Session Descriptions

Morning Sessions:

11:35-12:35

Ripple Effect: Embracing Authentic Learning and Digital Storytelling in Higher Education  

Solving complex real-world problems, learning by doing, and working collaboratively are generally considered effective ways to learn. A variety of existing and emerging collaborative and visualization technologies make it possible to create authentic learning experiences. Digital storytelling is a teaching strategy to provide students with a context from which to learn and retain course content. Panelists from across the state will discuss their strategies, challenges and successes with implementation and use of digital storytelling on their campus, spearheaded from the Digital Storytelling Workshop held last November which was funded by a UWS LTDC Emerging Technology Grant.

Cheryl Diermyer
Senior Learning Technology Consultant
Division of Information Technology (DoIT)
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Media Suitcase – Building an Interactive Rich Media Course Module in a Meaningful Way is Easier Than You Think

Media Suitcase is a self-service web-based application that allows the instructor to insert instructional text into audio or visual media to point out structure, define terms, clarify significant pieces or provide other valuable instruction at the point of need. In this session, Chris explains the purpose of Media Suitcase, demonstrates how it has been used in his Art History and World of the Arts course and suggests possible applications of the tool for more effective use of time and media in many disciplines. Development of the Media Suitcase application was funded by a 2008 LTDC Emerging Technology Grant and is open for anyone interested to use. 

Chris Henige
Assistant Professor & Chair, Department of Art
College of Arts and Communication
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Using Learning Objects in Science and Mathematics: The IIURL Project

This presentation will showcase a variety of Learning Object templates that are currently available from the UW System funded Institute for Innovation in Undergraduate Research and Learning (IIURL) located on the UW La Crosse campus. Designed with multiple learning and retention strategies in mind, each Learning Object is a collection of text, audio, video and flash animation covering a single challenging topic. The Learning Objects can be used in a variety of disciplines to introduce concepts, remediate misconceptions, present alternate coverage of the material, or allow students to review course presentations.  To illustrate the concept, a Learning Object will be constructed during the presentation.

In addition to the Learning Objects, workflows that various groups have developed to collectively create and use the content will be discussed. You will hear about a project in which students have worked with faculty to develop the Learning Object content and about the positive impact on the students involved. You will also hear how one group has combined the use of student‐created podcasts and a collection of Learning Objects to uncover details relating to student understanding of important concepts. Video podcasting technology allows students to “think aloud” as they work through a course assignment. By capturing both their screen and voice recording, instructors are able to discover what students know and are able to do, and to detect their dominant misconceptions and differences in learning strategies. Plans for future projects will also be presented.

Bob Hoar
Professor of Mathematics
Director of the Institute for Innovation in Undergraduate Research and Learning
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Afternoon Sessions:

1:00-2:30

Using Rich Media to Enrich the Learner Experience

Perhaps at no previous time have we been challenged in new ways to find strategies to enhance our ability to communicate and engage our students, and our broader viewing audience. Particularly in academic environments, our skill to reach our students has taken on new significance. Students have grown up and become technology-savvy in a truly rich media environment. Our goal today may be to learn how to better utilize the tools of rich media to provide an environment which enriches and enhances the learner’s experience. This session will provide an insightful and engaging view on how we can effectively utilize a variety of rich media and technology to tell stories and provide information in a memorable and engaging way. Examples will be featured to demonstrate how appropriately chosen technologies, combined with engaging stories, can be effectively and efficiently deployed. By combining one’s passion for delivering the message with well produced rich media, we can create sustainable moments that will resonate with the viewer for a long time. Learn and remember.

Jim Jorstad
Director of Educational Technologies
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
2005 Frye Fellow

2:45-3:45

Developing Information Literacy in Higher Education

During this session, participants will view a summary of current work and research in information literacy, including information seeking, selecting, and citing as well as computer literacy and visual literacy. Participants will see examples of materials and tools used for developing and assessing information literacy. They will use paper-based versions of two tools developed at UW-Superior for developing information literacy and hear preliminary results from a pilot study on these learning resources. They will discuss future needs and trends for their own campuses and in higher education.

Lisa Larson
Coordinator of Instructional Development at the
Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
University of Wisconsin-Superior

21st Century Video Recording

In the last century, student presentations and documentation of events was done with the then ubiquitous-VHS tape format. When finished, you popped the tape out and gave the tape to the student to review at home. VHS Camcorders ceased to be manufactured about 7 years ago, and players are becoming hard to find, particularly in student lodgings.  Newer tape formats and DVD recorders have issues that make them less convenient.  There are several digital alternatives which take advantage of current near-ubiquity of personal computers and network access.

