Sessions for Tech Trends Day: April 3, 2009

Session Title

Time

HBC
Room

Digital Storytelling (AP Images)

Presented by Tina Buck, Instructional Design Specialist

Storytelling is probably the oldest learning method. Learn how digital storytelling updates this ancient and effective tool for the 21st century. ACC now subscribes to the Associated Press Image database, giving teachers access to millions of royalty-free images they can use for their classroom projects. .

8:00 – 9:45 am

310.10

Measuring Student Learning

Presented by Dr. Meghan McGlohen, University of Texas at Austin

Have your students ever expressed surprise over your tests? Have any of your students claimed to have studied hard just to find themselves unprepared for the test? The key is to establish clear expectations for your students based on your course objectives and then develop an instrument that aligns with those outlined expectations. This workshop will hone your skills in constructing tests that measure student learning rather than student test-taking ability. Because successful measuring of student learning is an interactive enterprise, this workshop will also encourage you to follow through and use what you learn from each assessment opportunity in a way that further enhances student learning. By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Establish clear expectations to your students by creating a Test Blueprint that maps Bloom’s Taxonomy to your learning objectives.
• Evaluate your existing exams and identify areas to focus improvement.
• Establish standards for grading student work, including creating and adapting rubric
• Use your measures of student learning as formative assessments to enhance student learning as it continues throughout the semester.

Plan, Produce and Publish your Perfect Podcast

Presented by Jimmy Clark, Instructional Design Specialist

Podcasting refers to any combination of hardware and software that permits automatic downloading of audio files (usually in MP3 format) for listening at the user’s convenience. In this workshop participants will have the opportunity to set up a free podcasting account and record, edit, and publish a podcast to a website that hosts podcasts. Please go to www.podbean.com before the workshop and register for a free podcasting account.

Real Learning in Simulated Worlds

Presented by Martha Meacham, Ph.D, Instructional Design Specialist

Virtual Learning Environments are computer-generated 3D worlds capable of simulating real world scenarios and events. Educational institutions are exploring virtual learning environments to foster constructivist learning experiences.

2:00 – 3:45 pm

301.10

Respondus

Presented by Tina Buck, Instructional Design Specialist

Respondus is a powerful tool for creating and managing exams that can be printed to paper or published directly to Blackboard and other learning management systems.

2:00 – 3:45 pm

218

Self and Peer Assessments to Support Online & Collaborative Learning

Presented by Dr. Paul Resta, University of Texas at Austin

A major challenge in online collaborative learning is assuring that students will become active and contributing members of the learning team in accomplishing the group’s goals. One effective means of fostering individual accountability is through the use of peer assessment as students complete specific learning tasks and activities. Self-assessment may also be used to foster learners who reflect on their performance and contributions as members of a virtual learning team. This presentation describes research on the use of peer and self-assessment in higher education Web-based courses using collaborative learning teams. The session will present analyses of key factors related to effective team member performance and demonstration of a web-based Peer and Self-Assessment System (PSAS) open source tool developed by the researchers to provide effective feedback to learners, The tool provides a convenient means for the instructor to create their own peer and self assessment instruments for use in their course.

8:00 - 9:45 am

218

SoftChalk Lesson Builder

Presented by Jennifer Gray, Instructional Design Specialist

ACC instructors now have access to a new tool for use in creating online lessons. SoftChalk™ is an easy to use lesson building program that lets you build interactive web-based lessons with a professional look and feel without having to know XHTML or any HTML editing program.

8:00 - 9:45 am

212

Team-Based Learning using Clickers and Podcasts

Presented by Herbert Coleman, Director Instructional Computing and Technical Support Services & Adjunct Professor Psychology

How I stopped lecturing and learned to embrace the noise.

10:00 – 11:45 am

301.8

The Zen of the Classroom Presentation

Presented by Terry Arzola, Instructional Design Specialist

This workshop will examine several new forms of presentation styles used by renowned presenters and ways to adapt some of their aspects into your own classroom presence.

