Bb Learn - Communicating with Students

Description:

In this session you will have the opportunity to examine Bb Learn’s Messages, Announcements, and Group features in a pre-set course shell, and explore how these can facilitate communication between you and your students and among students.  You will apply at least one of these features in either your own Bb Learn course or in the pre-set shell.

Approx time: 1.5 hours

Topics:

Communicating with Students

• Working with Messages
• Creating/Sharing Announcements
• Working with Groups

Printable Notes:

• Getting Started with Groups (pdf)

Objectives:

Bb Learn - Developing Learning Activities

Description:

In this session you will have the opportunity to create Discussions, Assignments, and Tests in a pre-set course shell, and explore how these can establish student motivation to learn, encourage course participation, provide frequent feedback, and allow for checks for understanding.  You will apply at least one of these features in either your own Bb Learn course or in the pre-set shell.

Approximate time: 1.5 hours

Pre-req: Organizing Content

Topics:

Developing Learning Activities

• Create a Discussion
• Create an Assignment
• Create a Test

Printable Notes: 

• Getting Started with Assignments (pdf)
• Getting Started with Building a Test (pdf)

Objectives:

Bb Learn - Grading Student Work

Description:

In this session you will have the opportunity to explore Bb Learn’s Grade Center and how it integrates with Assignments, Tests and Discussions in a pre-set course shell, and explore how these can then be viewed as both an assessment and learning activity. You will have the opportunity to apply what you discover in the pre-set shell.

Approx time: 1.5 hours

Topics:

Grading Student Work

• Grading Assignments
• Grading Tests
• Grading Discussions
• The Grade Center

Printable Notes:

• The Grade Center (pdf)

Objectives:

Bb Learn - Introduction to Bb Learn

Description:

This workshop is a new instructor orientation and high-level overview of Blackboard Learn and related NAU processes and resources. It is not a pre-req for other workshops. Blackboard Learn (Bb Learn) is NAU's new Learning Management System (LMS). For more information about the transition from Vista to Bb Learn, please refer to e-Learning's Bb Learn page.

Online Tutorials:

Overview

• Bb Learn Introduction (PPT)
• Bb Learn - Quickstart for Instructors

Resources:

• Step-by-Step Tutorials
• Bb Learn On Demand Videos

Printable Notes:

• Getting Started with the Course Environment (pdf)

Objectives:

Bb Learn - Organizing Content

Description:

In this session you will have the opportunity to create and organize some content. You will examine Bb Learn’s Content Folders, Lesson Plan, and Learning Module organizational features in a pre-set course shell, and explore how these are influenced by the capabilities BBLearn. You will organize some content in one of these features in either your own Bb Learn course or in the pre-set shell.

Approx time: 1 hour

Topics:

Organizing Content

• Creating Content Folders
• Lesson Plans
• Learning Modules

Printable Notes: 

• Getting Started with Course Content (pdf)

Objectives:

Bb Learn - Your Migrated Course

Description:

Approx time: 1 hour

After e-Learning completes the requested migration of your course content from Bb Vista to Bb Learn, we can help you familiarize yourself with the new LMS and make final adjustments in preparation for delivery.

Your Migrated Course

• Getting Started with a Course Moved from Vista (PDF)
• Working With with Newly Your Migrated Course

Objectives:

Blackboard Learn Open Lab

Description:

Bb Learn Open Labs are designed for people who have attended training but need some extra help working in their course. Bb Learn Open Labs are scheduled windows of time when you can meet with our support staff and work one-on-one to meet your particular needs. It's ok to come late or leave early. There will be at least two support staff on duty at these scheduled times. Bring your work. Ask specific questions. Get help with any aspect of Bb Learn Work on your class with a support person at the ready. Bring your laptop if you want. Some familiarity with Bb Learn is recommended.

Objectives:

Deliver tailored, one-on-one, just-in-time support for faculty with specific questions and some Bb Learn experience.

Blackboard Learn Virtual Open Lab via Elluminate

Description:

Bb Learn Virtual Open Labs are designed for people who have attended training but need some extra help working in their course. Bb Learn Virtual Open Labs are scheduled windows of time when you can meet with our support staff and work one-on-one to meet your particular needs. Ask specific questions. Get help with any aspect of Bb Learn Work on your class with a support person at the ready. Some familiarity with Bb Learn is recommended.

For this workshop we recommend that you use an audio headset with microphone during the Elluminate session.

Objectives:

Deliver tailored, one-on-one, just-in-time support for faculty with specific questions and some Bb Learn experience.

Vista - Assessments

Description:

Learn how to build quizzes, surveys, and self-tests while discovering the various question types that Vista offers. Also learn how to use Respondus to help you build your quizzes.

Vista Basics is the prerequisite for this course. Please sign up and attend this course either in the classroom or online before attending Vista Assessments.

Objectives:

Identify the differences between the available assessment types. Create a variety of question types. Create assessments and add questions to them. Edit assessment settings. Add question sets and alternates. Manage questions in the Question Database. Grade assessments and view survey results. Generate assessment reports to evaluate student performance and the effectiveness of assessments. Create and upload a quiz in Respondus.

Vista - Assignments

Description:

Learn the various ways to build and organize Assignments in Blackboard Vista. You will grade and publish an assignment and also see how students can use the Assignments tool to upload student homepages, web sites, and presentations. Also use the Group Manager in preparing assignments.

Vista Basics is the prerequisite for this course. Please sign up and attend this course either in the classroom or online before attending Vista Assessments.

Objectives:

Create groups or sign-up sheets to allow students to add themselves to groups. Create group activities such as discussion topics and chat rooms. Create, edit, and assign assignments to individuals or groups. Use Assignment Dropbox to grade and publish assignments. Compile assignments to review outside of Vista.

Vista - Communicating with Students

Description:

This classroom workshop covers the Mail, Discussion, Announcements, Chat/Whiteboard, Calendar, and Whos Online features in Blackboard Vista and some of the good practices in using them.

Vista Basics is the prerequisite for this course. Please sign up and attend this course either in the classroom or online before attending Vista Assessments.

Objectives:

Create a syllabus. Create announcements. Set up discussion categories and topics. Read, post, manage, and grade discussions. Create calendar entries. Link to course content and Internet sites in the Calendar tool. Chat with other members in the Who's Online tool. Create, edit, participate in, and moderate chat and whiteboard rooms.

Vista - Managing Your Course

Description:

You have created your course and are now ready for students. This workshop covers what you will need to know. You will explore the features in the Grade Book and see how the various types of Grade Book columns can help you manage your class. You will also learn how Peoplesoft will integrate with your course and what you can expect to see in your Grade Book. You will explore the Course Preview page, and the NAU web site: classes.nau.edu. You will also explore the Selective Release, Settings, and Tracking and Reports features

Vista Basics is the prerequisite for this course.  Please sign up and attend this course either in the classroom or online before attending Managing Your Course. 

Objectives:

Control the availability of content items to students. Use Selective Release criteria to achieve specific instructional outcomes. Use the Members tab to determine the content items that are currently available to students. Configure settings to meet specific instructional or design objectives. Use File Manager to upload and manage files. Create a Course Preview Page. Import and export assessments and learning modules. Create a backup of their course. Explain the available views in the Grade Book. Create columns for storing or calculating data. Modify column settings. Change the Grade Book interface to suit your preferences. Use the PeopleLinks feature to work with an individual member. Make grades available to students. Enter or override grades and view audit history.

Vista - Organizing Content

Description:

This workshop looks at how you can design a framework in Vista for displaying your course materials. We will cover the most common methods of organizing your course and will concentrate on Learning Modules and Folders. We will also explore the Goals and Media Library tools.

Vista Basics is the prerequisite for this course. Please sign up and attend this course either in the classroom or online before attending Organizing Content in Vista.

Objectives:

Explain the options for presenting content. Share individual content files with students. Create folders to organize and present content. Build learning modules to organize and present course content. Customize the Action Menu to enhance the learning experience. Create Media Library collections and entries. Manually or automatically link terms within content pages to their Media Library entry.

Vista Basics

Description:

This course is a hands-on introduction to Blackboard Vista designed to get you started as quickly as possible. We will work with your actual Vista "shell" so please bring along any course content you would like to upload. We briefly discuss university policies related to Bb Vista. We explore the most commonly used functions such as 1) Turning on/off various Vista tools. 2) Converting to HTML and then uploading a Microsoft Word document, 3) Creating a folder, 4) Creating content using the built-in HTML editor, 5) Creating a Course Preview Page,  6) Adding Library eReserve readings. Preferred document formats are MS Word or HTML, but files in PDF or PowerPoint format can also be made available in Vista for students to download. View the PowerPoint notes. This course is a prerequisite for all advanced Vista training. You will be made aware of tech support resources available to you while you develop and/or teach your course. Our Vista Quickstart for Instructors is a good online self-help resource that will help you learn how to do most things. You can also download our full Vista reference manual in PDF format.

Objectives:

1) Learn about university policies and procedures related to Bb Vista. 2) Decide which course tools you will activate. 3) Create and upload a content document such as a syllabus. 4) Create a folder and use the built-in HTML editor, 5) Create a Course Preview Page.  6) Add Library eReserve readings. 7) Learn about support and advanced training options. 

Vista for TAs and Non-Designers

Description: You may be teaching a course that someone else has built, or you may be a TA in a course. For these roles, this workshop will prepare you for student activity in Vista. You will learn how to build out the Calendar, create Announcements, and how students will be added to your course. You will also explore the features in the Grade Book, Group Manager, and Tracking and Reports. You will also have the opportunity to practice using the Email, Discussion, and grading assignments and assessments.

Objectives: Understand how Peoplesoft integrates with Vista Know how to create a Calendar entry Explore the Announcements tool Explore the Gradebook Learn how to enter and edit grades Use the Group Manager Explore the Mail and Discussion tools Discover how to grade assignments and assessments

Elluminate Orientation: A prerequisite for virtual workshops

Description:

During this orientation, you will become familiar with the interface as a participant. This orientation is a prerequisite for other e-Learning Center virtual workshops.

Look for the latest version of Elluminate training materials. Elluminate offers their own online training which you can schedule on their site.

Contact the e-Learning Center at via email at elc-help@nau.edu or the Faculty Helpline at (928) 523-5554 or Toll Free: (866) 802-5256 for further information about the prerequisite.

Objectives:

At the end of this session, you will be able to:

• Recognize the four major sections of the Elluminate interface
• Set the Elluminate connection speed
• Identify permissions in the participant window
• Set up and use audio
• Use text/chat messages
• Use whiteboard tools
• Use polling
• Find additional resources

Accessibility and your online class

Description:

Good design is universal. A web page should be "accessible" whether you are using Firefox or Internet Explorer, a Mac, Linux or a Windows PC, and whether or not you have a disability. In this workshop, you will learn about accessible web page design and the Americans with Disabilities Act's Section 508, which applies to online course content. Learn how to develop accessible web pages and multimedia components in a browser-based environment that meet ADA and W3C standards. Understand how common page design problems such as frames and table-based layout cause problems for screen readers like JAWS. Consider how text transcripts or captions can enhance videos for everyone; not just the hearing impaired. Think about what sort of text should accompany a graphic or data table in order to get its meaning across. Think about use of high contrast for legibility and how adding other cues in addition to color can aid in navigation. Consider how use of cascading style sheets (CSS) can make your coding easier and your pages more customizable to the end user. Learn about accommodations you will need to make if a student discloses a disability, and about the resources that are available to help you meet their needs. View the workshop notes.

Objectives:

Understand Accessibility in the online environment. See how a screen reader parses information on a web page. Learn about good color choices. Learn about ALT tags and Long Description tags. Learn about the importance of text transcripts for videos. Learn about resources available through NAU's Disability Support Services office.

Assessing Online Discussions

Description:

Do you want to include discussions in your online, hybrid, or web-enhanced course, but are unsure about how to get students to take them seriously? Attend this workshop and find out about how to use rubrics as tools for promoting quality online discussions. A few days after you enroll in this workshop, you will receive an email with instructions about what to bring with you to the workshop.

Objectives:

As a result of this workshop, participants will...

• Understand why and how rubrics can be used to foster online discussion
  
• Understand how to create a successful discussion rubric
  
• Analyze examples of discussion rubrics used successfully by faculty
  
• Build a discussion rubric for your own course
  

Choosing and Using Rubrics in Bb Learn

Description:

Do you want to use rubrics in your course, but you’re not sure where to begin? In this workshop, you’ll learn how to evaluate readily available rubrics and choose one that will work for you and your students. You’ll then learn how you can use the Bb Learn rubric tool to modify the rubric to reflect the intended learning outcomes for your course and to effectively and efficiently assess your students’ work. You’ll get hands-on practice choosing a rubric and using the Bb Learn rubric tool in your own course shell.

Objectives:

As a result of this workshop, you will learn how to:

• Choose a rubric for your course
• Import a rubric into Bb Learn
• Edit a rubric in Bb Learn
• Associate a rubric with an assignment or activity in Bb Learn
• Grade an associated assignment or activity in Bb Learn

Collaborative Learning and your online class

Description:

Working together on assignments is better training for the workplace than the independent assignments we typically give in class. Done well, it allows students to play to their strengths and learn how to work as a member of a team. Why then, do our best students often hate group assignments? In an online class, it is difficult to prevent collaboration from happening so why not embrace it instead of fighting it? Find out how to infuse your online class with collaborative approaches without sacrificing individual accountability. In this workshop, we will explore some synchronous collaborative tools such as text chat, video conferencing, and Google Docs. We will also briefly explore the Groups tool within Bb Vista. Notes are available for this workshop.

Objectives:

Copyright and your online class

Description:

If I don't own it, can I use it in my course? If I developed the content myself, do I own it free and clear? Learn about copyright law, the Teach Act, and the "fair use" provision for educators. Learn how to protect your own intellectual property in the online world. Did you know that your work is copyrighted even if you don't explicitly state it? What is NAU's policy on faculty-developed Intellectual Property? Does it matter whether this was a work-for-hire versus a scholarly activity? What if I received significant assistance or extra pay to produce the content? What happens if I want to sell the work or take it with me when I leave the university? What if I want to share it freely with colleagues at other institutions? Learn about the Open Courseware movement and other sources of free content such as MERLOT. Learn about the Creative Commons and Copyleft license alternatives to copyright. Am I safe if my content is hidden behind a password? How does Bb Vista protect copyrighted course content from non-course members? Is the password barrier sufficient? What happens if a student in my class grabs copyrighted material and releases it to the public? Would I or the university be liable? How is downloading content different from streaming it? What should I do if I get a "cease and desist" letter from a publisher? How do I ask a publisher for permission to use their content? Can I publish student submissions that were part of coursework or are they copyrighted? How can I use software tools like TurnItIn and SafeAssign to encourage students to properly cite copyrighted works?

Objectives:

A good fair use checklist: http://www.scribd.com/doc/6355569/Fair-Use-Checklist

A nice video that explains the Creative Commons: http://creativecommons.org/videos/get-creative

Effective Practices in Online Discussion

Description:

Online discussions may well be one of your greatest challenges in an online course. Given your prior experiences in a teacher-centered classroom, some of you may fear initiating the 'online' discussion; however, it is so important that you participate in the discussions substantively. This workshop will offer ideas for effective online facilitation techniques such as selecting an appropriate tone of voice, stating discussion expectations, writing a good discussion prompt, keeping a discussion going, and encouraging participation.

Objectives:

Effective Test Questions

Description: Multiple choice tests have been criticized for testing memorization rather than higher-level thinking. But if they are well-constructed, they can positively affect learning. Learn how to create better test questions that encourage thinking, discourage cheating, and help your students learn. Learn about tools like Respondus.

Objectives:

Integrating Library Resources and Services

Description: An introduction to providing Library resources and services at the point of need--from databases to Ask a Librarian, from document delivery to Electronic Reserves.

Objectives:

Integrating Primary Source Materials

Description: An introduction to using archival materials such as photographs, manuscripts, oral histories, digital exhibits and more to bring a course to life and, in some cases, to add a local Colorado Plateau emphasis.

