Hi all, I'm really happy to see some of these images and space designs since we are due for a major remodel here in the next couple years. One thing I have to add to what I've seen so far is our newest space, our video recording studio. We put in a One
Button Studio (OBS) (software from Penn State: http://onebutton.psu.edu/) and our technology was funded by student technology fees here at the University of Iowa for a total of about $6,000. We're asking for additional funding next year for signage, seating,
and additional technology that faculty and students have specifically requested. It is a very popular space and we have as many as 50 reservations during peak times (we're open 60 hours a week). An average week has about 15-20 reservations. It's heavily used
by all levels of American Sign Language and to produce special video projects (e.g. weather reports, pair conversations and skits, video introductions) and teaching videos in foreign languages and ESL. With this studio, students get high quality video with
four simple steps, insert USB, press button and do their video, press button and remove USB. Then they can come out to our computers if they have post production editing needs. Our student workers have been trained in some of the basics video editing platforms
that we have on our LMC computers.
I've attached some images. These are actually from the OBS in our main library (http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/onebuttonstudio/) since ours is functional but still a work in progress and we haven't put up our green screen yet.
The main uses of our Language Media Center include: individual and small group study and video viewing, online language homework and quizzes, video recording and editing, audio recording and editing, Skype conversations/language exchanges, whole class
presentations with projector, whole class workshop sessions (i.e. iMovie, Audacity, Camtasia, Word processing, internet search activities). We also have a corner of the space dedicated to a digital audio lab used for whole class activities and/or individual
study (listening and speaking practice).
Our TILE classrooms, what others are calling flexible learning spaces, are available to any department and class as long as the instructor has been trained but these are really nice spaces for foreign language courses as well and many of our Division of
world languages faculty are trained in TILE. Here is more information about those spaces.
https://tile.uiowa.edu/ We wouldn't have space for a room like that in the LMC nor would we want to give up our space for any department
to use. But, a computer classroom in another space in our building would be ideal!
I'm looking forward to seeing some more great ideas.
Best,
Brianna
Brianna Janssen Sánchez
Director–Language Media Center
University of Iowa
Telephone: (319) 335-2332
Office: Phillips Hall 116C
Valpo also has one of the best and most creative language programs. Wish I could have answered Inside HigherEds article a few days ago
Call to Action on Languages, 10 Years Later
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/01/06/survey-looks-foreign-language-programs-response-decade-old-call-transform-teaching
with a description of the thoughtful things being done at there in all facets of language learning.
TennesseeBob Peckham
Director, Globegate Research
From: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum [[log in to unmask]] on behalf
of Carol Goss [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2017 9:57 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Pictures of your amazing language resource center spaces
Hello Andrew,
In the fall of 2012 we opened a new language center at Valparaiso University. You can take a tour of our facility here:
(Hover to see photos and descriptions of each space.)
There's an overview of the language center here: