Usage statistics from the CMM vary widely from Fall to Spring semesters. Spring semester statistics will be more accurate than the earlier statistics, as our data gathering system was not completely functional until mid-Fall. In addition, the CMM student associates and secretary were not completely familiar with the process of registering CMM users. Next academic year should provide a more accurate count of uses. Total Uses of the CMM from September 1997 to May 1998 numbered 1,704. The CMM serviced not only clients in the academic division, but the entire university community. Of interest is the individual college uses of the Center for Multimedia. The College of Arts and Letters is by far the largest college user of the CMM. Sixty-three (63) percent of college uses of the Center for Multimedia were from the College of Arts and Letters. That college also represents 40% of the total uses.

Foundation development is a priority of the Center for Multimedia. This is the area of CMM services that assists the JMU community in developing skills that range from understanding how a computer works, to creating presentations and websites. These uses include house calls, walk-in visits, formal and targeted technology workshops, uses of the Teaching Learning Technology labs, and participation of CMM staff in the teaching of university courses or university workshops. The following table outlines the number of uses of the CMM by university division for the AY 1997-98. This table indicates that the majority of uses of the CMM are in workshops and walk-in visits.

This year, the CMM focused on enhancing development opportunities for faculty. In the CMM, faculty can choose from many different methods of building personal technology skills, including short courses, track workshops, faculty exemplar presentations, and house calls. Short courses are traditional CMM workshops that develop or augment skills in practical technological applications. Track workshops allow faculty to develop a course project, using the software and techniques learned in hands-on portions of the tracks. Tracks are "cafeteria-style," allowing faculty to pick and choose portions that most effectively address in individual development needs. The What’s Up? series offers an opportunity for faculty to share and discuss their challenges, successes, and failures in the integration of technology in their teaching. House Calls meet faculty at their personal technology edge and help them grow beyond it.

In the next academic year, the CMM will focus on expanding its faculty development efforts by providing targeted workshop opportunities for individual departments and faculty. The CMM is currently working with the Department of English to provide targeted, curriculum-focused technology workshops. This workshop series may provide a model for future interactions with other university departments and colleges. In addition, the CMM will continue to participate in the teaching of technology applications within university courses.

Individual House Call sessions numbered 57. Of special note is the number of sessions dedicated to the development of web technologies. More than half of our house call visits focused on helping faculty to develop of web materials and/or understand web technologies. In contrast, walk-in visits were focused on developing presentation. The CMM will continue to track this trend, to more effectively service faculty needs in both technology areas.

From September 1997 through May of 1998, the Center for Multimedia offered 148 workshops and demonstration sessions. The attendance of these sessions numbered 672. If you are interested in reviewing a table of these sessions, the number of sessions attended, and the number of session offered. A copy of these workshops is available from Linda Carrier (x7061, carrielm@jmu.edu).

In addition to providing foundation faculty development support, the CMM provides focused support for instructional projects. This year, CMM staff is concentrating on developing faculty projects through the competitive mGrants program.

The CMM is committed to developing innovative production partnerships. While the CMM has traditionally worked with other university units in the development of multimedia and web projects, the CMM is expanding production opportunities to include corporate teaming. These projects should bring additional funding to the CMM, building expertise in students and staff, in addition to providing students with needed internship possibilities. Monies generated from these projects will go into purchasing appropriate hardware and software for further instructional technology development at JMU, in addition to providing professional development opportunities for CMM staff.