Showing the community how technology is being used at the UA in its teaching and curriculum will be the focus of the first-ever Open House Week, in which more than 150 classrooms campus-wide will be open to the public.

The open house begins at 8 a.m. this morning and runs until Friday. An information tent will be out on the Mall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the week, providing schedules, campus maps and information on University of Arizona services.

The focus of the open house will be on teaching and learning and it will provide people the opportunity to feel like students again, getting a glimpse of everyday activities at the UA, according to information from the Faculty Development Office, which is putting on the open house. Karen Smith, faculty associate to the provost, is organizing the activities.

Mary Barleycorn, Smith's assistant, said, "We wanted people to see just how much our professors care about teaching and their students."

Throughout the week, the public can visit classrooms in each college, take guided tours of lab facilities, view lab and computer demonstrations, attend concerts and rehearsals featuring UA students and some visiting musicians and take in a few UA athletic events.

Parents, regents, alumni, legislators and high school students have all been invited, Barleycorn said. UA students can also attend any of the week's events.

Many of the activities will be hands-on. The Main Library and the Center for Computing and Information Technology, among others, will offer workshops to teach the basics such as getting on and searching the World Wide Web and using multimedia software to develop class material.

"This is a good way to show the good teaching we have here as well as letting people know what technology is available to them," said William Valmont, a professor of language, reading and culture who will be showing visitors the College of Education's Instructional Technology Facility.

Barleycorn said the cost of putting on the event will be "minimal," because faculty and staff members are volunteering their time and have donated facilities.

To make it easier for visitors to get to campus, a limited number of spaces in the Second Street Garage will be available at $3 per day for those who register in advance with the Faculty Development Partnership Office. Parking also will be available at UA satellite lots and the El Con Mall, with shuttles running to the center of campus.