Interactive Trick-or-Treat Map
Learning Analytics Tricks and Treats
Come trick or treating with the eLDIG team and collect some creative basic learning analytics treats to inform and guide our teaching and learning efforts. We have several doors to knock on from the Canvas house to the Zoom family…. and we may even check out what the Top Hat home is giving out this year. You never know what tricks might be up our costume sleeves or what haunted houses we’ll need to avoid as we wander through the analytics neighborhood. Join the fun as we collect some trick or treat loot (hopefully, there’ll be at least one or two full-sized candy bars)! Costumes are optional (though you will see many in this presentation)!
Helpful Resources
How to Enhance Pedagogy Through Video and Integrate Video into Penn State’s Learning Systems
In this Smeal Academy session, we discussed numerous ways to enhance pedagogy through video. All of these pedagogical methods are supported by survey data and best practices. After this, we discussed how to manage your individual video libraries through platforms including Zoom, Canvas, and Kaltura. We also discussed the specifics of accessing, editing, sharing, and embedding videos and Zoom recordings.
Helpful Resources
Supporting Distressed Students
Penn State Counseling and Psychological Center (CAPS) led a session about Supporting Distressed Students and Red Folder Resources. The Red Folder initiative is a guide to help faculty, staff, and others who interact with students to recognize, respond effectively to, and refer distressed students at Penn State. This session was held on Tuesday, September 28 from 12 to 1 p.m. via Zoom.
Resources:
Helpful Info:
- CAPS Primary Location: 501 Student Health Center
- CAPS Phone: 814-863-0395
- CAPS Hours: Monday-Friday from 8 am-5 pm
- CAPS Website: https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling
- CAPS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/studentwellnesspsu/
- Red Folder Website: https://redfolder.psu.edu/
- 24/7 Penn State Crisis Line: 1-877-229-6400
- 24/7 Crisis Text Line: Text “LIONS” to 741741
Clickers Be Gone: Now What?
With iClicker support at Penn State ending in Spring 2022, this session explores alternative technologies and strategies for interactive polling in your courses and explores some considerations as you transition away from iClicker use. This session discusses the University’s decision to discontinue iClicker, identifies potential criteria for an ideal alternative, compares popular/available tools against ideal criteria, and introduces Top Hat – the University’s recommended replacement for iClicker – by providing an overview of the polling and attendance functions and discussing considerations for use.
Top Hat resources referenced:
Student enrollments are beginning to shift to reflect the long-term desire of some students for flexible learning with the option of accessing the robust remote learning designs you offered during the pandemic. Enrollments may increase or may vary in delivery mode with students attending class from multiple audiences (face-to-face, hybrid, and/or online/asynchronous). In this session, we discussed how to respond to the growing demands for your class and best practices in scaling your course for continued engagement shifts, regardless of course size or delivery mode.
Remove barriers, meet diverse audience needs, and make your course materials better! Learn some quick time-saving tips to help you make your Word docs and Canvas courses accessible.
Some Helpful Resources:
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- Accessibility at PSU
- Microsoft Word and Accessibility
- Canvas and Accessibility
- Optimizing Links for Accessibility
- Optimizing Images for Accessibility
- Using Headings for Accessibility
- Optimizing Tables for Accessibility
- Canvas Math Editor and Accessibility
- Accessibility Checker for Microsoft Office
- UDOIT Accessibility Checker for Canvas
As we prepare for the new normal in teaching and learning, let’s pause to reflect on the lessons we’ve learned over the past year. We will be joined by a panel of Smeal faculty sharing what they plan to carry forward into their teaching next semester.
Some Helpful Resources:
- Zakrajsek, T. (2021, June 24). Moving from Zoom to In-Person Teaching. The Scholarly Teacher.
- Glantz, E., Gamrat, C., Lenze, L., & Bardzell, J. (2021, March 16). Improved Student Engagement in Higher Education’s Next Normal. EDUCAUSE Review.
- Penn State’s Keep teaching website recently updated the Health and Safety FAQ section.
Not all students will be able to return to campus this Fall. Will you be teaching students both in the classroom and online? This session, which was held on June 24, 2021, shared some best practices to ensure a great learning experience for all students (while keeping things manageable for you).
Some Helpful Resources: