Showing posts with label Collaboration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Collaboration. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (4/12/2021)

Welcome to iDevelop, a weekly eNewsletter providing faculty with information about professional development opportunities at NSCC. The intent of this eNewsletter is to spotlight the various professional development events for faculty in one convenient location as well as share best practices, resources and tips related to the teaching practice. iDevelop is being brought to you by the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation (CTLI).  

  
Sign reads: Got 20 minutes? Then you have time to learn with the Monday Morning Mentor
  
20 Minute Online Professional Development
The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the spring semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of April 12th is What Are 5 Easy-to-use Technologies That Have a Big Impact on Learning in the Online Classroom? The presentation is available Monday at 10:00am and is accessible through Sunday of that week. For information on accessing the presentation and supplemental materials, please view the Bulletin or the email version of iDevelop.

More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at  https://www.magnapubs.com/product/program/5-easy-to-use-technologies-that-have-a-big-impact-on-learning-online.

The following easy-to-use, free technologies are discussed in this week’s Monday Morning Mentor session. If you are interested in exploring any of these more, please feel free to reach out to the CTLI at ctli@northshore.edu. We would be happy to help.
The complete spring 2021 schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2020/12/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html. 

Looking for transcripts of past Monday Morning Mentor sessions? Please email ctli@northshore.edu with the session title and we can provide you with the transcript and supplementary materials. 

Other Professional Development Opportunities
  • Salem State University Earth Day Events. The Salem State Earth Days Planning Committee has extended an invitation to the NSCC community to participate in their Earth Days events. Their theme this year is “There is No Planet B.” The schedule of free events and registration information is available on the Earth Days webpage at https://www.salemstate.edu/earthday. 
  • 45th Forum on Tolerance. This spring, the Forum on Tolerance is focusing on "Black Lives Matter: the U.S. Journey towards Justice and Healing Part 2" and will take place in individual segments that will be broadcast over Zoom Monday, April 12th through Friday, April 16th. A schedule of events as well as the links to register for each segment is available at http://www.northshore.edu/tolerance/.
  • Digital Teaching Symposium 2021. Blackboard is sponsoring this free virtual event focusing on best practices for what’s next in digital teaching on Friday, April 16, 2021. More information as well as the registration link is available at https://events.bizzabo.com/DTS2021/home.
  • 2021 NSCC Visiting Writer Event. During Arts in April, visiting writer and North Shore alumnus John R. Nelson will present a slide show and read from his new collection of essays, Flight Calls: Exploring Massachusetts through Birds, described as "somewhere between a personal memoir, a true-life adventure, and a birder's personal journey." This event will take place on Zoom on Tuesday, April 20, 9:30-10:45 AM and Wednesday, April 21, 9:30-10:45 AM. More information as well as Zoom links are available at https://www.northshore.edu/arts-in-april/writing-events.html. A full schedule of Arts in April events is available at https://www.northshore.edu/arts-in-april/.
  • 2021 Northeast OER Summit. Registration is now open for the 4th Annual Northeast OER Summit. The Summit is free and will take place Monday, May 24 – Wednesday, May 26, 2021 virtually through University of Massachusetts Amherst Conference Services. If you are interested in attending, you can register at https://umass.irisregistration.com/Site/OER.    
  • Dis/Misinformation: Perspectives and Pedagogies for Educators in the Post-Truth Era. Harvard University's Global Studies Outreach Center is offering their 9th annual free summer educator workshop virtually over a two-week period: July 26 - August 6. Participants can join for all or some of the sessions offered over those two weeks. More information is available at https://globalstudiesoutreach.harvard.edu/. 
Upcoming Webinars of Interest
  • K-12 and Community Colleges Collaborate on OER (CCCOER webinar) on Wednesday, April 14 at 3:00 PM EST. “Open Educational Resources (OER) can make education more equitable and inclusive at any level of education. Hear from a panel of K-12 and community college educators as they compare and contrast the benefits and challenges of transforming learning with open practices and open content that is adaptable by teachers and students.  The topic of why and how faculty can work together across school sectors to support students in their local community will be explored.” (webinar description) More information as well as the registration link is available at https://www.cccoer.org/webinar/k-12-and-community-colleges-collaborate-on-oer/. 
Interesting Articles and Resources
Share Your Teaching Resources and Professional Development Opportunities
If you have any teaching resources that you would like to share with other NSCC faculty or know of any other professional development opportunities that NSCC faculty might be interested in, please feel free to send them to ctli@northshore.edu and we will share them in the upcoming issues of iDevelop.

We hope you have enjoyed this weekly eNewsletter and would love your input. Please let us know if you have any feedback on the format, content, and resources or if there is anything else you would like to see in the eNewsletter.

