A quick thank you and reminder

To the nomination committee for selecting me to received the Dean’s Award at Convocation.  It is much appreciated.  So to keep with start of semester tradition

This blog offers lots of tips and reminders, you can easily search in the box at the bottom right. OET is just a phone call, email, instant message or stop by on your way to / from class.  

First week success

Research shows that students will be more successful in your online course if you do something to engage them the first week.  Be creative and think of something that will get them going the first week. Have them use the discussion or blog tool to introduce themselves, respond to other students, and take a sample quiz.  Consider a homework assignment to give them an opportunity to learn your style and relive any apprehension they may have.

 

Mics, Mice and other Housekeeping Reminders!

With the start of the semester some gentle hints.  Thanking you in advance!

Those who are recording please remember to press the button on the front of the mic so that it turns green or blinks slowly for those who are color blind and PLEASE remember to replace the mic in its charging cradle upon the end of your class so the next person has a charged mic make sure the button is facing you in the charger.

The wireless mouse also needs to be returned to its charging cradle as well so it is working for the next user.

This is a busy semester so take a moment and find out who may be teaching immediately before or after you, because schedules are so tight they may not want you to shut down the room if someone is coming in directly after you or you are the person coming in after.  BUT do remember to LOG OFF so that no one can use your credentials.  Remember Log Off is a shortcut icon on your desktop now!

And if there is no one immediately after you please Shut down the room and Log off the computer.

Questions, thoughts, comments or complaints please let OET know!

Check out this post to catch up!

Have a great semester!

Resources which may help you and your students!

Student Blackboard Support

Faculty Blackboard Start of Semester Tips

Embedding Mediasite into Blackboard

Video Release Form

Requirements for Viewing a Mediasite Presentation

DE Orientation

SABA Web Conferencing

Using Pirate Port

Using VPN to Connect Remotely

Using Online Tools

Just to get you started! and here is the answer to one of many questions how to add an Instructor or TA to your BB course.

  1. Make sure Edit Mode is ON
  2. Click on the Users and Groups area of the Control Panel
  3. Click on Users
  4. Click on Enroll Users and select Find Users to Enroll from the drop down
  5. On the Add Enrollments page, enter the teaching assistant’s or instructor’s username (do NOT include their email address)
  6. Select the appropriate role from the dropdown (course builder, grader, student, instructor, student or teaching assistant)
  7. click on Submit

Break in the heat, summer session has been put to rest and fall is just around the corner!

A few years ago I did the countdown to fall semester.  I received various comments and some groans but in less than 3 weeks we have many new students and returning students headed into our classrooms so are a few resources to check out!  Some BB tips and some connecting with others in and around the classroom!

Profiles

Blackboard Calendar

InLine Grading with Blackboard 

Smart Podiums in the Classrooms

AirMedia Tool

Lecture Capture

SABA

Web Conferencing with WebEx

Skype for Business

Looking to try something new this Fall?

Want to get to know your students quickly, try having them create a homepage blog, try using clickers gives them a bit of anonymity.  Perhaps a video introduction would be a way to get to know your distance ed students. Need to set up presentation or meeting schedules there are easy to use apps to help with that.  
Some technologies in house can be found at this Educational Technology link  Want to invite a guest to lecture to your class but they are on the other side of the country here are some conferencing systems available to you.
Lynda.com available to faculty, staff and students can help learn a new skill or brush up on an old one. Some apps blogged about are Doodle.com for scheduling, Socrative.com for audience response.
Share with us what has worked for you!
Let us know what you want to do and we can try to make it happen.  Contact OET!

So inquiring minds have asked

Just what is Pokemon Go?

If you’ve been on the internet — or, um, outside — lately, you may have noticed that a game called Pokémon Go is suddenly taking the world by storm. It may have you wondering, especially if you were born before 1984, just what the hell is going on. From http://www.vox.com/2016/7/12/12159304/pokemon-go-game-ios-android

And if you didn’t want to know here is something else on Social Presence from my colleagues at NC State.

10 Tips for Establishing a Strong Social Presence in Your Online Class

by Donna Petherbridge, Stacy Gant and Daniel Davis

For students and instructors, taking (or teaching) an online course can feel like an isolated activity. However, student connectedness via a sense of social presence is an important aspect in online learning environments because a sense of communal belonging may affect learners’ levels of motivation and satisfaction (Bolliger & Inan, 2012).  Click here to read more

Want to Meet?

One of the frequent questions that comes across my desk is “how can we connect to someone virtually?”  ITCS provides a few services which enable you to connect virtually.  Click here to find more information on using them.  We have hardware Videoconference system in 1355.  All classrooms are equipped with cameras and microphones and our office has additional mics and webcams to use!

sessiontools
communicationfeatures

Features and Solutions
 

Something to share with your students

In the news recently was Microsoft will acquire LinkedIn for $196 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at $26.2 billion  As your students go out into the “real” world beyond academia LinkedIn is one way for them to network outside of Facebook and other social media tools.  Here are some tips on creating the “perfect” LinkedIn profile, called the Ultimate LinkedIn Cheat Sheet.

For instance the

Perfect Profile
Right Size Image
Outreach for Recommendations
Hidden Features