Stacey Sutton

Construction on the new Faculty Development Center began this month in Steely Library.

Construction is expected to last 2 to 3 months as walls are built and rooms renovated on the second floor of the Library.

Arne Almquist, Associate Provost for Library Services, said at least part of the center will be in operation by the end of the spring.

Hosea Project Movers recently completed the rearrangement of shelves, materials and desks to make room for the new center.

The Faculty Development Center is a technology-based center designed to help students and faculty gain access to technology and materials at NKU.

The FDC started last semester and resides in a small room in the Applied Science and Technology building.

In its early stages, the FDC has received a warm reception by the faculty, said FDC assistant Maureen Cruz.

The FDC offers critiques of a teacher’s methods by observing their instructing style and suggests different methods, Cruz said.

“It is a great benefit. Professors don’t always receive feedback,” Cruz said. “They get a lot of good feedback of what has worked and what hasn’t.”

Since the FDC has been confined to a small office, however, Cruz said the FDC’s full potential hasn’t been realized.

The new office will allow them to house many more resources.

Materials from the Steely Library listening room, the media center in Landrum, and other materials such as videos, which are currently filed in the Library, will be compiled there.

“It’s going to make life a lot easier for students to get to media,” said Almquist.

The center will also house a laptop computer lab, a listening lab, and an interactive video system for use with distributed learning courses at remote classrooms.

In addition to the materials and equipment available in the center, professors will be able to receive help with incorporating technology into their classes.

This includes everything from the creation of distance learning classes, to help with Blackboard, the software program that helps run NKU’s Learn Online Web site.

Other rooms will also undergo renovation during this time. Equipment enhancements to instructional rooms will be added, and two group study rooms will be renovated to make them more comfortable, visible and safe. Equipment enhancements for the study rooms are currently being considered.

Dr. C.B. Stiegler has been named the Director of the Faculty Development Center.

She is currently a professor in the Technology Department.

Some materials will be out of order during the construction. Almquist recommends students inquire at the Circulation desk if they are having trouble finding materials.

The materials will be reorganized during the spring and summer semesters to make them easier to locate.

Editor-In-Chief Scott Wartman contributed to this report