Education professor presents
at international conference - top
 Dr. Len
Austin, associate professor in the College of Education at Black Hills
State University, recently presented a professional paper concerning
student use of personal handheld computers.
Austin made the presentation at the 14th annual
international conference of the Society for Information Technology and
Teacher Education (SITE 2003) in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
His presentation, “Palm Pilot Use in a Freshman College Class for
At-Risk Students,” spoke of the successes and challenges that resulted
from issuing entering freshmen students a personal digital assistant
(PDA). Austin’s presentation was the result of research he had
conducted while teaching ED 101 (“Connections to University
Success”) during the fall 2002 semester at BHSU.
Austin and members of student services, Sharon Hemmingson and
Julianna Larson, joined forces to create a specially designated section
of ED 101 for TRIO students (low income, low ACT, low high school GPA,
disabled, first generation college students, and/or those qualified due
to being a minority student). These students were associated with a
special grant (a two-year TRIO grant of $5,000 for each year).
In addition to a textbook, the 20 students were also given a Palm
Pilot 500 furnished through the TRIO grant. Initially it was predicted
that the handheld computers would help students stay organized and
provide a place to take academic notes. The
research revealed that over 85 percent of the students found the PDAs
were useful for those two purposes, and they wanted to retain them for
another semester. Student attendance was higher in this section when
compared to other sections of the same course. Greater bonding among
students occurred, and there were self-reported increased levels of
self-esteem in students. Ninety-three percent of the students
mentioned that the course should be required of all freshmen students.
Students gave the course higher marks than did students in the other
sections. Their evaluations included such comments as, “The Palms made
the course exciting,” and “It was an innovative class.”
Austin also cited other favorable surprises, such as how the
experiment gave some university professionals the opportunity to
co-teach with a faculty member and learn a new technology.
In addition, Austin said, “This course helped to bridge the gap
between student services and faculty, especially for these at-risk
students. It was a timely and effective blending of the two campus
functions to benefit students when they need it most.”
Austin also reported several areas that needed further attention
including the development of a system to retain the handheld computer if
a student drops out or has to leave school unexpectedly, the excessive
time needed to train students in the use of PDAs, the need for
a method of allowing students to be able to use the PDAs beyond one
class, and innovative ways to deal with broken PDAs (which caused
delays in instruction and increased student frustration).
SITE is the premier international association for teacher educators
who are interested in the creation and dissemination of knowledge about
the use of information technology in teacher education and faculty/staff
development. SITE seeks to promote research, scholarship, collaboration,
exchange, and support among its membership, and to actively foster the
development of new national organizations where a need emerges. Austin
said, “SITE is the only organization that has as its sole focus the
integration of instructional technologies into teacher education
programs.”
The SITE conference annually attracts more than 1,200 leaders in the
education technology field from over 50 countries. This year’s venue
was the Albuquerque Convention Center.
 Len
Austin, associate professor of education at BHSU, stands with PDAs that
were handed out to TRIO students last fall. The TRIO grant provided 20
at-risk students with a Palm Pilot 500 to help them stay organized and take academic
notes. Austin recently presented his research on the subject at an
international conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Photography professor
publishes article and photos in South Dakota Magazine - top
 Photographs
and an article by Steve Babbitt, BHSU associate professor of mass
communication, are featured in the most recent issue of South Dakota
Magazine. His artwork is also currently being displayed at the
Danforth Gallery in Livingston, Mont.
In the magazine article Babbitt describes his fascination with
landscapes and small communities in South Dakota. His photographs
capture the beauty of the land while documenting the small town heritage
that is disappearing.
“I felt it was worthwhile to document this life in an artful
way,” Babbitt writes in the article. “I wanted to suggest the
presence of people without necessarily including them and, in some
cases, the images of the land and towns serve as metaphors for a
condition and way of life which is particular to the prairie.”
Babbitt will be honored at an artists’ opening reception tonight at
the Danforth Gallery where His artwork is part of the “Northern
Lights” exhibit. The exhibit will be on display until July 25.
