Explore how using technology once considered “disruptive” can create opportunities to enhance learning.

Thursday January 12 – 10:00am-2:00pm
University Capitol Centre 2520-D

Join us for a fun, Instructional Technology “fair” featuring University of Iowa faculty and staff who teach and support courses incorporating disruptive technologies.

Kyle Bowen, Director of Informatics at Purdue University and developer of mobile apps that seek to harness everyday technology to engage students, will speak about how leveraging students’ digital lives can enrich learning environments.

Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Please register here: https://uiowa.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_2mf5QLsJq8rLu4Y

Students in all disciplines can benefit from improved critical thinking, sharper research skills, and a broad knowledge of available resources. These skills, which are part of the broader concept of information literacy, have become one of the most vital sets of skills for the twenty-first century. A librarian, working with a course instructor, can design a presentation that promotes information literacy, based on the goals and objectives of the course.

Students who are savvy about available resources and strategies for using them spend less time struggling to find information, and more time reading and analyzing materials important to the learning and research process. Faculty who arrange for course-related instruction usually decide to make it a permanent component of their courses.

Librarians are flexible! We can deliver these presentations in the physical classroom, or virtually. For example, librarians can “Skype in” to the class to present library resources and search strategies, answer students’ questions, and set up one-on-one research consultations on the spot. Librarians also work frequently in the ICON environment, where they can post pod-casts, short tutorials, LibGuides, or video-clips with relevant content. Librarians offer online office hours, as well.

Another exciting possibility is that of adding a virtual library component to your class on a regular basis throughout the semester. Virtual or physical presentations can be a consistent part of the class, rather than trying to introduce all the information at once. Please talk with your librarian liaison about adding a custom research component to your classes.

Below is a list of just a few of the skills and concepts that librarians can help students to learn:

• How to read citations
• How to find quality resources
• How to evaluate information
• Social and ethical contexts of information (including plagiarism)
• Differences between online library resources and free Web sources
• Differences between primary and secondary sources

Kathy Magarrell
Head, Reference and Library Instruction

Here are five time management strategies that, when applied, can lead to a more productive and effective teaching experience:

1. Rethink the purpose of your Syllabus. Creating your syllabus should not be an afterthought to the planning/development of your course. When prepared early on, your syllabus has the potential to be a valuable course development tool. An effective syllabus aims to provide a “at a glance” look at the course logistics and requirements. It lists course objectives, technical requirements, required materials, online meeting times (if applicable), brief descriptions of the required course work, and a course calendar. When included on the syllabus, this information provides a concrete picture of the course that will not only be valuable to you, but to TAs and/or instructional development staff assisting you in the development of course materials.
   
   From students’ perspectives, the syllabus also has the potential to serve as a time management tool. The trick is getting students to read it and rely on the information provided there! Try suggesting that students use the course calendar section as their “To Do” list for the semester. Ensure the information on the syllabus is accurate and consistent with the instructions/course materials provided on the course site. When contacted by students, refrain from repeating information that is already available to them on the course site. Instead, address their questions by referring them to the syllabus and directing them to the specific location of the document on the course site.
2. Be consistent, clear, and concise (3Cs). Unclear, vague, and contradictory information can only lead to more student questions, confusion, and frustration. As you work on setting up your course site, use consistent terminology when referring to course work, assigned resources, and communication tools. Simple ways to attain the 3Cs are:
   • Be consistent by repeating the titles given to each assignment on the syllabus (i.e. “Assignment #1: Expert Interview”) throughout the course site and in your communications with students. Steer away from using interchangeable titles when referring to an assignment or activity (i.e. “Community Outreach Activity” vs. “Expert Interview”).
   • Provide clear instructions and expectations. Sequence assignment instructions in a way that corresponds with how students should approach the assignment. Don’t assume. If formatting an assignment in APA style is important to you, let students know that.
   • Be concise and specific. For instance, begin each assignment description with something like “Your Task Is.” Your answer to this statement should help focus your description and ensure you provide students with the information they need to successfully complete the assignment.
3. Set the pace. Send your students a Welcome email the first day of class. In this email tell your students a bit about yourself, provide instructions on how to access the course site, and highlight key areas of the syllabus they should review right away. Use this email to let students know what you expect of them and, vice-versa, what can they expect from you. Close your email by assigning them an icebreaker activity that requires replying to your email or posting to the Discussions forum to confirm students are present, receiving your communications, and gaining practice with some of the tools they will be using throughout the semester.
4. Take advantage of the built-in tools. Most course management systems have built-in tools that can facilitate communication with and among students as well as assist with student assessment. Instructors can use the built-in tools for discussion forums, assignment submissions (Dropbox), auto-graded quizzes, and/or online office hours (Chat). By using these existing tools and making the course site the “official headquarters” of the course, instructors can accomplish more in one location and save time.
5. Keep track of your communications. Keep a record of your communications with students throughout the semester, especially those outlining important course logistics, to help save time the next time you teach the course. Keep an eye out for common questions/misconceptions expressed by students. Create and maintain a “revisions log” where you can paste these questions and any other revisions that can wait until the end of the semester. Before you offer the course again, use the revisions log to update course materials as needed based on students’ feedback and your own observations.

