Best practices
As of this month when your students turn in programming code and graphics inside of Blackboard you can use the New Box View inline grading tool to view the code and add comments to the images. If you previously used Crocodoc to quickly view spreadsheets or papers inside of the Blackboard Grade Center, you’ll find the expanded list of supported file types a breath of fresh air!
During National Distance Learning Week UAF CTL conversed with students via Facebook. Here’s a light read on student strategies to stay on task as well as a few shared challenges we all face. Read on; it might spark a small change to make in your course as a result.
Solving Ill-structured problems require high order thought, reflective consideration and guided discussion. This teaching tip provides specific research based practices to conducting such discussion in your online class.
Your students have options for demonstrating their knowledge and expertise via video. Kaltura MediaSpace, conveniently integrated with Blackboard, offers a way for students to record, share and store their video demonstrations of content mastery.
Whether you’re creating or updating an online course or experimenting with blending online and face-to-face modes, rich, original media can improve your course. Opportunities abound to enhance your presence and provide your unique perspective.
A few well-placed visuals may help students find their path through your course. Consider providing both a course calendar and a course map to guide them.
Many of us don’t have the luxury of attending software training workshops or classes to learn how to use products like Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Excel. Having access to just—in—time training is really important in helping us get our jobs done. Finding reliable resources to help learn to use software and technology in your teaching and learning can sometimes be a challenge.
Video captions benefit everyone and make a video more useful as well as accessible. Making your videos accessible with captions meets the needs of all students.
Kaltura Mediaspace, UAF’s video and media delivery platform, gives users greater control over their videos than similar platforms (like YouTube). Instructors can view analytics of videos they deploy from their media gallery inside of Blackboard.
Key structural course components should work together to support intended learning outcomes. Considering alignment helps us focus on our designs for student understanding, and spend time looking at how various course elements support those goals.
Today’s teachers face a critical challenge deciding when and how to make use of technology in their classroom, whether they are supplementing a classroom experience or leading a flipped, hybrid, or fully online course. UAF CTL’s team of instructional designers exists to help with this (https://ctl.uaf.edu/events/), but each of us is always our own design staff.
By spending an hour a day updating your course over the holiday break you’ll be ready to go. There are 26 days between when Fall Grade are due and the first day of Spring classes.