Academic Technology staff present on Learning Spaces, IIIF at ELI annual conference

February 12, 2018
ELI 2018 Logo

Representatives of Academic Technology for FAS gave interactive poster presentations in two sessions at the 2018 edition of the Educause Learning Initiative (ELI) annual conference, held in New Orleans from January 29–31.

In a presentation titled Classrooms of the Future, Buildings of the Past, Annie Rota, director of academic technology, partnered with Maryellen Fitzgibbon and Cara Noferi from the FAS Office of Physical Resources and Planning (OPRP) to share some of the goals and challenges of renovating centuries-old classrooms to meet the needs of 21st-century teaching and learning.

Visitors learned a little about the history of Harvard Hall and its particular challenges, explored its classrooms via 360° photos, and then shared their own ideas for us to consider as we embark on the planning and design phase.

Annie Rota, director of academic technology, and Maryellen Fitzgibbon, senior planner with OPRP, present at Educause Learning Initiative 2018
Annie Rota, director of academic technology, and Maryellen Fitzgibbon, senior planner with OPRP, present at Educause Learning Initiative 2018

The second poster presentation, IIIF Media Management for the Classroom and Beyond, demonstrated Harvard’s implementations of the International Image Interoperability Format (IIIF) and how it can help unify the teaching, learning, and research experience of faculty and students within and across the institution. Artie Barrett, senior software engineer, Brandon Bentley, senior instructional technologist, and Mike Hilborn, associate director of academic technology tools & development, introduced participants to IIIF and its role in helping to standardize image sharing around the globe.

Participants could then experience IIIF in action by interacting with a variety of Harvard applications, accessed via custom QR codes from the poster itself. Attendees were particilarly interested in the future prospects of IIIF, especially its potential for implementing standards for video, Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR).

Michael Hilborn (center), associate director of academic technology tools and development, and Brandon Bentley (right), senior instructional technologist, present on IIIF Media Management for the Classroom and Beyond at ELI 2018
Michael Hilborn (center), associate director of academic technology tools and development, and Brandon Bentley (right), senior instructional technologist, present on IIIF Media Management for the Classroom and Beyond at ELI 2018

See also: ATG News