IAS eFellows Summer Institute

Posted on by tconaway

We’re in the third week of the eFellows Summer Institute with 12 faculty from Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences (IAS) participating. The IAS eFellows Summer Institute is a response to findings from the 2018 report from the IAS Evening Degree Task Force. The Task Force found that many IAS students struggle to find balance between work, home and school life and yet they sincerely want to further their education.  In the report, students indicated that they needed greater flexibility in the scheduling of courses and that online learning was one way to enhance IAS’ responsiveness to students’ needs. This program represents a collaboration between the Office of Digital Learning & Innovation (DLI) and IAS to support the development of online options for core IAS courses. Most courses will be taught in an online format during the 2019-2020 year.The Institute is being co-chaired by Susan Harewood (IAS) and Andreas Brockhaus (DLI) with the expert assistance of the rest of DLI team.

The Institute has been full of great conversation, learning and extensive online work as participants begin to create their online courses. Our main themes have focused on student engagement and instructor presence, and we’re using Quality Matters (QM) to help guide the design of the courses. We’ve covered topics like online discussions, group work, assessments, accessibility, video creation, rubrics, and of course lots of Canvas tips and best practices.

After the Summer Institute, faculty will continue to work with the DLI office to develop their courses, with a key goal being that each course will pass a QM review prior to being taught. The DLI has greatly enjoyed the opportunity to work closely with this faculty cohort, and look forward to seeing more online opportunities for students in the near future!

 

 

PressEd Conference 2019

Posted on by thomana

Todd Conaway, our DLI instructional designer presented at the multi-national PressED Conference on Thursday the 18th of April. The Presentation focused on the use of WordPress as a tool for delivering information to both conference audiences and classroom audiences. You can see the complete presentation below.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Delivering Effective EdTech Tools for Students and Instructors

Posted on by uwbdl

Image source: Pexels

With the introduction of the computer and internet in the late 20th century, online learning tools and delivery methods expanded. In fact, the rapid development of new educational tools has helped reshape the classroom in many higher education institutions. Also, when evaluating the effectiveness of these tools students and instructors should consider how improves or influences classroom creativity, workflow, and engagement.

According to an article published on EdSurge [1], defining a great tool or technology requires “continual” amount of feedback from both students and educators. While these definitions change with time, its core characteristic of facilitating student engagement appears in reviews. Students and instructors want time to learn how to use new technologies and want manufacturers to listen to their feedback; moreover, this is particularly true of products and services that receive updates or consistently release new versions. Users also want to see EdTech that is focused on learning design and solves real pain-points in the learning process; this means narrowing the focus of the development process to address specific, expressed needs. Regardless, online learning is here to stay. As the development of computers continues to be integrated into daily life, education technology will continue to become increasingly viable and accessible.

For more information, read the full article on EdSurge.

References

[1] T. Higgins, “What Makes a Good EdTech Tool Great?,” EdSurge: Technology in School, July 21, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-07-21-what-makes-a-good-edtech-tool-great [Accessed August 6, 2018].

Voice Activated Learning Devices to Enhance the Classroom Experience

Posted on by uwbdl

Image source: Pixabay

There is a surprising divide in education over the role of voice-activated learning assistants in the classroom. The uses of modern AI technologies such as the Amazon Alexa and Google Home are becoming more widespread in many students’ homes; however, using these voice assistants as an EdTech tool at a university level suggests a different tale for the higher education space. Critics of voice-activated AI devices raised some concerns over the privacy of students around the devices, and one of Amazon’s representative even went as far as to say that “[Amazon’s] voice assistant devices were not intended for the classroom [1].” In fact, both Google and Amazon similarly tell EdSurge that their voice assistant devices are focused on providing exceptional smart home experiences [1].

However, educators have found reasons to include the devices in their classroom. Some educators argue that their students will spend more time in learning environments that make use of voice assistants, and that students would—and should—know how to best operate and communicate them ethically. One educator found that voice assisted devices both helped bridge gaps as well as improved the learning experience for English Second Language students. For instance, voice assistants in any educational context provide language learners a powerful educational resource to develop their speaking and listening skills—which is something traditional search lacks [1]. Whether or not they belong in the classroom or at home, these devices have proven to provide a more engaging learning environment and help transform the way we interact with technology [2].

For more information, read the full article on EdSurge.

References

[1] T. Nazerian, “Do Voice Assistant Devices Have a Place in the Classroom,” EdSurge.com, July 11, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-07-11-do-voice-assistant-devices-have-a-place-in-the-classroom [Accessed July 30, 2018].

