Microsoft Publisher vs Word Which One Should You Use? By Briana Taylor

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1 Sept - Oct 2015 See what is in The Spotlight this month in the CETL newsletter. We enjoy sharing teaching resources, tech tips, Blackboard advice, and offering a schedule of workshops and events. In This Issue Microsoft Publisher vs Word Page 1 National Read a Book Day Page 2 Blackboard: How to Add Images to Test Questions and Answers Page 3 Create New Opportunities for Discussion and Participation with TodaysMeet Page 4 Sept.-Oct. Workshop Schedule Page 5 7 The mission of the CETL is to promote excellence in teaching, to assist in the pedagogical and professional development of Saint Francis University faculty, and to encourage the integration of appropriate technology to enhance teaching and learning. Microsoft Publisher vs Word Which One Should You Use? By Briana Taylor I have been a fan of Microsoft Publisher ever since I witnessed its advantages of blending text and graphics when I had to create a magazine. I fell in love with Publisher all over again this year when I discovered the custom page size. Publisher saved me so much time creating response cards for my wedding invitations. I wish I had known about the custom page size when we created the CETL speed geeking invitations, because Publisher would have been much easier than the table we used in Word. How do you know when to use Publisher or Word? Word is the go-to tool for a lot of people, but Publisher has many features that can save you time and make your project look more professional. Here are tips and examples to help you decide which tool is right for the job. 1. Use Publisher to design layout specific projects. Publisher has easy to use templates for brochures, newsletters, and greeting cards. You can also use the ruler guides to section parts of the document. A ruler guide is a horizontal or vertical line to help you with the placement of objects, but the guide line is not printed in the final version of the project. I find the ruler guides helpful to mark the center of the page. To learn more about ruler guidelines watch a tutorial at v=u5oqfv_ehmo. 2. Use Publisher to create projects that include a lot of graphics such as posters, banners, flyers, or newsletters. Publisher makes it easy to position textboxes next to images and to wrap text around images. 3. Use Publisher to create custom page sizes. It might be easy to find the traditional banner or postcard page size, but did you know that under the page design tab you can create a custom page size. The most beneficial part of creating the custom page size is the live preview; while you adjust the width and height, the preview will show you how many will fit on one sheet of paper. For example I wanted to fit four response cards on an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper. Continued on page 2 The Spotlight info.francis.edu/cetl 1

2 TEACHING AND LEARNING NATIONAL READ A BOOK DAY September 6 is National Read A Book Day! This is a great opportunity for you to grab that book that s been sitting on the shelf (or on your Kindle) and READ!!! Reading is good for increasing concentration and reducing stress. Reading stimulates creativity and imagination. Reading takes you into the mind of the wise or fanciful and gives you access to the extended intelligence of millions! If you don t have time to read an entire book, use today as the impetus for setting aside regular reading time each day. Reading Suggestions for Faculty (available for lending from the CETL library!) Classroom Assessment Techniques by Thomas Angelo and Patricia Cross How Learning Works by Susan Ambrose and colleagues form Carnegie Mellon University McKeachie s Teaching Tips by Marilla Svinicki and Wilbert McKeachie Reaching Students by Nancy Kober Student Engagement Techniques by Elizabeth Barkley What the Best College Teachers Do by Ken Bain Visible Learning and the Science of How We Learn by John Hattie and Gregory Yates By Theresa Wilson Microsoft Publisher vs Word Continued from page 1 Rather than creating a table in Word that you would have to copy each cell and fiddle with the alignment, you can set the page size in Publisher, create one card or invitation, and when you print the project Publisher will put four on each sheet. Publisher has unique printer settings when you customize the page size. 4. Use Word to write formal documents, reports, and letters. Word has nice features for creating page numbers, footnotes, endnotes, and line numbering. For long documents you can also create an automatic table of contents in Word and easily update the page numbers. Learn how to set up an automatic table of contents in this tutorial watch?v=9xkyzhkt_p8. 5. Use Word for documents requiring review. If you want to send a document to someone for review or comments use Word s review tab to track changes, add comments, and compare versions. I hope these tips and examples help you see the benefits of Publisher. Although Word may be a good general purpose tool for many documents, Publisher will help you create graphic rich projects, unique layouts, and custom page sizes. The Spotlight info.francis.edu/cetl 2

