Instructional Support Training Sessions

Fall 2020 Preparation Guide

30 minutes

How are we going to manage this semester? Together. In this session, our team will discuss the resources available as well as some ideas for how to prepare your students and yourself for the multiple types of courses and technologies you will encounter this semester.

Elearning Quick Start Overview

30 minutes

Course Home importance.
Content: Module creation, one-click shopping to access content.
Communications: accessing class lists, emailing, and discussions.
Assessments: quiz locations/question bank, dropboxes and gradebook location. Viewing as a student and previewing content.

Creating and Installing Course Content

30 minutes

During this session, suggestions are provided on how to use built in accessibility features when creating content for Elearning using HTML, Word, PowerPoint and PDF files. Once the files are created, the options for loading content to Elearning are also discussed.

Configuring and Managing Gradebook

30 minutes

Creating the grading scheme, using the setup wizard, managing the gradebook and entering grades.

Creating Quizzes

30 minutes

In this session, you will learn how to create quizzes, tests and exams using the Elearning quiz tool. This will include question creation, use of the question library and the different settings the quiz tool has available.

Exam Integrity Tools

30 minutes

This session will focus on how and when to implement the Respondus Lockdown and Monitor functions within Elearning along with the technical implications and privacy concerns.

Library Resources in Elearning

45 minutes

Learn about the Library Resources module that will appear in Elearning starting this fall, featuring subject-specific resources for your course. This workshop will also highlight the benefits of adding a subject librarian to your course.

Web Conferencing Solutions at WMU

30 minutes

An overview of WMU's web conferencing applications for instruction. The session will focus on the pros and cons of each solution and tips for success.

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Webex Meetings - Overview

30 minutes

This wmich.webex.com overview will include learning how to open a meeting, use the desktop app, familiarize you with the basic icons in a meeting, chats (use options and saving), and managing participants.

Webex Meetings - Advanced

30 minutes

Learn about some advanced features in Webex, such as scheduling recurring meetings and break out rooms.

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Webex Meetings - Breakout Rooms

1 hour

The option for breakout rooms has just been released for Webex Meetings. We will be reviewing how to use the breakout rooms and going over some of the features.

Microsoft Teams - Overview

30 minutes

• Introduction to Teams, logging in, installing the program
• Chat, Teams, Activity
• Audio/video calls, screen sharing, remote control

Microsoft Teams - Classes and Breakouts

30 minutes

• Creating a Team (of class type) for a course and understanding the General Channel
• Adding students, TAs, etc.
• Creating Channels (private and open) for group breakouts
• Teams Meetings (initiating, changing channels, limitations, recording)
• Other Tools (whiteboard, taking attendance, scheduling)

Google Apps for Education - Google Meet

30 minutes

Overview of Google Meet - how to set up meetings and invite participants, and available in-call features.

Mediasite Fundamentals

30 minutes

Learn how to install, record, edit and upload using the Mediasite Desktop Recorder.

Best Practices for Creating Course Videos

30 minutes

A discussion of audio, video, graphics and teaching methods to fully utilize online media effectively.

Digital Content Accessibility

30 minutes

In this session you will be introduced to Ally, a new accessibility feature in Elearning. You will be provided an overview of Ally and its capabilities, the benefits to both faculty and students, as well as explore a few features and guides that can help to ensure that you are creating and publishing digitally accessible course content.

Facilitating Virtual Office Hours

30 minutes

Exploration and discussion of options for scheduling and facilitating virtual office hours. Methods discussed include Microsoft Bookings, Webex personal rooms, and Microsoft Teams, as well as phone-based instant messaging apps and other tools. Best practices, pros and cons will be examined.

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Authentic Assessment Methods

30 minutes

In this session, you will learn about basic principles of authentic assessments and how to get started designing them. We'll also briefly discuss what to look for when grading them and how to manage these types of assessments through Elearning.

Pedagogy of Assessment

30 minutes

In this session, we'll focus on the pedagogy or the why (and only briefly touch on the how) behind three elements of assessment: various reasons why we assess, summative vs. formative methods, and grading.

