Clickers in the Classroom
Tuesday, June 3, 2008 from 9:30 am to 11:30 am
Now that NIU has adopted the eInstruction CPS personal response system (clickers), faculty can use this technology in conjunction with Blackboard to create an interactive learning experience. Faculty can use CPS in the classroom to engage students and provide them with instant feedback. Student assessment results can then be uploaded to Blackboard. This workshop is designed to explore the instructional possibilities of the CPS clicker system and its integration with Blackboard. Advanced registration is required.
**New** Social Networking Technologies (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr)
Thursday, June 5, 2008 from 8:30 am to 10:00 am
This session will provide an overview of a number of social networking technologies and how they can enhance the social aspect of networking and community both in and outside the classroom. In this session we will create and join one of the popular social network web sites and discuss how faculty and students can benefit through active participation in this dynamic online technology. Advanced registration is required.
**New** Resource Sharing Technologies (Blackboard SafeAssign, Scholar, Content Collection)
Thursday, June 5, 2008 from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
This session will focus on the new Blackboard tools designed to extend the capabilities of the Learning System and foster student centered learning as well as social networking. We will discuss SafeAssign, a new plagiarism prevention tool used to educate students about proper citation of sources, Scholar, a social bookmarking tool used for academic resource sharing, and the Content Collection, a tool for storing, managing, and sharing course content. Advanced registration is required.
**New** Multimedia Learning Technologies (Short Focused Tutorials, Google Video, YouTube, Podcasting, Flickr)
Thursday, June 5, 2008 from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
This session will provide an introduction to a number of engaging and effective multimedia learning technologies that enhance online instruction. Whether it is online lectures, interactive instructional modules, streaming video, or weekly audio podcasts that keep the instructor and student ‘connected,’ you will leave this session with a greater repertoire of multimedia tools as well as ideas for using them.
**New** 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm: Collaborative Learning Technologies (Wimba Classroom, Voice Tools)
Thursday, June 5, 2008 from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
This session will explore the use of the Wimba online collaboration suite that integrates with Blackboard and allows educators and students to engage in meaningful and memorable interactions by combining interactive technologies with instructional best practices. Use of such emerging collaboration tools supports visual, kinesthetic, and auditory learning styles through both synchronous and asynchronous online communication.
Blackboard II: Building Your Blackboard Course
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 from 9:00 am to 10:30 am
This hands-on workshop is a follow-up to the Blackboard I: Introduction to Blackboard workshop; we will cover the specifics of developing a course in Blackboard, including personalizing course navigation, setting up a materials-delivery structure and creating discussion areas. Participants will work in their own Blackboard courses and should bring to the session any course materials they want to upload or work with during the workshop. Files need to be on a flash drive (readable in a USB port) or on CD. Advanced registration is required.
Blackboard Overview
Thursday, June 12, 2008 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
This hands-on workshop will introduce TAs to version 7.1 of Blackboard. The session will cover the basics of personalizing course navigation, as well as changes in the layout and functionality of the discussion board, and a preview of the gradebook and assessment component, among other features. TAs will need to already have TA/instructor status and an active NIU AccountID (http://password.niu.edu). Prerequisites: Knowledge of basic web browsing and basic computing skills. Advanced registration is required.
Creating and Delivering Effective PowerPoint Presentations
Wednesday, June 18, 2008 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
It’s not necessary to be a graphic designer or an artist to create great looking PowerPoint slides. However, it helps to know fundamental design and presentation principles to relay your intended message better to your audience. In this interactive workshop we will first evaluate the effectiveness of an existing PowerPoint presentation using a visual design appraisal checklist. Workshop participants will then create their own presentations following robust design and presentation principles. Bring existing work for a friendly critique. Experience using Microsoft PowerPoint is required. Advanced registration is required.