Topics will include:

• Recording video directly onto computer using Windows Media Encoder and the new Quicktime Player for Snow Leopard
• Using web cams and video outputs from both digital and legacy camcorders via USB, Firewire, and video digitizer adaptors
  
• Recording video directly onto network resources such as Xythos and Novell
  
• Recording video directly to flash drives
  
• Portable recorders such as Flip and Aiptek recorders for use in the field
• Portable audio recorders as an alternative to the late lamented cassette tape recorder

Nick Dvoracek
Director of Media Services
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Screening Room: Digital Stories

Stop by and view examples of digital stories created by faculty and students. These examples include faculty using digital stories to explain a concept and student stories created for assignments in their courses. These stories will run throughout the concurrent session. Please stop in and view these stories that came out of the Digital Storytelling Across the UW System grant.

Morning Sessions

8:30-9:30

Blended Learning is Better than Sliced Bread!

With all the hype about online learning, blended courses are sometimes treated as a lesser alternative. A review of the development of blended learning in the US over the past dozen years suggests that blended courses have significant advantages over either online or face-to-face teaching, a conclusion now also supported by the scholarly literature. Sample blended courses are offered to make the case. The presentation concludes with a look into the future of blended teaching and learning.

Alan Aycock
Acting Director of the Learning Technology Center
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

9:45-10:45

Wikis for Learning

This session will highlight the use of wikis for teaching, learning, and professional collaborations in the UW System. Drawing from a 2007 LTDC Curricular Redesign Grant project involving 15 faculty members from across the System, Nancy Chick will showcase some of the most effective uses of wikis, share the investigative team’s best practices and findings, and illustrate how wikis can be used to increase thoughtful collaborations in the classroom and across campuses.

Nancy Chick
Associate Professor of English
University of Wisconsin-Barron County

Using Second Life to Meet Your Pedagogical Needs More Effectively

What every educator wants to know is how do I use Second Life in my course? Educators are looking for not only concrete examples of Second Life use, but they are looking for pedagogically-sound best practices that are supported by research, which I will provide.

Educators have been starting to implement virtual worlds into their higher education courses to meet needs that are challenging with traditional technologies. Because virtual worlds are immersive, 3D environments, some believe that these environments provide engaging and collaborative learning that supplements the course management system, Desire2Learn. This presentation will discuss how Second Life can help you more effectively meet your teaching needs.

Throughout this workshop the facilitator will use concrete examples showcasing the use of immersive virtual environments like Second Life to help faculty meet pedagogical needs in innovative ways. Attendees will learn how Second Life provides opportunities for experiential learning through role-plays and simulations; networking with individuals and organizations not easily accessible in the real world; gathering information and dialoguing about sensitive subjects; collaborating on projects; and for showcasing student work.

Participants will also learn about the best practices for Second Life, developed during a pilot study, funded by a UWS LTDC Emerging Technology Grant, at UW-Milwaukee that shows students’ positive perceptions of their engagement, learning, and overall satisfaction using Second Life.

Tanya Joosten
Instructional Design Consultant
Learning Technology Center (LTC)
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

OPID Presentation & Naked Teaching

La Vonne Cornell-Swanson, will provide a review of programs and opportunities offered to faculty and Instructional staff through the Office of Professional and Instructional Development.  

Dan Riordan will present on "Naked Teaching". Naked Teaching is a paradigm shift in handling course activities. ‘First exposure’ to content occurs outside of class, often using a course management system. In class, short or no lectures and PowerPoints occur. The time is spent interactively between learners in the course. UW-Stout’s laptop environment adds a unique dimension to this strategy.

LaVonne Cornell-Swanson
Interim Director of OPID
University of Wisconsin System Administration

Dan Riordan
Director of the Nakatani Teaching and Learning Center
and member of the OPID Council
University of Wisconsin-Stout

Afternoon Sessions

1:00-3:00

Connecting with the Facebook Wii iPod iPhone YouTube Generation

How do we reach the tech savvy digital learners of today? They expect razzle dazzle, flashing lights, and shiny objects streamed with a catchy soundtrack. They want to interact more with the material, their peers, and their instructors. How do we try to meet those needs? Punch up your courses with relevant video snippets and comment features, click polls, audio clips, and some royalty-free graphics.

Jessica Franson
Lead Instructional Designer/Technologist
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Karla Farrell
Instructional Design Specialist
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Catherine Artac
Instructional Design Specialist
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Can I Lead from Where I Am?

Learning technologists focus on delivering instructional design and support services in their daily role on campuses. Developing leadership skills and the ability to influence institutional directions in enhancing the learning environment are important professional responsibilities that we often overlook. Kathy will share some critical success factors for leadership in higher education including understanding the style and context in which decisions are made, effective communication, relationship building, and organizational skills. Kathy has been a key facilitator at the Educause ELI Learning Technology Leadership Institute for a number of years.

Kathy Christoph
Director, Academic Technology Solutions
Division of Information Technology
University of Wisconsin-Madison