Objectives:

Learning Objects

Description: What is a learning object? What is MERLOT? How does Vista deal with Learning Objects? What are the benefits of sharing learning objects? Should I use them in my course? Should I share my own learning objects with others? What is open courseware? Why are MIT and some other reputable schools giving away all of their course content for free? What are open textbooks and why are students lobbying for them? What are the Creative Commons, CopyLeft and the GNU Public License? What is the difference between free (as in speech) and free (as in beer)?

Objectives: Learn the benefits of using learning objects in multi-section Vista classes. Consider the benefits of a free-and-shared vs owned-and-sold content model in education. Consider the role of an instructor. Content developer? Interpretive Guide?

Learning Spaces

Description:

A learning space is a location, physical or virtual, formal or informal, where learning occurs. The design of such spaces can significantly influence the way students learn. While the opportunity to design a learning space comes along only rarely, and usually only when significant sums of money are available, it is worthwhile to plan in advance. Many subtle design features are easy to incorporate but difficult to retrofit. It is critical that the designers take into consideration the needs of the instructors and the students, and the ways in which the space will be used. Notes are available for this session.

Objectives:

Making the most of your in-class time

Description:

When teaching do you find yourself running out of time and not getting what you wanted to cover done during the allotted classroom time? Well of course if not you would not be interested in this session. So in this session we will discuss ways of moving some classroom activities to outside of class activities that you can monitor if needed.

Objectives:

Movies and your online class

Description:

Showing a movie is an old standby in the traditional classroom, but there are many challenges to porting this lesson to your web course. You must first digitize the content, which can be technically challenging. e-Learning, with sufficient lead time, can help you with that but only if you have the right to show it. You might need to seek copyright clearance from the publisher and will need to make a reasonable effort to discourage the illegal copying and distribution of the video. Are you covered under "fair use" or the Teach Act? How much of the video can or should you show? When showing video in an online class, best teaching practices and bandwidth limitations align well with what is legally allowed. If the video you wish to show is self-produced, did you first obtain releases from all participants, especially non-adults? Bandwidth considerations can make viewing a challenge for some users. If video is a significant part of your online class, maybe high-speed internet should be recommended or required in the class description? Could students rent, purchase, or watch it from an alternate source such as YouTube, iTunes, Netflix, or Hulu? Have you contacted Cline Library to see if they can make it available? Making a video accessible for the disabled also requires extra effort. Can Disability Resources or e-Learning assist you? At minimum, the text of the video should be transcribed for the hearing impaired, and a description of what is happening in the video (different from the audio track) should be provided for the blind. Studies also suggest that viewing short relevant clips is better instructionally, and that guided discussion of these clips is more effective than simply watching. How will you redesign "Movie Day" to make it work on the web?

Objectives:

Upon completion of this workshop, instructors should have a basic understanding of fair use and teach act as they apply to higher education in online classes, should appreciate the difference between streamed and downloaded content, should know how to take "reasonable" measures to protect content, and should know what to do if challenged by a publisher. They should also know how to take steps to make a video clip accessible for disabled users, and should have some strategies for making a video clip educationally relevant.

Netiquette and your online class

Description:

Netiquette is a term that describes the accepted cultural practices of the online community. Possibly because of the anonymity or the informal way students interact with their peers online, some students behave in ways that are inappropriate for the classroom. It is well worth the effort for instructors to set the tone in their online classroom, and not just expect that it will go well. For example, students are more likely to assume an inappropriate familiarity with the instructor, call them by their first name, ignore their title, and argue (in sometimes very disrespectful ways) about grades, deadlines, etc. Because of the lack of non-verbal cues in online communication, misinterpretation or reading too much meaning into a hastily constructed comment is also very common. What starts out as a productive back and forth argument can devolve rapidly into a "flame war." Students need to learn how to think critically without being critical or resorting to personal attacks. They need to learn to defend a point of view without being disrespectful and intolerant. Once feelings are hurt, it can be difficult to reestablish a positive tone so the instructor will need to be proactive and monitor discussions regularly, especially at first while establishing the tone. We will discuss both the problem and some suggestions to address it. Topics will include developing a netiquette policy, possibly even with the help of your students using a wiki, how to moderate discussions without squelching good dialog, using your syllabus as a place to lay down the rules, setting reasonable expectations about response times (will you answer questions posed at 3:00 am?), discussing expectations for behavior in discussion boards and chat rooms, fostering an environment of tolerance, inclusiveness, and respect.

Objectives:

Resources:

http://www.albion.com/netiquette/

http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~lrm22/technology/internet/smilies.html

http://www.brighthub.com/education/online-learning/articles/26946.aspx

http://online.uwc.edu/technology/onletiquette.asp

http://matcmadison.edu/online-etiquette-guide

Pedagogy and online learning

Description:

Pedagogy and online learning: Two steps backward, one giant leap forward

When designing a course, instructors typically consider the books, movies, activities, and projects that they want students to complete. While these are important parts of a course, they are only the means to an end. The end is what you want your students to know and be able to do by the time they finish the course. By describing the end in a formal statement of learning expectations, you help your students—and yourself—focus on what is important in the course. 

This session will walk you through creating learning expectations, assessing student learning, and creating sample learning activities.

Also available online and by podcast.

Objectives:

Putting Principles of Effective Assessment into Action

Description:

Which assessment techniques can be incorporated effectively into your online, hybrid, or web-enhanced course? This workshop will introduce you to principles of effective online assessment, including techniques that encourage self-reflection, collaboration, and feedback. You will see a demonstration of how the principles were applied in a new online English course at NAU. For example, you will learn how the instructor used a creative writing rubric for peer and instructor assessment.  We’ll allow plenty of time for questions and discussion of how you can apply the principles to your own courses and students. We’ll also provide you with online resources to assist you after the workshop.

Objectives:

As a result of this workshop, you will…

Discuss principles of effective online assessment

Analyze examples of assessment techniques incorporated into an online course

Quality and Interaction

Description:

Use the Quality Checklist for Online Courses as a planning tool for designing an online course. The 7 principles and suggested strategies will help you integrate interaction and communication in your course. We'll discuss the types of interaction and communication necessary to learning and present a variety of strategies that support them. Be engaging, effective, and efficient when communicating online.

Objectives:

Develop strategies for creating interaction and providing feedback for students' online activities. Apply the principles of quality in your course.

Survey Design Basics

Description:

Do you want to design an online survey for a course or a research project, but are uncertain about where to begin? This workshop will introduce you to the basics of survey design, including planning your survey, sampling, writing items, and analyzing and using your data. We’ll focus on writing effective survey items, with plenty of hands-on exercises to stimulate discussion and collaboration.

Objectives:

As a result of this workshop, participants will…

• Understand some of the principles of survey design
  
• Be able to apply basic survey design principles to actual survey items
  

Accessing Geospatial Data from the GRAIL GIS Data Server

Description:

This hands-on workshop will introduce students to the newly developed GIS Data Server at the Geospatial Research And Information Lab (GRAIL).  This exciting new service provides imagery, elevation data, topographic maps as well as roads, hydrology, census data, etc. for all of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah.

Objectives:

-Introduce the basic design of the GRAIL GIS Data Server

-Demonstrate how to access the server in ArcGIS

-Demonstrate how to download data from the server to a personal computer

Annotate - the online commenting tool

Description:

Annotate is a tool to provide feedback to students in a fully online environment. Students may submit written work in various formats (plain text, rich text, Microsoft Word, etc.), and the instructor can make comments directly on the submission - all inside their favorite web browser! Instructors can write custom comments, or create repeatable code sets for common issues (like grammar). After grading is complete, the application will update the Bb Vista gradebook as well.

This training will be hands on and include a complete walkthrough of the application. Instructors will be enrolled in a test class and have a chance to try out all of the features of Annotate.

Objectives:

In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to:

• Add Annotate to your Bb Vista course shell
• Create a markup code set
• Create an assignment
• Write comments on a student's submission

You will also see the system from the student perspective.

BYOB - Build Your Own Box

Description: Join the DIY crowd! Build your own box. The cheapest way to own a fast computer is to build it yourself from component parts. You pay for the parts, and we guide you through the process. Approximate minimum hardware cost: $500.00 Some technical proficiency recommended but not required. This is a semester-long project that will meet about once a week. We will help you research and shop for good bargain components at places like NewEgg and then help you assemble them into a working machine. ARS Technica has a good set of recommendations that we will use as a starting point.

Objectives: Learn how a computer works by building it yourself. Select an enclosure (usually includes power supply). Select a motherboard. Select a processor. You might need a cooling fan too. Select an optical drive. Select a mouse and keyboard. Select a hard drive. Determine which additional components are needed... Networking: ethernet or wireless card or built-in networking? Video card or built-in video? Sound card or built-in sound? Operating system: Windows or Linux? Build out a budget estimate using a spreadsheet. Don't forget tax and shipping costs! Buy the parts. Start putting the pieces together. Get it running. Take it home.

Beginners' Digital Storytelling using iMovie (Mac Only)

Description:

In this workshop, you will be introduced to how Digital Storytelling can be used to support instructional outcomes tied to your students' Higher Order Thinking Skills, and how students who learn to create their own digital stories improve multiple literacy skills.  In this workshop, you will use iMovie (Mac Only) to familiarize yourself with the more technical aspects of digital storytelling.  iMovie, which is a fairly easy software to learn, is a good starting point for other types of digital storytelling software (Windows MovieMaker, GarageBand, Microsoft Photo Story, Adobe Premier, and so forth). 

Resources on Digital Storytelling

http://faculty.coe.uh.edu/brobin/homepage/Educational-Uses-DS.pdf

http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/

http://www.storycenter.org/

http://digitales.us/files/digitalstorytellingarticle.pdf

Objectives:

Part 1: Connecting Digital Storytelling to Instructional Outcomes

• Explore purpose of digital storytelling and its connection to Higher Order Thinking Skills (derived from Bloom's Taxonomy): Knowledge Deepening and Knowledge Creation
• Explore Seven Elements of Digital Storytelling
• Review examples and then map out ideas for digital storytelling in your class

Part 2: Using iMovie as one way for you and your students to develop digital stories

• Review basics of Copyright to protect you and your students
• Learn basics of the timeline in iMovie
• Learn how to create a title page and credits page
• Learn how to add photos and audio narration to a timeline
• Learn how to fade in/out music
• Learn how to us basic transitions between photos
• Learn how to export iMovie project as a shareable standalone movie file

Blogs

Description: A blog is a website in which journal entries are posted on a frequent basis and displayed in reverse chronological order. The term blog is a shortened form of weblog or web log. Visit some popular blogs and learn how to build your own blog with free tools such as Blogger. Grab the notes for this workshop.

More about blogs...

Objectives: Visit some popular blogs.

Boot Camp for Intel Mac

Description:

All of Apple Computer's current models now use Intel processors, which means that they can run Microsoft Windows and/or Linux as well as the MacOS. Use Apple's BootCamp utility to partition your drive and install your copy of Windows (XP, Vista, or 7) or Ubuntu and you've got two (or three!) machines for the price of one. It's the best of all worlds. This Boot Camp manual from Apple is a very useful guide. Requirements: You must be running MacOS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and must have available disk space (about 20 Gigabytes minimum) for a Windows partition, but you do not need to erase your hard drive; the Mac part of the drive remains intact.

Objectives:

Demonstrate the Boot Camp assistant. Explain the difference between formatting and partitioning a drive. Learn the difference between FAT32 and NTFS file systems. Explain the cost: A full copy of Windows is required and is not included. Explain the Startup Disk control panel and Option key on bootup. Mention rEFIt as a boot selection tool. Explain the need for reboot between OSes. Talk about Parallels and VMWare products for simultaneous operation. Discuss options for moving files between Mac and Windows partitions. Discuss the Ubuntu live CD as a safe option to test your machine for compatibility. Remind of the need to install Apple hardware drivers using the Snow Leopard CD (or the disk that came with the Mac in the case of machines newer than Snow Leopard) after the new OS is installed. Talk about necessary security precautions and frequent software and anti-virus updates when using Windows. Discuss Windows 7 activation issues.

Camtasia Studio

Description:

Camtasia Studio is a complex media editing and screen recording utility for Windows and Mac.  Camtasia can be used to integrate narration with PowerPoint slides and pre-recorded video, it can also record a preset portion of your screen or can be used in full screen mode. It can be used to create computer tutorials or, in conjunction with a Tablet PC, can be used to create an archive of your lecture notes. With Camtasia, you can also edit the recording after the fact by adding voice narration or moving and trimming clips with cut and paste. Once done, you have a self-contained movie that can be uploaded to Bb Learn, iTunesU, or any website for distribution.

This workshop focuses on the Windows version.  Based on availability, instructors may be eligible for a free copy of Camtasia Studio for Windows upon completion of this workshop.

Objectives:

Computer Troubleshooting

Description:

Effective computer troubleshooting requires a methodical approach that isolates the problem. This approach is much like the scientific method or a medical diagnosis. While many people try to solve problems based on hunches, and this sometimes works, there are more effective ways to solve problems. View the notes.

Objectives:

Digital Photography

Description: Learn how to choose the right digital camera for your needs. Gain experience taking great pictures and editing your shots. Learn both the technical and aesthetic skills required to take better photos. Also learn about online photo printing services, photo hosting services and lots more. Take a look at the Workshop Outline.

Objectives: Students will learn the basic differences between a digital and film camera, including storage media types, megapixels, optical vs. digital zoom, battery types. Learn how to shop for a camera. Students will learn to use a digital camera to take photos. Students will learn techniques for taking better pictures, including subject selection, lighting, composition. Students will import and touch up their photos.

Digital Video-Macintosh

Description:

This workshop is tailored to beginners. Learn how to shoot and edit movies in just an hour! We will discuss camera features and prices. You will gain experience using Apple's iMovie software (free with iLife) and get hands-on experience with a consumer level mini-dv format digital video camera. We will capture some video, upload it into iMovie, arrange the clips and add a range of transitions, titles, media and special effects. We will learn how to export a movie to iDVD or to the web. Download Powerpoint notes and tutorial videos that you can review after this workshop. We will be using iMovie HD 6, the final version that works on both the old PowerPC Macs and the new Intel Macs.

Objectives:

Examine the camera and its features. Load a mini-dv tape. Learn to switch between record and playback modes. Shoot some video with a DV Camera. Import video to iMovie. Add transitions and/or titles. Add media from iPhoto and/or iTunes. Add special effects. Learn how to export to iDVD or save for the web.

Digital Video-Windows

Description:

This workshop is tailored to beginners. Learn how to shoot and edit movies in just an hour! We will discuss camera features and prices. You will gain experience using Microsoft's free MovieMaker software and get hands-on experience with a consumer level mini-dv format digital video camera. We will capture some video, upload it into MovieMaker, arrange the clips and add a range of transitions, titles, media and special effects. We will learn how to export your movie to a file you can put on the web or burn to a CD.

Objectives:

Examine the camera and its features. Load a mini-dv tape. Learn to switch between record and playback modes. Shoot some video with a DV Camera. Import video to MovieMaker. Add transitions and/or titles. Add media. Add special effects. Learn how to export to CD or save for the web.

Dreamweaver 8 for Bb Learn

Description:

Design your web pages for Vista or Bb Learn using this powerful HTML editor. Use WebDAV to easily move your content to Vista. Learn about style sheets and other principles of good web page design.

Web Pages with Word is a required prerequisite for this workshop. Content is covered in the Create Web Pages with Word workshop that you will need for this Dreamweaver training.

Upon completion of this workshop, you may be eligible for a free copy of DreamWeaver.

See the Vista Vista notes for this workshop.

See the Bb Learn notes for this workshop.

Objectives:

Effective PowerPoint

Description:

Lots of people use PowerPoint, but few use it well. Learning how to develop a truly effective presentation requires more than dropping bullet points or, worse, every word you will say, on a slide. In this session, you will learn how to identify common problems in PowerPoint presentations, discover how to plan a good PowerPoint presentation, and explore how to use graphics, color, and other design elements effectively. Download the presentation here.

Objectives:

Participants will identify common problems in PowerPoint presentations. Participants will learn various tips to making a better presentation. Participants will gain experience developing a new or better presentation.

