Office of Academic Innovation

Events

Click here to register for events


To register select the check boxes next to the workshops that you would like to attend (you may check more than one). Fill out the form at the bottom of the page and then click Submit. If you don't see the workshop you are looking for please feel free to forward your suggested workshop topic to OAI@towson.edu.

May Events - Click here to register for events

 

Improving Online Course Accessibility for Students with Disabilities – Webcast and Discussion

Date: Thursday, May 30, 2013
Location: CK 404B
Time: 1:30 - 3:30 PM

Description:
“When online environments are technologically ‘inaccessible,’ they can inadvertently create additional barriers for students with disabilities, making learning more difficult or even impossible.”

Join us for a showing of select portions of two webcasts focused on ways to support the needs of all students in online environments and comply with accessibility regulations. Participants will discuss some simple ways to make your online course sites more accessible.

Topics include:

  • Case studies of online students with different impairments and associated challenges
  • Technology used by people with disabilities online
  • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) basics of online access
  • The “low-hanging fruit” of online accessibility
  • Accommodations made when online accessibility doesn’t happen proactively
  • Resources

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June Events - Click here to register for events

Blackboard 101 Plan It and Then Create It (Course design with Blackboard)

Date: June 12, 2013
Location: CK 404B
Time: 12:00 - 1:30 PM
Presenter: La Tonya Dyer (CIAT)

Description:

This workshop introduces techniques instructors can use to assist with the development of their courses (face-to-face, hybrid, or online) within the Blackboard environment. Within this hands-on session faculty will be introduced to basic course design techniques and Blackboard features. At the conclusion of the session participants will have tools and basic knowledge to assist with updating or beginning the development of their course for integration into Blackboard.


Note: This workshop is similar to the Blackboard Fundamentals technical training; however the focus is on effective planning and design for your Blackboard course.


During the session we will explore:

  • Planning and designing courses
  • Sharing multiple formats of content
  • Creating course menus and folders
  • Creating and managing assignments
  • Managing the course using the control panel
  • Communicating with students


Please join us in person or via live video stream here: http://mediasite-ex.towson.edu/Mediasite/Play/6f26b15debfe4098940d721365bc442f1d?catalog=cd5de918-e28d-46b6-a85d-4fe08d50b7e8

 

Preparing Your Course for Online Delivery

Dates: June 6 at noon - June, 21 at 11:59 p.m.
Location: ONLINE
Presenter: Audrey Cutler (CIAT)

Description:

This 16-day online workshop will assist faculty to transition an existing face-to face course into a robust, accessible online instructional offering. This workshop is completely online. It is both asynchronous and facilitated; you will have flexibility to complete workshop activities at any time or location you like, as long as you complete activities by each date and time indicated on the workshop calendar. You will not be required to be at your computer at any specific times.

Expect to spend an average of 6-8 hours on the workshop each week.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Prepare an effective module of online instruction
  • Develop a course plan and gather materials for a quality course as defined by the Quality Matters Standards
  • Locate instruction design, library, and technical resources for assistance through the design process
  • Evaluate technologies for potential use in online/hybrid courses

 

Past Events

Campus Technology Open House

Date: January 24, 2013

Location: Cook Library 404B & Cook Library 405

Time: 3:00 - 5:00 PM

Join us in the CIAT DMC and CIAT Faculty Lab for an overview of services and technologies.

Digital Media Classroom Demo:

  • Lecture capture with Mediasite
  • Hands on demonstration of LanSchool classroom management software including: ◦Sharing files with student computers
  • Capturing student screens
  • Sharing computer screens


Presentation of OAI/CIAT Services:

  • Teleprompter demonstration
  • Graphic Design/Illustrations
  • Videography services (recording, editing and enhancing presentations)
  • Instructional Design using technology

 

Learn more about the Campus Technology Open House.

Responding to Writing Effectively

Date: February 21, 2013

Location: CK 404B

Time: 12:00 - 1:30 PM
Presenter: Dr. Barbara J. Bass (Dept. of English)

Description:
Do these scenarios sound familiar?

