Desire2Learn Day – April 24

14 04 2014

Reposting an all-faculty email from CTLE/IR:

Dear Faculty,

Please join us for
Desire2Learn Day
Brennan Hall, Room 509 (Rose Room)
Thursday, April 24, 2014

Several sessions for faculty members will be conducted during the day, as outlined in the schedule below. The highlight of the day will be the lunchtime forum for faculty Desire2Learn – More Than Just a Course Management System.

Desire2Learn is a next generation learning solution, addressing key challenges related to learner engagement, retention, and outcomes. Its design and functionality represent a shift from the simple course management capabilities of an LMS, to a highly pervasive, perceptive, and personal learning experience. Come learn about the advantages of using Desire2Learn for your teaching, and some of its key features, from Desire2Learn representatives.

Also hear about the “real-life” experience of one of our own faculty members, Dr. George Gomez, who is using the D2L learning environment this semester.

You must register by April 16 for the lunch/presentation here (select IT Forum).

All other events on the schedule below are available on a walk-in basis.

  • 10:00-10:30 AM   D2L Open Office Hours – come and ask any questions you have about Desire2Learn
  • 10:30-11:00 AM   Using Wiggio & Blogs in Desire2Learn
  • 11:00-11:30 AM   Incorporating Panopto video into Desire2Learn
  • 11:30-1:00 PM   Lunchtime Presentation: Desire2Learn – More than just a course management system.  Registration Required. Deadline is April 16, 2014.

The following afternoon sessions are open to both faculty and students.

  • 1:15-1:45 PM   Desire2Learn Mobile apps (Binder, Assignment Grader)
  • 1:45-2:15 PM   Using Notifications in D2L
  • 2:15-2:45 PM   Social Media in D2L
  • 2:45-3:30 PM   D2L Open Office Hours – come and ask any questions you have about Desire2Learn

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Encryption with TrueCrypt

8 03 2014

Update 2014-07-02: Support for TrueCrypt has been discontinued! Information Security recommends using 7Zip instead – see instructions (.docx).

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At our last TAG meeting, Adam Edwards and Scott Finlon from Information Security demonstrated automated Identity Finder scans as well as encrypting files with TrueCrypt (which is free and open source :). At our next TAG meeting, we’ll be starting to identify which departments can move forward with automated scans — so as a reminder, you’ll all want to make sure that any confidential or sensitive information stored on your desktop is safely encrypted.

Scott has sent along some brief  instructions (PDF) for encrypting a folder of files using TrueCrypt — the first page is set up and the second is everyday usage.  Please contact Information Security if you have any questions about encryption.

You can also run your own Identity Finder scan in the meantime – see IR’s Quick Guide if you need help getting started.

Many thanks to Adam and Scott for their guidance on this issue!

 


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ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology

11 11 2013

Last spring, the Office of Institutional Research administered the national  ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology on campus in order to gather information about students’ perceptions and desires relating to technology at the University. Of the 3,889 undergraduate students who received the survey, 619 (15.9%) responded.

This morning, several members of TAG met with administrators from Academic Affairs and Planning and Information Resources (PIR) to discuss the survey results. (See PIR’s website for the summary report as well as presentation slides on key findings. The survey instrument and national results are available from EDUCAUSE.)

A few discussion points of particular relevance for TAG and other faculty:

  • 95% of students reported owning laptops (up from 89% in 2010). 84% of students reported having a smartphone.
  • When asked how many of their instructors effectively use technology, students responded: “All” – 9%, “Most” – 45%, “Some” – 45%, “None” – 1%.
  • 63% of students would like their professors to use more lecture capture.
  • 53% of student respondents would like their professors to use the LMS (learning management system – e.g., Angel or Desire2Learn) more.
  • 61% would prefer courses with some online components.
  • 86% of students felt that they were either banned or discouraged from using smartphones in class.
  • Some students reported that they wanted their instructors to increase the integrated use of laptops (52%), tablets (30%), and smartphones (30%) in the classroom.
  • 11% of students agreed and 2% of students strongly agreed with the statement, “I skip classes when materials from course lectures are available online.”

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Desire2Learn Showcase Presentations Coming Soon

1 11 2013

Reposting from email to all faculty, sent by CTLE on  2013-11-01:

Dear Faculty,

The CTLE will be hosting showcases of the D2L features on Monday, November 11 (3:00 – 4:00 pm) and Tuesday, November 12 (4:00 – 5:00 pm). Both presentations will be in Brennan Hall 228.

