The mission of the Office of Learning Technologies (OLT) is to vet, integrate and promote effective use of learning technologies at the School of Visual Arts. However, value will be added for students only if instructors effectively use such tools. OLT will provide ongoing training and support to SVA faculty by:

• Providing an ever-growing “faculty toolkit” which includes access to teaching and learning technologies, best practices, video-based tutorials, FAQs, and relevant news (via the OLT blog and communications with instructors)
• Live workshops and Webinars throughout the year
• Faculty walk-in hours, phone and email support

Most of the services provided through the Office of Learning Technologies (OLT) support improved teaching and learning at SVA. Some of our services offer the added bonus of showcasing SVA talent and extending our campus to every corner of the world. 

Event Coverage & iTunesU
OLT’s video specialists produce course content for the College’s low-residency programs and also shoot and edit many public events hosted at SVA. As often as possible, this rich content is posted to iTunesU. Additionally, final videos are shared with the Office of Communication for distribution, when appropriate, to the College’s Vimeo and YouTube accounts. For details on viewership of SVA content on iTunesU, see the biweekly update in OLT’s blog. 

Sound Booth
The Office of Learning Technologies is equipped with a professional, isolated sound booth for recording of lectures, screen recordings, audio interviews, screen interviews, etc. The Sound Booth is equipped with the following hardware and software, and is available for use by SVA faculty (reservation required — click here):

• Mac Pro CPU
• Dual Apple Cinema Display monitors
• Single condenser microphone
• Webcam
• Wacom Tablet

• Adobe CS6 Design Premium
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4
• iWorks 09
• iShowU HD Pro
• Camtasia 2
• Skype

Video Studio
OLT has a professional video studio with 5-point lighting and seamless background. One-way interviews can be conducted with 2-camera coverage in 1080p HD with professional sound and lighting. Editing services are also available. Studio time is limited so please contact us at least two weeks prior to your desired interview date.

The Office of Learning Technologies supports the college’s 3 Low-Residency Online programs, MPS Digital Photography, MFA Art Practice and MFA Visual Narrative. In each program, graduate students study online throughout the fall and spring semesters and visit New York City to study in person during the summer months. The online course content is produced by the Office of Learning Technologies. This interactive content may include written lectures, videos, screen capture tutorials and interactive critiques.

The Office of Learning Technologies built its mission and driving goals from the results of a robust needs assessment at SVA. Careful consideration was paid to feedback from faculty and incoming students — through surveys and interviews. From this beginning, the OLT team will conduct continued research, assessment and vetting — and share the information gathered with SVA faculty and staff. Some of the ways in which we will continue to strengthen our foundation of knowledge about learning technologies and best practices in the classroom are:

• Research and review new teaching and learning technologies and best use practices
• Conduct annual faculty and student surveys
• Pilot various new tools and systems with faculty and relevant staff
• Continue fostering a dialogue with faculty — to hear their needs, suggestions, etc.
• Liaise between chairs, faculty, system administrators, directors of operation, Visual Arts Library, IT, Institutional Research, external vendors…