Instructional Media Lab
Need help setting up a course Web site? Need to scan fifty slides, but don't have a slide scanner? Have questions about using PowerPoint more effectively? We can help you with all aspects of using technology in your instruction or research: from basic software operations to best practices and expert techniques. We can also help you evaluate the pedagogical benefits (and pitfalls) of specific tools and applications.
At the Instructional Media Lab, faculty can learn about or work on document scanning, video editing, file conversions, etc. We will introduce you to the software and the equipment, then let you work on your own, but will be standing by in case you need help.
Appointments are available in 2-hour blocks most weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Call 545-2823 or email instruct@oit.umass.edu to make an appointment. Drop-ins are welcome on a space available basis. We are located in A213 LGRC Lowrise. Our services include:
Technical Instruction & Assistance
Scanning images & text: Learn how to get the best results when scanning images, without creating unwieldy, gargantuan files. Learn to get the best results when scanning text documents.
File conversions: Convert Word documents to PDF, PowerPoint to PDF or HTML, and more. Save images in Web-friendly formats.
Assistance with course Web sites: Get introduced to SPARK for an easy-to-make course site that can include sophisticated communications tools, or use the Blogs at UMass Amherst service to build a public course Web site that is easy to create and update.
Video capture and editing: Learn how to capture, edit, and deliver video for your students over the Web or on disc media.
Hardware Available
Slide Scanner (35mm, 4 Slides or 6 Negatives at a time, fast!)
Flatbed Scanner (8.5 in X 11 in)
Document Scanner (8.5 in X 11 in printouts or photocopies)
Has Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and can convert scans automatically
to PDF.
Digital Camera Card Readers
CompactFlash, SmartMedia, Memory Stick, IBM Microdrive, MultiMediaCards,
& SD Cards*
FireWire & USB Hookups (for your still or video digital cameras)
CD and DVD and burners (DVD/CD-R & RW)*
MacOS X and Windows (XP)
* Bring your own media (BYOM). Academic Computing does not provide recordable CDs, DVDs, Zips, Memory Cards, Tapes or Diskettes.
Software Available
Web site creation: Dreamweaver
Image processing: Photoshop, iPhoto, MS Office, PictureManager
Diagrams and Illustrations: Illustrator
Web-based Animation: Flash
Video Editing: iMovie, Windows MovieMaker, Final Cut Pro
Presentation Design: PowerPoint, Keynote
PDF Creation: Acrobat
Also available: Microsoft Word, Excel, and a variety of utilities and browsers