[2] C. FellingHam, “Alexa’s role as the platform for educational goods will push Amazon into Educational services,” Medium.com, September 6, 2017. [Online]. Available: https://medium.com/human-learning/alexa-amazons-trojan-horse-as-an-education-platform-8e284d7e3ca0 [Accessed July 30, 2018].

eLearning Symposium Demonstrations

Posted on by tconaway
symposium demonstrations

There are so many opportunities today to share, to create, and to collaborate in and out of traditional classroom environments. Some of the tools we are sharing today highlight the potential we have available to us as faculty, and as learners. As you will see, some tools create content or share our work and some tools are created by others and can help us deliver materials to students.

DLI logo

The DLI can help you use these tools and put you in touch with other faculty using them. We can help you incorporate them in a meaningful way into your courses. Let us know how we can help!

UW logo

UDAL Anniversary

Posted on by thomana
Happy Anniversary message surrounded by colorful ballons

Happy 1st anniversary UDAL!

June marks the anniversary of UDAL, Universal Design for Active Learning – A UW Bothell Initiative.

Andreas Brockhaus, Director of Learning Technologies at UW Bothell, coined the acronym UDAL (Universal Design for Active Learning) in 2016 as a UW Bothell Learning Technologies effort to integrate Universal Design for Learning principles in supporting student active learning and engagement.

UDAL comprises principles, research and best practices of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) with added emphasis on learner engagement and physical spaces. This amazing initiative is being integrated in faculty development, student support materials, online and hybrid course design, classroom design and faculty learning communities.

UDAL promotes:

  • Equitable access to electronic materials
  • Use of best practices in course design and pedagogies
  • Active learning and engagement

May 15-19, 2017, we celebrated the first annual Global Accessibility Awareness Week (GAAW), an event that had tremendous success. Thanks to the support of UW Bothell campus IT, Advancement and Web Communications, Disability Resources for Students, the UW campus Access Technology Center, DO-IT and Bookstore as well as the participation from the UW Bothell campus community.  Thank you all for making this event great!

As of June 5, 2017, UW Bothell has thirteen IT Accessibility Liaisons, staff members from diverse areas of campus who are energetic and excited to promote universal design and accessibility.

Are you interested in becoming an IT Accessibility Liaison? Any faculty or staff member at UW Bothell can apply. For more information, please contact Ashley Magdall or Ana Thompson.

UW Bothell UDAL page

UW Bothell IT Accessibility Liaisons page

Education Technology in the Next Decade

Posted on by uwbdl

Image source: Pexels

Considering how technology has infiltrated the classroom to the benefit, and dismay, of some students and teachers, it’s hard not to imagine how the classroom will evolve over the next ten years. While the classroom experience has been around a lot longer the technological tools we have incorporated into it, it seems that the role of education is now being led in part, by innovations such as AI teaching assistants or interactive environments. Higher education institutions have yet to design degree paths for careers in new fields such as Data Science that is being driven by advances in new technology [1]. Students understandably want to see a return on their education investment and universities wish to provide them with the skills employers are looking for but the question that remains is how education and technology can grow with one another while both are rapidly evolving.

Technology within the classroom will continue to imitate how we learn outside of the classroom [1]. Apps that help learn languages or videos and tutorials that break challenging material up into easy to digest segments will continue to drive the use of mobile technology for learning on-the-go. Collaborative environments that push students to achieve their learning outcomes together with one another will make the classroom more interactive. Digital workspaces, online assessment tools, and video lectures will make give students more access to content and course material and allow professors more time to engage with students in the classroom [1]. Ultimately, education technology is reshaping the skills required in the workplace at a much faster rate than ever before, leading employees to continue to sharpen their skills even after graduation.

For more information, read the full article on Campus Technology.

References

[1] R. Kelly, “7 Ed Tech Trends to Watch in 2018,” Campus Technology, January 11, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://campustechnology.com/articles/2018/01/11/7-ed-tech-trends-to-watch-in-2018.aspx.

