Audio Reflections: A New Form of Response

I’ve been thinking a lot about technology, lately.  I was marveling at how closely it has become attached to me, as a part of my life.  What brought this on was a recent trip to the grocery store.  During the short, five-minute ride to the store to pick up a few things, I glanced down at my cup holder and realized that I didn’t have my phone with me.  

Now, I’m not someone who I would define as “attached to my phone.”  I often misplace it or forget to take it out of my purse of backpack for hours on end, suddenly alert to a muffled ringing that I then have to attempt to locate.  However, I’ll be the first to admit than in any awkward social situation (waiting rooms, bus stops, lines, hallways, basically any time where I am completely surrounded by strangers), I often take it out and stare at its blank screen, pretending I have something important to do with it so that I don’t have to interact with others.  Although, I really shouldn’t worry, because the strangers around me are doing the exact same thing, furiously typing or swiping their way across their glossy screens, eyes glazed over as they shuffle in place, waiting for their first chance to bolt.  Regardless, I actually found myself contemplating whether or not I should turn around and get my phone before continuing on my way.

Reflecting on this, it has become ever more obvious how much technology has not only encapsulated our lives, but have provided us with ways in which to express ourselves in new and interesting ways.  Just ask those three high school girls in the food court, not talking to each other, but instead spending their afternoon snapping selfies or Snapchat videos and posting them #atthemallwithmybesties.

So, it’s no wonder that educators everywhere are brainstorming for an answer to the question, “How can I use technology in my classroom?”  Don’t get me wrong, there is tons of literature out there explaining different tools and tricks and gadgets to get your students involved with, some of which I have already talked about earlier this year.  But technology changes every day and with that prompts another step up from educators to again incorporate technology in new and interesting ways.

That’s why I think the article I stumbled across on the Faculty Focus website is pure gold.  This article, written by Karen Sheriff LeVan and Marissa E. King focuses on how best to utilize audio as a means of student reflection in your courses.  LeVan and King bring out prominent ideas of what it would be like for students to be able to freely discuss their reflections without the worries that accompany writing.  Rather than focusing on comma placement, spelling, and other grammatical features of their work, they’ll be able to spend more time focusing on iterating their spoken content.  Really, a genius idea.

For more information on how to include audio responses in your courses, consult LeVan and King’s article here.

Happy recording!

Written By: Jessica Moser

Using Online Writing Platforms

Online writing is becoming more and more prevalent as computers take hold of our pens and paper, making them seemingly disappear.  Whether spending time on social media, carefully crafting words of only 140 characters or less, or emailing home to let their parents know they are surviving and have even been to the grocery store this month, students are no doubt using online spaces to communicate and project their own thoughts and ideas.

With this established norm, it only makes sense to consider how best to utilize discussion boards, social media, and other online writing platforms to further extend the use of technology within your courses, as well as strengthen comprehension and conversation on topics with your students.

Before jumping headlong into cyberspace, consider the following elements that will no doubt be included in your course along with blogs, discussion boards, and the like.

First, structure your grading so that online writing is built in.  Adding online writing requirements into your grading structure not only stresses the participation in the format, but also the importance that it will contribute to the learning within your course.

Second, consider and acknowledge the time that will be spent on online writing within your course.  Just because online writing can be approached with a sense of ease and convenience doesn’t mean that it won’t add to the work load of your students.  Consider what other elements in your course to drop or modify in order to make time for the addition of an online component rather than simply tacking it on.

Third, build recognizable connections between online writing and other course content or activities.  Students respond well when they are able to make connections between the tasks they are asked to complete and other broader elements of the course.  Make it clear how they should treat this online space and that they should look at it as an extension to the course rather than a separate element.

Generally, I think you will find that the majority of students are comfortable with digital technologies, even with platforms that they haven’t used previously.  Therefore, feel free to ask students to consider the technology as a learning process in and of itself, as you work together in order to create a sustainable way to continue and strengthen learning conversations outside of the classroom.  Allowing students a way to access further discussion and information regarding class themes and concepts will allow them to be able to see how these aspects can fit into their everyday lives, even after graduating from your course or the university.

For a list of current online writing platforms with explanations, click here. 

Adapted from: Vanderbilt University

Written By: Jessica Moser

 

From the CETL Library: Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms

In a world of ever-growing technological opportunities, it can be overwhelming to consider implementing Internet technologies within your courses.  This book by Will Richardson offers thorough explanations on how to utilize a wide variety of technology-based tools to strengthen the teaching and learning experiences within your classroom.  Just glancing at the table of contents illustrates several different technologies that you may not have previously considered using as learning tools within your classroom.

