Joe Sanchez has over ten years experience consulting on the effective use and integration of technology to enhace communication and increase learning at the University of Texas at Austin. Joe Sanchez is the campus wide expert on the use of blogs and wikis in a university classroom.

Selected Presentations:

Austin Technology Forum sponsored by Texas Advanced Computing Center
Presenter: Virtual Worlds: Connecting people, places, and spaces.
Description: As an emerging leader in the field of virtual worlds and the social impacts of technology, Joe Sanchez will demonstrate how virtual worlds such as Second Life are connecting people, places, and spaces.
Virtual Worlds such as Second life have gained national recognition over the last year with feature articles in CNNMoney, USA Today and Business Week. Members of virtual worlds create graphical representations of themselves, called Avatars, and they use these avatars to navigate throughout virtual environments. Avatars in Second Life for instance, are able to buy and sell virtual property and services through an exchange of real world money for Linden Dollars. Users not only make purchases in the virtual world, but also create goods and services that are sold to others. What does all this mean?

The University of Texas at Austin Faculty Development Workshop, 2007
Presenter: Second Life: People, places, and spaces
Description: Shared Virtual Environments such as Second Life are beginning to receive attention from the mainstream press. These virtual worlds are often mistaken for games or gaming environments. During this session Joe Sanchez from the School of Information will discuss virtual worlds through the metaphor of People, Places, and Spaces. Recent research conducted by Joe Sanchez will be discussed as it pertains to the use of Second Life in the university classroom.

The University of Texas at Austin Faculty Development Workshops, 2001-2007
Instructional Designer and Presenter, Building an Online Community and Podcasts,Wikis, and Blogs, oh my! Description: With the use of hands-on activities and simulations, TAs will learn how to effectively use Blackboard's online discussion boards and virtual classroom to increase collaboration, produce active learning, and foster student reflection.

The Univeristy of Texas at Austin, Faculty Library Seminar, January 2007
Presenter, Collaborate for Student Learning: Blackboard and the Library
Description: Enhance your course by integrating library resources and services into your Blackboard page. Get a librarian involved or link to articles and e-books. Learn about effective pedagogy in an online environment and how to use technology as a teaching tool.

Third Annual Texas Blackboard User Group Conference , Fall 2006
Presenter, Learning 2.0
Description: Media rich Web sites, “clicker” response systems, and courseware—instructional technologies promoted by instructional designers as ways to reach out to the Net Generation—often simply modernize instruction. See how Learning 2.0 can create transformative learning environments

University of Texas at Austin New Faculty Seminar Fall 2005
Presenter, Starting and Maintaining your Teaching Portfolio
Description: Teaching portfolios are an important part of documenting your work as a faculty member and of keeping up with your accomplishments. In this session, we will look at what goes into a teaching portfolio and how you can start now to make compiling your dossier for promotion and/or tenure less stressful.

The University of Texas at Austin Faculty Development Workshops, 2004
Presentor, Dodging Death by Power Point
Description: Power Point timesavers, design, and development tips; multimedia integratio. Instructing with PowerPoint for effective learnin. Integrating PowerPoint with other technologies in the media classrooms.

The University of Texas at Austin, Division of Instructional Innovation and Assessment, 2004
Award, Instructional technologist at the forefront of new technology for the University.

The University of Texas at Austin Faculty Development Workshops, 2002
Presenter, Sharing What Works: Enhancing Communication Through Technology
Description: A one-day seminar to explore the role of communication in learning, and how technology can promote communication with and among students in small classes.