The main goal of the strategies described above is to help instructors create time management systems that work for them. Ultimately, these strategies should result in well informed students, enhance communication between faculty and students, and enrich the learning environment.

Isandra Martinez-Marrero
Instructional Designer
Division of Continuing Education

But what happens when the secure educational environment cultivated in the classroom is exchanged for online spaces that can also be accessed by others?  Certainly students benefit from moving some of their intellectual achievement online.  Students can use social media such as Twitter or Facebook to reflect upon their learning for a wider audience than only fellow classmates.  This raises the stakes for learning, pushing the process of learning into venues students are already using in their “real life”. Students can grapple with complicated ideas by blogging about them in WordPress or they can engage in intellectual debate through posting responses to others’ reflections.

Yet, how do we encourage students to take the chances that are so crucial to learning in a space where we also encourage them to be very, very careful about what they say and how it might be perceived?  We are missing out on the potential for bringing the concerns of the classroom into the forums students frequent after class – Facebook, Twitter, etc.  (For one version of this debate, see http://chronicle.com/article/Blogs-Instead-of-Blackboard/44412/).  How do we strike the right balance and get the best of both worlds?

Blended learning course redesign example:

Successful blended learning course redesign clearly connects and builds upon online activities inside the classroom. Please see the following resources for more detailed investigation of the ideas presented in this post.

Further reading:

Read more about promoting deep learning

View a presentation about integrating online and face-to-face in blended learning

We can challenge students by testing their comprehension of readings with mini-quizzes using the ICON quiz tool. Many of ICON’s question types can be graded automatically (including short answer) so the instructor isn’t overloaded with grading. At the same time, the ICON quiz tool provides a manageable way to provide frequent, low-stakes assessment with immediate feedback to students.

Malone and Lepper’s curiosity factor for motivation can be supported with the ICON discussions tool. Students may read and contribute questions and answers from classmates on assigned readings as they grapple with complex ideas. Use of rubrics is essential to ensure students understand expectations for participation in online discussion boards.

Consider providing students control of their learning by letting them vote on which website articles to read during the semester with the ICON survey tool. We may also allow students to take the reading quizzes mentioned earlier more than once to lower anxiety and reinforce to students that their learning is top priority. (This also allows you to design harder questions!)

Malone and Lepper argue that fantasy helps students imagine themselves using lessons learned from class in a real-life setting. Most professionals rely on information on websites to quickly answer day-to-day questions pertaining to their work. Information literacy, the ability to find, retrieve, analyze, and use information, is an essential skill for professionals seeking information on the web. Consider explaining the usefulness of information literacy as a professional in your field of study.

Related Readings:

Jonassen, D., & Reeves, T. (1996). Learning with technology: Using computers as cognitive tools. In D. H. Jonassen (Ed.), Handbook of research in educational communications and technology (pp. 693-719). New York: Simon & Schuster Macmillan.

Malone, T. W., & Lepper, M. R. (1987).  Making learning fun: a taxonomy of intrinsic motivations for learning.  In R. E. Snow & M. J. Farr (Eds.), Aptitude, learning, and instruction: III. Conative and affective processes analysis.  Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Kim Bloedel, Business Reference Librarian, uses the UICapture program to record research lectures and research site demos for the online business research class that she teaches. She also uses UI Lecture Capture to record guest lectures for other Tippie College of Business online classes. The links to the recordings can be easily added to ICON and come in a variety of formats (direct server link, mp3 link, and mp4 link). The recorded sessions range in length—two minute demos to 20 or 30 minute lectures on business research strategies. Here is an example of a business research site demo.

