Using Moodle to Create Online Courses

Moodle is an open source Learning Management System and is a low cost alternative for educators to create vibrant online content. This workshop will define Moodle and it’s features. Later, the facilitators will illustrate how to use Moodle to create an online course and take participants through the actual process of creating actual course content with Moodle. Following the workshop participants will have a working knowledge of Moodle and will be prepared to create their own effective online courses with this open source tool.

Academic Integrity in Online Education*

The role of technology in academic dishonesty is in the news, and federal legislation is pending that will require authentication of online learners. This session will provide information, examples, and a reality check for staff and faculty working in online education. Participants will explore why and how students cheat, faculty beliefs regarding cheating and online education, and tools and techniques to deter and detect cheating and plagiarism. The emphasis will be on a three-prong approach to addressing academic integrity: policing (catching and punishing cheaters), prevention (designing courses and assignments that discourage cheating), and virtue (creating learning communities in which students do not want to cheat). Current projects focusing on student authentication will be reviewed, and issues surrounding student authentication will be discussed.

*This workshop is part of the Select Series and College Pass Members must use their additional 50 seats provided to take advantage of this workshop.

Toppling Global Barriers: The Emerging Culture of the Online Classroom*

Cross-cultural virtual classrooms are fast becoming the rule rather than the exception. In today’s interconnected and independent world, the online learning environment is becoming more diverse. Faculty and students involved in international learning communities provide opportunities for both to understand the world across the breath, depth and complexities of human experiences. This workshop explores the opportunities and challenges institutions face as they expand their classroom doors overseas, such as instructor/learner preparation, conflict resolution, team building, and time zone/holiday management. Participating institutions will demonstrate how effective management of the global classroom contributes toward building human-to-human connections and rendering educational boundaries between countries irrelevant.

*This workshop is part of the Select Series and College Pass Members must use their additional 50 seats provided to take advantage of this workshop.

Introduction to Second Life for Educators

Throughout this workshop participants will learn the basics of Second Life, and integrate learning theories in the use of virtual worlds. Participants will be encouraged to create activities that are student-centered and maximize the real potential of virtual worlds. A primary goal of the workshop is to get educators thinking about their classes and how the tools used in Second Life can be personalized for the learning environments that they create. The workshop will explore examples of good teaching in Second Life and move beyond PowerPoint, lecture, and passive learning. Participants will make use of asynchronous discussions, multimedia materials, reading assignments and live, interactive class sessions to collaborate, learn, and expand the range of instructional possibilities that are available to students.

Based on research and the Sloan-C effective practices, this workshop provides the foundation for designing and delivering online courses. Faculty gain enhanced pedagogical knowledge and learn effective strategies for creative, online classroom facilitation.

Podcasting in Higher Education: Current Trends and Applications

Podcasting has had a revolutionary impact on formal and informal teaching and learning. Rising out of the advent of the Apple iPod, podcasts have grown into the mainstream of online media since their inception in early 2004. The power of the individual to use podcasts to communicate globally has important implications for educators. Higher education professionals must learn how to harness the power of podcasting to reach an increasingly more tech savvy population of students and colleagues. Learn all about podcasts and podcasting in this online workshop conducted by two of the pioneers in using this technology in higher education: Burks Oakley II and Ray Schroeder.

Using the Quality Matters Rubric to Improve Your Online Course

Recognizing quality is much like recognizing art – you know it when you see it, but everybody sees something different. And when it comes to online courses, your students, faculty, administrators, peers, and accrediting bodies may certainly not see what you do. In fact, they might not even know what to look for in assessing quality. Sloan-C announces an interactive online workshop focused on learning how to improve your online course(s). Learn how to use the rubric tool developed by the nationally recognized, FIPSE-funded Quality Matters (QM) project. The QM rubric provides a research-supported framework with annotations and examples for applying quality practices to specific course design standards. Affirm the strong areas in your course(s) and generate specific ideas for improvements. The QM rubric is the centerpiece of the QM process. Additionally, this course serves as a stepping stone for faculty interested in becoming certified course peer reviewers.

Introduction to Second Life for Educators

Throughout this workshop participants will learn the basics of Second Life, and integrate learning theories in the use of virtual worlds. Participants will be encouraged to create activities that are student-centered and maximize the real potential of virtual worlds. A primary goal of the workshop is to get educators thinking about their classes and how the tools used in Second Life can be personalized for the learning environments that they create. The workshop will explore examples of good teaching in Second Life and move beyond PowerPoint, lecture, and passive learning. Participants will make use of asynchronous discussions, multimedia materials, reading assignments and live, interactive class sessions to collaborate, learn, and expand the range of instructional possibilities that are available to students.