On April 27-28, 2016 from 11:00 – 2:30 p.m., you are invited to join members of the UW-Whitewater community to attend, “Exploring the Next-Generation Digital Learning Environment: Opportunities and Challenges,” a two-day, online focus session, organized by the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) (http://www.educause.edu/eli).

Join your campus colleagues for an important face-to-face dialogue while exchanging ideas with ELI’s national online teaching and learning community on the subject of the Next-Generation Digital Learning Environment:

Here’s a paradox: grousing about the LMS is a favorite sport on most campuses. Yet nobody seems to think they could possibly do without one (or two or three). This successor environment will be enabled by digital technology, driven by a vision of a learner-centered approach to higher education, and will demand a great deal of innovation and creativity to realize it. During this focus session we’ll review some of the discoveries that informed the ideas in the ELI’s NGDLE white paper, and then, together with participants, collaboratively unpack the key components of this next-generation environment including

• interoperability
• accessibility and UDL
• learning analytics, advising, and assessment
• leadership and organizational considerations

By engaging in the focus session program, participants will

• Understand the scope of a next-generation digital learning environment,
• Learn about the teaching and learning community’s consensus on what this environment needs to enable,
• Explore the ways in which the NGDLE framework is relevant to your institutional opportunities and challenges, and
• Learn about current and possible future applications and practices that are consonant with the NGDLE framework.

Event Details:

April 27, 2016, 11:00 am-2:30 pm
Location:  UC 69
Please register:  Day 1 Exploring the Next-Generation Digital Learning Environment: Opportunities and Challenges

April 28, 2016, 11:00 am-2:30 pm
Location:  UC 68a
Please register:  Day 2 Exploring the Next-Generation Digital Learning Environment: Opportunities and Challenges

Full program details can be found at http://www.educause.edu/events/eli-online-focus-session-2016.

If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact the Learning Technology Center.

The Learning Technology Center is pleased to announce a special workshop May 18-20 on digital storytelling.  The workshop will be facilitated by Jim Winship, Professional Storyteller and Professor of Social Work.

Digital Storytelling, also referred to as a “Digital Media Narrative,” has gained momentum and visibility as a modern expression of the ancient art of storytelling. The process of digitally integrating images, music, narrative, and voice “makes meaning” through the development of characters, situations, experiences, and insights with deep dimensions and vivid colors. This form of expression has also gained credibility as an avenue to achieve course learning outcomes.

Participants will create a digital narrative or story to share with the UW-Whitewater community or to improve learning outcomes in their courses. The goal of this workshop is to create a compelling digital work that is two to three minutes in length. By the end of the workshop, each participant will have written a story, recorded the voice narration of the story, supplemented it with background sounds, and enhanced by a sound track and the use of visual images. Participants can also use the techniques learned to help students develop digital stories for their course.

Here are some insights on digital storytelling from past workshop participants:

“I got intellectually re-energized, more aware of the ‘heart’ at the center of education, more passionate about telling my stories.”- Marjorie Rhine, Professor, Languages and Literature

 

“The camaraderie of the participants was very moving and so were the emotional content of the stories shared.”- Max White, Associate Professor, Art

 

“I am changed as a result of the power, wisdom, and generosity of spirit shared by Jim Winship. He shared himself, and as a result, each participant was encouraged to share themselves as well.” – David Reinhart, Lecturer, Philosophy and Religious Studies

For more information and video examples of digital stories created by UW-Whitewater faculty, please see the Digital Storytelling wiki page.

To apply for the workshop, go to the Digital Storytelling Application by April 11, 2016.  Participation is limited to 12 participants.

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact the Learning Technology Center (LTC) at ltc@uww.edu or call 262-472-1004.

The Learning Technology Center is pleased to announce that registration is open for the 2016 Summer session of the Institute for Online/Blended Teaching.

If you need to design a new (or refresh an older) online or blended course, please consider participating in this unique opportunity to collaborate with other UW-Whitewater instructors and explore proven course design strategies and best practices. This intensive and highly interactive workshop demonstrates teaching best practices using a variety of teaching methods and technology tools. The structure of this course not only allows you to explore new teaching and course design methods, but it also enables you to participate in activities that provide you with experience in being an online “student.”

The session will consist of online components, face-to-face meetings on the Whitewater campus, and web conferencing sessions.

Dates and Requirements:

The focus of the institute is to learn and practice online teaching skills, and will only briefly address D2L mechanics.  Applicants must have familiarity with basic D2L features, such as creating content, discussions, and drop-box assignments.

There are 5 mandatory meetings for the Institute; three “in-person” face-to-face sessions on the UW-Whitewater campus, and two web-conferencing meetings. The institute begins with a one-half day orientation session on April 29,  a full day meeting on May 27, and a concluding half-day meeting on July 29. In addition, there are two WebEx meetings scheduled for June 3 and July 1.

All faculty and academic staff who will be teaching at UW-Whitewater during the 2016-2017 academic year are eligible to apply. However, the workshop will be limited to 20 participants. Applications are due Friday, April 1, 2016.

Before applying, please review the syllabus: 2016 Summer Institute Syllabus

Apply Here:  2016 Summer Institute Application

If you have any questions, please contact the Learning Technology Center.