April 2024

Smeal Academy Newsletter: End of Semester Edition

Photo by Keith Luke on Unsplash

Happy Finals Week!

Once the grading is done, it will be time to upload your final grades to LionPATH. Are you ready?

1. Step 1: Complete Prerequisites in Canvas
   • Set a Penn State Compatible Grading Scheme
   • Enter Zero for All Unsubmitted Assignments
   • Post Grades for Hidden Assignments
2. Step 2: Verify the Accuracy of Your Grades
   • Export your Canvas Gradebook and verify that your Current Grades and Final Grades match
3. Step 3: Import Grades into LionPATH
   • Import your Canvas Gradebook into LionPATH or
   • Manually enter your grades into LionPATH

Want more advice on how to finish end-of-semester tasks? Check out this week’s new podcast, Meet the eLDIG Team – Mark DeLuca, Manager of Resident Instruction Technology Services by clicking below! Smeal Academy Podcasts will be released weekly and housed on our eLDIG website, or follow the Smeal Academy Podcast on your preferred podcatcher!

Upcoming Smeal Academy Sessions

• Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in Business Education and Research Reading and Discussion Group – John Liechty, Facilitator
  Join us for the fourth session of a Smeal series on the role of artificial intelligence in our teaching and research, which will focus on our shared commitment to preparing leaders to leverage artificial intelligence responsibly in business. John will share some trends in fields related to marketing and how they impact his approach to teaching at Smeal. Join us on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. EST via Zoom.
• Smeal Academy Summer Book Club – Session 1
  This summer, we will read The Spark of Learning by Sarah Rose Cavanagh. We will meet three times over the summer to discuss the book. Join us for our first discussion on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. EST via Zoom.

NOTE: Recordings and resources from previous Smeal Academy sessions can be found on our eLDIG Website.

eLDIG ID Tips

• Tip #1: Check our eLDIG’s Video Tech Tips Series
  Chris and Mark talked about the Video Tech Tips series curated by eLDIG. There are a variety of videos that will help you post your final grades! Check them all out on our website.
• Tip #2: Be Aware of PSU Approved Courseware
  Chris and Mark also talked about instructional technology. Did you know that there is an approval process for instructional technology used at Penn State? Check out PSU’s Courseware website and/or reach out to eLDIG to learn more!

Contact Us

Email us at [email protected] or fill out the eLDIG Contact form and we will be in touch.

Smeal Academy Newsletter: ‘The Finish Line Is in Sight’ Edition

Photo by David Griffiths on Unsplash

It’s the Last Week of Classes!

We are almost there! Here are a couple of practical recommendations to consider before students head home after the term:

• Get Student Permission. Did any student submissions stand out as exemplars? Future students can benefit from having concrete examples of what you are looking for in student work (Scoles, Husman, & McArthur, 2013). Ask for permission now while students are still around, and their work is fresh in your mind.
• Ask Students for Advice for Next Semester’s Students. Use Canvas or Microsoft Forms to create a simple anonymous survey for students to submit their best advice for students who follow. It could even be set up to award a precious few extra credit points to those who need them!

Need a break from grading? Check out this week’s new podcast, Meet the eLDIG Team – Eileen Grodziak, Instructional Designer, by clicking below! Smeal Academy Podcasts will be released weekly and housed on our eLDIG website, or follow the Smeal Academy Podcast on your preferred podcatcher!

References:

Scoles, J., Huxham, M., & Mcarthur, J. (2013). No longer exempt from good practice: Using exemplars to close the feedback gap for exams. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 38(6). 631-645

Upcoming Smeal Academy Sessions

• Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in Business Education and Research Reading and Discussion Group – John Liechty, Facilitator
  Join us for the fourth session of a Smeal series on the role of artificial intelligence in our teaching and research, which will focus on our shared commitment to preparing leaders to leverage artificial intelligence responsibly in business. John will share some trends in fields related to marketing and how they impact his approach to teaching at Smeal. Join us on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. EST via Zoom.
• Smeal Academy Summer Book Club – Session 1
  This summer, we will read The Spark of Learning by Sarah Rose Cavanagh. We will meet three times over the summer to discuss the book. Join us for our first discussion on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. EST via Zoom.

NOTE: Recordings and resources from previous Smeal Academy sessions can be found on our eLDIG Website.

eLDIG ID Tips

• Tip #1: Add this book to your summer book list. Several members of our team are currently reading Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI, by Ethan Mollick, an associate professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he studies and teaches innovation and entrepreneurship. The book was highly recommended as an AI resource by Joseph Yun, who recently presented at Penn State on preparing the University for a future with AI.
• Tip #2: Have students write a letter to their future selves. This is a terrific opportunity for students to personally reflect. This online tool allows your students (or you!) to send an email message to yourself in the future. What a fantastic way to support the development of our future selves! https://www.futureme.org/

Contact Us

Email us at [email protected] or fill out the eLDIG Contact form and we will be in touch.

