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Judy Puskar

BSAM-ITTE alum Ray Schaefer donates 14 virtual reality headsets to alma mater

May 19, 2025 Mark McGowan Alumni, enewsletter, ETRA

A 2023 alumnus of the College of Education’s B.S.A.M. in Instructional Technology degree has honored his alma mater with a gift of Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality headsets and a large cleaning unit. The donation from Ray Schaefer, who works in global

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Recent ETRA master’s graduate equips future Huskies to navigate Blackboard

February 17, 2025 Mark McGowan Alumni, enewsletter, ETRA

When NIU faculty have technical questions about Blackboard, they often turn to the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL). And when NIU students have technical questions about Blackboard, they turn to … well, typically, the faculty who are requiring them to

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Drive My Car: ETRA delivers fun times to STEM Fest crowds, graduate students

October 3, 2024 Mark McGowan enewsletter, ETRA

Hundreds of children of all ages visited the Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment’s STEM Fest booth Sept. 28 in the Anderson Hall gym. And the learning – along with the smiles – was not limited to the guests. “This is

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ETRA faculty attend May 16 workshop to understand, consider HyFlex teaching

July 5, 2023 Mark McGowan enewsletter, ETRA

Faculty in the Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment (ETRA) are now more skilled in the delivery of “HyFlex” – hybrid-flexible – teaching. Such courses provide “both a classroom and at least one online participation option, or mode, to students. Students

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ETRA doctoral students attend AERA

April 20, 2023 Mark McGowan enewsletter, ETRA

Five doctoral students in the Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment attended the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, held April 13 to 16 in Chicago, thanks to funding from their department. Ph.D. students Akosua Birogo Poku, Angie Fanuke,

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North Chicago teachers near completion of technology specialist endorsements

February 7, 2023 Mark McGowan enewsletter, ETRA

No matter their subject matter – English, English as a second language, history, math or even driver’s ed – teachers use technology. Six educators within those disciplines at North Chicago School District 187 are now upping their game in ways that will

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Photos: ETRA at STEM Fest

October 18, 2022 Mark McGowan enewsletter, ETRA

Several representatives from the Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment staffed Booth 33 at NIU’s STEM Fest 2022, held Oct. 15. “Our VR and AR educational games were a great hit!” Chair Wei-Chen Hung said. “Kids and parents stood in long

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Virtual virtuosos: ETRA keeps Learn-IT online, adds student panel discussions

August 21, 2022 Mark McGowan enewsletter, ETRA

Learn-IT was still virtual in 2022 – and organizers remain enthusiastic about some of the benefits of that online delivery. The Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment’s annual workshop for pre- and in-service educators traditionally has been held the first Saturday

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