UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) has updated its Faculty Tech Academy for 2024-25 in the Learning Resource Network (LRN) for faculty and staff to explore the current landscape of essential learning technologies.

Faculty Tech Academy is a two-hour asynchronous experience designed to educate Penn State employees about the range of essential academic technologies available to them.

The course points to more than 170 different technology resources combined in eight categories and wrapped with applied learning activities. Its structure aims to launch Penn State educators into using new technologies that further support student success.

The technology introduction course was updated this year to include:

1. The name change of Yammer to Viva Engage
2. The addition of Microsoft Copilot to support document creation
3. The new signup method for accessing Adobe tools
4. The inclusion of TopHat basics in the Canvas LMS module

Dozens of faculty and staff completed the Faculty Tech Academy during the 2023-24 academic year. Faculty Tech Academy was created to help address user feedback that “There is so much available at Penn State — keeping up-to-date and navigating is a challenge.”

Faculty Tech Academy can be accessed by logging into the Learning Resource Network and searching “Tech Academy” or by accessing the Faculty Tech Academy directly.