Smeal Academy Newsletter: Canvas Discussion Redesign Edition

The Smeal Academy is brought to you by the eLearning Design & Innovation Group (eLDIG) at the Smeal College of Business at The Pennsylvania State University. The goal of the Smeal Academy is to equip the Smeal community with best practices and strategies for teaching and learning with technology to support Smeal’s business education and research needs.

Photo by Sergey Zolkin on Unsplash

Canvas Redesigned Discussions and Announcements

On May 7, Canvas’ Discussions and Announcements Redesign will be forced on for all Penn State courses. There is no migration or transition needed from the old format to the new one, but this change will affect the look and feel of Canvas discussions and announcements.

You can learn more about this update by listening to this week’s new podcast, Meet the eLDIG Team – Heidi Watson-Held, Instructional Designer, by clicking below! Smeal Academy Podcasts will be released weekly and housed on our eLDIG website, or follow the Smeal Academy Podcast on your preferred podcatcher!

Smeal Academy will also focus on this change in our session on April 23rd. Details are below!

Book Club Reminder – Sign Up by April 22nd

This year’s summer read is Sara Rose Cavanagh’s The Spark of Learning: Energizing the College Classroom with the Science of Emotion (2016). A limited number of paperback copies of the book are available from the Schreyer Institute on a first-come, first-serve basis by completing this sign-up form by April 22nd. Electronic copies are available at no cost through Penn State Libraries at catalog.libraries.psu.edu/catalog/22100755.

Upcoming Smeal Academy Sessions

• Discussions & Announcements Redesign: Worth the chatter?
  Have you heard? On May 7, Canvas’ Discussions and Announcements Redesign will be forced on for all Penn State courses. There is no migration or transition needed from the old discussion format to the new one, but this change will affect the look and feel of Canvas discussions. Join us to learn more about this important change to Canvas! Join us on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. EST via Zoom.
• Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in Business Education and Research Reading and Discussion Group – John Liechty, Facilitator
  Join us for the fourth session of a Smeal series on the role of artificial intelligence in our teaching and research, which will focus on our shared commitment to preparing leaders to leverage artificial intelligence responsibly in business. John will share some trends in fields related to Marketing and how they impact his approach to teaching at Smeal. Join us on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. EST via Zoom.

NOTE: Recordings and resources from previous Smeal Academy sessions can be found on our eLDIG Website.

eLDIG ID Tips

• Tip #1: Try Canvas Discussions Redesign
  In their podcast conversation, Heidi and Chris talked about the redesign of Canvas Discussions. Would you like to see what it looks like? You can try it now! Canvas has instructions posted online. Then listen to the Smeal Academy podcast and attend our Smeal Academy session on April 23rd!
• Tip #2: Opt Out of Canvas Archiving
  Penn State IT will perform its regular archiving of older Canvas courses on May 29th. You may choose to delay courses from being archived by using the in-Canvas Course Archive Manager tool. Archiving on May 29 includes:
  • All LionPATH courses taught prior to and including Spring 2023 (LionPATH term 2231)
  • All LionPATH courses that you may have previously opted out of archiving between Fall 2022 (LionPATH term 2228) and before, inclusive

  Non-LionPATH courses, including Master, Manually Created, and Sandbox courses will not be archived.  Use Canvas’s Course Archive Manager to opt out.

Contact Us

Email us at [email protected] or fill out the eLDIG Contact form and we will be in touch.

Smeal Academy Newsletter: Summer Book Club Edition

The Smeal Academy is brought to you by the eLearning Design & Innovation Group (eLDIG) at the Smeal College of Business at The Pennsylvania State University. The goal of the Smeal Academy is to equip the Smeal community with best practices and strategies for teaching and learning with technology to support Smeal’s business education and research needs.

The Smeal Academy Summer Book Club

This year’s summer read is Sara Rose Cavanagh’s The Spark of Learning: Energizing the College Classroom with the Science of Emotion (2016). In this book, she argues that the emotional impact your teaching style and course design have on your students is important, and by keeping this in mind you can create more effective learning experiences.

A limited number of paperback copies of the book are available from the Schreyer Institute on a first-come, first-serve basis by completing this sign-up form. Electronic copies are available at no cost through Penn State Libraries.

You can learn more about the book club by listening to this week’s new podcast, Meet the eLDIG Team – Emily Baxter, Instructional Designer, by clicking below! Smeal Academy Podcasts will be released weekly and housed on our eLDIG website or follow the Smeal Academy Podcast on your preferred podcatcher!

