Teaching with Technology Showcase 2009

© 2009 Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115 | www.niu.edu

Teaching with Technology Teaching with Technology ShowcaseShowcase

Teaching with Technology Teaching with Technology ShowcaseShowcase

Presentation for NIU Council of DeansFaculty Development and Instructional Design

CenterAugust 12, 2009

Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center, Northern Illinois University | www.niu.edu/facdev

Presentation GoalsPresentation Goals

• Highlight new features now available in Blackboard following May 2009 upgrade

• Introduce new Blackboard features under development

• Explore emerging technologies that are becoming increasingly popular in higher education today

• Discuss implications for use of new technologies in teaching today


OverviewOverview

• Grade Center• Early Warning System• Workflow Tool• Self & Peer

Assessment• Blackboard Sync

(Facebook/iPhone)• Wimba Classroom

/Pronto• E-portfolios• Export Grades from

Blackboard to MyNIU

• E-Books (Kindle)• Social Bookmarking• Social Media

(YouTube, Flickr, etc.)• Screencasting• Mobile Video Capture

(FlipVideo)• Microblogging

(Twitter)• Software Alternatives• Mobile Technologies

(podcasting, sms, etc.)

New Blackboard Features

Emerging Technologies


New Blackboard FeaturesNew Blackboard Features


Grade CenterGrade Center


Grade Center FeaturesGrade Center Features

• Easier to use tool bar

• Searching and sorting

• Freezing columns• Creating and

printing• Sending email• Adding comments• New grade

calculations and column types

• Exempting a grade & dropping the lowest grade

• Grade history & reverting a grade

• Smart Views• Grading Periods• Grading Schema


Early Warning SystemEarly Warning System


Early Warning System – cont.Early Warning System – cont.


Early Warning System FeaturesEarly Warning System Features

• Monitor student progress and alert faculty to possible performance problems – Graded performance– Late or missing course work– Blackboard course access

• Communicate warnings to students via email


Workflow ToolWorkflow Tool

• Chronological collection of tasks that comprise a business process, assignment, or collaboration project


Workflow Tool FeaturesWorkflow Tool Features

• Create multi-stage Workflows– Create tasks– Define task

order– Manage the

Workflow


Self and Peer Assessment ToolSelf and Peer Assessment Tool


Self and Peer Assessment FeaturesSelf and Peer Assessment Features

• Faculty post questions that students respond to during the submission period

• Students evaluate themselves and a set number of peers during the evaluation period

• Faculty review evaluations and transfer results to Grade Center


Blackboard SyncBlackboard Sync

• Blackboard Learn for Facebook

• Blackboard Learn for iPhone/iPod Touch


Access / Install via BlackboardAccess / Install via Blackboard

Step 1: Login to Blackboard and click Blackboard Sync link

Step 2: Click the link for either the Facebook of iPhone/iPod Touch application and follow instructions to download/install


Blackboard Learn for FacebookBlackboard Learn for Facebook


Blackboard Learn: What’s NewBlackboard Learn: What’s New


Blackboard Learn: AnnouncementsBlackboard Learn: Announcements


Blackboard Learn: ForumsBlackboard Learn: Forums


Blackboard Learn: MaterialsBlackboard Learn: Materials


Blackboard Learn: GradesBlackboard Learn: Grades


Blackboard Learn for iPhone/iPodBlackboard Learn for iPhone/iPod


Installing Blackboard LearnInstalling Blackboard Learn

Step 1: Login to Blackboard and click Blackboard Sync link

Step 2: Receive an authorization code for authenticating with Blackboard

Step 3: Download/install the application from iTunes


Wimba ClassroomWimba Classroom

• Live collaboration with students• Archives available for online or on-

demand offline or mobile viewing


Wimba Pronto BasicWimba Pronto Basic

Instant messaging system automatically populates courses, and communities, giving students and educators immediate access to their existing learning network


New Blackboard Features New Blackboard Features Under DevelopmentUnder Development


Content Collection Access for Content Collection Access for Students & TAsStudents & TAs


E-portfoliosE-portfolios


Sample E-portfolioSample E-portfolio


Export Grades to MyNIUExport Grades to MyNIU

• New Building Block for Blackboard currently under development by ITS for exporting final grades from Blackboard to MyNIU

• Intended to reduce data entry duplication and streamline the process for posting final grades

• Estimated pilot date – Mid-Fall ‘09• Estimated availability – TBD


Step 1: Set External GradeStep 1: Set External Grade


Step 2: Display as Letter Step 2: Display as Letter


Step 3: Gradebook SubmissionStep 3: Gradebook Submission

*Note – This tool will be accessed from the Control Panel in Blackboard


Step 4: Select Grades & SubmitStep 4: Select Grades & Submit


Final ApprovalFinal Approval

• Only official instructors of record can export grades from Blackboard to MyNIU

• Faculty will still need to login to MyNIU after approx. 15 minutes for final approval of grades to post

