November 6

T4TL Workshop: D2L ePortfolio

Make learning visible. Tell your learning story. Find out how at the next T4TL workshop.

This week we will be hosting another Technology for Teaching and Learning (T4TL) workshop: D2L ePortfolio. Plan to attend one of the sessions offered by the ITS Academic Technology Team on either Wednesday, November 7 from 3-3:50 in Centennial Hall 115 or Thursday, November 8 from noon to 1 in Centennial Hall 106.

If you can’t join us in person, please plan to join us online at: https://webmeeting.minnstate.edu/t4tlworkshops. We look forward to your attendance.

 

Category: Course Design, Online and Distance Education, Professional Development | LEAVE A COMMENT
October 29

T4TL Workshop: D2L Intelligent Agents

Intelligent Agents provide automated communication techniques to help you maintain an online presence and increase student engagement. Learn more about how to create intelligent agents by attending the upcoming session offered by ITS Academic Technology Team on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 3:00 PM -3:50 PM in Centennial Hall 115. If you can’t join us in person, you can participate online using Adobe Connect: https://webmeeting.minnstate.edu/t4tlworkshops. 

Category: How Does It Work?, Online and Distance Education, Professional Development | LEAVE A COMMENT
February 5

T4TL Feb. 14 & 15 Workshop

Engage Your Learners: Using Soft Chalk, Library Widgets, and Media Space

Wednesday, Feb. 14 from noon- 1 in CH 106 OR Thursday, Feb 15 from 3:30 – 4:30 in CH 106 OR use this link to join us remotely T4TL remote access.

Workshop Description:

Do you lay awake at night wondering how to engage your learners? Join the Technology for Teaching and Learning (T4TL) workshop to learn how:

  • Cindy Gruwell uses Soft Chalk to create engaging content. It’s easy to learn and allows you to prepare content and engage students by embedding a variety of media and interactive activities. It is easy to embed in D2L, a webpage, or access by URL.
  • Melissa Prescott uses Library Widgets to help engage learners in academic research. She will demonstrate how you can utilize the D2L Brightspace widget feature to incorporate database searches, instructional videos, discipline-specific information and more, right into your course pages.
  • Mary Leyk uses Media Space to provide effective feedback and a more personal touch when grading papers or providing weekly course updates.

This workshop is all about engagement. We would love to see you in person, but if that is not convenient, please join us remotely to learn more.

 

Category: Course Design, Online and Distance Education, Online Teaching Pedagogy, Professional Development | LEAVE A COMMENT
January 25

FREE MOQI Webinars

MOQI Webinar Logo

The Minnesota Online Quality Initiative (MOQI) is offering free webinars throughout spring semester.  The variety of topics such as, using discussion boards to increase engagement, accessibility, Universal Design (UDL), learning objectives, assessment, and using MediaSpace to record lectures are sure to be of interest. Best of all, it’s free. Review the list and register for a webinar today.

Wed. February 14, 2018

Noon – 1

 MOQI Webinar: Increase Student Engagement Using Discussion Boards
In this webinar, you will be introduced to several, easy to implement discussion techniques that can be used for any class to increase student engagement.

Participants will be introduced to ways you can engage your students with icebreakers to get to know each other, team building, introduce new technologies, hands-on experience with the discussion tool.

Participants will also learn how to structure a debate online to increase student critical thinking skills and deepen their knowledge on course topics, incorporate scenario based learning as an effective way for students to apply what they are learning to realistic situation and participants will learn how to create a discussion board in which students can become the expert on a course topic requiring them research, apply concepts and examples. Templates, assignment directions and examples will be provided.

After this webinar you will be able to

1.     Discuss techniques for increasing engagement using the discussion board

2.     Utilize planning worksheets and templates to implement discussion board concepts

3.     Increase student engagement with discussion boards

Register for webinar: https://mnquality.eventbrite.com
Wed. February 21, 2018

Noon – 1

MOQI Webinar: Accessibility, UDL, and You
In this webinar, participants will learn the difference between the accessible course design and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).  They will review the important role faculty play in designing courses that are accessible and inclusive. Principles of UDL will be introduced.

Participants will learn about how to create accessible course content using Word, PowerPoint, Mediaspace, and D2L Brightspace files.  Handouts and guides will be provided.

After this webinar, you will be able to:

1. Explain the difference between and main concepts of accessible course design, accommodation, and Universal Design Learning principles.

