Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University’s Rusche College of Business has renovated a classroom on the third floor of the McGee Business Building into a One Button Studio and a 20-seat testing room.
Room 322 is now transformed into a dual-purpose area where students and faculty members can create video projects with the click of a button.
“This technology is a great learning tool for students to practice the communication skills needed for their professions,” Dr. Todd Brown, associate dean of the Rusche College of Business, said. “It is easy to use, and you don’t have to be tech savvy to create professional presentations.”
Brown explained students can use the One Button Studio to practice presentations, interview skills, elevator pitches, video résumés and more.
“The best feedback students can receive is seeing themselves give a presentation on screen and to evaluate themselves,” Brown said. “The One Button Studio gives students that opportunity.”
The studio is equipped with lights, microphones and a stationary camera. To use the studio, students bring a flash drive, plug it in to the dock and push record. There’s no need to position the camera or turn on the lights or microphone, as the equipment adjusts automatically. Also, recording sessions will be automatically saved to the flash drive after the student stops recording.
Faculty members also can use the studio to pre-record lectures or course introductions for online classes. Dr. Stephen Kosovich, SFA associate professor of economics, was instrumental in bringing this technology to SFA. He believes the studio also is an ideal tool for faculty members interested in “flipping the classroom,” meaning students can watch lectures before class and then class time is reserved for discussion.
“The studio makes videotaping lectures and presentations so much easier,” Kosovich said. “It’s also great for online courses because it makes the class more interactive and less stagnant.”
All SFA students are welcome to use the One Button Studio. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and a graduate assistant is onsite to assist.
Adjacent to the studio is a 20-seat testing room with computers. This room serves as a resource for students who may miss a test or online students who need to take a test in a monitored area.