mSphere of Influence: an Inupiat Journey in Science

ABSTRACT Dr. Kathryn Milligan-Myhre works in the field of host-microbe interactions. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on the people and scientific ideas that influenced her journey from a small town in Alaska to a faculty position at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

From Quest to Conquer: Traversing General Education at a Diverse Alaskan University to Integrate and Assess Transferable Information Literacy Skills in Foundational Courses

The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) is an open enrollment university that offers vocational, academic, and professional degrees in a northern region. UAA serves a culturally and demographically diverse population. Given this diversity, students display varying levels of information literacy (IL) competencies. Library Professors Anna Bjartmarsdóttir and Deborah Mole partner with faculty teaching composition and communication courses to create increasingly sophisticated and transferable IL learning opportunities. Strategies include: assessing students’ IL competencies; creating engaging activities; integrating IL throughout the semester; developing reflection opportunities to reinforce IL skills. UAA librarians, partnered with faculty, integrate and scaffold IL activities in foundational GE courses to develop increasingly sophisticated, transferable IL skills and knowledge practices. From team-based learning application exercises to workshops for teaching assistants, students learn how creativity partnered with initiative has helped to integrate transferable IL skill education at this diverse arctic university.

Taking a Byte of Telephony Costs

In 2006, the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) upgraded the telephone system at its main campus in Anchorage from a traditional private branch exchange (PBX) architecture to a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system. This case describes the organizational decisions that led to the change; the scope and the process of upgrading; and the current status of the new VoIP system. The actual migration to VoIP was completed less than a year after the start of the project. The transition process went smoothly. User satisfaction with the performance of the VoIP system is very high. Based on extensive interviews with decision makers and the technical personnel involved, this case also describes financial considerations (including “creative” ways to stretch a limited budget), outsourcing considerations, training related issues, as well as lessons learned.

Preparing Alaskan Speech-Language Pathology Graduates for School-Based Employment

Alaska, like the rest of the nation, has been experiencing a significant shortage of speech-language pathologists (SLPs). This shortage has been acutely felt in Alaska's public schools. Without an in-state graduate program, Alaska is unable to produce a qualified pool of candidates to fill SLP positions. This article will discuss a collaborative training program between the University of Alaska Anchorage and East Carolina University designed to address the SLP shortage in Alaska schools.

Distance Education: A Unique Blend of Technology and Pedagogy to Train Future Special Educators

The geographical distances in Alaska create a unique educational challenge that is shared by other areas in the world. A three-year project at the University of Alaska, Anchorage attempted to integrate the author's experiences in Alaska with the growing technology available in the state. Potential students in regions hundreds of miles away from an on-campus program were able to participate in a graduate level certification program maintaining the same accreditation standards as the on-campus program. The same faculty served both the on-campus and off-campus program employing video production, audioconferencing, audio cassettes and printed materials. Distance teacher education programs need to consider individual student needs such as preparation, motivation and resource assistance. Good instructional practices should be considered along with the potential of technology in order to produce quality programs.