Symposium Stories is a series of brief preview podcasts of sessions being presented at the 2011 Penn State Symposium on Teaching and Learning with Technology. Jamie Oberdick, writer/editor with Teaching and Learning with Technology, conducts a brief interview with one of the presenters to find out a bit more about the concepts, ideas, principles, etc. behind what they will present.

The first Symposium Story is with John Dolan, director of digital media and pedagogy with the College of Liberal Arts. John is presenting “Engagement and Community in the College of the Liberal Arts” with Christopher Long, associate dean for undergraduate studies in the College of the Liberal Arts and associate professor of philosophy.

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John Dolan in his office during Symposium Stories interview
The presentation focuses on how the College of Liberal Arts uses social and digital media to build communities of learning. They use this technology inside and outside the classroom, including reaching out to current students, prospective students, and alumni, and advancing the educational mission of the college. Among the technologies, they use include blogs, wikis, videos, podcasts, and social networking sites.
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Dolan with semi-regular College of Liberal Arts site contributor, Dwight the bobblehead doll
 

They have fun with it as well. As you can see in the College of Liberal Arts Undergraduate Studies Web site, a bobblehead doll of the character Dwight from the television show The Office plays a role in the fun.

To see the Web site John references in the podcast, please click here.

Student podcasting
Amanda Craig, liberal arts student, recording an episode of the podcast Liberal Arts Voices