Adaptive Learning Project – Call for Participants

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The UW-Whitewater Learning Technology Center (LTC) is currently looking for instructors to take part in the Fall 2018 emerging technology exploration project on adaptive learning.

About Adaptive Learning

Adaptive learning offers a customizable way to structure student learning activities and assessments. Adaptive learning platforms employ an online, mastery-based learning system that is individualized to each student. In adaptive learning, content and/or assessments continuously adapt based on how a student performs, providing customizable feedback and additional learning material so the student can better understand, and master, the course material.

Project Purpose

The UW-Whitewater LTC’s Emerging Technology Exploration Project on adaptive learning will utilize the adaptive learning platform Cerego, which is designed to comprise roughly between 7 and 10% of the learning activities/assessments in a course. The purpose of this project is to explore the impact of an adaptive learning platform on student success. Initial guiding questions for this exploration are:

  1. How does adaptive learning influence student learning?
  2. How does adaptive learning influence course attrition?
  3. How does adaptive learning influence student satisfaction?

Project Requirements

Instructors have flexibility in determining the course in which to implement the adaptive learning platform. By taking part in the project, instructors agree to fully participate in, and complete, all project requirements. These requirements include a series of scaffolded, interactive, face-to-face instructional development sessions. These sessions are designed to assist instructors in successfully implementing adaptive learning in one of their courses.

The following semester-by-semester breakdown conveys the expectations for participating instructors:

Spring 2018

  • Attend faculty development session(s) with LTC staff (dates TBD); and
  • Create, and present, a detailed plan for use that specifies how adaptive learning will be used in one Fall 2018 course (this may move to Summer 2018, depending on project timing).

Summer 2018

  • Attend faculty development session with LTC staff; and
  • Revise detailed plan for use, and submit revised plan to LTC.

Fall 2018

  • Conduct one Fall 2018 course using adaptive learning as described in your plan for use; and
  • Complete early semester “check-in” form for LTC staff; and
  • Attend faculty development session focused on sharing experiences using adaptive learning (date TBD); and
  • Support the LTC in administering an end-of-semester (IRB approved) survey about the course to students.

 Winterim/Spring 2019

  • Complete video reflection on using adaptive learning in the course. This video reflection will be scheduled during Winterim or Spring 2019, at your convenience. The purpose of the video reflection is to share what was learned with other instructors who may be interested in using adaptive learning in the future.

Project Compensation

Instructors participating in the LTC’s Fall 2018 Emerging Technology Exploration Project on adaptive learning will receive a stipend to compensate the work they put into their course redesign. If all required components are completed, participating instructors can expect to receive a stipend of $1000.

 Interested?

The Qualtrics application form is available at this link: http://uwwhitewater.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5teUlIYuMm9PZD7

 Need Additional Information?

If you have any questions about the adaptive learning emerging technology exploration project, feel free to contact the UW-W Learning Technology Center.

Teaching with Spark Bootcamp – Why Should I Use Spark?

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If you are interested in learning more about using technology to aid in communicating and collaborating with your students, you might want to attend the LTC’s first ever “Teaching with Spark Bootcamp” series. This series of three workshops kicks off on Tuesday, April 10th with the first session: Why Should I Use Spark?

This first session introduces participants to Cisco Spark, focusing on the concepts of “Teams” and “Spaces.” This first session is primarily an overview, intended to introduce participants to Spark. The hope is that by the end of the session, you’ll be able to see some ways that you could use Spark in your teaching. Follow up sessions will be more focused on how to use Spark.  Additional details about each session in this series are available.

You can register for this first session at the following link: http://my.uww.edu/signup/Registration/Details/15513

You do not need to attend all three sessions in order to gain value, and use Spark in your teaching. However, if you attend all three, you will earn a digital badge.

Please be on the lookout for future blog posts on the second and third sessions. If you have any questions about the “Teaching with Spark Bootcamp” feel free to contact the UW-W Learning Technology Center.

Canvas – Start Your Transition Today!

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Over the last few months, teams across the UW-System have been working on getting the new Learning Management System ready for access.  We are happy to announce that all instructors now have access to the Canvas platform!  Instructors have access to start trying things out, migrating their course materials and mocking up content.  Here are a few important things to keep in mind:

  • Setup and Configuration Ongoing.  We are still working on configuring and testing integrations such as TurnItIn, Respondus Lockdown Browser, Redshelf, textbook publisher integrations, and more. These will be made available as they are tested and implemented by UW-System.
  • User roles are not yet determined.  There is a team at UW-System that is working on finalizing the roles (Student, Graduate Assistant, Grader, Reviewers, Guest Lecturers, etc) that will be available to our campus.  As soon as we receive that information, we will pass it along.
  • Course Complexity Analysis.  UW-Whitewater and UW-Superior were part of a team to develop a tool to help you analyze your existing Desire2Learn course. The goal of the tool is to provide some estimates on what areas of your existing course will require the most focus and time for migration.  This tool is available at http://dl.uwsa.edu
  • We have 24/7/365 Email, Phone and Chat support included with the new Canvas platform.  This is available today!  As you are testing things out, please reach out via those channels as a first line of defense. Questions that they cannot answer will be escalated to the Canvas Support Team here at UW-Whitewater.
  • Blank Courses for Migration.  All users who have taught in the last year have been setup with 3 blank courses in Canvas. These courses are there for testing, or starting to migrate and setup your actual courses. Just like in Desire2Learn, these courses would be copied into the actual timetable course once those are available. If you need more test courses, please reach out to Canvas Support.

