Ways to utilize computers as educational tools will be the focus of a four-part lecture series sponsored by the Center for Advanced Instructional Media C/AIM in February.
Titled "Education, the Computer and the University," the series is intended to motivate participants to develop their computer expertise beyond World Wide Web page postings, says Dr. C. Carl Jaffe, series coordinator and C/AIM academic director. Participants will be encouraged instead to "aim at structures that can more effectively integrate computers into diverse course curricula," he says.
The series also will address the "opportunities" that can be created by a university's faculty and students through the use of computers, says Dr. Jaffe. These include "design, production, technology and the internal/external marketing of educational products. The talks will feature practical advice and concrete examples of ongoing projects at Yale, guiding interested faculty and students into taking best advantage of current opportunities."
Founded in 1987 and located at 47 College St., the award- winning C/AIM serves both the School of Medicine and the larger Yale community. Its goals include developing innovative multimedia programs; providing information design, digital multimedia communications and publication expertise; promoting innovative use of digital communications media in medicine and higher education; and researching and evaluating new teaching and learning models. To help further these goals, C/AIM has established partnerships with medical and education professionals, private industry, and the publishing and electronic communications industries, says Dr. Jaffe, who is also a professor of diagnostic radiology and cardiology medicine at the School of Medicine.
"Through C/AIM the School of Medicine is one of the leading developers and publishers of multimedia medical education and continuing medical education programs," he says. "Recent research at C/AIM is focused on software and information design for educational applications in cardiology, human anatomy, nuclear medicine, avian anatomy and other biomedical topics. Current research programs are centered on student self-assessment in medical education, and improving visual perception skills in medical imaging. The center takes a strong and aggressive stance that teaching can be transformed through the effective use of computers."
The lecture series is being presented with support from Information Technology Service. Lectures will be offered each Tuesday in February at 4 p.m. in the Sterling Memorial Library lecture hall, 120 High St., unless otherwise noted. Topics and speakers follow:
Feb. 4 -- "Achieving Educational Objectives using Computers: Keys to Employing Computers as Enabling Technology," Dr. Jaffe and Phillip Simon, director of biomedical communications and managing editor, C/AIM.
Feb. 11 -- "Elements of Successful Computer-Aided Instructional Design: The User Interface and Navigating Information," Patrick Lynch, director, C/AIM.
Feb. 18 -- "Networks, Databases and the Educational Mission: Technological Opportunities, Choices and Implementations," Sean Jackson, chief of technology, C/AIM.
Feb. 25 -- "Educational Software as University Products: Strategic Planning, Valuation and Marketing," Rm. A53, School of Management, 135 Prospect St., Howard Newstadt, executive director, business affairs, School of Medicine, and director of business development, C/AIM.
Call 737-5026 or visit the C/AIM Web site at http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/ for more information.