3 BLACKBOARD How to Add Images to Test Questions and Answers By: Jordynn Kish, CETL Student Technology Assistant, and Briana Taylor Using electronic tests in Blackboard can save paper, assist with grading, and provide instant feedback to students. At times it might be helpful to ask students about a picture or diagram. Here are some directions on how to add pictures to your questions or answers. Begin by accessing the control panel of the course, clicking Course Tools > Test, Surveys & Pools, and selecting tests. Create a test or edit a test. Adding Images to Questions: You can either edit an existing question, or build a new one by clicking Create Question. Choose a question type. In the Question Text Box, click the Insert/Add Image button, pictured right. If you cannot see all three rows of buttons, click the expand/collapse arrow in the right corner. Paste the URL of the image or select Browse My Computer to retrieve an imaged saved on your computer. The image description field should be completed to assist visually impaired users who rely on screen readers. Be careful not to give away the answer when typing image descriptions and titles. Click the Appearance tab to select the alignment or change the image size. You can also resize the image after you insert it. Click Insert. Click on the image and drag the box from the corner to resize it. Click Submit. Adding Images to Answers: On the Test Canvas page, when editing a test, click Question Settings in the top right. Check the box next to Add images, files, and web links to answers. Click Submit. Edit a question or create a new question, such as multiple choice. In the Answers section, click browse next to file to select a picture saved on your computer. Next to special action, select Display image within the page. Repeat for each answer. Tip: Make sure you upload the file for the answer and not the response feedback. Click Submit. Another option to quickly create test questions with images in the question or the answer is to use Microsoft Word and import the test through Respondus Test Generator. Type the test questions and answers in Microsoft Word. Insert the image within the question or answers. Remember to not use automatic numbering and to mark the correct answer with an asterisk. Open Respondus Test Generator and import the questions. Directions for Respondus Test Generator and the license key are located in the Blackboard User Group. Publish to Blackboard. Deploy the test to a location for students to take it. For example go to the Unit 3 folder, click Assessments > Tests to add a link to the Chapter 7 test. The Spotlight info.francis.edu/cetl 3

4 TECHNOLOGY Create New Opportunities for Participation and Discussion with TodaysMeet By: Jordynn Kish TodaysMeet is a private backchannel chatroom that instructors can use during class or to continue a conversation outside of class. What is a backchannel? A backchannel is a second line of communication that occurs simultaneously alongside your instruction. Have you ever seen people use Twitter to communicate during a conference presentation? Typically, students will be using an electronic tool to communicate their thoughts and questions about a lecture or movie as it happens. Without disrupting the presentation, students have the opportunity to discuss with fellow classmates, and ask or answer questions. Instructors could also use backchanneling to continue the conversation outside of class. It is an excellent tool to give every student a chance to participate and to encourage students learn from each other. Why Use TodaysMeet? TodaysMeet can give each student a voice and encourage even the most shy students to participate in discussion. There may be students in class who may have great questions or ideas, but are too afraid to raise their hand or speak up. Some students might need more time to think about their answer, conclusion, or question. With TodaysMeet, students can type their questions and comments and feel more comfortable participating in the discussion. TodaysMeet can help manage classroom time. When students type questions and comments in the chatroom without disrupting class, the instructor can control when to address questions. If there isn t enough time in class to answer everyone s question, students can type questions in the chatroom and the instructor can answer them in the chatroom or in the next class. Asking questions in a backchannel is a good way to encourage open communication and help students see that maybe other students had the same question. Moreover, the backchannel will allow everyone to participate in the discussion. Participa- tion in the chat is faster than raising hands and giving everyone time to talk. How it Works Instructors can easily create a chat room on todaysmeet.com/. Instructors do not even need to create an account, but if you plan to have multiple rooms or want to edit settings an account is recommended. You can create a room for each class or even have different discussions for the same class. Pick a room name and select how long to keep the room open, such as two hours, one day, one week, one month, etc. Then provide students with the chatroom link, which can be retrieved by copying the web address of the room or by clicking room tools. Students do not need an account to join the conversation; they just type their name to join the room. Classroom Examples There are many ways that TodaysMeet can be used to enhance classroom activities here are some fun examples: 1. Answer questions in the chatroom while watching a movie 2. Ask and answer questions in the chatroom during a lecture 3. Share ideas, resources, or web links 4. Give examples 5. Hold online office hours 6. Chat online outside of class 7. Connect with other classes; invite another class you teach, invite a class from a different department, invite a class from a different country. 8. Invite an expert to chat with students. 9. Facilitate group projects with a different room for each group. Source: Miller, M. (2014, January 30). 20 useful ways to use TodaysMeet in schools. Retrieved September 1, 2015, from ditchthattextbook.com/2014/01/30/20-useful-ways-to-use-todaysmeet-inschools/ The Spotlight info.francis.edu/cetl 4