Course Presence and Discussions

30 minutes

In this session we will cover the three types of course presence, the basics and best practices of Discussions and the News tool in D2L, as well as the Badging and Intelligent Agents tools. Attendees will be added to a course shell to explore after the session at their request. This session, while applicable to all modalities, is more specific to tools within D2L and their use in an online, hybrid, or web-enhanced course.

Engagement, Interactivity, and Groups

30 minutes

Are you already familiar with the tools in D2L and want to know more about how to increase student engagement and interaction in your course? In this session we will discuss strategies and introduce a few third-party tools that you can use to facilitate active learning online, create interactive discussions and manage groups in small or large courses.

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Session Resources:

• National School Reform Protocols - 200+ protocols and activities to use in your classroom focused on specific desired outcome
• - Offers hundreds of options focused on all ages/levels of learner as well as specific types of engagement, individual and collaborative
• Ideas for Checking for Understanding (Formative Assessment) - Entrance, Exit, and mid-session checks; questions and strategies
• UMASS ED Students' Online Tools for Teaching & Learning - Collective ED Tech Resource shared at end of session
• WMU Elearning Student Help - You can add this link to your course so that you don't have to field tech questions as well as to give students direction for recording their own meetings.
• Scaffolding Reflection - A quick discussion with links to some how-to questions for guiding and scaffolding student reflection
• Project-Based Learning - The Buck Institute presents PBLWorks, which promotes a research-based model for "Gold Standard PBL". Information, examples, and materials to guide you.

Establishing an Elearning Component to an In-Person or Fully Synchronous Online Class

1 hour

Even if you are meeting with your students in-person or synchronously, you can still enhance your course delivery and help students feel part of a community by establishing a course presence in Elearning. An added benefit is that if you need to move to distance education on short notice, the transition will be much easier. Topics addressed include learning objectives, curriculum maps and module construction.

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Simulations and Mixed Reality

30 minutes

• Why use simulations and mixed reality?
• Examples of what is possible
• The process for creating simulations and mixed reality

Engaging Students in Multiple Delivery Formats

1 ½ hours

To help support instructors considering options for the spring and summer, as well some ongoing challenges with fall courses, WMUx is hosting two new upcoming virtual workshop sessions. The sessions will include an overview of existing delivery methods, suggestions and best practices for engaging students in asynchronous courses, and addressing challenges related to in-person classes affected by students experiencing isolation and quarantine.

Active Learning Strategies I: Microsoft Teams

1 ½ hours

90-minute Active Learning Strategies workshops are designed to support current faculty, part-time instructors, and graduate students with insights into how to engage students more effectively through active learning strategies in one of these University-supported platforms. The workshops will:

• Discuss/provide supplemental resources on learning objectives, “phases of learning,” and active learning strategies
• Consider questions of diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Offer both a host and end-user/student perspective on how Teams would support the application of some sample active learning strategies, notably including breakout sessions

Active Learning Strategies II: Webex Meetings

1 ½ hours

90-minute Active Learning Strategies workshops are designed to support current faculty, part-time instructors, and graduate students with insights into how to engage students more effectively through active learning strategies in one of these University-supported platforms. The workshops will:

• Discuss/provide supplemental resources on learning objectives, “phases of learning,” and active learning strategies
• Consider questions of diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Offer both a host and end-user/student perspective on how Teams would support the application of some sample active learning strategies, notably including breakout sessions

Anti-Racist Teaching Workshop

2 hours

This workshop will introduce participants to foundational elements around anti-racist teaching. Tips and additional resources will be shared. Dr. Staci Perryman-Clark will be the lead facilitator of this workshop.

Decolonizing Your Syllabus

2 hours

This workshop considers how concepts of colonialism as applied to westernized systems of education are often rooted in conscious and unconscious bias. In the pursuit of anti-racist teaching, this workshops offers the decolonized syllabus as an opportunity to confront racial biases in higher education.