Good reading:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/world/27powerpoint.html

http://www.slate.com/id/2253050/

Excel Basics

Description:

Electronic spreadsheets were originally invented to assist accountants but they have many uses, including making an inventory or contacts list, balancing a checkbook, or keeping your grades. This is a beginners workshop for people who would like to learn the basics of Excel. The focus is on learning to sort, creating simple formulas, using functions, formatting cells, inserting, deleting, copying and pasting rows and columns, performing calculations on rows and columns of numbers, and on basic graphing and charting. We will use a gradebook as a practical example of what an instructor could do with a simple spreadsheet.

Notes are available for both the basic functions and for graphing and charting.

Objectives:

Excel Graphs and Charts

Description:

Making graphs and charts in Microsoft Excel should be easy. It can be, after you learn a few tricks. Learn how to make Excel do things it wasn't designed to do or doesn't do so well, and avoid the cost of a separate graphing and charting software package.

Notes for Charts and Graphs and Excel samples of Timeline, Frequency Histogram and Gradebook.

Also, here's a movie of the Frequency Histogram trick.

Objectives:

Learn how to do basic bar charts, x-y plots, and more advanced frequency histograms and timelines in Excel.

FaceBook

Description:

Facebook is the most popular social networking site with college students. You can join interest groups, keep in touch with distant (or local) friends, share messages, post photos, play games and more. But what should we put in your Facebook profiles? What should we leave out? Could present or future employers use our Facebook pages against us? Who can see what we put there? Should we be concerned about our privacy? How does Facebook blur the boundary between personal and professional contacts? How does NAU Marketing use Facebook to reach our students?

Objectives:

We will create Facebook accounts, set permissions, discuss appropriate uses of this popular web-based application.

GarageBand

Description:

Want to be a one-man (or woman) band? You supply the musical ability. We supply the recording studio. With Apple GarageBand software, a keyboard and microphone, you could soon be shopping around for a recording label! GarageBand is also great for creating podcasts.

Objectives:

Geospatial Data: What is it and how can I use it in teaching?

Description:

This hands-on workshop will introduce participants to simple GIS programs, geospatial data, and demonstrate how to utilize maps in teaching.  Programs used will include Google Earth, NASA World Wind, USGS Seamless Data, and various Arizona Imagery/Data servers.

Objectives:

1)      Introduce geospatial data viewers

2)      Show participants how to derive maps quickly and easily for use in teaching

3)      Participants will learn how to use several programs which use Geospatial data and see how it works

Google Docs

Description:

Similar to Microsoft Office, Google Docs has a Word Processor, Spreadsheet and Presentation tool. The difference is that you access the tools via the web and that multiple people can simultaneously edit. Imagine working on the same document at the same time as your collaborators, and seeing their changes appear alongside yours in real time! Google Docs can be exported as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.

Objectives:

Create an NAU Google account, Build a Google Doc, Build a Google Spreadsheet, Add a collaborator, Explore the formatting tools, Export as Word and Excel

Google Earth - Integrating your own data!

Description:

This hands-on interface will demonstrate a recent trend in using Google Earth as a teaching tool.  We will demo existing Google Earth data sets and also learn how to integrate our own data into Google Earth using KML files.

Objectives:

-Basics of Google Earth

-Exploring existing data sets

-Taking GPS points and converting to KML and presenting the data in Google Earth

-Conversion of existing GIS layers to KML and presenting the layers in Google Earth

Google Earth, Maps, and GPS

Description:

Google Earth is a free program that lets you view an interactive map of the world that is knitted together from satellite images taken over the last several years. You can zoom in, mark points of interest, and explore "layers" of information that have been superimposed on the terrain, such as photos and Wikipedia entries on points of interest (POIs). We will also discuss street mapping tools such as Google Maps and its competitors MapQuest and Yahoo! Maps. Recently Microsoft came out with a Google Earth competitor called Virtual Earth. How do the two compare? Google has also been busy with similar products like Google Sky, Google Moon, and Google Mars. With all this great stuff available for free, what can an instructor do with it? How can we use GPS hardware devices alongside this great software? Ever heard of virtual tours in VR or geocaching? How about integrating a podcast with a self-paced walking tour using GPS coordinates? With an iPhone, all the pieces are coming together.

Objectives:

Learn about the software. Explore by doing. Find your house. Learn the basic tools. Discuss ways to use it in teaching.

Google Sketchup

Description: Google's Sketchup is a free 3D modeling software tool thats easy to learn, simple to use, and lets you place your models in Google Earth. Are you remodeling a kitchen, landscaping your back yard or adding a deck to your home? Google SketchUp makes it faster, easier and a lot more fun. From simple to complex, from conceptual to realistic, Google SketchUp helps you see your vision before you build it.

Objectives: Learn how to download the software. Work through the tutorial. Draw a simple object using the basic tools.

Google Surveys

Description:

Google Docs just keeps getting better. Now you can do surveys, using the Forms tool. Just create a Google account, then create a Form, write your survey questions and share the URL with your survey population. Here's a quick start tutorial that covers the basics.

Objectives:

Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

Description:

This two hour hands-on workshop will introduce participants to geographic information systems (GIS).  GIS integrates hardware, software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information.  This workshop would be useful to faculty and students with a desire to integrate geospatial data or maps into their teaching or research.  We will meet in the Geospatial Research And Information Lab (GRAIL) located in the ARD building, room 226.

Objectives:

-Introduce basic structure of a GIS

-Show how to use simple and accessible web-based GIS

-Hands-on GIS map creation in ArcGIS

Introduction to Global Positioning System (GPS)

Description:

This hands-on workshop will introduduce participants to the global positioning system (GPS).  Students will get to use hand held GPS units and learn how to upload and download data onto their computer.  Participants will also be introduced to positional error, coordinate systems and hardware with higher levels of accuracy.

Objectives:

-Basics of GPS

-Use GPS to collect points

-Use ArcGIS to upload and download GPS points

-Integrate GPS points with geospatial base data

-Introduce more sophisticated GPS collection methods

Managing Online Course Evaluations

Description:

NAU Online Course Evaluations are scheduled through the web administration interface.
This workshop introduces this interface and teaches attendees how to edit online course evaluation
questions and formats, schedule online course evaluations and release them to the students and
faculty.

NOTE: You must have administrative access to the Online Course Evaluations system to complete this workshop.  If you need access to this system, please have your Dean or Chair request it via elc-help@nau.edu.

Objectives:

Learn to edit, schedule and release NAU Online Course Evaluations.  Learn to view individual and summary reports of evaluation data.

Open Office

Description:

Open Office is a free, cross-platform (Mac, Windows, Linux) Office application with word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation tools very similar to those found in Microsoft Office. This is a great alternative to expensive Microsoft products for anyone on a budget. Best of all, you can import and export between Open Office and Microsoft Office. If you put your class notes up in Bb Vista as Word or Powerpoint documents, even students who can't afford Microsoft Office will be able to access them.

Objectives:

Demonstrate how to download and install Open Office. Explore the word processor, spreadsheet and presentation tools. Take a Microsoft Office document and import it to Open Office. Take an Open Office document and export it to Microsoft Office.

Open Source Computing

Description:

Why did the commonwealth of Massachusetts and the country of Brazil go totally open source? Why did Microsoft proclaim that Open Source Software is Un-American? Got an old PC? Want a completely Microsoft free, money free, and open source computing environment? Learn how to get rid of Windows and set up Ubuntu Linux using the safe "Live CD." Replace Microsoft Office with Open Office, Adobe Photoshop with GIMP, Internet Explorer with a Mozilla based browser like Firefox and MS Outlook with Thunderbird. There are Linux versions of many popular programs such as Skype, and there's even a nice Instant Messaging client called Pidgin that lets you use all your services at the same time. Learn about the open source community and the difference between "free" as in speech and "free" as in beer.

Objectives:

Learn how to set the BIOS on your PC to boot from CD first. Use the Live CD to test your system for compatibility. If all goes well, install Ubuntu. Then run the updates, and add more software as desired.

