Snow Day Instructional Technology Resources

A few years ago Seattle Pacific University’s Dean’s Cabinet asked me to put together a list of eLearning tools that faculty can use if classes are cancelled due to inclement weather. Today’s snowy weather along with a prompting from my boss encouraged me to share an updated version with SPU faculty.

Instructional Technology Services provides training and support for all tools mentioned below. Our website includes a list of recent workshops. SPU Faculty: If you have questions about a particular tool and can’t reach me, there is probably a professor in your school who has experience.

Ideas

• Discussions:
  • Asynchronous: Blackboard Discussion Board, VoiceThread
  • Synchronous: Adobe Connect, Skype
• Online Assessments:
  • Quizzes
  • Tests
  • Surveys
  • Rubrics
  • Grade Center
• Collaboration:
  • Asynchronous: Blackboard Wikis, Blogs, Groups, Google Sites, WordPress
  • Synchronous: Google Docs
• Lectures, Presentations, Screencasts, Office Hours:
  • Asynchronous: Camtasia Relay
  • Synchronous: Adobe Connect, Skype

ITS also provides instructional graphics, scanning, and digital audio/video services. While I don’t like the idea of  having an emergency situation that forces professors to use these tools, I do like the raised awareness of our digital services and tools.  Maybe, just maybe, some new professors will consider using these tools and techniques for their everyday instruction.

Six Questions About Using Rubrics for Assessment in Blackboard

In this screencast, David Wicks addresses six questions faculty may have about using the Rubric feature in Blackboard 9.1.

The Questions:
How should I prepare to create a rubric in Blackboard?
How do I enter a rubric in Blackboard?
How do I edit the Rubric Grid?
How do I associate a rubric with an assessment?
How do I grade with rubrics?
How do I view a Rubric Evaluation Report?

Six Questions about Rubrics in Blackboard 9.1 (PDF)

If you want to learn more about rubrics please see watch an associated video on this topic by Professor David Denton:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhmxz8V3V8k

Screencast Introduction to my Teaching with Tech Course – Warts and All

I use Camtasia for Mac and Camtasia Relay to make screencasts of syllabi for my online courses. Recording a syllabus is a good use of my time for a couple of reasons. First, a syllabus screencast cuts down on student frustration and the number of questions I get asked during the first week of class.  I try hard to put all my thoughts in a Word document but students seem to understand better when they can both read and hear me explain it.  Second, I usually find mistakes that need correcting. Some I mention while recording (e.g. miscounted points on an assignment rubric). Some I make a note of and fix later (e.g. forgot to give credit to Garrison for using a remix of his Practical Inquiry Model diagram. [pdf]  Oops!)  Speaking of Garrison, I hope that I am demonstrating good teaching presence by offering this resource to my students. I think it demonstrates good course design, instruction, and even facilitation. Anyway, if you are interested, here is a screencast of my syllabus, warts and all.

Infographic: Online Education in the USA Report 2011

Report can be found at: http://sloanconsortium.org/publications/survey/going_distance_2011

How students should submit bPortfolio posts in Blackboard

What I tweeted about in 2011

Here is a tag cloud created with Tagxedo showing what I tweeted about in 2011.  My Twitter handle is dwicksspu.  I shared lots of links using the hashtag #mlearning as I prepared for several presentations on mobile learning.  My role as co-chair of the MacLearning.org Steering Committee had me frequently using the tag #maclearning and the handle @maclearning to tweet about how Apple products were being used in teaching and learning .  I began a project with five other professors on blended learning in August and used the tag #blendedlearning to share resources that I found.  I am predicting that it will be one of my most popular tags in 2012.  The hashtag #et5online should also be a popular tag for me in 2012 as I am the program chair for the 5th Annual International Symposium for Emerging Technology in Online Learning. I hope to see you in Las Vegas this summer.

Happy New Year!

David

Answers to Four Questions about iTunes U

In this screencast, David Wicks addresses four common questions faculty have about iTunes U. The questions are:

1. What is iTunes U?
2. How do you access iTunes U?
3. What resources can be found on iTunes U?
4. How can iTunes U be used in your instruction?