2. Identify several strategies for implementing UDL principles in your own course.

3. Create accessible course content including course documents (Word, PowerPoint, PDF), video captioning in Mediaspace, and content pages in Brightspace.

Register for webinar: https://mnquality.eventbrite.com
Wed. February 28, 2018

Noon-1

 MOQI Webinar: Learning Objectives: What, Why, Where, & How

Well-written learning objectives establish the foundation upon which courses are designed and delivered.  They form the basis for the instructional materials and assessments that are included in the course. Learning Objectives serve as an implied contract between the instructor and student by defining what is to be taught and what is to be learned, so communicating these objectives clearly is a crucial step in assuring an effective learning experience.

This session will review best practices for creating and sharing measurable learning objectives in your online or blended course.

Register for webinar: https://mnquality.eventbrite.com
Wed. March 7, 2018

Noon – 1

 MOQI Webinar: The ABCs of Assessments

Assessment, Evaluation, and Testing are often used interchangeably.  What do we mean when we talk about formative assessment, summative assessment, aligned assessment, and evaluation?  Is that the same as testing?

Assessment is a crucial part of any course because it allows your students to demonstrate mastery of the learning objectives.  But how do you know what type of assessment to choose?

Register for webinar: https://mnquality.eventbrite.com
Wed. March 21, 2018

Noon-1

 MOQI Webinar: Lights, Camera, Action…Recorded Lectures

This session will feature practical information and skills needed to produce high-quality and polished recorded lectures. In addition to a review of PowerPoint fundamentals and design, participants will learn what makes a clear and engaging recorded lecture, how to fine-tune delivery, what to capture and best practices from the broadcast industry and on-air presence. This session will focus on the pedagogy of recorded lectures not the technology. Templates and handouts for producing recorded lectures will be provided.

After this webinar you will be able to:

1.     Describe PowerPoint design elements: theme, images, accessibility features, and use of master templates.

2.     Create a video outline for instructional videos.

3.     Utilize a planning document to produce effective recorded lectures.

4.     Apply broadcast industry best practices for recorded lectures.

Register for webinar: https://mnquality.eventbrite.com
Wed. March 28, 2018

Noon – 1

 MOQI Webinar: Accessibility, UDL, and You

In this webinar, participants will learn the difference between the accessible course design and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).  They will review the important role faculty play in designing courses that are accessible and inclusive. Principles of UDL will be introduced.

Participants will learn about how to create accessible course content using Word, PowerPoint, Mediaspace, and D2L Brightspace files.  Handouts and guides will be provided.

After this webinar, you will be able to:

1. Explain the difference between and main concepts of accessible course design, accommodation, and Universal Design Learning principles.

2. Identify several strategies for implementing UDL principles in your own course.

3. Create accessible course content including course documents (Word, PowerPoint, PDF), video captioning in Mediaspace, and content pages in Brightspace.

Register for webinar: https://mnquality.eventbrite.com
Wed. April 4, 2018

Noon – 1

 MOQI Webinar: Mediaspace for Recorded Lectures

In this webinar, participants will learn how to capture a lecture using Mediaspace as well as how to integrate their lectures into D2L Brightspace. This webinar will focus on the technical aspects of recording lectures including audio levels, camera composition, capturing web camera and PowerPoint presentations, editing, machine-close caption the video and share this in D2L Brightspace. Step-by-step guides will be provided.

After this webinar you will be able to:

1. Utilize Mediaspace to record lectures including web camera and presentations.

2. Share recorded lectures in D2L Brightspace.

Register for webinar: https://mnquality.eventbrite.com
Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Noon – 1

 MOQI Webinar: Tips to Improve Navigation, Usability, and Organization in your Online or Blended Course

This session will introduce you to different ways to create and organize your course content to improve the learning experience for your students. Tips will include different content creation strategies to improve accessibility and usability. Several different course organization approaches will be shared that will streamline the learning experience for your students including how to link other Brightspace and external tools into your course content area.

Register for webinar: https://mnquality.eventbrite.com
Category: Accessibility in Online Learning, Course Design, Online and Distance Education, Online Teaching Pedagogy, Professional Development | LEAVE A COMMENT
August 14

Intelligent Agents Tool in D2L Brightspace

A list of all tools under Course Admin i nD2L with Intelligent Agents circled

 

Intelligent Agents is a tool in D2L Brightspace that can increase instructor presence by sending pre-set, automated emails triggered by pre-set criteria.  I like to call it the Virtual Teaching Assistant as it helps with some administrative tasks, acting on your behalf.  You can see on the picture above where it is located under Course Admin. Below are the details about the tool, as well as how to set them up in D2L.

