Faculty at IU Northwest will now have access to an array of tools to enhance virtual learning in a new facility housed at the Anderson Library Conference Center.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held in late January for the new Academic Media Production (AMP) Space at Indiana University Northwest. The AMP Space was a project which was in the planning stages prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Features of the AMP Space include a green screen as well as light boards that allow faculty to face the camera while writing out lesson information. Technical consultation is available to faculty members who need assistance in learning about the newly available technologies.
In a news release about the AMP Space, administrators spoke about IU Northwest's history of providing virtual learning and about the timeliness of the addition of these new teaching tools. Chancellor Ken Iwama said at the ribbon cutting event, "IU Northwest is already a leader in online education, allowing us to excel during this period of increased remote learning." He added, "Now more than ever, our students expect—and deserve—engaging, high quality instruction that brings their lessons to life in an impactful, memorable way."
Director of the Center for Innovation and Scholarship in Teaching and Learning (CISTL) at IU Northwest, Christopher Young, praised the university for its commitment to improving virtual learning and is already planning how he will use the facility to enhance his online lessons, "The studio is the most recent manifestation of IU Northwest's strong support for faculty professional development and student success...I anticipate using the 'Green Screen' and the Picture-in-Picture features to convey key ideas more powerfully."
For faculty who may not be comfortable with the new technology, help will be available, "Faculty will receive technical consultation and be guided with best practices for self-recording, custom animation video, content creation, Kaltura interactive video for creating Choose Your Own Adventure videos, and so much more," explained Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Vicki Román-Lagunas.
Administrators are hopeful that the AMP Space will allow faculty to produce online learning content that keeps students engaged through creative curriculum.