DELTA Colleagues Receive Mentions in NMC

Five DELTA colleagues were mentioned in the NMC Horizon Report: 2016 Higher Education Edition. NMC, historically known as New Media Consortium, is an “international community of experts in educational technology.” NMC shares information on technology trends and advancements in education happening around the globe.

In its most recent publication, David Tredwell and Yan Shen were recognized for their work with MyTech. Mike Cuales, Cathi Dunnagan and Bethanne Tobey were acknowledged for their work regarding 360° Spherical Video.

On page 13 of the report, NMC notes that “North Carolina State University partnered with Brightspot Strategy and AECOM to produce a toolkit containing resources for planning, evaluating and supporting technology-rich informal learning spaces.” In a time when redesigning learning spaces to support and encourage active learning is necessary, NC State is keeping up with top educational trends.

Information on MyTech can be found on page 37 of the report. Under the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) section, individuals can read about the benefits BYOD is contributing to campuses across the world. Not only has the incorporation of personal devices in the classroom decreased spending on technology, it has also allowed students to use technologies that are common to them thus reducing time spent on instructing students how to use unfamiliar devices. This is no different for the incorporation of MyTech in NC State’s physics labs where students use their smartphones during class to record data and perform various experiments.

The report also includes a section highlighting the use of augmented and virtual reality in education. Here, the report mentions NC State’s use of “interactive 360° video capture and virtual reality technologies such as Google Cardboard to better support lab-based and field-based instruction in online learning environments.” This blurb, found on page 41, is referencing Cuales, Dunnagan and Tobey’s work with eFIRE, an interactive microsite that allows individuals to learn more about prescribed fires.

Receiving recognition from NMC is an honor and serves as an indication that NC State and DELTA are using innovation to lead educational trends and practices.