 

These include:  

• Weblogs – a way to consider blogging with your students
• Wikis – an easy collaborative tool for sharing and editing
• Multimedia Publishing – including podcasting, video & screencasting, and live streaming 
• Social Networking – effectively using Facebook and Ning

These topics are then broken down into subcategories, each one contemplating the execution within your classroom and the effects that you can look for through their use. 

 

The final section of the book is reserved for discussing the impact of these tools on education.  Richardson considers the relevance of these tools as well as their effect on the learning process, the overall mastery of a subject, and the significance Internet technologies can have on students in their future careers.   He writes that within their careers, students will most likely be asked to work with others both close to them and from around the world.  They will be asked to read and write in linked environments so that they can perform, research, analyze, write about, and share online content.  “Compare that to an educational system that, by and large, asks those same students to work independently on paper for a very narrow audience (usually the teacher who gives the grade), and the disconnect becomes painfully clear.”

This book is written for novice or experienced technology users.  Richardson’s real-life classroom examples and how-to tips make it a great resource for those looking for relevant ways to incorporate technology and collaboration within their courses. 

  

Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms can be found in the “Instructional Technology” section of the CETL library.

Written By: Jessica Moser

Tips for Teaching Hybrid Courses

Hybrid or blended courses are defined as using the web for interacting (not just posting).  Courses are considered to be truly hybrid if the amount of online work falls anywhere between 30-70%.  There are several pros to implementing hybrid courses within your teaching curriculum, but there are challenges with employing them as well.

The first thing an instructor must consider when making the switch to hybrid is which material to present online vs. which material to present face to face.  This means considering how you are going to deliver lectures, discussion activities, projects, and homework assignments.  If this sounds daunting, never fear!  The following tips from instructors who have mastered the art of hybrid courses can help. 

1. Keep time frame in mind.  Remember that you’ll have to create or revise material to make it web-friendly, and you might have to take time to learn the ins and outs of the system you’ll be using.
2. Be sure to consider your students.  What sort of needs and skills do they have that will enhance their use of the hybrid course material?  What sorts of struggles or obstacles might they face with online material?
3. Utilize D2L for a streamlined and cohesive collection of information.  Students are going to use D2L a lot throughout their time spent at the university, so even if you are teaching an intro course with mostly freshmen, it’s still a good idea to use the D2L system so that students get used to using it as much as possible.  Plus, if you aren’t teaching classes with high freshmen populations, your students will already have the experience they need in order to work with D2L for your course.
4. As it goes with all elements of teaching, don’t try to recreate the wheel.  Reuse the materials you have already created, or make adjustments to them to utilize them as online materials as well.
5. Prepare for a longer amount of your time to be spent online.
6. Make sure to explain to students what your online expectations are during an in-class session.  This provides ample opportunity for walk-through demonstrations and questions.
7. Consider where lecture material best fits into your curriculum.  Would your course benefit from more in-class activity time and small group discussions?  Record your lectures ahead of time and post them online for students to watch before attending class.  (More information on this under the “Flipped Classroom” tag.) Would you like for students to witness your lectures face to face?  Utilize the online portion of your course for discussion and supportive readings or case studies.
8. Have students work collaboratively online.  This is the most important thing to remember when creating a hybrid course.  Students shouldn’t only use the online portion of the course to post things and forget about them.  They should be interacting with one another, discussing the elements of the subject area, and working through issues that they might be faced with concerning the material.
9. Even though your students will be working in two different environments for your course, don't expect them to complete twice the amount of work. 
10. Keep the creativity flowing!  Just because you will no longer be implementing certain elements of your course face-to-face any longer doesn't meant you have to get rid of the really intriguing and thought-provoking activities you have done in the past.  Hybrid courses just mean reconsidering how you can best implement those activities for stronger learning experiences.

Written By: Jessica Moser

Avonlea Hanson: e-Learning Consultant

Kaltura, Padlet, OneDrive.  Although these things may sound like words from a different world, they are actually three of several helpful technological tools to use in your courses.  New technologies like these are becoming available all the time, making it all the more overwhelming to begin considering how you can use them in your own curriculum.  Luckily, there’s an app, er, I mean, a person for that!  Recently, I had the privilege to sit down with Avonlea Hanson, one of UWEC’s talented e-Learning Consultants, to ask her some questions about her work here on campus and how she is able to help others wade through new technologies to find the right one for them.

What does an e-Learning Consultant do?

