About Episode 4: Blended learning can combine the best features of online and face-to-face. Join hosts Thomas Cavanagh and Kelvin Thompson as they extend their previous discussion about blended learning into concrete strategies for designing effective blended courses. Episode 4 Show Notes: Please find various show notes and resources below. Episode Synopsis via Twitter View …

About the Plenary Session A presentation and Q&A regarding the faculty and student use of the Canvas Mobile apps, facilitated by Ryan Seilhamer. Ryan, CDL Instructional Designer, heads Instructure’s Canvas Mobile User’s Group (CMUG). Showcase Recording

Ownership of mobile technologies such as smartphones and tablets continues to rise amongst college students. Incorporating these devices in coursework can facilitate authentic learning, with students connecting what is taught in the course to real-world issues and applications. This can be especially powerful in online learning environments, allowing students to capture experiences in the field and share with others in the class. Although instructors may express an interest in incorporating a mobile element, they are often unsure how to design course activities that are not only engaging, but also effectively support authentic learning. In this session, issues of mobile design, assessment, and support will be discussed. Specifically, an instructor’s experience of integrating mobile devices to support authentic learning in a mixed-mode (blended) course will be showcased.

About Episode 3: Blended learning can outperform online and face-to-face courses but is sometimes overlooked as an institutional strategy. Join hosts Kelvin Thompson and Thomas Cavanagh as they consider both the pedagogical and institutional benefits of blended learning. Episode 3 Show Notes: Please find various show notes and resources below. Episode Synopsis via Twitter View complete …

About Episode 2: Online teaching and learning research has evolved over the past couple of decades. Join Tom and Kelvin for this episode’s discussion of the findings emerging from the on-going inquiry into online teaching and learning practice. Episode 2 Show Notes: Please find various show notes and resources below. Episode Synopsis via Twitter View complete …

Beatriz Reyes-Foster, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, College of Sciences, was awarded the Chuck D. Dziuban Award for Excellence in Online Teaching by the Center for Distributed Learning (CDL). The award presentation occurred during the Showcase event that concluded the spring section of CDL’s faculty development program for online and blended teaching, IDL6543. Dr. Reyes-Foster received …

About Episode 1: In this episode, join hosts Tom Cavanagh and Kelvin Thompson as they explore the deceptively simple question: “what is online learning?” With an eye toward clearer communication and institutional effectiveness, Tom and Kelvin unbundle a number of concepts and labels associated with online learning. Episode 1 Show Notes: Please find various show notes …

Online exams are popular in college courses, offering a time-efficient and flexible way of assessing student learning. Students often prefer them because of the convenience factor, while instructors like that they do not expend valuable face-to-face class time. However, the concern about students cheating on online exams is pervasive throughout higher education. Instructors often worry that it is difficult for students to remain academically honest under such conditions. In this session, resources and strategies to encourage academic honesty in the online exam environment such as considerations for test construction and exam settings will be shared. Specifically, we will showcase an instructor’s use of ProctorHub, UCF’s newest online proctoring tool, which is designed to mitigate these concerns.

Today’s college students are using social media more than ever in their personal lives, and emerging research suggests that social media can have a powerful influence on the learning experience. Many instructors have an interest in harnessing the pedagogical potential of social media, but are unsure how to effectively integrate them in their curricula. In this session, we will describe how social media can foster a sense of community within and beyond the classroom setting. Specifically, we will showcase strategies designed to create and sustain community using the social media tool Twitter, addressing commonly identified issues such as student privacy and communication.

Stephanie Vie, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Writing and Rhetoric, College of Arts and Humanities, was awarded the Chuck D. Dziuban Award for Excellence in Online Teaching by the Center for Distributed Learning (CDL). The award presentation occurred during the Showcase event that concluded the spring section of CDL’s faculty development program for online and blended teaching, …