Thank you,
CTLI 
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Tuesday, March 16, 2021

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (3/15/2021)

Welcome to iDevelop, a weekly eNewsletter providing faculty with information about professional development opportunities at NSCC. The intent of this eNewsletter is to spotlight the various professional development events for faculty in one convenient location as well as share best practices, resources and tips related to the teaching practice. iDevelop is being brought to you by the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation (CTLI).  

  
Sign reads: Got 20 minutes? Then you have time to learn with the Monday Morning Mentor
  
20 Minute Online Professional Development
The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the spring semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of March 15th is How Can Effective Note-taking Improve Online Student Learning? The presentation is available Monday at 10:00am and is accessible through Sunday of that week. For information on accessing the presentation and supplemental materials, please view the Bulletin or the email version of iDevelop.

More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at https://www.magnapubs.com/product/program/how-can-effective-note-taking-improve-online-student-learning/. The complete spring 2021 schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2020/12/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html. 

Looking for transcripts of past Monday Morning Mentor sessions? Please email ctli@northshore.edu with the session title and we can provide you with the transcript and supplementary materials. 

Other Professional Development Opportunities
  • 2021 Teaching, Learning, and Student Development Conference. The 2021 Teaching, Learning, and Student Development Conference Committee will be hosted by Quinsigamond Community College on April 9, 2021. Tools for the New Normal: Innovations in Access, Equity, and Student Success is the theme of the 2021 event. The Keynote Speaker is Dr. Danette Howard, Senior Vice President & Chief Policy Office for the Lumina Foundation. Registration is now open. Please see https://www.qcc.edu/TLSD-2021 for the schedule of sessions as well as to register. 
  • 2021 Northeast OER Summit. Registration as well as a call for proposals is now open for the 4th Annual Northeast OER Summit. The Summit is free and will take place Monday, May 24 – Wednesday, May 26, 2021 virtually through University of Massachusetts Amherst Conference Services. The deadline for presentation proposals is March 21, 2021 and more information can be found at https://neoer.umasscreate.net/conferences/2021-2/2021-call-for-proposals/. If you are interested in attending, you can register at https://umass.irisregistration.com/Site/OER.    

Upcoming Webinars of Interest
  • How to Effectively Use Zoom to Provide an Interactive and Engaged Learning Experience to Students (Contact North webinar) on Tuesday, March 16, 2021 from 2:00 PM to 3:00PM (EST). “Join Contact North | Contact Nord Research Associate, Dr. Ron Owston for this interactive session focusing on topics such as: engaging students through breakout rooms, promoting collaboration with whiteboards and document annotation, enhancing class presentations, including how to use free OBS Studio video software, obtaining feedback through polling and other tools, involving students through screen sharing, and organizing large enrolment classes.” (webinar description) Register at https://contactnorth.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4svl3vtnQjW0rV-t854DlQ
  • How to Motivate and Retain Online Learners (Contact North webinar) on Thursday, March 18, 2021 from 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM (EST) “Join Dr. Curtis Bonk, Professor of Instructional Systems Technology, Indiana University, for a one-hour free webinar to learn: 10 fully documented and theoretically driven motivational principles that foster interactivity and engagement online; a realistic path toward meaningful and engaging online learning; simple and flexible framework for motivating online learners that works; and research backed and proven interactive online ideas and activities. Learn how to inspire your online learners with an assembly of meaningful and purposeful learning activities. Simply put, bored and unengaged online learners will be a thing of the past.” (webinar description) Register at https://contactnorth.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_z0wAbZ2_QXyHbjzeBw-l7Q
     
Interesting Articles and Resources
Share Your Teaching Resources and Professional Development Opportunities
If you have any teaching resources that you would like to share with other NSCC faculty or know of any other professional development opportunities that NSCC faculty might be interested in, please feel free to send them to ctli@northshore.edu and we will share them in the upcoming issues of iDevelop.

We hope you have enjoyed this weekly eNewsletter and would love your input. Please let us know if you have any feedback on the format, content, and resources or if there is anything else you would like to see in the eNewsletter.

Thank you,
CTLI 
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Wednesday, February 8, 2017

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (2/6/2017)

Welcome to iDevelop, a weekly eNewsletter providing faculty with information about professional development opportunities at NSCC. The intent of this eNewsletter is to spotlight the various professional development events for faculty in one convenient location as well as share best practices, resources and tips related to the teaching practice. iDevelop is being brought to you by the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation (CTLI).
  
Sign reads: Got 20 minutes? Then you have time to learn with the Monday Morning Mentor

20 Minute Online Professional Development
The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the spring semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of February 6th is Is There a Solution to Students Multitasking in Class? The presentation is available Monday at 10:00am and is accessible through Sunday of that week. For information on accessing the presentation and supplemental materials, please view the Bulletin or the email version of iDevelop. 