  • After grading all weekend, you still have 10 more essays to go.
  • After reading a student’s essay or research paper, you know what grade it deserves, but you wonder what to write so that your comments adequately reflect that grade.
  • You’ve highlighted all of the errors on a student’s paper and have written a detailed summary of your thoughts at the end of the paper. Afterwards, you get the distinct feeling that you have spent more time writing your end remarks than the student had spent writing the essay.

At this workshop, we will discuss approaches to giving effective feedback, focusing on writing as a process, promoting students' ownership of their work, and raising questions that will help students improve their own writing. Uncover strategies to save time and energy while still responding effectively to student work.

Video stream here:http://mediasite-ex.towson.edu/Mediasite/Play/95b12f3bceb745f4a5fe5973434895ff1d?catalog=cd5de918-e28d-46b6-a85d-4fe08d50b7e8

Blackboard Teaching Circle (In-Person or Online)

Date: Friday, Feb. 22 from 1 ‒ 2:30 p.m.

Location: CK 404B or online via WebEx (register to receive the WebEx link)

Time: 1 ‒ 2:30 PM

Description:
Would you like to connect with other colleagues who use Blackboard as an integral or supplemental part of their teaching? Would you like to share best practices for teaching with Blackboard? Regardless of your familiarity with Blackboard, join our Blackboard Teaching Circle to connect with colleagues on this topic.

Current topics:
• Linda Macaulay will demonstrate her Course Navigation Overview video
• We need more presenters! Consider sharing a segment or overview of your course
• Your questions and answers
• Consider changing to a “Hybrid and Online Courses” Teaching Circle or adding a research component

Please register if you plan to join us and indicate by which mode you plan to attend (in-person or online) or email: acutler@towson.edu.

 

Course Redesign—Towson Style

Date: Thursday, March 7, 2013
Location: Cook Library, Room 507, Towson Room
Time: 3:15 – 5 PM


Description: Please join the Office of Academic Innovation for a presentation on Course Redesign—Towson Style. Learn about models for course redesign and how they have been used at Towson for increasing students' opportunities for academic success. Learn about Towson's in-house Course Redesign Program (requests for proposals) that will be launched later this spring!

For more information, contact: Dr. Jane Neapolitan, Assistant Provost, Office of Academic Innovation: Jneapolitan@towson.edu or 410-704-6068

Flipped Classrooms

Date: March 12, 2013
Location: CK 404B
Time: 12:00 - 1:30 PM
Presenters: Sara Arnold-Garza and Kimberly Miller (Cook Library)
Description:
Are you interested in exploring new ways of engaging students with course content? Have you heard buzz about the flipped classroom, and you’re wondering exactly what it is? Have you tried flipping your own classroom and wish to share experiences with other experimental educators? Join librarians Kimberly Miller and Sara Arnold-Garza for this workshop, which explores the teaching model where lecture content and homework activities are flipped, making practical use of modern technologies and efficient use of limited class time. Registrants will be provided with materials to review before the workshop, creating our very own flipped experience.

Contact Audrey Cutler for workshop handouts: acutler@towson.edu

Copyright Basics in Education

Date: March 29, 2013
Location: CK 404B
Time: 12:00 - 1:30 PM
Presenter: Rick Davis (Cook Library)
Description:
Learn the basics of copyright and how it applies to the educational setting. Intended primarily for faculty and staff who facilitate educational activities on campus, but students who plan to enter the educational field may also benefit. Topics to be covered include the scope and purpose of copyright; the exclusive rights granted under the law; limitations on these rights, including fair use; best practices in fair use for educators; recent copyright litigation; requesting permission to use copyrighted works; and Towson University resources for copyright issues.

Contact Audrey Cutler for workshop handouts: acutler@towson.edu

Blackboard Teaching Circle (In-Person or Online)

Date: Friday, April 5, from Noon - 1:30 p.m.

Location: CK 404B or online via WebEx (register to receive the WebEx link)

Time: 1 ‒ 2:30 PM

Description:
Would you like to connect with other colleagues who use Blackboard as an integral or supplemental part of their teaching? Would you like to share best practices for teaching with Blackboard? Regardless of your familiarity with Blackboard, join our Blackboard Teaching Circle to connect with colleagues on this topic.