• Faculty notified via e-mail after the grades are successfully exported


Emerging TechnologiesEmerging Technologies


Educause 7 Things…Educause 7 Things…


Common Characteristics of Common Characteristics of Emerging TechnologiesEmerging Technologies

• “Free” or low-cost

• User-friendly• Open• Lifespan beyond

single course or semester

• User-driven• Collaborative• Platform

independent• Reusable


E-BooksE-Books

Electronic version of a text that can be read on a standard desktop, laptop, smart phone, or dedicated e-book reader


KindleKindle

Convert any electronic document to e-book format for viewing

Purchase books

directly on the Kindle for immediate download or from Amazon’s Kindle Store


CourseSmart iPhone / iPod AppCourseSmart iPhone / iPod App


Social BookmarkingSocial Bookmarking

• New ways of organizing, categorizing, and sharing information and resources

• Students make social connections with other individuals interested in a similar topic

Saving bookmarks to a public Web site and tagging them with keywords


Social MediaSocial Media

• Content created by people using highly accessible and scalable publishing technologies

• Faculty or students recording audio, video, or taking photos and sharing online

• Community contributes to the creation of a collection of photos, audio clips, or videos


YouTube / FlickrYouTube / Flickr

• Video-sharing service• Videos can be embedded in

other sites or Blackboard

• Photo-sharing service

• Users rate & comment on photos


ScreencastingScreencasting

• Faculty create step-by-step “how-to” demonstrations

• Students create screencasts to demonstrate proficiency performing technical tasks

• Faculty provide assignment feedback

Screen capture of the actions on a user’s computer screen, typically with accompanying audio


Mobile Video CaptureMobile Video Capture

• Record an unplanned event in the field of research

• Quick update, unit introduction or conclusion, or other message

Quick, point and shoot recording of video using any mobile device equipped with video recording


FlipVideoFlipVideo

• Small, inexpensive digital camcorder• Spring-loaded USB plug for easily attaching

directly to a computer for file transfers• Simple editing software included


MicrobloggingMicroblogging

• Communicate informally on subjects of shared interest

• Platform-independent (web, client, mobile)

Posting small pieces of digital content—which could be text, pictures, links, short videos, or other media—on the Internet


TwitterTwitter

• Scholars communicate informally and open windows into their projects, sparking interest and discovery

• Faculty posting course-related news, links, or resources for the class

• Students engaging in informal discussion either in-class or online

Part blog, social networking site, cell phone/IM tool


Why is Twitter Popular?Why is Twitter Popular?

• Platform independent – can be accessed on Web, client

software, and any cell phone or mobile device

– open API allows for many 3rd party applications•TwitPic: share photos via Twitter•Twiddeo: share videos via Twitter•Polldaddy: send a poll to your Twitter

followers


Twitter on the WebTwitter on the Web


Twitter on the DesktopTwitter on the Desktop


Twitter on MobileTwitter on Mobile


NIU “Tweets”NIU “Tweets”

• Alumni Association

• Art Museum• College of

Business• College of

Engineering and Engineering Technologies

• Convocation Center

• Faculty Development

• NIU Hoops• Northern Star• Public Affairs• School of Music• Study Abroad• Transfer Center


Twitter How-ToTwitter How-To

• Search for what people are currently saying – http://twitter.com

• Send a public message to another Twitter user– @username

• Send a private direct message to another Twitter follower– D @username

• Join a conversation by adding a hashtag– #tag


Software AlternativesSoftware Alternatives

• Free or low-cost alternatives to expensive software


Mobile / Portable TechnologiesMobile / Portable Technologies

• Trends in personal hardware use is toward mobile or portable technologies– Convenience– Access– Affordability


Mobile ApplicationsMobile Applications


PodcastingPodcasting

• Short media clips recorded and posted as podcast episodes for students

• Students subscribe once, then access media directly on computer or portable device

Automatic downlading of media files (audio or video) for viewing offline or on a portable media player


Implications for Use of Implications for Use of New TechnologiesNew Technologies


RealitiesRealities

• Technologies continue to advance rapidly

• Technology use varies• Students are using these

technologies and expecting to use them in learning

• Faculty are experimenting with new technologies that may not be officially supported by the institution


Questions for ConsiderationQuestions for Consideration

• How does the institution support emerging technologies?

• Are “Free” tools available from Google and others truly free?

• How are openness and opportunities for inter-institution collaboration managed?

• How is student data protected?• When “walls” are removed, what

must be considered?

Education

Teaching with Technology Showcase 2009