PDAs and Smartphones

Description:

In China and many parts of the developing world, people surf the web with a cell phone rather than a computer. A new generation of personal digital assistants (PDAs) like the Blackberry and SmartPhones like the Palm Treo and Apple iPhone are starting to appear in student hands. Capable of surfing the web through a WiFi interface or a cellular network, these devices are becoming increasingly popular. Smaller, cheaper, and more portable, will the smartphone replace the laptop as the student's gadget of choice? Knowing that these devices are being carried by more and more students, how can we use them for instruction in the traditionalor web-based classroom? A number of web-based tools such as PollEverywhere can use cell phones for gathering survey data. Let's look at some of these devices and discuss how they can be used in this introductory session.

Objectives:

PDF for free

Description:

Sure, you can use expensive and full featured Adobe Acrobat Professional to create PDFs (Portable Document Format), but there are free alternatives. On the Mac, the software is built into the operating system. Just choose File/Print and then select PDF/Save as PDF. On Windows, you can download the free PDF Creator.

Making PDFs out of your in-class handouts and putting them online is both more economical and more environmentally friendly that printing and distributing physical copies of handouts. During this workshop, we will also demonstrate how to upload a PDF document to Bb Vista.

Objectives:

Create a simple PDF on a Mac using the built-in software. Create a simple PDF on a PC using the free PDF Creator. Upload a PDF to Vista.

Podcasting with Audacity

Description:

Podcasts are audio broadcasts that can be played on your computer or MP3 player. Learn how to subscribe to a popular podcast. Learn why you might want to become a podcaster, and how to record your first podcast. Here are the notes for the session.

Objectives:

Instructors will learn terminology of podcasting. Instructors will discuss instructional uses of this technology. Instructors will subscribe to a free iTunes podcast. Instructors will record their voice using Audacity. Instructors may be shown how to make an RSS feed (advanced topic). Instructors may be shown how to upload their podcast(s) to their JAN space (advanced topic).

Poll Everywhere - Cell Phone Surveys

Description:

Poll Everywhere is a simple, free web based tool that allows you to construct a poll and have your audience vote by cell phone. All they need to do to vote is send a text message. Results are updated instantaneously. Liven up that faculty meeting or lecture class. Simpler than clickers, which students have to buy and register, this is ideal for an occasional use and requires almost no advance preparation.

Objectives:

Create an account, build a poll, test it with your cell phone. Discuss how this approach differs from using clickers.

PowerPoint Posters

Description: With changes to only a few settings, you can create professional looking conference posters in PowerPoint. We will cover layout, object alignment, and importing charts and graphs from Excel. Be the envy of your colleagues! We will also explore dynamic graphing techniques in Excel.

Objectives: Students will learn to adjust PowerPoint slide dimensions. Students will create a poster banner. Students will create text blocks and placeholders for images, Students will learn to size and align images. Students will build graphs and charts in Excel. Students will import Excel objects into PowerPoint.

Preparing Video for the Web

Description: Optimize your digital video for online delivery using Quicktime Pro and NAU's JAN server.

Objectives:

QuickTime VR Objects

Description: You have a priceless artifact (a hominid skull, moon rock or Anasazi pot) but you want your students to explore it in detail. No problem. We can help you build a Quicktime VR Object that your students can manipulate in 3 dimensions over the Internet. Bring along your treasures! Limit: 1 per attendee or instructor approval.

Objectives: Students will manipulate some sample VR objects. Students will use a VR head and digital camera to capture a series of images of their object. Students will watch a demo of VR object creation.

Quicktime VR Panoramas

Description: You want your students to explore an amazing physical location (the inside of a pyramid, Grand Central Station, a mangrove swamp) but you lack the budget to get them all there each semester. No problem. We can show you how to create a 360 degree Quicktime VR panorama. In this demonstration, we will make a panorama of our training room.

Objectives: Students will explore a series of QT VR panoramas. Students will use a digital camera and VR head to take a photo series of the training room. Students will watch a demo of the software building the VR panorama.

RSS Feeds

Description: Did you know that you can subscribe to a web page and be notified when the content changes? Learn about RSS (really simple syndication) and how to integrate it into your course. A simple, free tool called Feed2JS is available to embed RSS feeds directly into your Vista class. Learn how easy it can be to embed content in your class that stays dynamic and current and never needs updating.

Objectives: learn what RSS is learn how to subscribe to content learn how to build an RSS feed for your own pages learn to use Feed2JS to embed RSS feeds in your Vista class or webpage

RefWorks Citation Management Software

Description: This workshop will present the basics of RefWorks, a powerful citation management tool. You will learn how to set up a free web-based RefWorks account and easily import citations from text files or online resources to it. The collected references can be automatically formatted to the citation style of choice and incorporated into research papers. RefWorks can help you manage, share and present research information for both individual and group work. Come and explore how your students can benefit from using RefWorks--and how you might use it in your own research as well.

Objectives: see library staff

Remote Desktop Mac

Description: Apple's Remote Desktop software is a powerful computer lab management and instructor tool that you can use to remotely control and/or observe one or more Macintosh computers. You can shut down machines, copy files, distribute software, and gather information about machine specifications. You can send messages to students, lock screens, share screens and perform other instructional tasks.

Objectives: Users will take turns being a student and an administrator. Users will set up a group of machines for administration. Users will perform lab manager functions such as restart, copy files, distribute software, gather info. Users will perform instructor tasks such as observe, control, chat, share screen, lock screen. We will also examine the new Leopard feature that allows screen sharing in iChat.

Remote Desktop for Windows

Description: Windows Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) is a small application program from Microsoft that allows you to remotely control a Windows computer from another PC or even a Mac. This is a great way to control your work PC from home, or to run a PC application from your Mac. The software is pre-installed on Windows XP and Vista. You can download it for the Mac. Mac Setup Notes

Objectives:

Resources Toolbox

Description: This workshop will introduce the library's Resources Toolbox, an interactive guide to adding library resources and search tools to your Vista courses or Web pages. Participants will learn how to generate simple code for integrating links and search tools aimed at online research databases directly into Vista courses and other Web pages, or for sharing by e-mail. Instructors can customize these integrated library resources with specific instructions or information relevant to course topics or assignments.

Objectives:

Respondus - Online Exam Tool

Description:

Want to take your test, in MS Word doc format, and upload it into Bb Vista? Respondus is an application program you install on your Windows computer to aid in the process of writing multiple choice tests and quizzes. Because composing doesn't require an internet connection, Respondus is faster and more flexible than web-based tools. Respondus can be used to quickly create multiple versions of a multiple choice test to discourage cheating. You can print the test versions for your face-to-face class or upload the tests into Vista.

Objectives:

Build a quiz using Respondus. Use a Word file to create a quiz. Upload a quiz into Vista. Discuss method for downloading and setting up Respondus to work with BB Vista.

SafeAssign

Description:

SafeAssign, a Bb Vista-integrated online service, allows instructors to check papers submitted by students for originality (i.e., for possible plagiarism). Papers are checked against online sources and publications as well as institutional databases.  SafeAssign also helps students learn how to properly cite sources.

Objectives:

• To discuss academic integrity issues at Northern Arizona University.
  
• To learn how to use the SafeAssign assignment tool in your Vista course shell.
  
• To go over the strengths and limitations of the originality report.
  
• To examine how you can use SafeAssign to help you build a community of trust in your class.

Screen Capture Tools

Description:

Objectives:

Second Life

Description:

Second Life is a 3-D virtual world created by its Residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by millions of Residents from around the globe. From the moment you enter the World you'll discover a vast digital continent, teeming with people, entertainment, experiences and opportunity. Once you've explored a bit, perhaps you'll find a perfect parcel of land to build your house or business. We will discuss some of the ways an instructor could use Second Life for educational purposes. Here's a good overview.

Objectives:

Set up a WAP

Description: Need a temporary wireless access point (WAP)? Not on the ITS short list or out of range of an NAU wireless network? Need one for home? Learn how to set up a secure wireless access point. Learn about various security options (WEP, WPA, cloaking, access lists), configuration settings (channels, b, g, n protocols), interference, roaming access, stumbler software, web administration.

Objectives: Configure a Netgear, Linksys, Belkin or Apple WAP for DHCP. Add the WAP to your wired network. Set the WAP for secure access. WEP, WPA, etc.