Emerging Technologies Capture Voice & Screens with Ease Using Screencast-O-Matic

Date: April 09, 2013
Location: CK 404B
Time: 12:00 - 1:30 PM
Presenter: Audrey Cutler (CIAT)

Are you looking for a tool you can use to create just-in-time instruction and demonstrations or to provide audio comments on papers or other assignments? If so, then join us for the Emerging Technologies - Capture Your Voice and Screen Action with Ease Using Screencast-O-Matic brown bag session.


Screencast-O-Matic is a free online screen recorder software that allows you to capture 15 minute recordings. With a few clicks you can capture, store and share whatever action is happening on your computer screen along with your voice narration. All that is required is a computer, internet access, microphone and speakers to record your presentations from any location. In this hands-on workshop we will use Screencast-O-Matic to create recordings with narration and screen captures

Make Your Online Classes More Interactive: Lessons Learned from the Art History Classroom

Date: April 11, 2013
Location: CK 404B
Time: 12:00 - 1:30 PM
Presenter: Dr. Emily Halligan (Dept. of Art)
Description:
Online teaching format is a natural fit for art history classes. In the past, online art history course were informative but not interactive, with classes limited to online lectures and essay responses for the students to complete on their own. In this presentation a faculty member who regularly uses online teaching will address the different technology tools available to more fully engage students and enrich the online course. Though designed for online courses, faculty who teach hybrid (partly online) or face-to –face courses can benefit from these flexible tools.


Participants will get hands-on introductions to these interactive teaching methods:

  • PowerPoint with audio/QuickTime movies for course lectures
  • Screencast videos for tour of course site, explanation of key issues such as avoiding plagiarism, etc.
  • Voice Thread for class discussions
  • Prezi for introducing assignments

Create High Impact Grading Guidelines to Improve Student Assignments and Maximize Your Time and Feedback

Date: April 19, 2013
Location: CK 404B
Time: 12:00 - 1:30 PM
Presenter: Dr. Ronald S. Thomas (Dept. of Instructional Leadership and Professional Development)

Description:
Frustrated when students miss the purpose of an assessment or write irrelevant and rambling responses to questions? Learn to create grading guidelines that are meaningful to you and your students with Instructional Leadership expert Dr. Ron Thomas.


These assignment scoring tools help students to:

  • Easily identify assignment expectations
  • Respond to all the components of assignments
  • Improve their work using focused feedback
  • Revise their work more effectively

Using a variety of examples, Dr. Thomas will guide you through the process of breaking down assignments into parts. He will discuss his approach to assessment and his concept of encouraging students to "upgrade" their assignments.

OAI Faculty Chat Series - Why do I have to learn this anyway?

Date: April 24, 2013
Location: UU 314
Time: 12:00 - 1:30 PM

Join the Office of Academic Innovation at the inaugural OAI Faculty Chat on April 24th. The chat is an informal conversation sparked by questions revolving around topics such as the state of learning and teaching in higher education and their impact on students and instructors. The session will be facilitated by Dr. Diane Wood (Instructional Leadership & Professional Development Chair).

Question for April Chat:

"I just don't know why most of what we take in college has anything to do with my life or how I'm going to get a job!" (Anonymous Student Quote)

How do we balance demands for relevance with our mission to broaden perspectives? Or, what does relevance mean anyway?

We are looking forward to hearing your thoughts and welcome your questions as well.

 

OAI Faculty Chat Series - Are we cultivating humanity?

Date: May 7, 2013
Location: UU 314
Time: 12:00 - 1:30 PM

Join your Towson colleagues and chat facilitator Dr. Diane Wood (Instructional Leadership & Professional Development Chair) at the Office of Academic Innovation (OAI) Faculty Chat on May 7th. The chat is an informal conversation sparked by questions revolving around topics such as the state of learning and teaching in higher education and potential consequences for students and instructors.

Question for May Chat:

In order to enrich our conversation, we invite you to read Lion F. Gardiner's article, Faculty Development in Higher Education and Martha Nussbaum book, Cultivating Humanity.

“What does it mean to cultivate the humanity of our students in our classrooms? What does it mean to cultivate our own?”


Light Refreshments will be served.



Office of Academic Innovation
Cook Library Room 405
Phone: 410-704-2005
E-mail: oai@towson.edu


 

Course Redesign

-- Towson Style

Click here for 2013 Course Redesign Proposals Instructions

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