Makerspaces to Optimize Learning in Higher Education

Posted on by uwbdl

Image source: Pixabay

Universities are taking a new approach in offering their students environments that foster teamwork and fuel creativity for their students. According to an article published on Curiousitycommon, the term “maker learning” is used to describe humans’ natural desire to make things with their hands, and makerspaces allow students the perfect place to do just that [1]. Moreover, many students hear the word “makerspaces” and think of cutting edge technology like 3D printing, but Makerspaces offer so much more than the creation of new exciting gadgets. They provide students with a place to develop new skills at their leisure and change the learning process from a traditional, passive learning approach to a more active and innovative one [1]. In an article published on EdTech, makerspaces “[serve] as a model for kickstarting campus imagination” [2]. They provide a learning and innovative space for students to take risks, explore new ideas, and generate solutions; this enables students to take control of their education beyond the classroom setting,  and apply their educational, problem-solving, and technical skills to solve a variety of complex real-world problems.

Makerspaces incorporate a wide variety of technology from modular, magnetic building blocks to web-based 3D modeling applications. The diverse assortment of tools and readily-available crafting materials give students an avenue to explore new technologies at their level of interest. By and large, Makerspaces act as a hub for students to meet and work on either collaborative or individual projects [1]. They will continue to attract all kinds of students with all interests from programmers and engineers to woodworkers and graphic designers.

For more information, read the full article at curiositycommons.com.

References

[1] “Makerspaces: the Benefits,” Curiositycommons: of Libraries and Learning, 2015. [Blog]. Available: https://curiositycommons.wordpress.com/makerspaces-the-benefits/ [Accessed July 13, 2018].

[2] M. Delaney, “Making Makerspaces Work on Campus,” EdTech: Focus on Higher Education, February 11, 2015. [Online]. Available:  https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2015/02/making-makerspaces-work-campus [Accessed July 13, 2018].

Enhancing the Classroom Learning Experience with Smart Glasses

Posted on by uwbdl

Image source: Pixabay

Smart glasses are making a comeback and finding new use cases in the education sector. Though it has been a few years since Google Glass became one of the first to enter the market, there has remained minimal widespread in the adoption of AR and VR technology. Researchers and educators, however, have been working on ways to integrate smart glasses to benefit learning in the classroom setting. For example, students using smart glasses who may be shy or hesitant to ask a question in front of their peers could use smart glasses to discreetly message their teacher who could in return, use their smart glasses to host a poll to see if other students are having trouble grasping the material.

Coupled with VR and AR, smart glasses could bring to the class to previously inaccessible areas like the Large Hadron Collider or the Pyramids of Giza.

In fact, according to an article published in the EdTechTimes [1]:

[V]irtual environment[s] [are] being pushed as a way of teaching real-world skills in a safe control environment[s] before trying them in the general public . . . While all of these aides and therapies are fairly new, they all show promise to become wider spread tools of special education technology in homes and classrooms to assist children with special needs gain a better education and interact in more social situations.

These types of interactive lessons could be enhanced to allow students to participate in simulated environments like operating rooms or outer space. Students with visual impairment will soon benefit from glasses that can recognize text and read it back to the wearer [1]. The article shares therapeutic and innovative examples of integrating creative technologies in the classroom to promote equity in the classroom environment.

For more information, read the full article on EdTechTimes.

References

[1] J. Puskar, “Smart Glasses Find New Use in Special Education Technology,” EdTechTimes, February 20, 2018. [Online]. Available:  https://edtechtimes.com/2018/02/20/smart-glasses-find-new-use-in-special-education-technology/ [Accessed July 9, 2018].

Guiding Creativity to New Heights with Drone Technology

Posted on by uwbdl

Image source: Pixabay

To benefit from learning and research, colleges and universities have traditionally acted as support foundations for innovation with new emerging technology. With the rise of drone technology, many campuses are exploring new ways to incorporate drones into campus life and the learning process.

According to an article published in EdTech [1]:

The number of drones used privately and commercially is skyrocketing. The Federal Aviation Administration forecasts the number of private drones will double to 2.4 million by 2022, while commercial drones will grow from 110,604 in 2017 to 451,800 in 2022.

In other words, the growth of drone technology will create more avenues for existing and prospective students to benefit education, design, engineering, and recreation in the classroom [1]. For example, students majoring in the engineering fields may look into making lighter, faster drones while those studying chemistry may research creating more efficient batteries.

In either case, drone technology is becoming cheaper to purchase, and universities across the nation will continue to explore new ways of implementing the transformative technology to benefit their campuses and students.

For more information, read the full article on EdTech.

References

[1] E. Zimmerman, “4 Ways Drones Bring College Campuses to New Heights,” EdTech: Focus on Higher Education, June 21, 2018. [Online]. Available:  https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2018/06/4-ways-drones-bring-college-campuses-new-heights [Accessed July 9, 2018].