Twice a year, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Learning Technology Center (LTC) offers an Institute for Online/Blended Teaching. One area of interest for many instructors that complete the Institute for Online/Blended Teaching has been continuing a community of practice around online and blended teaching, that extends beyond the end of the Institute.

Recently, UW-Whitewater began using Cisco Spark, as a tool for communication and collaboration. Spark allows users to share files, hold discussions, and place video calls (among other features). Spark can be accessed through a web browser, or downloaded onto a computer or mobile device.

The LTC has created a Spark team for alumni of the Institute for Online/Blended Teaching, as a way to extend the community of practice for instructors in a virtual space outside and beyond the conclusion of the formal Institute. Instructors teaching online and/or blended courses are invited to join the team so that they can discuss challenges, ask questions, share “best practices,” and contribute any and all other ideas within this Spark team.

If you have completed the LTC’s Institute for Online/Blended Teaching, and would like to be added to this Spark team, please contact Andrew Cole at ltc@uww.edu.

.