressure for a grade! Set up a free account for yourself and develop your skills at your own pace. Tests are scored immediately.Some of the subjects and categories of tests covered in the database are: GED, Advance Placement, Business Writing, College Entrance Practice Tests, Computer Skills (MS Office suite, Outlook), High School Skills Improvement, Law Enforcement, Math Skills, and Reading Skills. There are online “Improvement Courses” for writing, math, algebra, vocabulary, spelling, and more. There are courses for creating a resume, creating a cover letter, and tips for interviews.
You can reach the database here: http://www.LearningExpressLibrary.com?HR=http://www.umpqua.edu And it is linked from the library website: click "Find An Article" from the library homepage. You can also find the link from the Library Tab in UCCLife. From your UCCLife account you can use the database from off campus.You’ll be asked to sign in—just create your own username and password—to track on which tests you’ve taken.
Please let us know if you have any feedback on this product--whether you find it helpful or not. Thanks!
The likelihood of losing the "safety net" timber payments from the federal government to Douglas County this year has led to a call for budget reductions county-wide, including a plan to cut public library services by about 20%.
According to an article in Thursday's News Review on page 2 (not up at nrtoday.com yet, but I'll post a link when it is available), the library system is looking to reduce open hours from 322 to 284 per week. Most noticeably effected is the downtown Roseburg branch, which would cut its Monday hours completely.
Living la vida virtual this term in your classes? Whether you are taking, teaching, building, or just considering online coursework, there is a bewildering selection of tools and tips that can leave even the most techno-saavy user feeling as overwhelmed as an ant in a swimming pool. But with the proper care and feeding, online tools can be a powerful ally in the classroom, whether said room is a traditional one or the type you can attend in your PJs on a Saturday morning.
Here are five of my personal favorite (free!) online tools:
UCC Life Yes, it has its issues. But did you know, every single UCC class has its own "course homepage" within UCC Life where links can be posted, documents placed online, and discussions can be held all available from any computer with an internet connection? Even if your class is entirely "on campus," the UCC Life course homepage can provide another place for communication to occur.
Suggested uses if you're an instructor: By using the "manage" links, you can post assignments or a syllabus, and send out announcements that will automatically appear on your students' front UCC Life pages when they login.
Suggested uses if you're a student: Even if your instructor is not using every course homepage feature, there will be a link to email your instructor, or to post webpage links if you have a resource to share with the class.
Google Tools Have you ever had the frustrating experience of wanting to print out an assignment you've worked on for hours, only to realize the disk was left in your other bag? Never again, with Google Documents. In addition to a very popular search engine, Google offers a variety of online tools that allow you to use a word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation program that will save your documents to your account, and you can access and work with them on any computer with an internet connection. You can also share your document with others, and the changes will be automatically saved so you can always see who made which alterations. The service does require one to sign-in, but account creation is free. To learn more, take Google's friendly online tour.
Suggested uses if you're an instructor: Use a Google Document to track comments and contributions to a shared class product, such as an info page on a class-related topic created by students (like a wiki, you can see all past versions of a Google Doc. in a drop-down menu). Or create an interactive course schedule that you can update and students can view on the web: see an example for LIB 127 (Library & Internet Research).
Suggested uses if you're a student: Eliminate the sinking feeling that occurs when it is the day a paper is due and you can't remember where your USB drive is-- Save your research paper as a Google document, and have access to it from any computer with an internet connection. Or use the "sharing" ability to work on group projects online.
Del.icio.us Social bookmarking allows you to have that great website you found last week at your fingertips, and share it, too. Del.icio.us has been used and continues to be used heavily by educators; for an example, check out this great video introduction by Lee LeFever of the Common Craft website:
Firefox (+ add-ons) Firefox is a free web browser that preforms all of the same internet-viewing options as Internet Explorer or Safari, but also gives you the option to add on free, open-source "add-ons." These add-ons are like the "extra features" you might select when buying a car-- they make your web browsing experience more pleasant, and they can be highly personal. There is even a "Firefox Campus Edition" available that includes the most popular features for college students and scholars.
Suggested uses for instructors and students: Use Firefox add-ons to do more work with your web browser. You can add-on automatic Wikipedia searches, citation managers (like Zotero), and automatic spell-check. (True story: the automatic spell-check add-on I have for my Firefox browser just saved me from misspelling that last sentence.) You can also find add-ons that will do everything from helping you build webpages to updating you on the weather or alerting you when your tea has brewed long enough.
Remember the Milk If you are like most of us, there's too much to do and not enough time to do it. Remember the Milk is a online to-do list that lets you sort items into different categories and will even allow you to set up an item to occur multiple times. Best of all, it is super-easy to use: all you have to do is type an item in ("Remember to feed the goldfish every day.") and Remember the Milk automatically detects when the item should be "due" (today), and how often it should appear on your to-do list (every day).