The first topic of our conversation centered on the basics.  I wanted to know what exactly an e-Learning Consultant does on campus.  Avonlea explained that consultants spend most of their time helping instructors develop their online courses, working with them to decide what kinds of technology fit best within their curriculum, and assisting them with incorporating new technologies into their courses.

What are some of the technologies that e-Learning Consultants can help with?

Whether you have questions about D2L, or you’re interested in putting the power back in PowerPoint, your campus e-Learning Consultants can help you further develop these skills so that you can run your course like a technology master.  Tools like Kaltura work well for streaming videos, Padlet operates as a live discussion board, OneDrive is an easy way to share and collaborate on information, and all of these can work as seamless ways for students to fully interact with the material and each other in your courses.  Did you stumble upon an online resource but aren’t quite sure whether or not it could work for you?  Ask a consultant!

What’s something unexpected that e-Learning Consultants can help with?

Flipped classrooms and hybrid courses are becoming more and more prevalent within the world of education.  This means transitioning between face-to-face content to screen-based content.  E-Learning Consultants can help you translate all of the materials that you have prepared for face-to-face presentations into digitally-accessible formats.

What are the best and most challenging things about being an e-Learning Consultant?

Exploring new technologies and helping instructors match up assessments to learning goals are just two of the things that Avonlea is most passionate about when it comes to her work as an e-Learning Consultant.  She works hard to stay up-to-date on the new tech tools that can be used in classrooms to promote better learning and more involved education.  This also works as a double-edged sword as keeping up with those changes is also the most challenging part of an e-Learning Consultant’s job.

What tips do e-Learning Consultants have for instructors?

“Come talk to us!” Avonlea says with a smile.  There are so many good things about utilizing e-Learning Consultants to make your courses better.  Some things to keep in mind: consultants are flexible—they work with you to provide as much or as little assistance as you’d like; meetings with them are individualized—they use a one-on-one technique to target your needs exactly; they work directly with your goals—consultants consider all aspects of your course in order to help determine which tools will work best for you.

There you have it!  Working with e-Learning Consultants is a great way to up your technology game in the education world.  Whether you’re considering a hybrid version of your class, teaching full-fledge online courses, or just looking for better ways to utilize technology in your face-to-face courses, UWEC’s team of technology experts are amazing resources to have.

For more information including how to contact members of the technology team, check out the CETL staff page. 

Written By: Jessica Moser

The Prezi Resolution

You know what they say, out with the old, in with the new.  And what better time to try something new than New Year’s?  That’s why this blog post will focus on Prezi, a neat little online presentation tool that can help you to create engaging presentations and share them with students easily.

What is Prezi?

Prezi is an online presentation system.  Although similar in concept to that of PowerPoint, Prezi is a much more interactive display of information since it uses movement, graphics, maps, videos, and other multimedia tools in order to showcase ideas and concepts.

Why should I use Prezi?

Here are five reasons:

1.  Prezi has great visual impact.  Because it allows you to import pictures, maps, PDFs and use them as a canvas, you can showcase ideas based on a larger picture.  You can also import videos, sound clips, and other links that will play directly from the Prezi window, without having to worry about continuous play, switching windows, or pop-ups.  It also has an interesting zooming function that provides the feeling of entering a different world.
   
2. Prezi was designed with the iPad in mind.  Therefore, it allows you to create exciting and interactive presentations with touch navigation.
   
3. Freedom.  Prezis can be kept in a public domain that can be accessed by your students anytime they need it.  They can navigate Prezis themselves to review information, or they can print them in PDF format.
   
4. Prezi works well in interactive classroom formats or group projects.  Prezi has the resources for students to work together in real time with up to ten other people to build a presentation on one shared virtual whiteboard.  This can be done online or in the classroom.
   
5.  Easily import from PowerPoint.  If you’re interested in embracing this new method of presentation, but don’t want to transfer all of your PowerPoint information over by hand, no worries.  Prezi can import your existing information simply by importing your PowerPoints.

Prezi also offers a free educational subscription if you would prefer to keep your presentations private instead of public.  Just use your email address that belongs to your educational institution when signing up.  There are also step-by-step instructions and tutorials provided on their website once you get started.

Thanks to Prezi, you are no longer forced to present information in a linear sense.  Instead, you can edit your presentation path  to “fly” from location to location, turning elements upside down, zooming in or out, or reverting back to bigger pictures, all to the explore the relationships between ideas.

To get started on creating your own Prezis, head on over to www.prezi.com.  Happy presenting!

Tip Provided By: Jessica Moser