In addition, the CTLE will offer numerous workshops in January 2014 to prepare you for the switch to D2L. There will be two types of offerings: training hands-on sessions and open migration workshops. The hands-on sessions will cover basic functionality of D2L as well as the grade book, discussion forums, and assessments. The open migration workshops will provide one-on-one assistance in adjusting the converted content from ANGEL into D2L. The workshop schedule can be found here – D2L workshops.

Best regards,
Connie Wisdo, ITDA
Eugeniu Grigorescu, CTLE


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Desire2Learn Conversion Plan

10 10 2013

Reposting from email to all faculty, sent by CTLE Director Eugeniu Grigorescu on 2013-10-10:

Dear Faculty,

After an extensive and in-depth evaluation process by the Learning Management System Evaluation Working Group, the University has chosen Desire2Learn (D2L) as its next Learning Management System (LMS). An email from Dr. Harold Baillie and Dr. Jerry DeSanto regarding this decision was sent on July 1, 2013.

The Evaluation Working Group consisted of faculty members recommended by the Technology Advisory Group (TAG), undergraduate and graduate students, and staff members from several campus departments who will be supporting the new LMS.

D2L will be available for the Spring 2014 semester. ANGEL will be available until May 31, 2014. During the Spring 2014 semester, ANGEL and D2L will run in parallel. You will have the option to choose which system you want to use next spring.

The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE) and the IT Development and Applications (ITDA) are working with a group of pilot faculty this semester to optimize the migration process and prepare “best practices” for teaching and learning in D2L.

Course Conversion – ANGEL to D2L
Over the next 2 months, ANGEL courses will be converted/migrated to D2L. Existing ANGEL courses from fall 2011 through summer 2013 will be converted automatically. Moreover, you will be able to request conversion of additional courses via an online form. The form will be available in early January 2014. The form’s availability will be announced via email.

Access to D2L
D2L will be available for faculty access on Monday, January 6, 2014. At that time, you will be able to view all of your converted courses from ANGEL.

Teaching with D2L
During spring 2014, you may use either ANGEL or D2L, but not both. If you decide to use D2L, you must complete an online form to opt in to teach all of your courses in D2L. The form and instructions will be available in early January. The form’s availability will be announced via email. The deadline to commit to using D2L for Spring 2014 is Friday, January 17, 2014.

In spring 2014, the only courses accessible by students in D2L will be those that you committed (opted in) to teach using D2L.

D2L Showcase
The CTLE will be hosting showcases of the D2L features on Monday, November 11 (3:00 – 4:00 pm) and Tuesday, November 12 (4:00 – 5:00 pm). Both presentations will be in Brennan 228.

D2L Workshops
The CTLE will offer numerous workshops in January 2014 to prepare you for the switch to D2L. There will be 2 types of offerings: training hands-on sessions and open migration workshops. The hands-on sessions will cover basic functionality of D2L as well as the grade book, discussion forums, and assessments. The open migration workshops will provide one-on-one assistance in adjusting the converted content from ANGEL into D2L. The workshop schedule will be announced via email in mid November.

D2L Links

As always, the CTLE and ITDA will be available to help make this transition as smooth as possible. Please do not hesitate to call upon us at any time.

Best regards,
Connie Wisdo, ITDA
Eugeniu Grigorescu, CTLE


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Technology on Your Own Terms – Fall 2013 Workshops

5 09 2013

Upcoming technology workshops — (reposting from UofSLibrary News):

Technology on Your Own Terms – Fall 2013 Workshops

On behalf of the Weinberg Memorial Library and the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, we invite University of Scranton faculty and staff to our Fall 2013 Technology On Your Own Terms (TOYOT) workshops. Here’s what we’ve got planned for this semester:

Weinberg Memorial Library’s Reilly Learning Commons
Sheli McHugh (Cataloging and Metadata Librarian & Reilly Learning Commons Coordinator)
Bonnie Oldham (Information Literacy Coordinator)
October 15, 2013 – 12:00-1:00PM in WML 305

Librarians Oldham and McHugh will talk about how the Library is developing its new Reilly Learning Commons. (Have you played with the Library’s new touch table near Java City?) They will define what a Learning Commons is and discuss trends within other Library Learning Commons. They will also explain why the Library decided to create one and share the ongoing collaborative process to design a space that is deeply responsive to our institutional mission and focused on student learning. A light lunch will be provided.

Wearable Technology: The Next Big Trend
Joseph Casabona (System Integrator & Web Developer)
November 13, 2013 – 12:00-1:00PM in WML 305

As more wearable devices (Google Glass, Jawbone Up, Fitbit, the Pebble Watch, etc) hit the market, it’s important to understand what they do and how they are being used. At this session, we will answer those questions plus explain how they are being used in higher-ed. There will be a live demo of Google Glass and more. A light lunch will be provided.