 More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at http://www.magnapubs.com/online/mentor/is-there-a-solution-to-students-multitasking-in-class-13204-1.html. The complete spring schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2016/12/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html.

Looking for transcripts of past Monday Morning Mentor sessions? Please email ctli@northshore.edu with the session title and we can provide you with the transcript and supplementary materials.   

Upcoming Webinars of Interest
 
Program/Department Learner Outcome Statements
For those participating in program review, the fourth installment on writing program/department learner outcome statements was attached in the iDevelop email. This details the importance of drawing from NSCC Gen Ed outcomes when writing these statements. Have questions or need assistance? Please contact Cate Kaluzny.
   
Share Teaching Resources or Professional Development OpportunitiesIf you have any teaching resources that you would like to share with other NSCC faculty or know of any other professional development opportunities that NSCC faculty might be interested in, please feel free to send them to ctli@northshore.edu and we will share them in the upcomimg issues of iDevelop.

We hope you have enjoyed this weekly eNewsletter and would love your input. Please let us know if you have any feedback on the format, content, and resources or if there is anything else you would like to see in the eNewsletter.

Thank you,
Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation
 
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Monday, January 13, 2014

Launching of Phase 2 of the College Instructional Technology Study


As we mentioned in a previous post, we had a very successful first phase in our College Instructional Technology Study.  We are now in the process of Phase 2.  In the second phase of this study, Academic Technology (AT) will explore the various student support services at the college to share knowledge and resources about students’ learning and technology in order to better understand the benefits and challenges all involved parties encounter. North Shore Community College (NSCC) has a variety of tools and resources that are used in assuring student success in the classroom and in the college as a whole and beyond. It serves the best interests of everyone if each area of the college is better informed about the range of tools, resources and technology practices. Therefore, AT will plan to meet with the various student support services to share resources and tools around technologies that enhance student learning at the college.  

“Technologies that enhance student learning at the college” means any special computer programs, devices, online services/programs/web sites, or other technologies that are used to manage and facilitate communication, interaction, and learning within the teaching and learning environment at the college, but with particular attention to students’ learning experience. This could also be using what are considered common technological programs and tools (cellphones, cameras, Microsoft Word, Facebook, etc.) in new, unique, or unorthodox ways for learning.

Across departments, divisions, programs, and projects, NSCC makes use of a wide range of instructional technology in facilitating education, guidance, and communication. While some tools are well known, others are less-known but could have the potential of large scalable uses for the faculty and staff at the college. Hence, lack of knowing or having access to the range of instructional technological tools at NSCC means that AT provides less service and efficiency en masse than it might otherwise do.  

At its core, this study is a fact-finding mission to better understand what the instructional technology is that is being used, how it is being used, and how AT can further aid the use of this instructional technology for the betterment of all.   

For a more detailed explanation, please visit the public plan at this link.  We appreciate any feedback or thoughts you might have to offer us about the project. 
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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

The Gold Standard Implementation of Peer Instruction Using Clickers

Recently, I watched a webinar from Turning Technologies that addressed a standard of implementation for using clickers for peer instruction.  Julie Schell, the Director of OnRamps and Strategic Initiatives, was the presenter.  In her presentation, "Using Clickers with Peer Instruction," she offered the 7 basic steps of this standard:

1.  Provide a mini lecture
2.  The instructor asks a question to the class
3.  The students are given time to think about the question
4.  The students vote for the first time
(The answer is not shown if there is a right answer; the answer may be shown if there is not a correct answer)
5.  Students discuss their response to the question with a neighbor or in groups
6.  A second vote is taking in class
(The answer  is shown)
7.  There is an explanation of why the answer is correct.

 Peer instruction and class interaction often fall apart when one or more of these steps are left out of the process. Check out the entire webinar here. 

If you'd like more information about survey and polling solutions to help enable peer instruction and student discussion in your classroom, please contact me, Dave Houle, at dhoule@northshore.edu.
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Thursday, September 12, 2013

The Digital Assignment: How Do You Accept Assignments?

When I look back even 5 years ago, I've seen a significant change in the ways in which faculty take assignments. I know faculty have been taking digital assignments as far back as the 1990s but it often seemed the exception whereas now it feels much more like the rule. We all remember the frantic whirlwind of getting an assignment to an instructor (often after waiting until the last minute to write it) by battling printers or lines at the printers, traffic, crowded hallways, etc just to get that paper in before the end of class, only to repeat this several times each semester.

While there are many benefits to taking online assignments (less chance of losing it, time stamps, environmentally friendly, less redundancy, etc), there are definitely some drawbacks and every person has their own method of doing it.  Below are some of the different methods of taking digital assignments that you may be using or considering using. 