Babbitt has been teaching classes in journalism and photography at
BHSU since 1994. He holds a master’s of fine arts degree in
photography from the San Francisco Art Institute.
Opera
performances begin tonight at BHSU - top
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In a rare
opportunity for this region,
Black Hills State
University will host two performances to conclude the 2003 Black Hills Summer Institute of the Arts.
Students from across the country who are attending the Black Hills Summer Institute of
the Arts will present “An Evening of Song and Dance” tonight at 7 p.m. in
the Woodburn Theater.
Tomorrow evening, Saturday, June 28,
the
students and their instructors in their
finale opera performance will present "A Night at the
Opera" featuring the second
act of Gounod's "Faust." The opera performance will be
preceded by a catered picnic on the |
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lawn in front of Woodburn Hall
at 5:30 p.m. Reservations are required for the picnic. A pre-opera
lecture will be held at 7 p.m. in room 112 of Woodburn Hall
followed by
the opera performance at 7:30 p.m. in the Woodburn
Theater.
There is a $20
suggested donation for the performance and picnic or a $10
donation
for the performance only.
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Two singers convey the
intense emotion of their piece during the dress rehearsal for the
Black Hills Summer Institute of the Arts opera performance. Vocal
performances will be held in the Woodburn Theater at 7 p.m.
tonight.
An opera performance is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. tomorrow night. |
The Summer Institute
of the Arts is an outreach arts program of Black Hills State
University. For more information
or tickets for any of the above events, contact Dr. Holly Downing,
dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at BHSU, at 605-642-6420 or
email hollydowning@bhsu.edu.
 A group of
performers runs through a scene during the dress rehearsal for the
Black Hills Summer Institute of the Arts opera performance. Black
Hills State University will host vocal performances in the
Woodburn Theater tonight at 7 p.m. and an opera performance
tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. A catered picnic will be held on the
lawn in front of Woodburn Hall prior to Saturday's performance.
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Send a virtual postcard from
BHSU - top
The university communications office has created a virtual postcard
web page which will allow students, faculty and staff the opportunity to
send a virtual postcard of BHSU. Consider using this new feature to
showcase our beautiful campus to someone you think might be interested
in finding out more about BHSU. Photographs, which highlight the beauty
of our campus and the Northern Black Hills area, will be updated
periodically.
Send a
postcard.
Mark
Larscheid Memorial Golf Tournament is scheduled for next weekend - top
The third annual Mark Larscheid Memorial
Golf Tourney will be held Saturday, July 5 at 1 p.m. at the Spearfish Canyon
Country Club.
The tournament will feature a shot-gun
start at 1 p.m. with an entry fee of $60 per person. The event will
offer team prizes, pin prizes and a silent auction, followed by a dinner
and dance. Entries are due by July 1. For more information or to
register call 722-1214 or 641-9899 or email lizlars@yahoo.com.
Larscheid, a former teacher and coach at
Williams Middle School in Sturgis for 27 years, died in an automobile
accident in 2000. He also taught and coached in Spearfish and Wall.
To celebrate Mark Larscheid’s life and
preserve his memory, the family has an annual memorial golf tournament
which includes a silent auction, dinner and dance. The proceeds are
contributed to a track scholarship fund at BHSU in his name.
Larscheid was an outgoing, caring, and kind
person who loved his family and athletics. He was an outstanding high
school and collegiate athlete who still holds the South Dakota State
High School record for the 110-yard high hurdles at 14.1, a record he
set in 1969. Larscheid graduated from BHSU with a degree in physical
education in 1973. He competed in football and track for the Yellow
Jackets.
Tetreault honored at art
reception at BHSU - top
 Frances
Wood Tetreault, a former BHSU faculty member and Class of
’47 BH graduate, was honored at a reception at the Ruddell
Gallery on the campus of Black Hills State University where her artwork
is currently on display.
Darleen Young, former instructor; Dick DuBois, art professor; and
Wanda Bellman, professor emeritus; each spoke in her honor.
