Workshops

=Morning Workshops =

I. Digital Course Design using Blackboard - J. Backon (Monday)
===How do I support the goals and learning objectives of my course with effective digital course design? What types of digital course content may I use in Blackboard, and under what circumstances are those "learning objects" most effective? What are the navigational considerations of which I should be mindful when designing my course on Blackboard? What makes Blackboard a more effective tool than a website or wiki? Each student will have access to [|Creating a Blackboard Course] on CHIP as a study guide.===

II. Digital Course Tools using Blackboard - J. Gadoua / J. Backon (Tuesday)
===Blackboard provides a number of tools to enhance teaching and learning. Most of these tools are designed to address a specific learning challenge, and some expand the creativity of course activities. These tools include:===
 * ===Announcements===
 * ===Email to class===
 * ===Electronic submission of assignments===
 * ===[|Discussion boards]===
 * ===Creation of groups within a course===
 * ===[|Adaptive release of content] and completion status===
 * ===Glossary===
 * ===Test Manager===
 * ===[|Learning Objects Campus Pack]===
 * ===Wikis===
 * ===Blogs===
 * ===Podcast Episodes===
 * ===[|Wimba Collaboration Suite]===
 * ===Pronto===
 * ===Wimba Voice Authoring===
 * ===Wimba Voice Board===
 * ===Wimba Classroom===
 * ===[|Blackboard 8.0 Preview]===
 * ===Grade Center===
 * ===[|Self and Peer Assessment]===
 * ===[|SafeAssign] Academic Integrity Service===
 * ===[|Scholar]===

III. Digital Video in the Curriculum - R. Mellon / J. Backon (Wednesday)
===Visual learning has become more important for today's generation of students. There are numerous websites and services providing video content for classroom use including sites such as C-SPAN, the Annenberg Collection, and most of the major newspapers. While much of this readily available content is useful, much of the best content is only available in traditional formats requiring conversion and attention to copyright issues to use in coursework. The process of converting traditional video media to digital formats requires an understanding of the unique nature of digital video. In addition, an appreciation for the steps and time required to create the specific clips that meet instructional objectives is critical. Creating digital video content is one of those jobs in which the right tools are essential. We will explore the reasons for using video content, the considerations for choosing this medium, and the general steps required to embed a video segment within a collection of course content. We will also review the [|copyright issues associated with the use of digital video clips].===

IV. Online Assessment Scenarios - J. Gadoua / J. Backon (Thursday)
===Assessments are used for a variety of purposes. Research indicates that frequent assessment and rapid feedback are critical to successful student learning. Online assessments, in many cases, will enable teachers to assess frequently and benefit from automatic scoring and immediate feedback to students and teachers. Consequently, the online assessment tools available within Blackboard may be used for diagnostic assessment, review, composite assessment, and individualized instruction. Respondus permits teachers to import test questions from conventional Word documents with minimal modification, speeding the creation of assessments. We will explore the features of the Blackboard Test Manager, including the ability to create pools of questions tagged with characteristics, and the functionality of Respondus.===

V. The Online Research Toolbox - J. Backon (Friday)
===The research process is among the most difficult a young high school student encounters. Most students find the process tie consuming and confusing, even when they encounter well-crafted assignments. There are many tools available to students and teachers that help to streamline the research process, make it easier to manage multiple sources, format specific citations, and find quality materials. An examination of these tools will help teachers to better craft research assignments and teach students the art of effective research.===