Live examples, video playback of outstanding lecturers and visual designers will allow you to explore and improve your own presentation style. This workshop will show you how to integrate the theatrical and the intellectual into your face-to-face and online courses here at Austin Community College, to help improve teaching and learning.

10:00 – 11:45 am

212

Virtual Classroom-Adobe Connect

Presented by Peg Raiford, Instructional Design Specialist

Adobe Acrobat Connect virtual classroom may be used to teach distance learning courses, hybrid courses or to supplement face-to-face instruction.  In addition, faculty may hold virtual online office hours or do virtual tutoring via Adobe Acrobat Connect. The instructor can customize the look of their virtual classroom.  The instructor shares his or her computer screen to display instructional materials for everyone to view and broadcast their narration.  Students may be upgraded to presenter to make virtual presentations to the class.  The virtual lecture and student presentations may be archived, so students may review the archived sessions at their convenience. 

2:00 – 3:45 pm

301.8

Wimba Audio Enhanced Blackboard

Presented by Peg Raiford, Instructional Design Specialist

Have you ever wished you could just tell your distance-learning students something rather have them read text?  Easy to use Wimba audio tools are integrated into Blackboard.  All you need is a sound card on your computer, a mic and speakers or a headset to hear the audio.  All your students need to hear your audio communication or presentation is either computer speakers or a headset.  Using Wimba you could add the following to your Blackboard course:

Podcast – audio information/lecture
Voice Recorder – a short recorded message such as directions for an assignment
Voice presentation – narration to supplement your online instructional materials
Voice Email – email with text and audio
Voice Announcements

8:00 – 9:45 am

301.8

Info Sessions

Session Title

Time

HBC
Room

Del.icio.us in the Real World

Presented by Margaret Peloquin, Professor, Library Services

Share what you already do for yourself without the hassle of creating separate documents for your students in Blackboard.  Learn to gather, organize and share web sites and web documents in a fun, easy way with your students.  Your students already know how to use social bookmarking so take advantage of a tool they like and use anytime anywhere.

8:00 - 8:45 am

215

Where’s My Stuff??

Presented by Linda Clement, Professor, Library Services

Come see the neat new technology Library Services is using to help you and your students find the resources needed for assignments, projects, and life.  Specialized just for you--your classes, your students, your discipline or program--find resources collected in one place.  They're easy to use. From RSS feeds to electronic books to--well, come see the gamut for yourself!  They're interactive, too.  You can give your feedback and suggestions easily and immediately while using "the Stuff."

9:00 – 9:45 am

215

Searching the Deep Web

Presented by Teresa Ashley, Professor, Library Services

Learn how to use a magic search term and search engines like Google and Yahoo! to find “invisible” or “hidden” web sites.  We’ll also explore subject directories, metasearch engines, and more specialized search tools that can assist in finding reputable information in the disciplines.

10:00 – 10:45 am

215

SuperGoogler

Presented by Red Wassenich, Professor, Library Services

We all know Google as the world's leading web search engine, but it has dozens of advanced and additional features that can make your life easier . . . or at least more interesting. From searching the full text of millions of books and periodicals to roaming the surface of Mars to searching for videos to doing complex calculations, Google can do it. Come learn more about this giant that will soon control the world.

11:00 - 11:45 am

215

Emerging Learning Technologies

Presented by Ellie Collier, Assistant Professor, Library Services

Lulu – Lets you publish and sell print on-demand books, e-books, online music, images, custom calendars and books.
NING – Co-founded by Marc Andressen and Gina Bianchini, Ning is Chinese for Peace. This tool allows you to develop your own social network.
Skype – Software that allows users to make telephone calls over the Internet. Calls to other users of the service and to free-of-charge numbers are free, while calls to other landlines and mobile phones can be made for a fee. Additional features include instant messaging, file transfer, and video conferencing.
Twitter – Stay connected in real time with this social messaging tool.
Wii – More than home video game console, teachers are finding many uses for it as a teaching and learning tool.
Zotero – A bibliography manager and general web research tool, Zotero is a Firefox extension that resides in your status bar and searches for bibliographic information from a wide variety of sources.

2:00 - 3:45 pm

215