Upcoming Smeal Academy Sessions

• Discussions & Announcements Redesign: Worth the chatter?
  Have you heard? On May 7, Canvas’ Discussions and Announcements Redesign will be forced on for all Penn State courses. There is no migration or transition needed from the old discussion format to the new one, but this change will affect the look and feel of Canvas discussions. Join us to learn more about this important change to Canvas! Join us on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. EST via Zoom.
• Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in Business Education and Research Reading and Discussion Group – John Liechty, Facilitator
  Join us for the fifth session of a Smeal series on the role of artificial intelligence in our teaching and research, which will focus on our shared commitment to preparing leaders to leverage artificial intelligence responsibly in business. John will share some trends in fields related to Marketing and how they impact his approach to teaching at Smeal. Join us on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. EST via Zoom.
• Smeal Academy Summer Book Club
  This summer, we will read The Spark of Learning by Sarah Rose Cavanagh. Fill out this form to sign up and request your free copy of the book!  Discussion sessions will be held throughout the summer. Stay tuned for dates and times!

NOTE: Recordings and resources from previous Smeal Academy sessions can be found on our eLDIG Website.

eLDIG ID Tips

• Tip #1: Discover Open Educational Resources (OER)
  Our Smeal Academy Summer Book Club book is available online for free through our library. Have you considered the availability of free educational resources at Penn State? Explore OER and low-cost materials at Penn State. Looking for cases? Sage provides thousands of case studies for free online via Penn State Libraries. Offering free, open, or reduced-cost materials makes a big difference for our students.
• Tip #2: Nurture in Nature
  In their podcast conversation, Emily and Chris discussed the importance of student well-being. Did you know that Penn State just launched a Nurture in Nature initiative for students? There are established Nurture in Nature Trails at Penn State’s Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Student Farm, Stone Valley Recreational Center (East Entrance), and Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center. Stone Valley and Shaver’s Creek are hosting a launch party for their trails on April 20th. Find more details and share the info with your students!

Contact Us

Email us at [email protected] or fill out the eLDIG Contact form and we will be in touch.

Smeal Academy Newsletter Podcast Premiere Edition!

The Smeal Academy is brought to you by the eLearning Design & Innovation Group (eLDIG) at the Smeal College of Business at The Pennsylvania State University. The goal of the Smeal Academy is to equip the Smeal community with best practices and strategies for teaching and learning with technology to support Smeal’s business education and research needs.

The Smeal Academy Podcast Premiere

It is time to tune in for tangible teaching tips! What’s new in Canvas? How do we respond to the emergence of generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) in the classroom? How can we help struggling students? And what does eLDIG do, anyway?

Enter the Smeal Academy Podcast – your weekly dose of actionable wisdom from the eLearning Design & Innovation Group (eLDIG) at the forefront of teaching, learning, and instructional technology in the Smeal College of Business. Join us for quick, digestible dispatches packed with practical tips and innovative approaches to elevate your educational game.

You can listen to Meet the eLDIG Team – Dr. Renee Ford, Instructional Designer by clicking below! Smeal Academy Podcasts will be released weekly and housed on our eLDIG website or follow the Smeal Academy Podcast on your preferred podcatcher!

Upcoming Smeal Academy Sessions

• Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in Business Education and Research Reading and Discussion Group – Art Jones, Facilitator (April 5)
  Join us for the fourth session of a Smeal series on the role of artificial intelligence in our teaching and research, which will focus on our shared commitment to preparing leaders to leverage artificial intelligence responsibly in business. Art will share some trends in fields related to MIS and how they impact his approach to teaching at Smeal.Join us on Friday, April 5, 2024, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. EST via Zoom.
• Discussions & Announcements Redesign: Worth the chatter? (April 23)
  Have you heard? On May 7, Canvas’ Discussions and Announcements Redesign will be forced on for all Penn State courses. There is no migration or transition needed from the old discussion format to the new one, but this change will affect the look and feel of Canvas discussions. Join us to learn more about this important change to Canvas!Join us on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. EST via Zoom.

Smeal Academy Summer Book Club

This summer, we will read The Spark of Learning by Sarah Rose Cavanagh. Fill out this form to sign up and request your free copy of the book!

Discussion sessions will be held throughout the summer. Stay tuned for dates and times!

eLDIG ID Tips

• Tip #1: FIRST@Smeal
  In our first podcast episode, Renee Ford shared some of her experiences as a first-generation college student. Did you know that the Smeal College of Business has a program for first-generation Smeal students? FIRST@Smeal provides support, leadership opportunities, and specifically assigned academic advisers to first-generation college students. Contact Kelly Swigert for more information.
• Tip #2: Microsoft Copilot
  Renee and Chris also discussed generative AI in our first podcast. Microsoft Copilot, formerly Bing Chat, was recently deployed site-wide as a generative AI accessible by all Penn State faculty, staff, and students. For more information, please see the Penn State announcement. Stay tuned for continuing Smeal Academy sessions on the role of AI in Smeal teaching and research.

NOTE: Recordings and resources from previous Smeal Academy sessions can be found on our eLDIG Website.

Contact Us

Email us at [email protected] or fill out the eLDIG Contact form and we will be in touch.