Category

Smeal Academy Sessions

Active Learning Strategies

Active Learning Session – January 13, 2021

Think about the last time you learned something. What was the topic? How did you learn it? What motivated you to engage in the learning and stay engaged? What got you thinking critically about the knowledge you were seeking? What kind of innovation had you wished had been applied to the topic? What new tool would have been fun? This session discussed active learning strategies in online learning that help faculty engage learners and can lead to innovation in the classroom. Active learning is a teaching method that supports learning. The method uses techniques and activities that promote analysis, synthesis, and evaluation that guides students towards achieving learning objectives. These techniques and activities are based on ideas about how people learn and engage regardless of content discipline. Multiple strategies were discussed in a very active session.

Session Slides

Links mentioned:

Discovery Education Puzzle Maker Puzzlemaker is a puzzle generation tool for teachers, students and parents. Create and print customized word search, criss-cross, math puzzles, and more-using your own word lists.

Kahoot Millions of teachers and students unleash the magic of learning with Kahoot!. Create your own kahoot in minutes or choose from 40+ million ready-to-play games. Engage students who aren’t in school with our distance learning features, play in class, and dive into game reports to assess learning.

Top Hat Tricks and Treats

Top Hat Tricks and Treats: In September 2020, Penn State adopted Top Hat, a tool that tracks attendance while creating engaged learning environments for students. In this session, the eLDIG team reviews some Top Hat tricks and treats, including Canvas integration grade syncing and Top Hat engagement tools like polling and whiteboards.

Session Resources

Group Work Faculty Panel Discussion

Faculty Panel – Group Projects in Online, Remote, and Hybrid Courses:

Are you trying to figure out strategies for group work in your online/remote and hybrid classes? This session explored how some of our faculty are integrating group work in their classes. They discussed best practices and lessons learned and allowed time for participant Q & A to discuss questions, concerns, and needs. This session was held Wednesday, September 9 from 9 to 10 a.m.

Panelists: Norm Aggon, Shawn Clark, Nancy McClure, Jeanette Miller, Felisa Preciado-Higgins, and Al Vicere

 

Engaging Students Synchronously


Link to Session Slides

Engaging Students Synchronously (A session designed as a collaboration between TLT and eLDIG): Are you interested in improving student engagement in your synchronous online classes? This August 27, 2020 session covered best practices when engaging students in synchronous, online settings. Topics included how to help students engage with the content, instructors, and their fellow students, as well as how to best adapt in-class activities to the synchronous online environment. This content applies to both blended and online courses.

Links to Resources Mentioned

Engaging Students Through Assessment


Link to Session Slides

Engaging Students Through Assessment (A session designed as a collaboration between Teaching and Learning with Technology and eLDIG): How can you engage your students through online assessments (both formative and summative)? This August 19, 2020 session covered the changes can you make to your assessments to take advantage of the affordances of the online environment. Topics include setting expectations for online assessments, managing student stress levels, determining the most effective delivery method in your teaching context, adapting both formative and summative assessments from in-person to online formats, and alternatives to online exams.

Session Resources

Virtual Whiteboarding with iPads

Session PowerPoint Slides

Using iPads as Whiteboards in Remote Learning:
This July 22, 2020 session, led by Mark DeLuca, explored strategies and best practices for using iPads as whiteboards when leading remote classes via Zoom.

Whiteboarding Solutions by Level of Difficulty:

  1. Low-tech: Use a drawing pad and hold it up to the screen.
  2. Mid-tech: You can use the Zoom Whiteboard for simple things.
  3. High-tech: For more complex things (equations, formulas) you could use a touchscreen PC, or a tablet (iPad or Android). You then log into the same Zoom room on both your computer and touchscreen devices and share your screen on the touchscreen device when needed.

If you have an iOS device, Zoom has additional ways to share your screen.

Whiteboarding with an Android Tablet

General How-to’s

Penn State ITLD Capturing Instructional Content with Video

Capturing Instructional Content with Video (PSU IT Learning & Development) Video
PSU IT Learning and Development (companion website to above video)
This 23-minute video covers how to capture live video in an in-person class, live video when you are teaching remotely, and pre-recorded video for asynchronous delivery. Topics include:

  • Compare Recording Options for Capturing Instructional Content
  • Set Up Your Recording Space
  • Choose Your Tool
  • Record, Prepare, and Share Your Content

Not interested in the whole thing? There are “jump” links that let you go only to the information you seek! Or check out the companion website.

Zoom Whiteboard Guide

UCSF’s Zoom Guide for Facilitators Using Whiteboard Options

Additional Tools and Resources

Jamboard is a collaborative whiteboard available in our Penn State Google Education Suite


Duke University Tools for using screen annotation and handwriting

DIY Document Camera