Cheyney University News March 13, 2017 Cheyney University Launches Digital Education Program Cheyney University's new Technology Applications for Professional Success program recently kicked off with students participating in a project to update Cheyney's historical information on multiple Wikipedia pages. Activities were hosted in the Leslie Pinckney Hill Library and collaborators included Dr. Gooyong Kim, Assistant Professor of Communications; Professor F. Keith Bingham, University Archivist and Linda Brawner, Coordinator of Instructional Design. "The effort was a small but very effective way to start building skills and awareness around the many ways that technology is making an impact in our everyday lives," said Marcia Robinson, Dean of Student Affairs, who proposed funding for the program. "Dr. Kim is interested in media advocacy, Ms. Brawner is our Instructional Designer and I have a passion to making sure students are adding technology skills to their portfolio of competencies." During the two sessions, students researched the university's 180 year rich history and updated Wikipedia pages with information about some of the historical buildings on campus. Students enrolled in Dr. Kim's class were assigned research topics related to Cheyney's history. Professor Bingham was available for interviews and answered many questions about the people whose names are on the historic buildings on Cheyney's campus. The Technology Applications for Professional Success program is planning other activities including software application training and skills building projects throughout the year. One of the first activities for the project was to conduct a survey on the level of confidence that students expressed in their technology skills as it relates to performing certain routine assignments that are typical for entry level employees. Some of the survey results showed that more than 20% of respondents expressed little or no confidence in their ability to use a business social media account, collaborate using tools like Slack or Google Docs, create, use databases, maintain electronic filing systems or to learn new technologies independently. Almost 30% of students said they had never used project management software before. "As part of our mission to prepare emerging professionals, ready to meet the demands of a competitive labor force, our goal is that this program will expose students to these types of skills through workshops," Dean Robinson shared. "It's really about increasing their overall confidence in these areas." SANDRA M. PHOENIX HBCU Library Alliance Executive Director Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta, GA 30314 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) http://www.hbculibraries.org/ sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org%3cmailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org>> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ and Twitter https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/