Talk with your Librarian Liaisons/Subject Specialists (you all have one!) to explore the ways in which we can work together to integrate information skills, concepts, and resources into your courses.

Kathy Magarrell
Head, Reference and Library Instruction

Kim Bloedel
Business Reference Librarian

Virtual classroom software features two-way audio and video, screen-share, whiteboard, and polling. Adobe Connect and Elluminate Live! are supported on campus. Adobe Connect works with a web browser and is best suited for high-speed internet connections. It works when students are using webcams along with the instructor. Elluminate Live! also works with a web browser and accommodates slower internet connections. Both virtual classroom platforms allow you to share a PowerPoint files and annotate directly on the shared screen. Elluminate Live! is hosted centrally by Information Technology Services (ITS). Adobe Connect is hosted by the Division of Continuing Education and is available for courses offered through the Division or by special arrangement.

There are many lecture capture programs available. UICapture is a solution hosted and supported centrally by ITS. Large general assignment classrooms on campus are already equipped with a microphone for UICapture to record audio from your lecture. You will need to supply your own inexpensive USB microphone in most other classrooms. UICapture also records the screen on your instructor computer. It then syncs the audio from your lecture with your presentation materials on the instructor computer. All you need to do is open UICapture, login with your HawkID and password, click record, and click stop when you are done. UICapture automatically uploads and encodes your lecture for streaming online. You can then insert a hyperlink of your recorded lecture into an ICON course offering.

Other software like Techsmith Camtasia and Adobe Captivate are not centrally hosted and supported on campus. These software are best suited for recording lectures outside class. The learning curve for recording, editing, and publishing is considerably higher than UICapture. They do not support automatic uploading of presentations to a campus web server like UICapture. However, Camtasia and Captivate provide instructors advanced editing features and the ability to add interactivity into presentations.

David Rubright
Applications Development and Support
The University of Iowa, Division of Continuing Education

But to be truly effective, education must benefit the widest array of learners, including those whose physical or learning disabilities make access to online information and services problematic. It’s an irony of the age that while the Internet and digital access broadens the learning experiences of many students, online or blended courses can actually create barriers for students whose access—and therefore whose learning—is impeded, incomplete, or impossible.

Many institutions including The University of Iowa are implementing strategies to enhance universal design for the digital environment (UDDE) (see http://www.education.uiowa.edu/icater and http://its.uiowa.edu/instruction). But while adaptation of current courses is important, “retrofitting” generally requires more time and effort than designing from the outset to benefit all users. As instructors design new courses, they can create materials whose organization, links, graphics, and fonts are more easily accessible to all users, including fully accessible to those with disabilities.

Similar to the way backward course design looks at outcomes (learning objectives and assessment techniques) and then works backwards to design the syllabus, UDDE looks at the learning needs of end users (students) and then works backwards to incorporate strategies that make course content and the learning process accessible to all.

Is this more work for the instructor? Of course. Teaching new content, implementing new course design systems (ICON), and adopting new pedagogies also demand up-front investment by instructors. So also will learning new digital strategies to reach the broadest array of students require time and effort. But many of the strategies are relatively simple to implement and the result will be a more socially responsible institution that more fully puts into practice its commitment to teach diverse students whose own efforts to address social problems will demand more knowledge and information access skills than ever before.

Several pedagogical components ensure your technology-infused course is effective. First, an engaged learner actively seeks to explore his or her environment for new information. The abundant resources on the internet certainly allows for exploration. However engagement is not likely to follow the learner without effective course design. For example, instructional scaffolding provides enough guidance to keep students engaged and on-task. Next, consider creating a problem-based lesson that is authentic in nature. Here the learner is presented a problem that practitioners “in the field” may face. An effective course may include peer instruction or team-based learning (video) to promote engagement through collaborative ownership of the learning process.

Related readings:

1. Precel, K., Eshet-Alkalai, Y. & Alberton, Y. (2009). Pedagogical and design aspects of a blended learning course. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 10(2), 1-16

2.Bransford, J. D., Brown, A.L., & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C. : National Academy Press.