**ONLINE** New VoiceThread: simpler, more accessible, and more powerful
Tuesday, July 30, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
In this session, participants will see a full tour of the new VoiceThread interface. We will review the changes to the media player, including jump commenting, bulk actions, and the “one conversation” setting. We will also see the improved VoiceThread homepage and learn how to access assignments. This session is facilitated by VoiceThread. Register Now!
**ONLINE** VoiceThread Basics 1- Upload, Comment, and Share
Tuesday, August 6, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
You will learn how to use VoiceThread to upload media, comment and annotate on that media, and share it with others. This will be a slow paced, step-by-step, hands-on workshop. It is led by VoiceThread staff. Register Now!
**ONLINE** Strategies for Enhancing Instructor Presence in an Online Classroom
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Building community and a sense of connection in your courses can influence your students' success. One way to help your students feel a sense of connection to you and your content is to build instructor presence in your course. Whether you teach face-to-face, online, or in hybrid modalities, this workshop explores strategies to help you improve student performance and engagement by boosting communication and building strong relationships. Advance registration is required.
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**ONLINE** Equitable Grading - Reducing Biases and Increasing Student Success
Thursday, August 8, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Effective grading communicates student achievement, incentivizes learning, and informs instruction. However, traditional grading can be biased and hinder growth. In this workshop, we will explore grading practices that are growth-minded and promote more equitable outcomes without lowering expectations. Advance registration is required.
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**ONLINE** Supporting Underprepared Students in Your Courses
Friday, August 9, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
It’s not uncommon to find students in our classes that are underprepared. Regardless of why students are underprepared, we can still help them be successful. This workshop is designed for educators to discover ways to support students through providing equitable assessments, materials, and opportunities in our classes. Together, we will discuss ways to determine students’ knowledge base and readiness level for the course. We will also discuss how to support students through collecting supplemental resources, modeling expectations, grading revisions, and creating opportunities for additional support. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** VoiceThread Basics 2 - Groups and Secure Sharing
Tuesday, August 13, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
You will learn how to create groups and subgroups, set sharing permissions within those groups, and privately share VoiceThreads with individuals. This session is led by VoiceThread staff. Register Now!
**NEW - ONLINE** Teaching Digital Literacy with Adobe Express
Wednesday, August 14, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Explore Adobe Express, a versatile digital design tool now available to all NIU faculty, staff, and students. This all-in-one solution covers image generation, photo and video editing, web design, posters, presentations, animations, and more, enhanced by generative AI. With hundreds of templates to inspire creativity, Adobe Express addresses the need for accessible digital tools in education. In this hands-on workshop, participants will create a self-portrait for course use, learning to generate customized content. Discover how to easily supplement your instructional materials with suitable images. Advanced registration required.
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**ONLINE** What's New in Blackboard Ultra
Thursday, August 15, 2024 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Blackboard releases monthly updates and improvements to Blackboard Learn Ultra. Many of these improvements can add value to your courses and improve your workflows. The What’s New in Blackboard workshop will explore newly released or improved features that can improve the user experience of students and instructors. It will consist of tutorials, discussion, and interactive exploration. Topics will vary. Prerequisites: attendance at Making the Move to Blackboard Ultra Course View. Advance registration required.
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Fall 2024 Teaching Effectiveness Institute - Empowering Students through Digital Literacy
Friday, August 16, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
In today’s rapidly evolving educational environment, the integration of digital literacy and creativity into our work with students is more than mere enhancement; it’s a necessity. By weaving digital literacy and creativity into the fabric of our classrooms—whether podcasting, creating posters, or engaging with generative AI—we do more than prepare students for a digital future; we craft meaningful learning experiences that bolster engagement, retention, and success.
Join us for a series of dynamic conversations and hands-on challenges led by digital innovator Justin Hodgson. This full-day program is designed to empower you with the tools and insights to nurture a generation of digitally savvy, creative, and engaged learners. Learn more.
Register Now!
**NEW - ONLINE** What's New in AI?
Monday, August 19, 2024 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Generative AI continues to evolve at an astonishing pace, and a number of significant developments occurred this summer! In this workshop, we will highlight updated and new generative AI tools you can use in your teaching, share new research and theoretical frameworks on teaching with generative AI, and share resources you can use to learn more about generative AI and craft your own generative AI policy for your courses. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Teaching the First Day of Class
Tuesday, August 20, 2024 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Whether you have been teaching for years or are about to teach your very first semester, being prepared for the first day of class takes planning. No matter how hard you try to find your course notes from last semester, discover a new technique to remember your students’ names, or begin using a new technology in the classroom, careful planning for the first day is critical to making a positive initial impression on your students (and making you feel good about the class, too). Advance registration is required.
Register Now!
**ONLINE** Using VoiceThread for Language Courses
Tuesday, August 20, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
In this session, Dr. Raelynne Hale from Kansas State University will showcase a variety of VoiceThreads from her language courses. Dr. Hale is an Assistant Professor and Spanish Language Program Co-coordinator.
Register Now!
**NEW - ONLINE** Elevate Your Course: Mastering Enhanced Blackboard Ultra Documents
Wednesday, August 21, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Blackboard’s Ultra Document feature is a powerful tool for crafting and delivering visual and text-based content. Recently revamped in August 2024, Ultra Documents now offer enhanced capabilities in layout, content design, and overall user experience. Notable upgrades include the ability to construct documents with movable blocks, enabling greater flexibility in design and arrangement (like multiple columns!). Additionally, you can save time by uploading and converting PDF, Word, and PPT files to an Ultra Document, enhancing course accessibility through integration with Ally. During this workshop, we will share an overview and hands-on demonstration of the updated features, including practical tips and strategies on leveraging Ultra Documents to improve student learning outcomes. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Designing an Accessible Syllabus
Wednesday, August 21, 2024 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
The course syllabus is an essential component of your course and should be precise, clear and accessible. A syllabus is often the first means of communication between you and all your students. A well-designed, accessible syllabus follows Universal Design Principles for Learning and benefits all students. In this workshop, you will be provided with tools to help you create a well-organized and accessible course syllabus. Advance registration required.
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**ONLINE** Getting Started with Blackboard Ultra
Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Blackboard Ultra Course View is modern and intuitive with streamlined workflows to improve efficiency. There are several ways to get started in Blackboard Ultra, including using CITL pre-built templates. In this online workshop, we will discuss practical strategies for building your course in Blackboard.
Register Now!
**ONLINE** VoiceThread Basics 3- Moderating Comments, Private and Threaded Replies, and Copying
Tuesday, August 27, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
In the third workshop in the series, you will learn how to give private feedback, use threaded commenting, copy VoiceThreads for use with multiple groups, and use comment moderation to formatively assess student work. This session is led by VoiceThread staff. Register Now!
**ONLINE** Illinois Online Higher Education Symposium
Friday, November 8, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Join colleagues from across the state of Illinois for the inaugural Illinois Online Higher Education Symposium! This free, one-day virtual conference brings together thought leaders and practitioners with expertise in online teaching and learning to discuss the latest trends in online learning--from pedagogy to technology. All who learn, teach, develop, support, or administer online education are welcome! Learn More and Register Now!
