Faculty and Staff to Access Adobe's Creative Cloud Software
JONESBORO – Faculty and staff at Arkansas State University are getting access to Adobe Creative Cloud for enterprise, a system of industry-leading software products that work together for virtually unlimited creativity and collaboration.
Students returning to A-State this fall will begin using the Creative Cloud products while working in classrooms and computer labs across campus. One of the university's educational goals is developing a learning environment that develops students' digital skills, considered crucial in the 21st century workplace.
The initiative to acquire the license for Adobe Creative Cloud was led by Dr. Carl Cates, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Communication, with key involvement from other areas at A-State.
"I am very pleased that a collaboration between the College of Liberal Arts and Communication, the Research, Technology and Transfer office, and Information and Technology Services will now make Adobe Creative Cloud available to our faculty, instructional staff and Jonesboro students," Cates said. "It has always been my goal to provide students with a learning environment that embraces digital content so that they may distinguish themselves in their early careers as digitally creative and innovative."
The move to Adobe Creative Cloud for enterprise will have a broad impact at A-State and beyond.
"To the best of our knowledge, we are the first university in the state and region to provide this for our students," he continued. "This is a statement of our commitment to move our graduates to the front of the line in this digital environment."
With the rapid development and use of mobile devices such as tablets and telephones alongside conventional desktop computing systems, software that works seamlessly across the multiple platforms has become much more important to meeting individual and organizational needs.
"Having the Adobe Creative Cloud available to faculty across campus will unleash their creativity to enhance student learning, both in the classroom and through an entire range of creative engagement including research," added Dr. Tom Risch, interim associate vice chancellor of research, who is providing major support for the initiative.
Adobe Creative Cloud for enterprise provides software and computing capabilities that can be accessed online, such as collaboration on documents, photographs, videos, other projects and mass data storage. Cloud computing is the term used to describe systems of remote computer servers storing files than can be accessed online by multiple users on various types of devices.
Henry Torres, chief information officer, said Information and Technology Services will direct the implementation of the new computing and software capabilities.
In addition to the numerous software products for which Adobe is well known, including Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat and Dreamweaver, the company developed CreativeSync, a signature technology at the heart of Creative Cloud. CreativeSync puts ". . . files, fonts, images, videos, setting and other assets . . . at the user's fingertips," whether one is working on a desktop computer or web-based and mobile device applications.
Creative work and document files are encrypted by the Adobe cloud computing system to protect the data security, both while in use and during transmission. The system also automates user management and directory synchronization.
Computing labs across campus are now being set up so students can get access to Cloud Computing by the end of next week.
Torres said faculty will have access to an Adobe menu link through the myCampus online system where they can ask to have the full suite of Adobe products added to their classroom computers. Faculty and staff also will use the link to get the products downloaded to their desktop and laptop computers.
Kevin Downum, coordinator of the Faculty Center, will incorporate Adobe Cloud Computing training into the center’s offerings.
“We will offer a combination of feature sessions and registered support sessions,” Downum said. In feature sessions, an app will be selected for introduction during the first half of the session, then participants will explore the app in more detail during the latter half.
In the registered support sessions, faculty can register to work in an application of particular interest. The type of support offered will be determined by the app selected.
“I am going to spread the Adobe cloud offerings across my entire team,” Downum added. “I want everyone to be really good with at least one app, and familiar with the others, so we can begin supporting the maximum amount of apps as efficiently as possible.”
For additional information about the Faculty Center’s plans and schedule, one may contact the center at (870) 972-2334 or FacultyCenter@AState.edu, or visit online. The Faculty Center is in Suite 301 of the Dean B. Ellis Library.
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