EMAIL
Email is still a popular method of receiving digital assignments as it remains a standard go-to place for students and faculty alike. 
Benefits
Email is easily accessible for most people.  You don't have to dig too far down into a learning management system to find it and you can do searches to find things.  With NSCC's Gmail server, we have a large space (30 gigabytes and counting) with which to store our emails and attachments.  You will also have an exact time stamp of when the student sent it.
Drawbacks 
Organizing assignments as they come in can be challenging. Finding and sorting along with downloading each assignment can be time-consuming; especially if you intend to send them back with comments (and thus have to upload the assignments again).  Improper file formats mean more back and forth with the student.  The excuse "I sent it, you didn't get it?" can be come fairly common (whether truthful or not).
Tips
  • Have students put a specific but unique word in their subject line (such as your course code) to make it easier to find and search.
  • Create labels and use filters. 
  • Be sure to reply to students to let them know you received their paper.  It can be a very simple response that you copy and paste into each, but it will be useful for the students to know.
  • Include in your syllabus and elsewhere that this will be the method of submission for course assignments.
ANGEL DROPBOX
Every course at NSCC has an ANGEL shell and you can create dropboxes for your assignments.  Students would then log into ANGEL and go into the course shell in order to upload their assignment. 
Benefits
All of the assignments are in one place for you to see and to download in a single batch.  You can see what time students passed in their assignment and grade them all in the same place as well as use a grading rubric.  If you use ANGEL's Automate feature, you can have an email sent to students who haven't uploaded the paper by the appointed time.  Students can receive an email when their grade is posted. 
Drawbacks 
Using the dropbox still requires students to be shown what it is and how to use it within class time.  It also means setting up a dropbox for assignment to prevent confusion for students.  Also, it's best used when using the gradebook in full.  While there is batch download, you still need to upload graded papers with comments one by one.  Like email, there is still the issue of file format since students may not upload the preferred or required file format, causing delays. 
Tips
  • Make sure you spend some class time (5 minutes or so) showing students how to get into ANGEL and upload their file.
  • When setting up the dropbox, be sure to include instructions (including file format, due date, links to relevant resources, etc) in the message box.  
  • Make use of the advance settings in the dropbox to determine when you will stop submissions, how many submissions you will take and other matters to make it more efficient for you. 
  • Include in your syllabus and elsewhere that this will be the method of submission for course assignments.
GOOGLE DRIVE
Faculty are increasingly using and enjoying the benefits of Google Drive with its suite of programs including a word processing program, spreadsheet program, and presentation program that students can use and save themselves money by not buying expensive programs like Microsoft Office.
Benefits
The ability to create student folders where all of a student's work can be found.  No uploading or downloading.  Easy to comment and provide feedback to the student.  Opportunity to use text-chat or the comment feature to have back and forth discussions about assignment.  The program is already tied to the students' School email so it's easy to locate.  The Google Drive app allows for students and faculty to access the content regularly without signing in and out of the school's system.  Easy citation system.  Lots of good How-To resources to direct students towards (as well as for yourself).  One singular file format.
Drawbacks
There's a big learning curve since many students haven't used it yet.  The sharing of files and folders can get confusing.  Though there are work-arounds, if the student doesn't have consistent internet access, it can be cumbersome.  Google regularly updates or changes their suite of tools which can confuse faculty and students.
Tips
  • Have the students create their own Folder that they share directly with you (and then put all of their folders into your own "Class Folder."
  • Make note of the "Revision" feature under the File menu.  This can provide a history of the project being made which can be useful in understanding how a student is working.
  • Include in your syllabus and elsewhere that this will be the method of submission for course assignments.
eCONTENT DROPBOX
Publishers are now creating very robust learning management systems that are accompanying their books.  These eContent web-based (and sometimes software-based or app-based) programs will have a dropbox similar to the one in ANGEL but may have some extra features. 
Benefits
If you are using the other eContent, then it is one central place to house your materials.  The eContent site will often have clear instructions on how to use the dropbox.  All of the assignments in one central location.  Some of them will allow for any file format to be uploaded and for the instructor to download in a preferred format.
Drawbacks
If you're not using much else of the eContent, this becomes more cumbersome to students (especially, if they did not buy a new book).
 Students may have access problems and not be able to complete the work or just email it instead. 
Tips
  • Be sure to spend some class time familarizing your students with the environment.
  • Include in your syllabus and elsewhere that this will be the method of submission for course assignments.


What methods and programs do you take digital assignments in?  What obstacles do you contend with when doing so?  What solutions have you found?  What tips would you add to the ones above?
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Friday, September 6, 2013

Polling in the Classroom

Of course every great instructor loves to see their students engaged in the classroom.  Students, believe it or not, love to have their voices heard too, although many may be shy about doing that.
With the influx of new technologies over the last few years, many new ways have been developed to get your student's voice heard in your class.  One kind of technology that has been used here at North Shore Community College is clicker technology, which is often times referred to as audience response, classroom response, or student response technology.

