The Innovative Classroom Series (Fall 2016)

• Saturday, September 10, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., D242
• Thursday, September 15, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., D278
• Instructor: Karen Herold, Instructional Technology Assistant, Academy for Teaching Excellence

The Grade Center in Blackboard is more than just a way to record students’ grades. It is a dynamic and interactive tool that allows you to record data, calculate grades and monitor student progress. Reports can be generated so that you can share them with your students.

• Friday, September 23, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., D278
• Wednesday, September 28, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., D242
• Instructor: Melissa Baysingar, Instructional Design Specialist, Academy for Teaching Excellence

Getting students actively involved in their learning heightens understanding and creates an exciting and dynamic traditional or online classroom. Experience the impact that active learning can make on reaching your students and delivering course content. Develop active learning techniques and activities that you can begin using immediately in your own classroom.

• Saturday, September 24, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., D242
• Thursday, September 29, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., D278
• Instructor: Karen Herold, Instructional Technology Assistant, Academy for Teaching Excellence

Learn how to create and implement the following active learning tools into your Blackboard course:

• Assignments and Inline Grading – View submitted files within a web browser for easy annotation.
• SafeAssign – Use this tool to combat plagiarism.
• Discussion Boards – Build a sense of community among students—a crucial part of a successful online experience.
• Groups – Create groups of students within a Blackboard course to allow students to collaborate on projects, assignments or any other coursework.

• Friday, October 7, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., D278
• Wednesday, October 12, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., D242
• Instructor: Melissa Baysingar, Instructional Design Specialist, Academy for Teaching Excellence

What does a great online course look like? Learn 10 best practices for planning and delivering an online course in which your students can thrive. To continue your journey in great online course design, attend the “Best Practices in Blackboard Course Creation” workshop also offered this semester.

• Saturday, October 8, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., D242
• Thursday, October 13, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., D278
• Instructor: Karen Herold, Instructional Technology Assistant, Academy for Teaching Excellence

Build your Blackboard course using the principles covered in the “Best Practices in Online Course Design” workshop offered this semester. Even if you were not able to attend the “Best Practices in Online Course Design” workshop, attending this course creation workshop will let you experience the best practices first-hand in your Blackboard course.

• Friday, October 21, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., D278
• Wednesday, October 26, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., D242
• Instructor: Melissa Baysingar, Instructional Design Specialist, Academy for Teaching Excellence

Using authentic teaching strategies and assessments can increase student satisfaction and deepen student understanding of course content. Experience the difference that authentic learning can make on a lesson and how an authentic assessment can challenge students to excel in your traditional or online course.

• Saturday, October 22, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., D242
• Thursday, October 27, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., D278
• Instructor: Karen Herold, Instructional Technology Assistant, Academy for Teaching Excellence

Build a rubric in Blackboard that will communicate assignment requirements and acceptable performance standards for your coursework. Rubrics help ensure consistent and impartial grading.

• Friday, November 4, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., D278
• Wednesday, November 9, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., D242
• Instructor: Melissa Baysingar, Instructional Design Specialist, Academy for Teaching Excellence

A backchannel is an online conversation that runs concurrently with regular classroom or student activities. Backchannels can give every student a voice and open the door to amazing collaboration. Learn how to incorporate backchannels into your classroom and discover free and easy-to-use tools to get you and your students into the backchannel conversation!

• Saturday, November 5, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., D242
• Thursday, November 10, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., D278
• Instructor: Karen Herold, Instructional Technology Assistant, Academy for Teaching Excellence

LockDown Browser is a custom browser that locks down the testing environment within Blackboard. Respondus Monitor is a companion application for LockDown Browser that uses webcam and video technology to prevent cheating during online exams. Learn how to apply both of these tools to your online exams in Blackboard.

• Thursday, December 1, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., D278
• Friday, December 2, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., D278
• Instructors:
  • Melissa Baysingar, Instructional Design Specialist, Academy for Teaching Excellence
  • Karen Herold, Instructional Technology Assistant, Academy for Teaching Excellence

The Innovative Classroom Series Capstone is a chance for you to demonstrate an innovation you have made in your classroom and to get inspired by the work of your peers. Come to the capstone prepared to give a 5-10 minute demonstration of a new teaching method you have implemented in your classroom or an educational product you have made that incorporates topics from the Fall 2016 Innovative Classroom Series. The presentations are made to other attendees at the capstone and to staff from the Academy for Teaching Excellence in an environment that encourages feedback and support. In addition to feedback on your demonstrated product or method, you will come away from the capstone with a range of ideas on how the topics presented in the Innovative Classroom Series can be used in the classroom.

CEU: 1.0*

Adjunct Stipend: $50*

*To be awarded the CEU/stipend, capstone participants must present during the session and have attended at least two other workshops in the Innovative Classroom Series in Fall 2016.

Register: http://bit.ly/innovative-classroom-capstone