Technology Learning & Media Center helps students use multimedia

NDSU’s Technology Learning & Media Center offers educational opportunities to students who need to be prepared after graduation to communicate in a multimedia world.

Students pay a technology fee along with their tuition, which funds the TLMC services and makes tutoring, workshops, a media room and various resources available to every student free of extra charge.

Sheree Kornkven, the TLMC manager, said the emphasis of the TLMC is finding a way to provide students with the education they need to navigate through a world with constantly changing technology.

“It’s hard to imagine that a person would be in a career or a position where they wouldn’t have to do anything with video, audio or multimedia projects,” Kornkven said. “No matter what you do, I mean it’s just the way we communicate now. “
In general, if a student has some exposure to technology, Kornkven said it will be easier to continue to learn as the technology changes.

Since 1997, when the TLMC opened, they have traditionally introduced students to software by offering pre-scheduled workshops.

Usually 20-30 different workshops are offered fall, spring and summer semesters and are taught by students.

The TLMC tries to add new workshops each semester. Kornkven said she is interested in feedback for what workshops students want and if students are knowledgeable in a software program and would like to teach a workshop.

Along with the ever-changing world of technology, so are the busy lives of students. Scheduled times for workshops are not convenient for everyone, Kornkven said, so the TLMC has many learner centered options.

Students can choose what they want to learn and when they want to learn it, Kornkven said.

“We hope that students will take advantage of it,” Kornkven said. “It’s difficult to make people aware of our services. Students are pretty busy and maybe aren’t aware of our services until they need help and seek us out.”

Student organizations or a group of students can request workshops on a software they want to learn Kornkven said. She can schedule it at the time they want.

NDSU’s Public Relations Student Society of America chapter requested a PhotoShop workshop Kornkven said, and she received great feedback from them.

Students can learn any of the material provided in the workshops at a time they want by visiting the TLMC in the IACC and talking to one of the 12 student TLMC learning assistants.

A schedule is posted in the TLMC of the learning assistants hours and areas of expertise. Students can reference it and walk-in at those times for help with a specific program.

The TLMC also offers space for groups or individuals to work on projects.

Kornkven said students can save projects on the TLMC computers unlike the computer clusters where everything is deleted after the student logs out.

“If you have a video project [the TLMC] is the perfect place to store it and work on it over time,” Kornkven said. “There will be someone to help you when you get stuck.”

There is also a Media Studio in IACC 150G. Steve Beckermann, the media technologies consultant, can show students how to use the equipment in the room upon request.

The room is a place for students to work on multimedia projects Kornkven said. It has a video recording area, a green screen, an audio recording room and video editing software.

If a student wants to learn online the TLMC has purchased a Linda.com account. The website has thousands of video tutorials encompassing everything from PhotoShop to how to be a digital photographer.

This fall, Distance and Continuing Education purchased Atomic Learning for everyone to access on or off campus with their student id and password. The program offers online video tutorials as well.

Professors can also request TLMC to teach programs within his or her classroom and then refer students to the TLMC lab for help with their projects on a walk-in basis.

Kornkven said 138 workshops were given upon request last year.

The TLMC is part of the Instructional Services group, Information Technology Services, IT Division Kornkven said.

For more information on TLMC services or to register for workshops go to: http://www.ndsu.edu/its/training/tlmc/