Thursday, October 28

Faculty and Staff Attended Mobile Pedagogy Seminar


October 28, 2010

Andy Borts, Westminster College instructional media technician; Dr. Keith Corso, Westminster assistant professor of communication studies; and Brad Weaver, Westminster lecturer of broadcast communications, attended "The New Mobile Pedagogy" seminar Oct. 27 in Mars, Pennsylvania.

The seminar focused on the use of mobile technology for learning as well as accessibility solutions in classrooms and included extensive discussion about applying the mobility of technology to teaching and learning in higher education. More than 40 participants represented colleges and universities from western and northern Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

"The presentation offered a fantastic exploration of the question of class attendance based on making content available online," Borts said. "If faculty post a variety of content online, the lesson plan could include more ways to create experiential learning based on that content. The students could get the content early and understand it better when the lesson plan is geared toward meaning-making."

"More and more higher education instructors are realizing that there's more to teaching than lecturing for an hour at a time," Corso said. "The mobile technology revolution is opening doors that allow instructors to utilize classroom time in ways that permit students to analyze and apply what they learn instead of just passively receiving content."

"This seminar allowed me to explore how I can adapt the mobility of technology as I work with my students in broadcasting and journalism," Weaver said. "Using smart phones, laptops, digital cameras, and other technologies are great tools for working with students, who can help shape what they learn and how they make sense of it and use it."

Borts is a 2010 Westminster graduate who joined the staff in July.

Corso, a 1984 Westminster graduate who joined the faculty in 2004, earned a master's degree from the University of Akron and Ph.D. from Capella University.

Weaver, who has been with Westminster since 2000, earned an undergraduate degree from Alderson-Broaddus College and master's from the University of Kansas.

Contact Weaver at (724) 946-7238 or e-mail weaverbl@westminster.edu for additional information.