 This little device, the clicker, allows the student to make their voice heard anonymously in class.  Many faculty have used polling when talking about controversial issues.  The student submits their actually feelings on an issue without class influence.  Other faculty have used clickers to get a sense of whether or not the class has understood the gist of the material just presented in class.  It's a kind of "pre-testing" or "assessment" of student knowledge.  It helps you as the instructor understand just where they are in their learning or any common misconceptions that might be happening.

 Formal polling can be developed in PowerPoint.  On-the-fly polling can be conducted anywhere, anytime.  We use Turning Technologies' Turning Point software here at the College for both formal and anywhere/anytime polling.  You, as the instructor, get to tailor the polling to your classes needs.   For instructors, who for whatever reason choose not to clicker hardware in their class, web-based and phone-based solutions are also available through Poll Everywhere.  Submitting answers through a web site are often preferred over submitting answers via text as students texting may cost that student money depending on their texting plan.

 For "first steps" in this process, please contact me at dhoule@northshore.edu or 978-739-5530.  Also, here is a great resource for getting started with clickers here at North Shore.  We are happy and here to help! 

General Overview of Clickers 
Assessment
 Peer Discussion/Peer Learning/Student Engagement 
  • Classroom Reconsidered: Understanding and Engaging Students with Clickers
    http://www.slideshare.net/derekbruff/hpers-keynote-2010         

Have you used clickers or other similar tools in your class?  What are some of your best experiences with it?  What surprised you about the experience?

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Thursday, August 8, 2013

Best Apps for Teaching

In May, I went to a 1-day conference on by "Tablets, Handhelds, Smartphones; Oh My: Challenges and Solutions in Supporting Mobile Devices and on Campus" by NERCOMP.  In one session, they spoke about great apps for teaching that are certainly worth sharing:

Poll Everywhere
http://www.polleverywhere.com
Platform(s):  Any device with internet access.
Cost:  Free account with limitations on size of polls.
This a classroom response system that uses mobile phones, Twitter, and the web.  This is similar to clicker technology except online and without having to use clickers.

Socrative
http://www.socrative.com
Platform(s):  Works on all platforms and web-enabled devices.
Cost:  Free with registration.
This is a smart classroom response system that empowers teachers to engage their classrooms through a series of educational exercises and games via smart phones, laptops, and tablets.

Flipboard
http://www.flipboard.com
Platform(s):  Apple & Android Devices
Cost:  Free with registration.
With the latest version of this (2.0), you can not only look at the news that you care about but you can save and collect things that you love into your own magazines.  Examples: "Cars I Like" "Best Vacation Offers."

Evernote
http://www.evernote.com
Platform(s):  Any device with internet access.
Cost:  Free with registration.
This is a suite of software and services that allows you to take notes and archive.  It supports many operating platforms.

Cloud On
http://site.cloudon.com
Platform(s): Apple & Android Devices
Cost:  Free with registration.
This brings Microsoft Office to your iPhone and iPad and links it to your Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, and SkyDrive accounts.


Air Sketch
http://www.qrayon.com/home/airsketch/default.aspx
Platform(s): iTunes
Cost: $9.99
This allows you to turn your iPad into a wireless whiteboard.  You can also annotate PDF documents and images live.
1-2 Educational Uses


What apps to you use in the classroom to help with student engagement?

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Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Best Practices for Smart Classrooms: Environmental Factors

When presenting in the classroom using technology, it’s always a great idea to see what might be getting in the way of good teaching and learning.  It really helps to visualize what a good learning space might look like for your particular needs. 
  • How should desks or tables be arranged?
  • Does it make sense to project on a screen or a whiteboard?
  • What kind of flexibility exists for lighting in the room?
  • How should I set those lights for note taking yet visibility of any projected materials?
  • How should the shades in the room be positioned?
  • Are there noise factors in the room?  If so, how can they be minimized?
  • Am I able to be mobile in the classroom as I present?  How can I be less tethered to the podium in the room?
  • What else gets in the way of great teaching and learning?
Here are some good links that address the issue of the learning space as it relates to good pedagogy:

What Makes A Great Learning Space?
http://www.gensleron.com/cities/2011/7/21/what-makes-a-great-learning-space.html

Learning Spaces
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/lrm22/learning_spaces/

Best Practices in Learning Space Design
http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/best-practices-learning-space-design-engaging-users
What have you done in your classroom to minimize how environmental factors affect teaching and learning?

Please let us know how we can help you show your best teaching in the classroom by minimizing learning space issues.   Contact us at itd@northshore.edu.

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Monday, February 4, 2013

Using Prezi Without Losing Your Mind

We had a great series of workshops prior to the start of the Spring 2013 semester, including one on Prezi.  Since it is a great tool for learning inside and outside the classroom, we thought we'd follow up with this blog post for those that couldn't make the workshop.  You will also find the Prezi that we created for this presentation and here is access to the handout that we provided.

