PrezTech Challenge

The Committee on Libraries and Educational Technology (COLET) is pleased to announce that applications for the PrezTech Challenge for the 2019-20 year are open. This year the PrezTech challenge will take place in the fall semester.

Are you tired of assigning papers and blue book exams? Are you looking for a new project that will engage your students? Perhaps you already have a class project but you think it could be more effective and engaging. PrezTech Challenge is an opportunity for you to develop a new project/assignment or enhance an existing project that will engage your students while achieving your courses’ learning outcomes.

CoLET will provide incentives and support to participants in the PrezTech Challenge. Faculty will be given the opportunity to meaningfully incorporate technology or information literacy into a course by providing both the incentives and support to:

• incorporate some form of educational technology into their course such as podcasting, digital stories, GIS mapping, digital exhibits, etc.
• integrate information literacy skills such as examining how information is created and disseminated  or exploring economic, social, legal, and ethical issues surrounding information, such as copyright, access to information, privacy, etc.

 Here’s how it works:

• PrezTech is open to 10 W&J faculty-led teams. The team will consist of the faculty member, their students, and the collaborating IT/librarian staff member(s).
• Each faculty member will receive $150 in recognition of the time commitment required to develop, implement, and assess a new project that incorporates educational technology and/or information literacy.
• Faculty must meet with one of our professional librarians or with Ben Stoviak, Instructional Technologist, to design and implement an assignment/project that helps their students achieve course learning outcomes through the use of appropriate educational technology or library resources.
• At the end of the semester, the Clark Family Library will host a reception, sponsored by ITS, where judges and W&J community members will have the opportunity to hear presentations about how technology or information literacy was incorporated into the course and the effect it had on student learning.    
• Judges will select the most innovative and effective use of library and educational technology.
• The winning team, which includes the faculty member, students, and collaborating staff member, will also receive a dinner with the Vice President for Academic Affairs and President Knapp (pending availability).
• Project summaries and contact information with be shared on-line and with the W&J Communications to share pedagogical ideas and celebrate the results to a larger audience.

To participate in the PrezTech Challenge, email Ronalee Ciocco (rciocco@washjeff.edu) the following information by August 22nd, 2019.

1. Title of Project
2. Course involved
3. A brief description of what you want to do (500 words or less).

If you have any questions please contact CoLET via Jamie March at (jmarch@washjeff.edu)