Upcoming ITC Professional Development Webinars To register for a ITC Webinars which will be aired in a CSM classroom, go to the DLF Training Calendar. October 2010 Supporting and Retaining Your Best Online Teachers Oct. 12, 2010-2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time ITC Professional Development Webinar Presenter: Janice E. Hilyard, Ed.D., Dean, Division of Online Learning, Darton College Learn about the strategic processes and resources that are in place for every online teacher at Darton College. In Spring 2010, Darton offered 325 sections of fully online courses with 6,800 enrollments -- adjunct teachers taught 65 percent of those sections. The hiring process for adjuncts into Darton's approved pool for online teachers is human resource intensive and timeconsuming. Consequently, retaining good online teachers is critical to the overall quality of Darton's online program. Attendees will learn about the multi-pronged approach Darton College uses to support all of its online teachers. Janice Hilyard will ask participants to share the effective support strategies their college practices to retain good online teachers. Innovative Techniques for Teaching a Hands-On Lab Course Over the Internet Oct. 19, 2010-2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time Presenter: Jennifer A. Herzog, Assistant Professor of Biology, Herkimer County Community College A stumbling block for offering entire degree programs online is the requirement that students complete at least one lab science course to graduate. In response, Jennifer Herzog developed an online general biology course for non-science majors taught with an accompanying hands-on laboratory component. This course is completely asynchronous, and open to traditional and nontraditional students. She devised several methods for conveying the on-campus learning environment over the Internet. For the course's lecture section, she uses movies, novels, TV
shows and interactive Web sites to reinforce concepts and principles, while students analyze current biological issues by threaded discussions. Students purchase a Lab Paq lab kit and manual from a company called Hands-On Labs so that they can perform hands-on experiments at home. Course assessment is built directly into the modules: students can use online office hours, question and "talk to the professor" areas to provide instant feedback on activities, examinations and Herzog's teaching methods. Students provide more in-depth responses through a culminating activity in a questionnaire format. Teaching Science Online Part 1 - Biology Oct. 26, 2010-2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time Presenter: Jim Brown, Associate Professor of Science, Ocean County College Description to Follow November 2010 Design Online Courses that Align with Course Objectives, Goals and Outcomes Nov. 2, 2010-2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time Presenter: Linda Smelser, Instructional Support Specialist, University of Maryland University College The backward design model, developed by Wiggins & McTighe (1998), is a process to construct learning that starts by focusing on the desired results or outcomes. The backward design model is a building process similar to putting together a jigsaw puzzle. By using the picture of the puzzle as a guide, the puzzler develops a strategy to place all the pieces together to produce a replica of the picture. In a similar way, focusing on the desired outcome during conference creation helps in formulating learning strategies that lead students to desired results. The backward design process can be applied to a whole academic program, a single course, as well as all the parts of a course (lesson plans, modules, conferences, etc.). Linda Smelser will discuss using the backward design process to construct online courses that build on a variety of desired results (outcomes such as learning new concepts, collaboration, projects, final assessments, etc.). Teaching Science Online Part 2 - Chemistry Nov. 9, 2010-2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time Presenter: Maria Tamburro, Instructor of Science, Ocean County College Description to Follow Tips and Tricks for Teaching Math Online
Nov. 16, 2010-2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time Presenter: Fred Feldon, Department Chair, Mathematics, Coastline Community College Whether you are experienced or just getting started, Fred Feldon will offer advice on how to increase retention, provide a sense of community, produce your own instructional material, incorporate social media, pick a course management system, manage assignments, group work and testing, and other techniques for successfully teaching mathematics online. December 2010 Reducing Math Anxiety in an Online Classroom Dec. 7, 2010-2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time Presenter: John Beyers, Ph.D., Director and Professor, Mathematics and Statistics, University of Maryland University College Many have tried to define math anxiety - some refer to medical or psychological terms, others attempt to describe the symptoms, while others include the causes and effects. Sheila Tobias's popular definition in "Overcoming Math Anxiety" (1995) describes math anxiety as feelings of tension and anxiety that interfere with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of problems in a wide variety of ordinary life and academic situations. College math classes are generally offered in more than one delivery mode or format. Each modality presents a whole new set of challenges to consider. At UMUC, math classes are offered in three formats: traditional (face to face), traditional with Web enhancement, and distance education. Some math-anxious students choose a distance education format to avoid some of the negative experiences they expect with traditional classes. This may be their greatest educational experience or their worst nightmare. Often students do not choose a delivery format based on the best match for their learning style. They choose a format for convenience or because their life circumstances will not allow other choices. When this is the case, we need to help students adapt to distance learning. John Beyers will discuss the cumulative experiences of more than 100 faculty and thousands of students in online math classrooms over several years. His presentation is based in part on an online workshop some leading experts at the University of Maryland University College developed called Reducing Math Anxiety. Get on the Fast Track: Online Accelerated Programs for Adult Learners Dec. 14, 2010-2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time Presenter: Luke Dowden, Luke Dowden, Ed.D., Director, Distance Learning, University of Louisiana at Lafayette Is your institution searching for a new, innovative approach to serving adult learners? Do you want to compete better with the online institutions now present in your backyard? Do you need