Shooting Effective Video

Description: This workshop focuses on lighting, sound, camera differences, and a range of shooting techniques that make your video more professional.

Objectives: Ken and Jake

Social Network Software

Description: Tools like Facebook and MySpace are incredibly popular with students but most people over the age of 30 know almost nothing about them. But there are hundreds of social networking applications for shopping, sharing photos, sharing bookmarks, reviewing products, finding a date, discovering new music, books, movies and much more. Here's a chance to learn how these systems work, why they are so popular, and how you can use them as a teaching resource. Download the PowerPoint notes for this session.

Objectives: Consider the Long Tail and Network Effects. Discuss what makes an application "social." Look at a range of social software applications including social shopping, social bookmarking, music and movie reviews, etc. Look at FaceBook as an example of full service social application. Discuss the reasons why these sites are so popular with the under-30 demographic. Discuss the possible risks to students of creating a public identity. Discuss some potential teaching uses and other applications. Optional: Create an account in FaceBook. Add some profile information. Add some "friends."

Speech Recognition

Description: Did you know that your Windows computer can take dictation, and the software is already installed? Learn how to set up and start using speech recognition in Microsoft Word for Windows. Your keyboard could become a doorstop! Here are the notes for the session.

Objectives: Students will learn to connect a USB headset. Students will train the software to recognize their voice. Students will practice using speech recognition in Microsoft Word.

Studio B Orientation

Description:

This workshop meets in Studio B at the Cline Library and is an orientation the equipment available here.  You will learn to operate the equipment to produce a podcast.  We will also discuss podcasting workflow and ideas for working in groups on a podcasting project. 

It is recommended, but not required, that you complete the Audacity or Camtasia Studio workshops before attending this one.

Objectives:

• Set up the equipment to start a recording
• Work with a group to complete a recording

Surplus Property Gems

Description:

Take a field trip to NAU Surplus Property and scavenge the technology graveyard. One mans trash is another mans treasure! Where else can you buy a computer for less than a cup of coffee? Did you know that surplus items are available to NAU first and to the public at a later date? It's fun to stroll down memory lane and look for bargains. With a trained nerd at your side, you can learn which items are likely to be good bargains.

Objectives:

Learn about what is available at surplus property. Learn how to scavenge for computer hardware.

Tablet PCs

Description:

Windows Tablet PCs are similar to ordinary laptops but they can also use a pen-like stylus to write directly onto a touch-sensitive screen. Why choose a tablet over a traditional laptop? Using Microsoft OneNote and a pen interface allows you to "mark up" digital documents in your own handwriting. You can also, with the click of a button, translate your handwriting to typed text. You can also draw directly on the screen, a task that is difficult with a mouse, and capture your class notes for upload to Bb Vista or iTunesU using Camtasia. Try one out and see if you like it. Depending on availability, we can loan you a Tablet PC for up to one semester to try out with your classes. At that point, if you decide you like it, we expect you to return ours and buy your own.

Objectives:

The 15 Minute Map

Description:

This hands-on workshop will demonstrate how to quickly create a map for teaching or reserarch using online geospatial data resources.  We will cover web-based mapping systems as well as using ArcGIS.

Objectives:

-Introduce map elements and style

-Demonstrate how to quickly create a map using web-based programs

-Demonstrate how to access data and generate a map layout in ArcGIS

Twitter

Description:

Twitter is a microblogging tool. Users post short text messages called "tweets" that announce what they are doing, thinking about, or planning. People can follow you if you allow them, and you can follow others if they allow you. You can synchronize your twitter account with Facebook, your Instant Messaging client, and your cell phone. Is Twitter silly or is it useful? How does the service stay in business? How could it be used for instruction?

Objectives:

We will create twitter accounts, post a few tweets, follow a few users and organizations, explore hash tags, block a user, link to a URL with bit.ly and discuss instructional uses of the tool.

Video Conferencing

Description: A variety of tools are now available to do synchronous text chat (commonly called Instant Messaging or IM), audio conferencing and video conferencing over the web. We will look at AOL's Instant Messenger (AIM), Google's g-mail, and Skype. Each of these tools allows you to communicate and share files for free with anyone else who has a computer and a fast internet connection. Here are the notes for this session.

Objectives: Create accounts in AIM, g-mail (Jabber), and Skype. Do a text chat, do an audio chat using USB headsets, do a two-way video conference, do a multi-way video conference, do a file transfer.

Web Pages with Word

Description:

You could put Microsoft Word documents up in Vista, but that requires students to download and open them in Word. But MS Office is expensive and most students still don't know about free alternatives like Open Office or Google Docs. A better way is to convert your Word documents to web pages so they can be opened directly by the browser. Microsoft Word is a tool most people are already familiar with, and it can be used to build web pages quite easily. Unfortunately, the standard "Save as Web Page..." method is to be avoided. Why? Microsoft's default method embeds lots of junk into the HTML code which increases file size and load time. While such documents may look good in Internet Explorer for Windows, they often look terrible in other browsers such as Firefox or on the Mac. Change just a few settings and you can build universal, accessible, clean, and easy web pages. Learn how to format your pages, create links, add graphics, and save your Word documents as web pages a better way.

See the outline for this workshop.

Objectives:

Use the formatting tool in Word Build a sample web page in Word Understand how to properly name and save files in Word to make them work on the web.

Web Search Tips and Tricks

Description:

Sure you've used Google. But beyond a basic search, there are lots of tricks and techniques you can use to search more effectively. Do you know about Google Scholar for academic topics? Do you know how to search using "and," "or," and "not" parameters? What's the best way to find a person? When search results come up, which one should you pick first? What makes certain pages come up first? Do you know about bots and web crawlers? How, in a general sense, does Google's search engine work? Is Google the best search engine? What other search engines are out there and why would I use them? How do I clear my search history? Google has a good guide with search tips. More notes here. We will follow this worksheet during the session.

Objectives:

Discuss "exact phrase" searches, use of OR instead of the default AND, use of "this -notthis" to exclude. Discuss people searches, map searches, Google's search algorithm and archiving techniques, sponsored results. Briefly look at Bing and Wolfram Alpha as Google alternatives. Demonstrate how to change history settings and clear it.

Web based PowerPoint

Description:

You could simply put a copy of your PowerPoint up in the LMS, but that requires users to download it and open it in PowerPoint or Open Office. You could create a web-viewable version of your PowerPoint presentation by selecting Save as HTML, but that doesn't create a easily viewable document for anyone but Windows users of Internet Explorer. Instead, you could save your presentation for web delivery as a PDF, or add voice annotation using ProfCast. You can also use Google Docs or Prezi to move your PowerPoint presentation to the web. Or perhaps try Microsoft's cloud-based version of Office?

Objectives:

Webcam Security System

Description: If you've got a webcam, what is it doing when you're not around? If your answer is "nothing," why not turn it into a security system? With inexpensive (and sometimes free) software, you can make your webcam a motion sensing security camera that uploads photos to a website when it detects activity.

Objectives: Learn how to set up the camera using EvoCam for Mac and YawCam for Windows as examples. Learn how to FTP the images to a website. Learn how to configure for motion sensing. Learn about other uses of a webcam...including time lapse photography, video conferencing.

Why Mac?

Description:

If you switch to a Mac, your life will change. In some ways, for the better. You will spend far less time worrying about viruses and security. You will be impressed by the seamless way that programs integrate with each other and with the hardware. In other ways, your life will get harder. The local tech support guy may give you a hard time. Some of the websites you visit will treat you badly. You won't be able to pick up a software program at WalMart, and when your computer needs fixing, it will probably need to be shipped somewhere. Some PC programs, especially games, come out later for the Mac, and some never arrive. Given all of these disadvantages, why is customer satisfaction with Apple higher than with any other PC vendor? Choosing a Mac requires more commitment than buying a cheap, no-name brand PC, but your relationship with your computer might just be a lot more satisfying. Download the PowerPoint notes here.

Objectives:

Review Apple's history of innovation. Consider the pros and cons of using a Mac. Discuss dual boot solutions such as VMWare and Boot Camp. Look at total cost of ownership and satisfaction studies. Discuss ways of getting support, software, etc. once you make the switch.