The official login page and support channels for Canvas are located at http://uww.edu/canvas.

What’s next?
We are currently in the process of meeting with each college to discuss the overall migration and training plans.  Once those plans are set, they will be published on the Canvas Transition Website. In the meantime, you can start reviewing the FAQs and training resources on the website.   Access the Canvas Transition Website here: http://go.uww.edu/canvas-transition

When can I start using Canvas for my courses?
The first opportunity for courses in the Canvas platform will be the Fall 2018 semester.  We are targeting to have all course migrations completed before Summer 2019.

If you have any questions or concerns about the transition, please reach out to the UW-W Learning Technology Center.

Apply to the LTC’s Summer-Fall 2018 Active Learning Academy

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The Learning Technology Center (LTC) is seeking proposals from instructors who would like to participate in our inaugural Active Learning Academy. The Active Learning Academy will explore how to utilize pedagogy, technology, and space to increase student engagement and learning. Instructors completing the Active Learning Academy, in its entirety, will be eligible for a $1,000 stipend.

What is the Active Learning Academy?

The Active Learning Academy is comprised of four components:

  1. Active Learning Strategies Seminar: Utilizing Pedagogy, Technology, and Space (Summer 2018): During the Summer of 2018, the LTC will offer a blended active learning instructional development seminar that features four modules that focus on the active learning ecosystem. Please take note that most of the work will be done online, but required face-to-face meetings will be held on Monday, June 4 from 10:00am-noon and Friday, August 3 from 10:00am-noon. You may find more information about the module topics, dates/times, and objectives here.
  2. Teaching One Course in our Active Learning Classroom (Fall 2018): Upon completion of the Active Learning Strategies Seminar during Summer 2018, instructors will teach their one Fall 2018 proposed course in the LTC’s active learning classroom. Picture of the classroom can be found below.
  3. Reflecting on Teaching (Fall 2018): During the Fall 2018 semester, Active Learning Academy participants will work with LTC staff to reflect on their teaching. This will include two class observations, one focus group with other Active Learning Academy participants, and facilitating student surveys.
  4. Sharing Best Practices (Winterim-Spring 2019): During Winterim or Spring 2019, Active Learning Academy participants will come into the LTC’s video recording studio to share insights from their experience. These insights will be shared with other instructors in the future who would like to incorporate active learning strategies into their teaching.

 

How do I apply?

Please submit your proposal online by filling out the proposal form in the link below. https://uwwhitewater.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6y98gPca2hv3pNH

Submissions are due April 13th.  

Instructors will be chosen will be based on the following criteria:

  • Availability to attend the Summer 2018 Active Learning Strategies Seminar: Utilizing Pedagogy, Technology, and Space requirements development sessions;
  • Course enrollment capacity (the classroom can accommodate 30 students or less);
  • Interest statement
    • To prepare for your interest statement, please see the proposal questions here.

 

What does the classroom look like?

The LTC’s classroom has been designed to support interactive and technology-enhanced learning. To accomplish technology-enhanced learning, the classroom has a projector, an Interactive Whiteboard, four wall mounted displays, a Spark board, Crestron control system, and frosted windows that you can write on. 

MG19A Active Learning Classroom

The classroom structure promotes active learning methods by having all mobile furniture; including two large circle tables that come apart to form smaller groups, five individual tables that can be pieced together to form a rectangle, and four pod chairs with a writing surface and basket under the chair for storage.

If you have any questions about the Active Learning Academy, please feel free to contact the UW-W Learning Technology Center.

Upcoming Turnitin Maintenance – March 17th, 10am to 4pm

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On Saturday, March 17th between 10:00AM and 4:00PM Turnitin.com and Turnitin integration with Desire2Learn will be undergoing essential maintenance and will be unavailable. The maintenance will be performed on internal network hardware at Turnitin to ensure continued dependable service and hardware updates.

Instructors are encouraged to modify assignment due dates either before or at least several hours after the scheduled maintenance window.

If you have any questions or concerns about this outage, please contact UW-W Desire2Learn Support.

2018 UW System Learning Technology Development Council Virtual Showcase

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Conference attendance without conference travel time and expense! Changes: Moving Forward, 2018 UW System Learning Technology Development Council Virtual Showcase is a FREE education technology conference that you can attend anywhere you have an Internet-connected computer.  The conference will be held on Tuesday, April 3rd & Wednesday, April 4th, 2018.

On Tuesday, April 3, at 8:45 AM, keynote speaker Leah Chuchran-Davis will give her talk “On Your Mark, Get Set, Go! How Digital Learning Skills are Shaping the 21st-Century.” Jamie Seger and Paul Hill will present on “Change…The Spark of Innovation” on Wednesday, April 4, 2018.

In addition, there are 30 sessions presented by instructors, instructional designers, and instructional technologists from all over the state of Wisconsin on a wide variety of topics.

More information: https://tinyurl.com/ltdcvs2018

If you have any questions about the event feel free to contact the UW-W Learning Technology Center.