Creating the Teaching Philosophy Statement
Thursday, June 19, 2008 from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm
If you have thought about writing and discussing your teaching philosophy but don’t know how to begin this workshop will guide you through the necessary steps to arrive at a statement that truly reflects your thoughts on teaching. With the help of some interactive activities, you will begin crafting your own philosophy statement that enhances your teaching portfolio. Advanced registration is required.
Concept Mapping for Teaching and Learning
Wednesday, July 2, 2008 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
Concept maps are learning tools which represent information visually. These diagrams “visually arrange” concepts and ideas, show connections and relationships among concepts, and help increase understanding of complex information. Concept maps help students see the underlying structure and “big picture” of a concept which can lead to meaningful learning. This hands-on workshop will provide practical and immediate applications in your teaching and your students’ learning. Please bring a course syllabus or concepts to the workshop. Advanced registration is required.
Plagiarism Prevention Using Blackboard SafeAssign
Wednesday, July 9, 2008 from 10:00 am to 11:30 am
Despite our efforts to educate students regarding the principles of solid academic writing, students may not always understand how to properly reference source content. The new SafeAssign plagiarism prevention service that is now integrated in Blackboard allows students to protect the originality of their work as well as to have it checked for inadvertent citation errors prior to submitting to the faculty member for credit. This hands-on session will introduce the features of the SafeAssign plagiarism prevention service and its integration with Blackboard and will discuss how to incorporate opportunities for students to self-check their work for citation errors. Advanced registration is required.
Writing Goals and Objectives: There is a Difference
Thursday, July 10, 2008 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
Instructional goals are broad, generalized statements about what is to be learned. Instructional objectives, on the other hand, are focused measurable statements which will help you and your students reach your goals. When written well, instructional goals and objectives will assist in identifying course content, help organized your instruction, and best of all, help students achieve your expectations. In this workshop, we will review the characteristics of instructional goals and objectives and practice writing these two important components of successful instruction. Please bring a course syllabus to the workshop. Advanced registration is required.
Blackboard I: Introduction to Blackboard
Monday, July 21, 2008 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Learn the basics of creating and developing a course in Blackboard, NIU's Web Course Management System. Participants will get an overview of course layout and navigation and will have an opportunity to place materials in a sample course. We can also assist participants with requesting their own Blackboard courses. Participants who wish to request their courses during the workshop need to have an active NIU Account ID. Advanced registration is required.
Blackboard II: Building Your Blackboard Course
Thursday, July 31, 2008 from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
This hands-on workshop is a follow-up to the Blackboard I: Introduction to Blackboard workshop; we will cover the specifics of developing a course in Blackboard, including personalizing course navigation, setting up a materials-delivery structure and creating discussion areas. Participants will work in their own Blackboard courses and should bring to the session any course materials they want to upload or work with during the workshop. Files need to be on a flash drive (readable in a USB port) or on CD. Advanced registration is required.
Formative and Summative Feedback for Teaching and Learning
Wednesday, August 6, 2008 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
Providing and receiving feedback is known to enhance teaching and learning. But how (and why) do we choose the most appropriate form of feedback for any given situation? We will discuss different forms of feedback, compare formative and summative feedback, and strategize which forms of feedback work best in different learning environments. Advanced registration is required.
Clickers in the Classroom
Wednesday, August 13, 2008 from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Now that NIU has adopted the eInstruction CPS personal response system (clickers), faculty can use this technology in conjunction with Blackboard to create an interactive learning experience. Faculty can use CPS in the classroom to engage students and provide them with instant feedback. Student assessment results can then be uploaded to Blackboard. This workshop is designed to explore the instructional possibilities of the CPS clicker system and its integration with Blackboard. Advanced registration is required.
Please register online at http://www.facdev.niu.edu/facdev/forms/taprogreg.shtml.
Locations will be made available when you register. If you register for a program (except for those programs that already have registration and cancellation deadlines) and are unable to attend, please notify the Center at least two working days in advance so that those on the waiting list can be given the opportunity to attend that program.
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Last Updated: 5/6/2008