Clickers in the Classroom
Tuesday, December 1, 2009 from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Faculty can use the eInstruction CPS personal response system (clickers) in conjunction with Blackboard to create an interactive learning experience. Faculty can use CPS in the classroom to engage students and provide them with instant feedback. Student assessment results can then be uploaded to Blackboard. This workshop is designed to explore the instructional possibilities of the CPS clicker system and its integration with Blackboard. Advanced registration is required.
**NEW** Blackboard Grade Submission Tool Preview
**ONLINE** Wednesday, December 2, 2009 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
At the request and under the guidance of NIU faculty, ITS has been working throughout the summer and fall 2009 to develop and pilot a building block for Blackboard that will allow faculty to publish grades from the Blackboard Grade Center directly to MyNIU. Faculty who use the Blackboard Grade Center to calculate final grades will be able to choose to export final grades from Blackboard instead of manually entering grades in MyNIU, saving time and reducing the opportunity for data entry errors. After submitting grades using this new tool, faculty will have to login to MyNIU to view the final grades and post them officially. This online workshop will preview this new Blackboard Grade Submission Tool, which will be available for submitting grades at the end of the Fall 2009 semester. Advanced registration is required.
Blackboard Open Lab
Monday, December 7, 2009 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, Adams Hall, Room 323
Open lab provides an excellent opportunity for faculty, staff and TAs to ask specific questions about Blackboard and other teaching-related technologies. Staff from Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center will be on hand to individually address your specific questions about using Blackboard and other instructional technologies. No advanced registration required.
Developing Discussion Board Assignments for Large Classes in Blackboard (N>40)
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 from 10:00 am to 11:30 am
The Blackboard Discussion Board continues to gain popularity as a tool supporting asynchronous collaboration in both blended and entirely online courses. Although used as a tool for facilitating communication between and among students and faculty, this practice may have certain limitations. In this workshop, strategies to use discussion boards for large classes (N>40) will be discussed. Topics will include the process of conceptualizing discussion board assignments, logistics, scheduling, expediting grading, and use of exemplars and rubrics. Advanced registration is required.
Using PowerPoint to Engage and Motivate Students
Thursday, December 10, 2009 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
Now that you have used PowerPoint to outline lectures and visually present information, learn how to create dynamic presentations that transform your teaching. PowerPoint can motivate and engage students by using simple yet effective techniques that do not require special technical skills. In this hands-on workshop, participants will construct a progressive series of PowerPoint slides that will illustrate a number of engaging and focused strategies beyond simple projection of lecture notes. Advanced registration is necessary.
End-of-Semester Considerations for Your Blackboard Course
Friday, December 11, 2009 from 10:00 am to 11:30 am
Once the semester is over and all course materials are organized and posted in Blackboard, faculty can take steps to preserve the course for future use. While courses are not deleted for about 15 months, certain parts of each course, such as the gradebook, should be downloaded and saved. This session will cover the save and copy features available through the Blackboard interface and offer suggestions for what types of activities faculty should routinely follow at the end of an academic term. Advanced registration is required.
**NEW** Submitting Final Grades Automatically from Blackboard to MyNIU
Monday, December 14, 2009 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am
Beginning with the fall 2009 semester, NIU faculty will be able to use the new Blackboard Grade Submission Tool to publish grades from the Blackboard Grade Center directly to MyNIU, saving time and reducing the opportunity for data entry errors. After submitting grades using this new tool, faculty will have to login to MyNIU to view the final grades and post them officially. This hands-on workshop will demonstrate the new Blackboard Grade Submission Tool and provide faculty who have been using the Blackboard Grade Center with step-by-step assistance in submitting their final grades from Blackboard to MyNIU. Staff from ITS and the Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center will be on hand to individually address questions and provide assistance. Advanced registration is required.
Blackboard I: Introduction to Blackboard
Thursday, December 17, 2009 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Learn the basics of creating and developing a course in Blackboard, NIU's Web Course Management System. Participants will get an overview of course layout and navigation, have an opportunity to place materials in a sample course, and also get assistance with requesting their own Blackboard courses. Advanced registration is required.
Please register online at http://www.niu.edu/facdev/forms/taprogreg.shtml.
Locations will be made available when you register. If you register for a program (except for those programs that already have registration and cancellation deadlines) and are unable to attend, please notify the Center at least two working days in advance so that those on the waiting list can be given the opportunity to attend that program. We request that participants have an active NIU AccountID and password before coming to workshops. Contact ITS (815-753-8100) for information concerning IDs. Contact sponsoring units for more information about their programs.
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Last Updated: 11/12/2009