From helping build safer and inclusive communities to opening new lines of communicating and sharing knowledge, technology touches nearly every facet of society.
Students in the Kent State School of Emerging Media and Technology are working on the front lines of helping Northeast Ohio organizations solve problems through technology this semester in the capstone class Interdisciplinary Projects.
In the class, juniors and seniors work in teams on a technology challenge or prompt for a real business, department or organization. Through the process, they learn skills in project management while gaining real-life experience communicating with leaders and cross-functional teams about emerging technologies and technical projects.
Associate Professor Enrico Gandolfi, Ph.D., is the course instructor. Kristin Dowling, Director of IdeaBase, also provides support for the students as they explore project management tools and client relations. Here’s a look at what students are working on this semester:
SAFER Hudson
When emergency responders arrive at a resident’s home, they aren’t always sure what they will encounter. Kent State students are working on a way for Hudson, Ohio, residents to inform the city about medical and psychological conditions of household members so that emergency responders can access it before responding to an emergency. In an emergency, knowing that a household member is supported by life-sustaining medical equipment, unable to communicate or has a physical impairment that would make them unable to evacuate, is vital and potentially life-saving.
Currently, students are creating mock-ups of forms on various platforms and conducting user testing.
Northeast Ohio CyberConsortium
No organization, small or large, is immune to cybersecurity challenges. And because technology is ever-evolving, it can be hard for any single business to stay on top of the latest threats or trends in cybersecurity. The Northeast Ohio CyberConsortium (NEOCC) formed in 2015 to help Northeast Ohio business and technology leaders share information and stay on top of best practices, tactics, techniques and more, in the realm of cybersecurity. The organization is made up of businesses, nonprofits and universities in Northeast Ohio.
This semester, Kent State students are exploring the development of a secure internal digital information sharing platform for the organization. So far, students have led focus groups with leaders from major Northeast Ohio companies who are part of NEOCC. They are also exploring potential platforms for the internal site.
Educational Technology Website
Technology has changed the way children and teens learn. Kent State students are building a website will showcase the impact technology can make in a classroom. The website will be targeted to educators, with the goal of equipping schools with information they need to write grants that can help them secure funding for technology, including augmented and virtual reality.
Kent State students are currently building wireframes for the site, examples of which are below.
Technology Wall in Franklin Hall
The School of Emerging Media and Technology found its home in Franklin Hall on front campus a few years ago. Students are working with School Director Michael Beam, Ph.D., to build out the School’s physical presence through a technology wall on the building’s third floor. They are exploring a motion-activated television screen that allows visitors and students to interact with students’ work.
Students are working with both design and emerging media and technology faculty as they explore a visually appealing display that incorporates the technologies they are learning in skills-based classes.