So what is Prezi?  It's most basic description is that it is 3-dimensional presentation tool that can used to align and present information in a more meaningful way.

BENEFITS: As a web-based program, Prezi has a lot to offer.
  • Free:  A free account is available to anyone.  If you register for their education license with your school email address, you will have an enhanced account with more space and usages rights. 
  • Easy to Use:  After checking out some introductory and how-to material, you can easily begin work on a Prezi using mostly pointing and clicking.  No programming skills needed and no software to download.
  • Single or Collaborative Use:  Like other Web 2.0 tools, users have the option of working on it together or singularly at the same time (and at different computers).  Additionally, one can present a Prezi online to another audience that is not present. 
  • Visual Appeal:  In lieu of the standard PowerPoint, the ability to move from slide to slide on screen adds a bit more visual stimulation for presentations (so long as the tool isn't overused). 
  • PowerPoint Integration:  If you already have created PowerPoints, you can upload and integrate them into a Prezi very easily.  You can also integrate PDF files as well.

CHALLENGES:  Though Prezis are enjoyable to use for education, there are certain challenges to contend with when considering using them.
  • Limited Space:  Even with an education license, you're limited to 500 megabytes.  That amount may be more than enough, but if you're teaching several different classes and plan to use one for each class, you might fill up that space quickly.
  • Clunkiness: Because of the nature of Prezi working within a browser, occasionally the program can get a bit clunky and you'll be unable to drag or move around the way you want.  Typically when this happens, you will need to save the Prezi, exit the Prezi, and close the browser and/or clear the cache and then return to it.
  • Getting to Advance:  Prezi can be easy to learn but it takes planning and practice to develop a rich presentation that fully utilizes the tools that Prezi has available.  We recommend looking at a lot of the examples made available on the site in order to get a stronger sense of what can be done.
  • Movement Overload:  Because of the movement feature in Prezi and how it can draw attention, early users often use too much motion.  They mistake the availability of movement for the relevance of movement.  Movement should be selective and relevant--otherwise it becomes a gimmick that doesn't help keep focus (as well as occasionally induces nausea).

USES:  Keeping those things in mind, we turn now to consider what are some of the best ways that you can use Prezi for education.
  • Standard Presentation:  There certainly isn't anything keeping you from uploading your PowerPoints and using Prezi as a straightforward presentation tool.
  • Conveying linear-based ideas:  Prezi works great when trying to convey information that is formulaic or process-oriented.  Telling a story, explaining a pattern, or moving through a routine all lend themselves well to being displayed in a Prezi.
  • Conveying nonlinear ideas:  Prezi also works great for grouping related information communicating differences according to space and alignment. If you want to identify features of a culture or elements of a story, you can use Prezi to differentiate the different pieces. It's also useful for honing in on elements of a contained piece.  For instance, you can move about to focus in on different aspects of an image (a cell, painting, landscape, etc.). 
  • Visualizing Integrated Concepts:  When working with a complex system, Prezi really shines.  This is where layering your information and using the depth of a Prezi can help communicate the "big picture" as well as the smaller pieces (that is, see the "Forest" and the "trees").
  • Brainstorming & Mindmapping:  Finally, Prezi can also be used to help students or even the instructor to bridge connects and ideas.  This could work well in groups of students working on a project as they could all be in a Prezi (by collaborating) at the same time and connecting their ideas.



Do you use Prezi?  How useful have you found it?  What are your students reactions to using Prezi? 
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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Mobile Devices in the Classroom

This blog post was developed by the ITD Team (Andrea Milligan, David Houle, Lance Eaton and Pat Lavoie).

 Though we should be deliberate in how we embrace mobile technology, what are some of the ways in which it can enhance our classroom experiences and student learning? In mid-January, the Instructional Technology and Design team facilitated a conversation with faculty on this topic during a Mobile Devices in the Classroom workshop. Potential benefits and challenges were explored along with a discussion around potential useful classroom applications.