5 CETL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE FOR FACULTY AND STAFF September 2015 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 7 What Should I Do When a Student Cheats? :30am (CETL) Helping Students Organize Knowledge 11 2:10pm (CETL) Helping Students Organize Knowledge 14 How Can I Measure My Faculty Development Center s Impact? 21 What is the Best Way to Grade Participation? 15 National Google Day 9:30am (CETL) - 5 Google Tools 3pm (CETL) - Google Tools for Teaching 8pm (Online) - Google Tools for Teaching 22 8pm (Online) Respondus Test Generator am (CETL) Respondus Test Generator am (CETL) Providing Timely and Meaningful Student Feedback in Blackboard National Comic Book Day 12pm - Creating Comic Strips 28 How Can I Use Technology to Improve Learning? 29 11am (CETL) Practical Tips for a More Productive Day 30 11am (CETL) Practical Tips for a More Productive Day 1 12:15pm (CETL) Let s Talk About Teaching: Grading 2 October 2015 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 5 Techies Day 12pm (CETL) 5 Tech Tools in 50 min 1:10pm (CETL) 5 Tech Tools in 50 min 6 How Do I Create a Climate for Learning in My Classroom? Mid-Semester Grades Due 12 Can Service-Learning Work in My Discipline? am (CETL) Exploiting the Time-Saving Power Tools of Word 15 1:15pm (CETL) Exploiting the Time-Saving Power Tools of Word What Can I Learn From Student Ratings? 20 Mid-Semester Break pm (Online) Create New Opportunities for Participation with TodaysMeet 23 3:10pm (CETL) Create New Opportunities for Participation with TodaysMeet 26 How Can I Reduce Apathy and Increase Motivation? 27 8pm (Online) Blackboard: Beyond Discussion Boards - Other Blackboard Tools to Encourage Engagement 28 10am (CETL) Blackboard: Beyond Discussion Boards - Other Blackboard Tools to Encourage Engagement 29 12:15pm (CETL) Let s Talk About Teaching: Gamification 30 Please register at least 1 day before the workshop to btaylor@francis.edu or twilson@francis.edu. Online workshops will be hosted using Blackboard Collaborate. You will need computer speakers and a microphone or to call in via telephone. After you register for an online workshop you will receive an with the meeting link. The Spotlight info.francis.edu/cetl 5