  • Automated Messaging System: Sends emails once pre-set criteria is evaluated for students.
  • Most common: log-in criteria or release conditions (e.g. no submission to a folder).
  • Notifies the course instructor about a potentially troubled student (providing additional background information, such as an unattempted quiz, a quiz grade or a task (in)completion).
  • Only the instructor sees this tool. When users are evaluated as true on the condition you have set, an email you have previously wrote is automatically sent. A personalized message with the ability to link to resources (remedial or reinforcing) leads to increased instructor presence and student satisfaction.

To set them up in D2L:

  1. Go to Course Admin, find the tool by name or in Communications category. Go to settings and Set custom values for this course (name that emails come from (your name) and put your preferred reply-to email). Save.
  2. Click on New.
  3. Name it, check it as enabled, set criteria (Course Activity log-in or Create and Attach a Release Condition (determine the Condition Type and Details from the dropdown menus)).
  4. Determine whether the Agent will act only once or set a schedule for running dates.
  5. Choose HTML as the Email Format. Copy-Paste the replace strings (To*: {InitiatingUser}; Email Subject: e.g. Reminder for {OrgUnitName}; start the email with, for example: Hello, {InitiatingUserFirstName}). Save and Close. Do a Practice Run, if you wish, to see identified users.

Category: D2L Tip of the Month, How Does It Work?, Online and Distance Education, Online Teaching Pedagogy | LEAVE A COMMENT
August 8

Short and Reusable Recordings

Our colleagues from the U of M presented at the Minnesota E-Learning Summit on using videos in your courses. The handout below summarizes their main points about creating engaging, relevant, sustainable videos. One interesting point they made is that students will rather watch several videos that make up 20 minutes total, than just one 20 minute long video. I guess the “binge watching” culture prevails. 🙂 The Reusable Relevant Recording Creating Engaging and Evergreen Course Content handout: granualr, modular, reusable, quality, aligned, engaging, short (video), sustainable

Category: How Does It Work?, Online and Distance Education, Professional Development | LEAVE A COMMENT
July 25

Bloom’s Taxonomy Periodic Table

Global Digital Citizen Foundation Team has created a neat resource for chemistry and Bloom taxonomy fans. 🙂 I find it appealing and easy to use.

Download the Bloom’s Taxonomy Periodic Table of Activities.

Use your new free Bloom’s Taxonomy Periodic Table for:

  • Understanding Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy
  • Developing skills at each taxonomy level
  • Exploring useful Bloom’s activities with your learners
  • Performing quick formative assessments
  • Effective lesson enhancements
  • Expanding your Bloom’s vocabulary
Category: Course Design, Online and Distance Education, Open Educational Resources | LEAVE A COMMENT
July 10

From “Sage on the Stage” to the “Guide on the Side” to “Ace in the Digital Space”

The new name for the role of faculty in online learning, coined by Jennifer Mathes in an OLC Insights post truly got my attention.

The shift of the role of a teacher as the Sage on the Stage to the Guide on the Side fits well with digital teaching and learning, as students are expected to take a more active role in their learning. The same goes in the classroom where different pedagogical approaches are practiced, and student-centered learning is nothing new.

However, teaching online is not an easy task, and requires much more work ahead of time as well as during the courses than many would think. Teaching effectively requires more than being just a Guide on the Side. Thus, Jenifer Mathes coined the term to indicate to the scope of activities an online teacher is faced with.

She states: “I chose to describe the role as an Ace because we find, in the online or blended course, that a faculty member has to be the expert in many things (tech support, advisor, coach, subject matter, etc.) to their students. They are the first ones that students will go to when they run into an issue.”

This also reminds us of the importance of teacher support and resources.

Remember we are here to help in Miller Center 118!

Miller Center building front entrance summertime

 

Category: Online and Distance Education | LEAVE A COMMENT
July 6

2017 Minnesota eLearning Summit

Image credit: https://cceevents.umn.edu/minnesota-elearning-summit

 

This year’s MN eLearning Summit will happen August 2-3 in Normandale Community College. The program draft is already out and the HIED topics will range from online discussions, MOOCS, course development, telepresence classrooms, asynchronous courses, etc.

Registration is open and discounted for any MN State employee ($61.25 − Enter promo code C118 at checkout, by July 14).

Hope we see you there!

Category: Online and Distance Education, Online Teaching Pedagogy, Professional Development | LEAVE A COMMENT