 When it comes to mobile devices in the classroom, it is clear that they can provide some great advantages to making it a more rewarding experience.  Mobile devices can be used to
  • Provide students with instant access to the world in the classroom. This is great for looking up words that they are unfamiliar with, translating words they do not know, incorporating data into the discussion, doing research on a topic being discussed in class and communicating with experts.
  • Provide students with opportunities to engage, interact, and create in a classroom environment and beyond that may not have been previously possible.  Students can create presentations on the fly, develop videos encapsulating a conceptual process, manipulate interactive course materials, or work together on writing something within the class without hovering over each others' shoulders.
However, there are definitely challenges to consider and overcome: 
  • Access to mobile devices:  Not every student will have access to a mobile device.  One way of overcoming this is having students work in groups around an activity that uses a mobile device.  Another way is to plan ahead and give students choices about doing the work in class or on their own in the computer labs or at home.
  • Cost of apps:  If you are going to be using various mobile tools, be careful about requiring students to purchase apps.  While students may be able to get financial aid for books, money for apps is likely to come out of their own pocket.  An alternative to this is to focus on free apps (of which there are plenty) or work with web-based free programs (e.g. Poll Everywhere).
  • Cost of data plans:  Be careful about how much demand you put on the students' mobile devices in terms of the data they need to use.  Some students pay per individual text or have limited texting plans and others may have smart phones but with limited data plans.  A good approach to this would be to remind students that they can log onto the school's Wi-Fi to avoid using their own data plans (texting charges would still apply).
  • Platform plurality:  There are many different platforms when it comes to mobile devices--it is not just Android, Apple, & Windows, but we are also dealing with smart phones, tablets, and laptops.  When you are looking to employ mobile devices in the classroom, it is important to find strategies that are platform agnostic in that they can be used on all platforms.  This might require some additional research to provide options for people on different platforms.  A tool like EdShelf allows you to seach for tools by platform.  Or, when trying to find particular apps, look beyond the platform-specific app store as many apps are available on multiple platforms.
  • Technical support:  Students are going to have technical issues with their devices and the software employed.  Be sure to have a reference guide for the different types of support (e.g. the school's Helpdesk, the app's support link, etc). 
  • Physical tech support:  It is important to think about battery life and access to power sources.  Some mobile devices will not last more than 3-4 hours of continued use.  Students will need to be aware of where the power outlets are.  You may need to consider different seating accomodations during a project to allow for access to power outlets.  You might also want to consider providing students with advance notice, if possible, of a mobile activity so they can come to class with their devices charged.
  • Printing support:  Be sure to direct students to this link so they know that mobile printing has now been enabled for certain mobile devices in certain locations on NSCC's campuses.  This would come in handy, particularly, for students using their mobile devices to write papers.
  • Projection support:  Depending on the device, you may or may not be able to hook it up to classroom projector (if in a smart classroom).  Additional cables might be needed to hook up your mobile device to the projector so you will want to think about this ahead of time and look at the nature of the classroom to determine what you should have. 
  • Instructional support:  Students' do not intuitively know what to do with the mobile devices for instructional purposes and they may not full understand what is expected of them in using a mobile device inside or outside of class.  As an instructor, you will want to provide clear guidelines about how students will be using the mobile devices and the means by which they can achieve "success" when using them in your course. 
  • Familiarity:  Some students are likely to be neophytes to the particular app or usage of technology that you are employing for class.  A good way to help students avoid feeling overwhelmed by mobile device use is to give them some time to play with the particular tool/app/device and gain some familiarity with it.  Additionally, you might create a low-stakes assignment for them to do so they will gain some confidence with the device.
  • Appropriate usage:  As tools, mobile devices can do wonderful things, but students are likely to be easily distracted by them so it is important to prepare for such challenges within the class.  Several recommendations for making mobile devices useful but not a distraction would include:
    • Clear guidelines and expectations about proper usage added into the syllabus and/or covered in class.
    • Direct work on mobile devices towards a particular goal or project (that is, require a "finished product" as proof of their usage).
    • Identify a particular window of time in which they can use the device and provide them with a challenge to accomplish in that limited time.
Resources:  Here are some great resources to consider for different ways of using mobile devices for the purposes of learning. 

Engage
Create
  • Evernote - "Makes it easy to remember things big and small from your everyday life using your computer, phone, tablet and the web."
    http://evernote.com/
  • Skitch - "Get your point across with fewer words using annotation, shapes and sketches".
    http://evernote.com/skitch/
  • Web Clipper - "From interests to research, save anything you see online—including text, links and images—into your Evernote account with a single click."
    http://evernote.com/webclipper/ 
  • Evernote Peek - "Turn your notes, audio and image in Evernote into study materials with Evernote Peek."
    http://evernote.com/peek/ 
  • EduCreations - "Teach what you know. Learn what you don't."
    http://www.educreations.com/ 
  • Prezi - "A presentation tool that helps you organize and share your ideas."
    http://prezi.com/
Collaborate
  • Google+ - "Share the right things with the right people."
    http://plus.google.com
  • Google Drive - "Do more than just store your files. Share files with exactly who you want and edit them together, from any device."
    http://drive.google.com
  • DropBox - "A service that lets you bring your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and share them easily."
    https://www.dropbox.com/
  • Trello - "A collaboration tool that organizes your projects into boards. In one glance, Trello tells you what's being worked on, who's working on what, and where something is in a process."
    https://trello.com/ 
  • inClass - "Organize your schedule.  Share your notes."
    http://www.inclassapp.com/
Research
For More
You can also check out our Prezi presentation:

We would love to hear from you.  Are you using mobile devices in the classroom?  If so, how are you using them?  What benefits or challenges do you see around using mobile devices in the classroom?  What apps are you or your students using?
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Monday, December 3, 2012

Using Clickers to Help Facilitate Controversial Topics in the Classroom

One great way to use clickers in the classroom is to help facilitate discussion around controversial issues.   What are your students' opinions on such topics as drug and alcohol use, government services, taxes, same-sex marriage, abortion, etc?   Is it difficult to get students to speak up around controversial issues?  A simple technology tool--the clicker--can be used to help poll students on these and other subjects and stimulate class discussion.  Clickers allow for students to participate and answer such questions without necessarily feeling vulnerable and exposed for their beliefs.  This can also help build trust and designate the classroom as a safe space to have good discussions on such topics, allowing for more meaningful conversations.

Here are a few good websites on strategies for using clickers on controversial topics, if you're interested in knowing more:

 If you've been grappling with the idea of using clickers here at North Shore, please contact me at dhoule@northshore.edu.

 We're just a "click" away! (sorry couldn't resist)


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Friday, October 26, 2012

Extending the Classroom with Google+

Recently, Information Services made two new Google tools available through our northshore.edu Gmail accounts.  These tools, Google+ and Blogger, were implemented at the request of several faculty who wanted to experiment with them in their classes.  One of the benefits of having access to these tools from within our NSCC Google suite is that faculty and students will not have to sign-up for a separate Gmail account with an additional username and password.

Google+ is Google's social networking platform.  Faculty, staff, and students now have access to this tool from within our Google suite by clicking on the +You (or +Your Name) option in the black toolbar at the top.

Google+ has several features and one of them is Google Hangouts which is a tool that allows for video conferencing with up to ten people.

Here are just a few uses of Google Hangouts inside and outside of the classroom:
  • Hold small group meetings with faculty, staff or students
  • Conduct virtual office hours
  • Share computer screen to walk through a web site or demonstrate a software program
  • View and discuss YouTube videos
  • View and/or edit Google Documents collaboratively for writing workshops or group projects
  • Bring in a guest lecturer
To use Google Hangouts, you do need to set up a Google+ profile within your northshore.edu Gmail account.  You can do one-on-one video conferencing without a Google+ profile.
 
Note: When entering your birth date, make sure you do not select a year that will make you 13 years or younger. This will lock your North Shore Gmail account.
 
For more information on social media in the classroom and using Google+, please take a look at these resources:
Please do not hesitate to contact us at itd@northshore.edu to brainstorm ideas for integrating Google+ and other social media into your teaching or for assistance in using any of these tools.

• Do you see a use for Google+, especially Google Hangouts, in the teaching and learning environment?  What goals might this tool help you meet?
• What challenges do you see to using Google+?
• What role, if any, does social media play in the classroom?
 
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Thursday, October 4, 2012

Engaging Students with Web 2.0 Tools

In June, Academic Technology and the Information Technology Fluency Across the Curriculum Committee facilitated the 2nd Annual Faculty Technology Summer Institute.  15 faculty attended the Summer Institute to learn more about student-centered uses of technology in a variety of disciplines.  Several sessions focused on various Web 2.0 and instructional technology tools that could be used to engage students inside and outside of the classroom or for student-based projects or assignments that would allow students to use technology critically and creatively.
The following resources (with information to learn more) were highlighted at the Summer Institute.
Google Documents: A free online word processor, spreadsheet and presentation editor that enables students to collaborate online in real time.  Google Documents is available to everyone at North Shore Community College.
Prezi: Online software that enables students to create “visually captivating presentations”.
VoiceThread:  An online program that enables students to have “conversations in the cloud” around images, documents and videos.  North Shore Community College has a departmental license to VoiceThread.  Please contact ITD if you are interested in using VoiceThread with your students.
Diigo:  An online collaborative research tool that enables students to bookmark and share Web resources.
Screencast-o-matic:  A simple screen capture program that enables students to create online presentations with voice.
Glogster:  A Web program that enables students to create online multimedia posters.
Quizlet: An online site that allows students to create and share flashcard sets.  Mobile apps are available for on-the-go studying.
Wordle: A web site to create word clouds to visually display prominence of words in texts.
Poll Everywhere: A Web-based classroom response system that allows instructors to get instant feedback from students.
Dipity: A Web site to Create and share “interactive, visually engaging timelines that integrate video, audio, images, text, links, and social media”.
If you are interested in learning how to integrate any of these resources into your classes, please contact us at itd@northshore.edu.

• Have you used any of these Web 2.0 tools?  If so, how are you using them to engage your students?
• What other Web 2.0 tools have you used in your classroom?  What are the benefits to using Web 2.0 tools?
• What challenges do you run into when using Web 2.0 tools?
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