Academic Experience

Active learning with technology: bringing students, faculty, and information together
You will be joining a community of people devoted to creating and sharing information—activities that can be enhanced by information technology. Finding answers to the following questions can help you understand how technology is used to support learning and collaboration in your areas of interest or possible major(s).

Coursework—in and out of class

1. How does the campus use technology to enhance teaching, learning, and access to information in your areas of interest?
   KU instructors use the online teaching tools through a course management system called Blackboard to help students interact beyond class time, access course content online, assess their learning progress, and more. Through this system, course Web sites may be linked directly to online reserve materials in the KU Libraries, as well as to use third-party software (ex. to create blogs and wikis) to enhance the KU learning experience.
   
   
2. Are classrooms technology-enhanced?
   Yes, there are more than 30 classrooms with full projection possibilities (video, computer output, documents, etc.), enhanced sound systems, and network access. There also are more than 25 additional classrooms with limited video/data display. These classrooms range from intimate seminar rooms for 10 people to large auditoriums that hold 1,000 students.
   
   
3. In both introductory and specialized courses, what opportunities are there collaborate with other students using technology on project teams?
   Some of KU’s tools that support collaborative work include e-mail, discussion boards, real-time chat tools, blogging tools, wiki tools, and secure online group-work areas that provide file transfer capabilities and internal messaging. In addition, KU recently renovated a computer lab and transformed it into an environment dedicated to student collaborative work; it includes SMART board technology, wireless network access, comfortable seating, whiteboards, and laptops that can be borrowed.
   
   
4. Does the school give credit for courses taken electronically (online/at a distance) from other institutions and sources of instruction?
   Students can receive credit for online courses if they fall within the parameters of the university's transfer equivalency system and are reviewed by the Office of Admissions & Scholarships. A listing of schools and courses included in the transfer equivalency system can be found at the Office of Admissions & Scholarships Web site.
   

Support services

1. How does the campus provide access for students to work with multimedia (audio and video)?
   KU’s computer labs include areas dedicated to multimedia production. The Macintosh Lab in Budig (also called the Media Lab) has G5 Macs with 20-inch Cinema displays, DVD-R/CD-RW drives and software for photo and video editing. The multimedia lab in the Music Library has an audio-visual matrix that allows students to view and listen to movies and music; it also has MIDI devices that allow for music composition and recording.
   
   
2. Are library collections and resources—such as catalogs, research databases, special collections, course reserves, full-text electronic journals, books, and streaming media—available online and accessible off-campus?
   Yes. The University of Kansas Libraries provides online access to the library catalog, to a vast number of online databases and electronic journals, and to special collections and archival resources. The KU Libraries' Information Gateway provides students with convenient, 24/7 access to all of these resources, as well as to subject-specific collections of library and Web-based resources, and to digital image collections and other materials. Scholarly materials produced by Ku faculty are also available online through KU ScholarWorks.
   
   
   Course reserve materials may be available online through the KU Libraries' electronic reserves system or through course sites housed on the Blackboard course management system. Reserve materials may include syllabi, lecture notes, quizzes and examinations, solution sets, journal articles, or excerpts from books.
   
   
3. Can the library deliver documents to you electronically, either via e-mail or through Web posting?
   Yes. The KU Libraries will send email to users of interlibrary loan and document delivery services with links to an electronic document provided via the Web.
   Does the library charge a fee when information resources that you need are not available in its collections?
   No, but exceptions may be made if a request generates significant costs for copyright compliance.
   
   
4. Does the library provide research assistance in a variety of ways, such as in person, by phone, by e-mail, and through Web services?
   Yes. A description of these services is available at http://www.lib.ku.edu/hawkhelp.
   When are these forms of assistance available?
   In-person and phone assistance are available all hours the library is open (8 am to midnight in our 24-hour facilities). E-mail is answered 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Chat reference is available 11 am to 9 pm Monday through Thursday, and 11 am to 5 pm on Friday.

   Chat reference is provided as part of a state-wide consortium, so hours may vary between the academic semesters. Current chat reference hours are available at http://www.lib.ku.edu/hawkhelp/hours.shtml.
   

Looking toward graduation and a career

Does the campus offer general or profession-specific training programs that will ensure you are fluent in current information technologies when you graduate?
KU's general education goals emphasize student mastery of computing and information competencies. The aim is for students to become proficient in using both information and technology in a creative, responsible manner.

Specific competency requirements vary from school to school. Some require basic computing or research-intensive courses as a part of their degree requirements, while others provide such courses as electives. Check with the specific school you are interested in for their particular requirements and offerings.