ETDL Quicksteps Demo Series

 The ETDL department will be hosting a half hour demo series this Spring regarding different types of technology. 

All Quickstep demonstrations will be held in Sandbox (LRC B130) and will start at 12:00 and end at 12:30 pm with time allotted for questions. The demonstrations DO NOT require registration.  Just drop-in, enjoy learning, and think about the ways you could incorporate new technology applications in your course!

 

ETDL Quicksteps Demo Series will cover:

Monday 3/26/12 with Tim Boto
Cool Presentations: From Mapping to Easy Video:  This tour of alternatives to PowerPoint will show how easy it is to create video slide shows and maps. Most of these web-based applications are free and can enliven presentations in the classroom, online or at a conference.

Monday 4/02/12 with Tim Boto
Films on Demand:  FOD hosts numerous educational films, which can be linked or embedded right into your Blackboard Learn Course.

Monday 4/09/12 with Tim Boto
Twitter in the classroom:  Twitter is a powerful tool that can send text messages to many people instantly via the Web or a mobile device. This session will explore ways to use Twitter to enhance student participation and work with short attention spans!

Monday 4/16/12 with Tim Boto
Social Bookmarking and Annotating:  Whether you are working at home, at school, or at any computer you can access your bookmarks, and annotate sites and information. You can also use these sites to help students conduct and document their research.

Thursday 4/26/12 with Tim Boto
Group conversations with Voicethread:  Online class discussions often lack interactivity and engagement. Voicethread is a tool to create online discussions around a document, video or a picture. Students engage in discussions with Voicethread by adding audio/text/webcam/doodle comments.

Monday 5/07/12 with Tim Boto
Screen capturing with Jing:  Sometimes it is easier to show rather than explain how to accomplish a task. Jing is a free screen-capturing program where you can record your computer screen. Show your students how to use special software or complete a class assignment using Jing.

Monday 5/14/12 with Tim Boto
Second Life Demo:  Take a tour of MCC’s SL campus and see how SL is being used in teaching and learning here and at institutions throughout the world.

Monday 5/21/12 with Tim Boto
Films on Demand:  FOD hosts numerous educational films, which can be linked or embedded right into your Blackboard Learn Course.

Tuesday 5/22/12 with Tim Boto
Social Bookmarking and Annotating:  Whether you are working at home, at school, or at any computer you can access your bookmarks, and annotate sites and information. You can also use these sites to help students conduct and document their research.

Wednesday 5/23/12 with Tim Boto
iTunes U: The iTunes U app gives students access to all the materials for a course in a single place. Right in the app, they can play video or audio lectures. Read books and view presentations. 

Thursday 5/24/12 with Tim Boto
Screen-capturing with Jing:  Sometimes it’s easier to show rather than explain how to accomplish a task. Jing is a free screen-capturing program where you can record your computer screen. Show your students how to use special software or complete a class assignment using Jing.

Friday 5/25/12 with Sarah Calvert
Getting to Know Windows 7:   The latest operating system, Windows 7, is coming to MCC.   It has already been deployed in some offices and classrooms.  In this demonstration session, we’ll explore the differences between Windows 7 and Windows XP and get acquainted with the new features.

Blackboard Learn Training Available at MCC

The Educational Technology & Distance Learning department is currently offering numerous training sessions and web based seminars (webinars) to help faculty in the transition from Blackboard Vista to the new Blackboard Learn course management system. Blackboard Learn will be implemented throughout the Community College System starting with the Fall 2012 semester. It is important that all faculty members become familiar and comfortable with Bb Learn now to ensure student success in the future.

Registration for training sessions offered at MCC is limited and filling up fast, so make sure you register early.

For upcoming training sessions currently offered at MCC, follow this link: MCC Training to view the ETDL Bb Learn training calendar. Before you begin registering for training session be aware that:

• Faculty who have not used Blackboard Vista in the past will need to first take the "Getting Started" workshop in order to familiarize themselves with the Bb Learn course management system.
• Faculty who have previously used Blackboard Vista will need to first take the "Transitioning to Bb Learn" workshop before registering for advanced workshops.

To view a list of all available training sessions and to register for workshops, click on this link: IITT Course Cart. From the Course Cart homepage click on the Launch button, enter your Banner ID credentials, and select the Blackboard Learn course that applies to your level of experience.

Webinars 

The ETDL Sandbox is also facilitating the Blackboard Innovative Teaching Series (BITS), which will demonstrate the effective use of Blackboard Learn to ensure efficient and worthwhile course management and implementation in order to promote student success. However, be aware that the BITS webinars will not replace the "Getting Started" and "Transitioning to Bb Learn" training workshops offered at MCC, they are only a supplemental series of webinars to assist Faculty in their knowledge of Blackboard Learn’s potential. The topics discussed will include:

• Wikis, Blogs, Forums, Journals—Which One Do I Use & Why?
• Real Examples for Using Adaptive Release
• Tips and Tricks for Utilizing Video and Media in Your Course
• Online Testing: How to Use Standard CMS Tools to Reduce Cheating
• What is My Role in the Online Classroom? Ways to Engage and Interact with Your Online Students  
• Why and How to Best Use Rubrics in Blackboard Learn 9.1
  
  

Registration for the BITS webinars is open to all MCC faculty and staff. Each webinar will be streamed in the Sandbox LRC B130, and runs an hour long with time allotted at the end for questions. Faculty interested in improving their knowledge of Blackboard Learn, and effective course management is invited to attend in person or to register and view from the convenience of their home or office computer.

Registration to view the BITS webinars in the Sandbox (LRC B130) is not required. If however, you choose to view the webinars from your home or office follow this link: BITS Registration to register.

For more information or assistance, please contact the ETDL staff (sandbox@mcc.commnet.edu)