6 SEPTEMBER WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS Helping Students Organize Knowledge for Deeper Learning How students organize knowledge influences how they learn and apply what they know. This session will share strategies and tools for helping students develop rich, meaningful knowledge structures to support learning and performance. 5 Google Tools Worth Exploring Whether you are a frequent Google user or new to Google tools, this workshop will show you 5 Google tools that are worth your time. Bring your laptop to explore Google Calendar, Google Bookmarks, Google Books, Google+ (Communities and Hangouts), and Google Drive. As a bonus I will show you how I share Google calendars and import a Google calendar into Groupwise. Google Tools for Teaching and Learning September 15 Learn how Google Drive can help you organize group work in and outside of class, share files with students, or collaborate on a single document simultaneously with multiple users. See what add-ons connect with Google Drive such as EasyBib, Mindmeister Concept Maps, and Gliffy Diagrams. Explore online communication tools with Google Hangouts and Communities. Respondus: Tame the Blackboard Test Monster with Respondus Test Generator: If you use or want to use the Blackboard Test, Surveys, and Pools tool, then you definitely want to learn about Respondus Test Generator. This application simplifies the question creation process, translates questions from Microsoft Word documents and a variety of test bank formats, uploads directly into a Blackboard course, and also retrieves from Blackboard for easy editing, printing, and storing offline. Providing Timely and Meaningful Student Feedback in Blackboard Chickering s fourth principle of effective teaching is Good practice gives prompt feedback. This session will review 7 different Blackboard tools/features which instructors can use to provide different types of feedback promptly to students. Creating Comic Strips Creating original comic strips can be fun and interesting for both instructors and students. Faculty might create a comic strip to introduce a new topic, to generate discussion, or to illustrate a point. Comic strips can be used to have students analyze characters, retell history, write stories, summarize events, and express their feelings. In this workshop we will preview free online tools which can be used to create comic strips or story boards and will provide examples of comic strip assignments. Practical Tips for a More Productive Day Do you ever end the work day feeling like your to do list is still a mile long? In this workshop we will discuss ways to get organized, manage your time, stay focused, and get more done. Let s Talk About Teaching: Grading This month we will discuss grading; a timely topic right before midterm grades are due. Join your colleagues in the CETL for an open lunchtime discussion of grading. Bring lunch; dessert will be provided! Please register at least 1 day before the workshop to btaylor@francis.edu or twilson@francis.edu. Online workshops will be hosted using Blackboard Collaborate. You will need computer speakers and a microphone or to call in via telephone. After you register for an online workshop you will receive an with the meeting link. The Spotlight info.francis.edu/cetl 6

7 OCTOBER WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS 5 Tech Tools in 50 minutes In just 50 minutes you will see 5 technology tools and examples of how they can be used to promote learning. The tools include: EDPuzzle, TodaysMeet, Piktochart, Bitstrips, and Kahoot. Exploiting the Time-Saving Power Tools of Word Computer programs are supposed to help us do things more quickly, yet most of us never get to the point where we can take full advantage of all the features and short-cuts that are supposed to save us time. Come and learn some truly terrific time-savers for one of the most commonly used applications on campus Microsoft Word. Create New Opportunities for Participation with TodaysMeet Do you want to give every student a chance to participate but often run out of time or find that the same students always volunteer? In this workshop you will learn how the backchanneling tool, TodaysMeet, can give students more opportunities to participate in class, save time, and extend the discussion beyond class. Beyond Discussion Boards Other Blackboard Tools to Encourage Engagement Have you ever wondered the difference between discussion boards, blogs, wikis, and journals? In this session you will see sample activities for each tool, and learn how these tools can help you increase student interaction for both face-to -face and online courses. You will also learn how to use the Blackboard group tool to create private areas for students to communicate with group members, stay organized, extend group work beyond the classroom, and allow the instructor to monitor groups. Let s Talk About Teaching: Gamification Gamification is a big buzz word in education. Join your colleagues in the CETL for an open lunchtime discussion of what gamification is and how it might be a viable teaching and learning technique. Bring lunch; dessert will be provided! Please register at least 1 day before the workshop to btaylor@francis.edu or twilson@francis.edu. Online workshops will be hosted using Blackboard Collaborate. You will need computer speakers and a microphone or to call in via telephone. After you register for an online workshop you will receive an with the meeting link. The Spotlight info.francis.edu/cetl 7