listen to this articleTechnical skills are one of the most important attributes employers are looking for in college graduates, according to the Job Outlook 2024 report released last month by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
To learn how local universities are incorporating technology into their programs to prepare students for technology-centered work environments, we spoke with leaders at three local universities.
nazareth university
Dr. Susan Sturm of Nazareth University; One of her roles is to oversee the teaching and learning technology group.
“We are looking at how we leverage technology to create quality learning experiences for our students,” Sturm said. “Our campus utilizes some truly amazing technology to help students prepare for what they will see in their fields.”
Some examples Sturm cited include a state-of-the-art motion analysis lab that helps physical therapy students deepen their understanding of human movement; Skills and simulation lab with wearable technology for nursing students. For students in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, digital simulation is provided through a platform called Simucase.
“What I love about the way technology is used at Nazareth is that technology is not just used for technology's sake,” Sturm said. “Our faculty are deeply considering the career paths our students will take, and we engage them in technology in ways that model that.”
One such faculty member is Joseph Porter Jr., DPS, associate dean of the Nazareth University School of Business Leadership (SBL). He has held management and information technology leadership roles for his 26 years at IBM.
“At SBL, we want our students to start with a strong foundation in accounting, finance and marketing,” Porter said. “Then…we supplement it with technology. We want our students to have the fundamentals of business, but we also want them to be able to leverage their intuition complemented by data and technology.”
One of Porter's favorite technologies is Google Analytics. He believes this is an invaluable tool for business students, giving them the option of writing a paper or earning a certification such as Google Analytics. 3 out of 4 choose certification.
“It's something you can put on your resume,” Porter said, noting that many companies now use software bots to scan resumes and look for keywords like Google Analytics, cloud computing and Amazon Web Services in the hiring process. He explained that
roberts wesleyan university
Roberts Wesleyan University is advancing technology in intentional ways at both the undergraduate and graduate levels while educating current and future teachers.
“We want our students to not only get the most out of technology, but we also want them to develop critical perspectives,” said Marian Barrett, assistant professor in the School of Education at Roberts Wesleyan University. . “A lot is happening and changing in the way we communicate. It's all really exciting, but digital tools are no substitute for good pedagogy.”
At Roberts Wesleyan, we also focus on ensuring that technology is used in ethical, inclusive and accessible ways. This has not always been the case nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has created an urgent need for technology in education.
“At the end of the day, education wasn't really available to everyone,” said Dr. Katie Heath, associate professor of education and director of the Pathways to Teaching Program at Roberts Wesleyan University. . “We have seen far too many students with disabilities being marginalized and not receiving the accommodations, modifications, and other related services they need.”
Heath uses technology to improve accessibility and applies principles of universal design for learning. This is an educational approach that strives to accommodate the needs and abilities of all learners. She also encourages adjuncts in the Pathway to Teaching program to use Her Google Classroom as a learning management system, as students are likely to use Her Google Classroom on-site.
One of the many ways Barrett leverages technology with graduate students is by focusing on different methods of communication, such as multimodal writing.
“Technology tools we use include Book Creator, Canva, and Adobe Express,” Barrett says. “Research shows that multimodal writing is a great way to support diverse learners, not only through engagement and motivation, but also by bridging academic writing with what students bring to the classroom. .”
St. John Fisher University
All first-year students at St. John Fisher College will receive an iPad, keyboard case, and Apple Pencil before they begin class as part of iFisher: Next Generation Learning Initiative, an innovative program launched in 2021.
“Our work goes beyond just giving students iPads. [it is also] It’s about campus transformation in thinking about how teaching and learning can happen,” said Katie Sabourin, assistant vice chancellor for digital learning and director of the DePeters Family Center for Innovation and Educational Excellence. said.
Among the many benefits of this program is that all students start on a level playing field to access technology; however, prior to this initiative, all students had access to They didn't have the technology or the right technology to support the challenge, Sabourin explained.
“It's now relatively easy for faculty to ask students to create a video or podcast or create a presentation with audio annotations, knowing that all students will have access to it,” Sabourin says. “They focus less on the technical barriers to completing that task and more on the actual effective skills, like creating a video or giving a good presentation, which are workplace skills that actually matter. can do.”
This initiative was so well received by students, faculty, and staff that the entire university was designated as an Apple Distinguished School in 2022, and this designation is scheduled to continue until 2025. St. John Fisher is the only school in the Rochester area. If the university as a whole (not just specific departments or programs) has such recognition.
“More than 80% of our teachers teach using iPads in the classroom, and we have Apple TVs in every classroom space,” Sabourin said, adding that this creates a more active and engaging learning experience. He states that a learning space has been created.
Caurie Putnam is a freelance writer in the Rochester area.
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