Sessions are open to all University faculty and staff, but seats are limited, so please let us know you are coming. You can register at www.scranton.edu/ctleregistration – under Technology on Your Own Terms.


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IT Forum on MOOCs

26 08 2013

The first IT Forum for Fall 2013 will be on MOOCs and Evolving Information Technology. I’ll be there and will try to post notes and slides afterwards. Here’s the official announcement from IR:

MOOCs and Evolving Information Technology

The IT Forum for September 19th, will be held in Brennan 509. It will begin at 11:30 a.m. and lunch will be served.

Information Technology (IT) continues to evolve at a rapid pace creating opportunities for change and sometimes challenges to be dealt with. This session will focus on the current IT trends and their impact on the higher education IT landscape. Further, the presentation will drill down to examine on-line education and the emergence of MOOCs discussing how/why institutions decide to adopt these teaching/learning paradigms to achieve student success. The session will allow time for questions and answers.

To register for the IT Forum go to:

https://ssbprd.scranton.edu/appprd/uis2.log?f=yiaevnt.event;
or go to my.scranton.edu, on the Home Tab, select University Links. Then in Events and Facilities, choose IT Services Training and Event Registration.


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Lecture Capture workshop

12 04 2013

Announcement from the CTLE about next week’s Faculty to Faculty workshop on lecture capture, featuring outgoing TAG co-chair Jeremy Sepinsky:

Join us for the following Faculty Advancement Series event. Please register (under “Faculty Advancement-Fac & Staf”) if you plan to attend. Lunch will be served.

Recording Your Lectures: Avenues, Applications, and Opportunities
Dr. Jeremy Sepinsky, Physics
Tuesday, April 16, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm in LSC 590

There are a lot of reasons why you might want to record the lectures you give in the classroom, from sick students to sick faculty, from lecture reviews to pre-recorded content. Jeremy will give us a demonstration of the lecture capture facilities available in the Loyola Science Center along with how he has been incorporating them into his class for the past two semesters. Afterwards, we hope for a lively discussion of the many possible uses of this technology as we move forward.


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Technology and Learning Discussion on MOOCs

11 04 2013

Just a reminder that the Technology and Learning discussion group will reconvene on Monday, April 15, 6:00pm-7:15pm-ish in LSC 238 for our MOOC discussion (the one we had to postpone due to snow). All University community members are welcome, so feel free to spread the word!


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Technology and Learning Discussion on MOOCs

7 03 2013

Reposting from Bboard — all are welcome!

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The Technology and Learning discussion group (open to all University community members) will convene for a third meeting on Monday, March 18, 6:00pm-7:15pm in LSC 238 (the Forum/Faculty Dining Area), unless otherwise stated.

The theme of the evening’s discussion will be “all things MOOC.” Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) were initially offered by faculty from Stanford and other prestigious universities as a way for their faculty to offer free courses online to tens of thousands of students at once. Since first offered through Stanford in 2011, faculty from many other institutions have begun offering MOOCs. The increasing popularity of MOOCs has caused a stir in higher education with arguments for and against their usefulness as an educational platform. We’re looking forward to a lively and informative discussion!

If you’d like to attend, please prepare for the discussion by reading/watching/browsing an article/video/website/etc of your choice that relates to MOOCs. Some suggestions if you don’t know where to start:

MOOC Hosting Sites:
https://www.edx.org/
https://www.udacity.com/
https://www.coursera.org/

History and General Articles About the “MOOC Revolution”:
What you Need to Know About MOOCs
The Year of the MOOC
Revolution Hits the Universities
Online Education (MOOCs)
Online Education Giant Gets Bigger
California to Give Web Courses a Big Trial
Big MOOCs on Campus

MOOCs for College Credit?
College Credits Eyed for Online Courses
MOOCs for Credit
MOOCs Take a Step Toward College Credit

Problems with and Arguments Against MOOCs:
MOOC Mess (MOOC course on building MOOC courses cancelled for technical issues)
The Real Digital Divide
Bandwidth Divide Could Bar Some from online Learning
Keeping an Eye on Online Test Takers
A New Era of Unfounded Hyperbole (MOOCs are Like Fancy Textbooks)
The Trouble with Online Education
Professor Leaves MOOC mid-Course in Dispute over Teaching

Misc
Universities Try MOOCs in Bid to Lure Successful Students to Online Programs
Replacing Live Lectures with Videos Increased Test Scores
In Colleges’ Rush to Try MOOCs, Faculty Are Not Always in the Conversation


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