Young said Tetreault has a history of bringing joy and light to
others in many ways including gardening, decorating, cooking and serving
as a hostess in addition to creating artwork that is so vibrant and
colorful.
“Most of all Frances is an artist,” Young said, “but very close
to that, she is a teacher. She believes art is a medium of
self-expression and self-improvement as well.”
In addition to teaching art at BHSU, Tetreault has taught art as a
form of self-improvement in a variety of settings including retirement
homes and correctional facilities to “bring beauty into others’
lives.”
DuBois, who currently teaches art at BHSU and has taught with
Tetreault in the past said that she has been an inspiration to him and
many others. He indicated that he admires her artwork for its variety
and energy.
Bellman related that she and Tetreault had began as first-year
teachers at BHSU together in 1966 and have been friends ever since.
“It’s truly been a privilege to be her friend and to have her for
a friend,” Bellman said. She also praised Tetrault for her continuing
desire to learn.
“One of the things that impressed me the most is that Frances has
always been and still is an art student,” Bellman said. “She always
wants to try new things and that is evident in the variety of her
artwork here.” Tetreault has continued to learn and has returned to the
classroom as an art student for the last three years.
The Tetreault art exhibit continues through Aug. 1 at the Ruddell
Gallery. Contact the Student Union information desk at 642-6062 for more
information.
Young Center hosts many
summertime activities - top
The Donald E. Young Sports and Fitness Center is open for students
and community members this summer. The Young Center also hosts a number
of university and community events throughout the year. For more
information on specific hours and events see www.bhsu.edu/athletics/dyc/hours.html.
Grant opportunities announced
- top
Below
are the program materials received June 19-25 in the Grants Office,
Woodburn 309. For copies of the information, contact the office at
642-6627 or e-mail requests to grants@bhsu.edu.
Fellowship information will also be posted on the Student
Union bulletin board near the information desk.
- Parental
Information and Resource Centers Program
Up to 40 grants of up to $700,000 each will go to nonprofits, or
consortia of nonprofits and LEAs, to create centers that will
assist parents of children who attend schools slated as needing
improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under Title I,
Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The
deadline to apply is July 18.
Under the program, all funded centers must:
- Implement effective parental involvement policies, programs,
and activities that will improve student academic achievement.
- Develop and improve partnerships among parents, teachers,
principals, administrators, and other school staff.
- Increase parent involvement in school activities.
- Strengthen the developmental progress of children served.
- Coordinate funded activities with parental involvement
initiatives funded under section 1118 and other ESEA
provisions.
- Establish a thorough approach to improving student learning
by coordinating federal, state, and local services.
Projects may request funds for up to three years. For details, visit www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2003-2/060303a.html
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The Braitmayer
Foundation funds school reform initiatives. The
Braitmayer Foundation funds K-12 education improvement initiatives
throughout the country. Preference goes to school and curriculum reform projects, as
well as those that provide professional development for teachers. The
deadline is June 30 or Nov. 15. www.braitmayerfoundation.org
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The Allen
Foundation benefits nutrition initiatives in health, education,
training, and research programs. The Allen
Foundation makes grants to support nutrition programs in the areas of
health, education, training, and research nationwide. The deadline is open. www.allenfoundation.org
Faculty
research funds available - top
The Faculty Research Committee has
funds available for the current fiscal year. Write a short (about
three-page) proposal. Proposal forms are available in the Grants and
Special Projects Office, Woodburn 309, or can be printed from the website.
It is anticipated that successful
applicants will request support for faculty release time, research
equipment, travel to research sites or research support for the
production of creative work. Preference is given to new applicants,
particularly in the areas of education, business, social sciences and
humanities. Applications are now being accepted for faculty release time
for spring 2004. Release time is awarded to full-time faculty who teach
on the BHSU campus. The next application deadline is Monday,
Aug. 18 at
12 p.m.
The applicants are encouraged to
contact the committee members for advice prior to completing their
proposals. The members are John Alsup, Earl Chrysler, Tom Cox, Abdollah
Farrokhi (chair), Jim Hess, Kathleen Parrow, Shane Sarver, and Rob
Schurrer.
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