Wikis

Description:

A wiki is a collaborative website which can be directly edited by anyone with access to it. One of the best-known wikis is Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia whose content is contributed by its users. At NAU, a variety of wiki tools are in use, including Confluence, PB Wiki, WetPaint, and the collaborative online Office Suite, Google Docs and more recently Google Sites. In this workshop, we will explore PB Wiki, a free collaborative tool with sophisticated editing features that is easy to learn and use. We will contrast PBWiki with GoogleDocs and Google Sites and discuss instances where each tool might be the best choice. For the purposes of this workshop, I have created a public wiki you can explore. The address is http://elctraining.pbwiki.com

Objectives:

Create an account. Build a simple wiki. Add some users. Use the WYSIWYG editor to modify formatting. Add additional pages. Add images and tables.

Wimba Voice Tools

Description:

Give your online classes a voice! Perfect for language learning and creating vocal exercises in any subject, Wimba's web-based voice tools facilitate and promote vocal instruction, collaboration, coaching, and assessment. Increase the interaction and student engagement level of any online class by allowing faculty and students to easily embed vocal interactions into Bb Vista.

Objectives:

Windows Security

Description: Learn how to keep your Windows computer stable, fast, and secure. This workshop covers virus protection, spam filtering, spyware and adware removal, and other security and performance optimization tips. If you bring your laptop, we can do a hands-on optimization. Download the PowerPoint notes for this presentation.

Objectives: Attendees will install, configure and run Sophos Anti-Virus software. Attendees will configure and use Windows Update. Attendees will install, configure and run SpyBot. Attendees will examine their NAU spam filtering options. Attendees will learn to spot phishing schemes and other hoaxes.

Wireless Internet

Description: Free wi-fi access points are springing up at coffee shops and in buildings all over campus. Learn how it works (in non-technical language), how it might affect your teaching, and how to configure your laptop to securely go wireless. Download the PowerPoint notes for this session.

Objectives: Attendees will learn the terminology of wireless, how to connect to a WAP, how to connect to the NAU VPN and will discuss potential applications of wireless technology for instruction.

Word-Track Changes

Description:

You can use Word to collaborate with colleagues, grade papers, or foster group work by turning on the "Track Changes" function. When you do, your edits will be flagged for review by your collaborators. You can also insert notes with comments into the text. During this workshop, we will also discuss the potential of Google Docs for simultaneous editing of shared documents.

Notes are available for this workshop.

Objectives:

Discuss uses of the tool. Demonstrate how to turn on the track changes function, insert notes, review changes, accept or reject changes. Discuss pros and cons of Word's Track Changes function vs. Google Docs.

e-mail tips and tricks

Description:

Sure, you've been using e-mail for a while. In fact, some of the people who have been using it longest say it's dead. But here are some tips and tricks to enhance the experience. Learn some common e-mail dos and don'ts. Use CC and BCC effectively. Consider styled vs. unstyled messages. How should you format your email messages? When you reply, do you put your response at the top or the bottom of the message? Consider effective use of the subject line. Understand the difference between Reply-To and Reply-All. Set message priority. Consider the size and type of file attachments you send. Learn how to adjust your spam settings, create filters that put all messages from a person or group in a separate folder, set up your e-mail client for off-campus use (you'll need the VPN), add other e-mail accounts to your client so you can check your work and personal mail from one program. Learn to import/export your address book. Create mail groups so you can send to one address and everyone gets the message. Bring your questions. Some of the discussion will be general, but we will use NAU's IRIS and Outlook (for Windows) and/or Entourage (for Mac) as the basis for most examples. If there is interest in other clients like Thunderbird or Apple Mail, we can take a look.

Objectives:

eBeam Smartboard

Description: eBeam is a hardware/software combination (for Mac and Windows) that turns any whiteboard into a Smartboard. Project your computer screen onto the whiteboard with an LCD projector and control the computer from the board, using a special "marker" that works like a mouse as well as a writing tool. This modestly priced device allows you to capture notes, control software, and mark up content.

Objectives:

eInstruction Clickers

Description:

This training will give you an overview of eInstruction's classroom response system and how this system will be supported at NAU. We will cover installation and setup of the software and basic use of the clickers. Please review information about clickers at NAU before attending.

Objectives:

Learn how to install clicker software and configure your system. Learn how to use the software to write questions. Learn how to query the software for results. Learn how to engage your students using the clickers.

iDVD

Description: Take your iMovie and format it to play on any DVD player. Includes titles, menus, section navigation.

Objectives: Ken, Jake, Ryan

iPod, iPad & iTunes

Description:

Did you know that Duke University gives an iPod, loaded with instructional content, to every incoming freshman? Have you noticed all the students walking around campus with the white ear-bud headphones? Ever wonder what you might be missing? Learn about legal music downloads and the music player everyone is talking about. Get your hands on an iPad. Learn about the App store. Tablets are looking like the next big thing.

Notes

Objectives:

Learn the history of the MP3. Explore iTunes software. Rip a cd. Download a podcast. Upload to iPod.

iTunes U -- Creating Audio Podcasts with Audacity (Windows)

Description:

Audacity is a free software package for Windows that allows you to easily record and edit audio that may be saved in file formats that can be uploaded directly into iTunes U.  This workshop will introduce you to the software, show you how to download and install it on your own computer, and will give you hands-on experience in recording and editing your own audio podcasts. 

NOTE: This workshop is for Windows users only; other workshops will focus on software for the Mac.

Objectives:

Become familiar with Audacity software.  Learn how to find, download and install Audacity.  Use Audacity to record an audio podcast.  Save the podcast in a format that may be uploaded directly into iTunes U.

iTunes U -- Creating Audio Podcasts with Garageband (Mac)

Description:

Garageband is a software package that comes included with the Mac operating system.  It allows you to easily record and edit audio that may be saved in file formats that can be uploaded directly into iTunes U.  This workshop will introduce you to the software and will give you hands-on experience in recording and editing your own audio podcasts.

NOTE: This workshop is for Mac users only; other workshops will focus on software for Windows.

Objectives:

Become familiar with Garageband software.  Use Garageband to record an audio podcast.  Save the podcast in a format that may be uploaded directly into iTunes U.

iTunes U -- Uploading and Managing iTunes U

Description:

iTunes U is a convenient and powerful way to deliver rich content to your students, colleagues, and the public.  This workshop will teach you how to upload materials -- audio, video and documents -- to NAU's iTunes U site.  It will also explain the access levels available to you and other visitors to your iTunes U site, and will guide you through modifying those levels.

NOTE: Please be familiar with iTunes U before enrolling in this workshop.  We recommend that you first take iTunes U @ NAU -- Introduction and/or one of the Creating Podcasts workshops first.

Objectives:

Upload various types of files to iTunes U.  Move and organize files on your iTunes U site.  Understand iTunes U access levels.  Edit individual and group access permissions.

iTunes U @ NAU -- An Introduction

Description:

Northern Arizona University debuted its iTunes U site in Spring 2008.  This workshop introduces attendees to iTunes and iTunes U, and we will discuss ways in which you could use iTunes to deliver content to your students, your colleagues, and even the general public.  If you have ever thought about podcasting or using iTunes U, this workshop is for you!

Objectives:

Locate and access NAU's iTunes U site.  Identify ways in which iTunes U might benefit your instruction or department goals.  Be able to discuss pros and cons of podcasting and iTunes U.

iTunes U @ NAU -- Public iTunes U

Description:

This workshop is required to get access to upload content to a departmental iTunes U Public shell.  The workshop will cover the guidelines and policies for content on the iTunes U Public site.  It will also teach you how to upload content to your department's iTunes U Public shell and managage that shell. 

If you have never created a podcast you will want to think about taking one or more of the following workshops:

• iTunes U -- Creating Audio Podcasts with Garageband (Mac)
• iTunes U -- Creating Audio Podcasts with Audacity (Windows)
• Camtasia Studio (for enhanced podcasts)

Objectives:

• Understand of the guidelines for content on the iTunes U Public site.  
• Understand what a podcast is and some possible uses.
• Upload different types of files to iTunes U and know what files iTunes U will accept. 
  
• Manage those files and the the iTunes U shell.