Suggested uses for instructors and students: Use Remember the Milk to finally remember the milk. Or whatever else you need to keep track of-- homework, meetings, birthdays, or knowing where your towel is.
Do you have other online tools that you use to help you manage classwork or college life that you couldn't live without? Let others know-- leave a comment on this post!
Maybe Spring is a little slow in coming because we haven't been singing enough. Or maybe it's because the UCC Library didn't have enough Swedish music in the collection.
Just in time, we've added three new CDs by Swedish folk-rock bands to the collection, Hoven Droven, Ranarim, and Hedningarna. Looks like Hoven Droven will be playing in Sweden later this week, but most of us will have to make do with their live CD. And according to their web site, Ranarim will be playing in Ulvon. So they'll be partying in Sweden, also.
Did you know that we're coming up on Walpurgis Eve and May Day (April 30/May 1), one of Sweden's biggest holidays?
According to the Visit Sweden website:
If you want to find an evening when song is to be heard in every village, town or city, then be sure to be in Sweden on the 30th April. On that date, known as Valborgsmässoafton (Walpurgis Eve); in a tribute to an ancient German saint, St. Walburga, huge bonfires are lit at dusk.
Harvard University's Department of Romance Languages and Literatures has just released an Instructional Technology Survey (pdf) on the use and perceived usefulness of digital instructional technologies in classroom support that reaches some interesting conclusions about the educational expectations of the latest wave of students, what Harvard is calling its "Digital Learners."
Across all concentrations and student levels, the posting of course materials online and interactive syllabi are rated as the most useful instructional technology tools. In their written responses, students expressed appreciation for technologies that make their access to course materials more convenient and the exploration of additional concepts easier. Many view the posting of materials online as an expectation for a course, rather than a bonus.
(from the executive summary, emphasis mine)
Between December 2007 and January 2008, 463 individuals- undergraduates and graduate students- were surveyed on their use, and prior experience with, online technologies ranging from digital syllabi to RSS feeds of supplemental class reading.
More from the executive summary:
Students reported a number of benefits of using technology in education. They cited the convenience of having material in one place, the ability to review lectures, to engage in discussions with forums, to use blogs to connect material with current events and to view foreign video clips on sites like YouTube. ... We believe that instructional technology, when implemented properly and thoughtfully, provides enormous opportunities for active and engaging learning.
Read comments on the survey's process and results at Harvard's Digital Natives blog, or go directly to the full survey (pdf), with corresponding charts and graphs for the information straight from the undergraduate's mouth.
Earth Day is April 22 and it's a good time to think about energy use. Why not use some of your energy to read about the present and future of energy? All of these books are in the UCC library; the titles below are linked to the library catalog for your browsing pleasure.
Fueling Our Future : an Introduction to Sustainable Energy by Robert Evans.
Locally, we have the EARTH DAY AND ENERGY FAIR — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Saturday, April 19th, Douglas County Fairgrounds. Crafts, wildlife, storytelling, a used-clothing fashion show, a student poetry contest, prizes, giveaways, demonstrations, activities, entertainment, hands-on exhibits and food are all part of the annual Douglas County Earth Day and Energy Fair. Prizes for anyone who comes on foot or bicycle. Free admission. 440-4350.
Oregon's primary, May 20th, is looking like it may have some actual significance in the upcoming presidential election. Specifically, there is still no single democratic candidate for President. State primaries, including Oregon's, are still sorting out who will be up against the certain-to-be-nominated Republican candidate, John McCain.
Meanwhile, because of the tightly contested Democratic primary race between Clinton and Obama, those of us who pay attention to this sort of thing are hearing a bewildering tale of delegates and superdelegates.
So what do you need to know so far about the upcoming Presidential election?
#1 REGISTER TO VOTE
Voting in Oregon Deadlines: Oregon's primary is May 20. The deadline to register for the primary or register with a party is April 29. Under current state party rules, independent voters who wish to vote in the presidential primary must register with a party. (from OregonLive)
Douglas County Clerk PO Box 10 Roseburg, OR 97470-0004 (541) 440-4252 / TTY 1-800-735-2900
or drop it off at the Douglas County Courthouse at the Clerk's Office.
#2 OK. Now you're registered. And you still want to know what's up with "delegates" and "superdelegates". You could do worse than listen to Josh Marshall of "TalkingPointsMemo.com" explain:
#4 Then, way off in November 2008, we'll vote on the candidates who win their party's nomination. Of course, then we'll all be reminded of the value and the purpose and the controversy surrounding the electoral college--the body that really elects the president. Usually.
#5 Between now and then, you can keep up with some of the Oregon political news by checking in with The Oregonian. And don't forget to register. And vote.
UCC Library now subscribes to LearningExpress, a database full of many, many self-paced tests and skills improvement courses. Test your knowledge--no pressure for a grade! Set up a free account for yourself and develop your skills at your own pace. Tests are scored immediately.