to invigorate your campus accelerated or e-learning programs? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you will want to participate in this ITC Webinar. Luke Dowden will share successful program and course models for online accelerated learning. Program participants will learn the elements needed to create a successful accelerated online program and the secrets to success. Dowden will share the a model for course design, key elements of accelerated and e- learning pedagogy, examples of appropriate student services for online accelerated adult learners, a faculty mentoring approach, and the results of using external consultants to assist in developing and sustaining accelerated learning. Learn more. Luke Dowden is a member of the Commission on Accelerated Programs and serves as the executive director of the Center for Adult Learning in Louisiana (CALL). CALL supports six campuses in providing online, accelerated degree programs and support services for Louisiana adult learners. January 2011 A Blueprint for Quality Online Instruction Jan. 11, 2011-2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time Presenter: Gail Weatherly, Ph.D., Director of Academic Accreditations and Affiliations, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler Teaching online is different from teaching in the face-to-face classroom. No surprise? Online learning offers instruction in a permanent format so students can access the information at any time. It is not the same as copying information from a text book, and it is not the same as including notes, verbatim, from entire lectures. So, what is it? Online learning is a highlyorchestrated arrangement of instruction, assessment, interaction, and targeted activities that result in a rigorous, engaging, and memorable student learning experience. The blueprint Gail Weatherly offers will help you construct a module for online instruction. She created and offered this tool to more than 200 future certified online instructors. The blueprint will help you develop value-added instruction to compensate for a lack of physical presence with students. It does not equal every word an instructor would say in a classroom, and it is far more comprehensive than a series of bulleted points on a Power Point presentation. The blueprint for quality online instruction challenges developers to create a single learning module (lesson) that can then become a model for remaining modules. The module begins with the lesson introduction and guides students through a series of materials and activities. Learning outcomes are specific and measurable so students don t have to guess how they will be graded. Lecture is presented in a way that is similar to face-to-face instruction meaning you can actually detect that there is a person talking rather than citing a textbook but there may also be links to resources on the Internet, short video clips, audio clips, graphics, and other media that help students succeed. The designer may include activities that require students to engage with one another, with the teacher, or with someone outside the class, depending on the learning objectives. In a typical online lesson or module, opportunities will likely exist for self-reflection, peer-to-peer engagement, and instructor feedback. The blueprint for quality online instruction is
a starting point a guide - for online course developers. For those who tell me they don t know where to begin to create an online course, I hand them this blueprint and smile. This is a starting point. Evaluating Quality and Effectiveness in Online Learning: Regional Accreditation Principles and Practices Jan. 18, 2011-2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time Presenter: Ronald L. Baker, Executive Vice President, Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Description to Follow Focus on Instructional Design - What Elements to Include in a Quality Online Course Jan. 25, 2011-2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time Presenter: Alan Shapiro, Instructional Design Technologist - Seminole Campus and ecampus, Web and Instructional Technology Services, St. Petersburg College The rapid growth of online courses and programs around the world has put pressure on institutions to develop these type of courses with quality in mind. What does this mean? Does quality mean the content is rigorous? Does quality mean the best online teaching practices are used? Does quality mean that there is a tremendous amount support for the faculty developing the course? Alan Shapiro will explain what should be included in developing a quality online course and some of the intangible elements you might not have considered. February 2011 Massively Multiplayer Online Games: Exploring their Educational Potential Feb. 1, 2011-2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time Presenter: Landon K. Pirius, Ph.D., Dean of Students, Inver Hills Community College While most MMOGs are entertainment-based, they are built on powerful learning theories including experiential learning, constructivism, activity theory, flow, and social interaction theory. Landon Pirius will examine how entertainment-based and education-based MMOGs can draw on these theories and be used for instruction and student learning. He will explain how he used World of Warcraft to teach a college-level course on culture, gender, identity, and civic engagement. He will discuss how the course was designed, how academic content was covered, what worked well, and what could be improved. Participants will come away with new ideas for establishing and maintaining a connection with learners through MMOGs. This presentation is designed with instructors, academic leaders, and instructional technology professionals in mind.
Is Google Just a Search Engine? Feb. 8, 2011-2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time Presenters: Nantana Wongtanasirikul and Kim Monti, Instructional Designers, Extended Learning Institute, Northern Virginia Community College