Tuesday, December 9, 2014

PASSHE Virtual Conference

Anyone interested?

Transforming the Teaching & Learning Environment: the PASSHE Virtual Conference.  

During two weeks in February will be 60 one-hour interactive sessions, all delivered right to your computer or mobile device.  Plus, all the sessions are recorded so you can watch the ones you missed.  Topics include best practices for teaching online, assessment strategies, using social media in teaching, legal issues, flipped classroom, gamification, lecture capture, and more!  It’s a real value at only $60 for an individual registration.  Even better, we have an institutional registration for $150.  Everyone at your school can participate in the conference for that one fee.

Visit our conference website to see the list of sessions and to register.  

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

UK Moves to Canvas

The LMS Selection Committee, which began reviewing learning management system needs and usage in January 2014, has completed its work. The committee has recommended that UK no longer use Blackboard as its LMS after the contract ends on June 30, 2016, and it has endorsed Instructure’s Canvas for meeting the teaching and learning needs on this campus.

More information may be found at http://www.uky.edu/lmsreview/.  

Online Learning Consortium / MERLOT Call for Papers and Conference

The Online Learning Consortium (formerly Sloan Consortium), MERLOT, and our Emerging Technologies steering committee welcome you to the 8th Annual Emerging Technologies for Online Learning International Symposium (ET4Online), which will be held Dallas, TX on April 22-24, 2015.

Details:
http://olc.onlinelearningconsortium.org/conference/2015/et4online/welcome

Monday, November 10, 2014

Starfish 5.2 Update

The Starfish updgrade will begin Saturday, November 15 starting at 12:00 AM and will approximately 4 hours.

Click here to read more details about new features.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Starfish 5

Starfish 5 is coming soon.

  • “Raise Your Hand” allows a student to flag him/herself.
  • On-Screen Waiting Room.  A URL that shows wait the wait time is at a service center.
  • Tracking Tab more user friendly w/ roll over functionality and better filters.  
  • Better Filtering should allow us to identify student attributes like PTK or Honors

See screenshots here.


Thursday, October 23, 2014

Bb Grader

Device Requirements:
•iOS, iOS7, iOS8
•iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad 2, 3, or 4

Things I noticed: 
·         As an instructor in the Bb Grader app I couldn’t see what I entered under comments in an assignment as a test student
·         In the Bb Grader app inline grading annotation - comments can be added.  (Draw, highlight, text box, or strikethrough are not available.)

I think this app will come in very handy for those who need to grade on the go! Try it out.

Be sure to visit the feature guide AND  how to information to learn more about how to use the app.

from Lorraine Sturgeon at Owensville.


Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Blackboard October 2014 Update

Start Date:          December 19, 8:00 PM
Duration:             48 hours

KCTCS currently uses Bb Service Pack 13.  Bb has changed its update nomenclature to month and year of release.  KCTCS will be adopting the October 2014 release.

Beta has already begun an the verdict is that the new release is very stable.  While new features are present, most of the benefits appear on the back end with improved stability and functionality of existing features.  For example, Bb Collaborate no longer requires Java and will open without having to download and run a Java file.  SafeAssign is integrated with the gradebook.  An expanded student preview allows instructors to view the course as a student and even takes tests as a student.  Read more about features in Bb’s Mobile Learn Update, October 2014.


Looking ahead. . . Bb is beginning tests on a major interface change...but we would not see this for a year at least. . . 

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Collaborate Mobile 2.0 Beta Testers

Collaborate Mobile 2.0 Beta – Testers Wanted!
We are kicking off the Collaborate Mobile 2.0 Beta program next week and are looking for a focused group of participants. Please register here if you would like to participate.
 
What’s in 2.0
Collaborate Mobile v2.0 will have some added features and a fresh look and feel. Users will be able to:
·         Transmit and Receive Video
·         Participate in a Web Tour
·         Receive Multimedia Library Content (audio and video files pushed by the moderator)
·         Participate in Private and Group Chat
 
Program Dates
  • What? The Beta program is currently scheduled to kick off on Thursday, September 4th and will conclude Thursday, Oct 9th.  We will only meet during the kickoff, but testing will be continuous with weekly surveys to analyze feedback. Please register through this link-https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QG3LLGD.
  • Who? Collaborate users, specifically Faculty and Students. A limited number of both iOS and Android participants will be selected. We will reach out directly to those who are eligible to participate
  • What's the time commitment? Participants are expected to participate in weekly surveys to give feedback on experience
  • Requirements: The Beta programs require signature of a Beta Agreement by the institution. This agreement will be distributed before kickoff.
 
Additional questions? - Email marissa.dimino@blackboard.com

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Bb Analytics

Blackboard Analytics is a tool used to report student activity, engagement as well as inform about course design and development. Four course reports are available for all KCTCS instructors within the Control Panel > Evaluation area of the Blackboard course.

Looks promising...

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

KCTCS Proctor Resource Center Migration

Proctor Resource Center’s migration to the new SharePoint will happen August 8th.  That is after the latest date affecting Summer finals.  As soon as the migration is complete, how-to resources will be made available to out to faculty and proctors for the Fall semester.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Comp TIA CTT+ Boot Camp at Gateway

Learn how to successfully teach, present and facilitate in both a classroom and virtual classroom environment…at no cost to you.

Details here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B85Cus1e7sqsM1ZDZGlWTEsxbDQ/edit?usp=sharing

Friday, June 6, 2014

Student evaluation of instruction code Key

Here is the key for BCTC student evaluations of instruction:




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thursday, May 8, 2014

CPCC C³ Competition

The CPCC Contest is now accepting proposals through May 15th. The theme this year is "Create, Collaborate, Communicate". They're looking for creative uses of Collaborate at both the institutional and individual levels. For more information and to submit a proposal please see the CPCC Contest website: http://www.techforcega.org/cpcc/Default.aspx

You can contact Sarah Hepler, shepler@highlands.edu, if you have questions.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

WCET Competency Based Education

Another PD event...


WCET Big Audacious Conversation About Competency-Based Education, March 13
Move over MOOCs, the hot topic in 2014 is competency-based education. CBE is becoming more mainstream.  What are some of the important considerations? What are some of the lessons learned that could help your institution and students?

Join us for a Big Audacious Conversation webcast about competency-based education led by Vernon Smith, special consultant to the provost for online programs at Mount St. Mary’s College, Mary Alice McCarthy, senior policy analyst with the New America Foundation, and Linda Howdyshell, college provost and senior vice president for academics and student success at Broward College.
This webcast is provided free and open to all, but space is limited. Register today for the WCET webcast, "Big Audacious Conversation About Competency-Based Education" on March 13 at 11:00 AM MDT/1:00 PM EDT. The webcast will run for 60 minutes.

Monday, March 3, 2014

KCTCS Teaching and Learning with Technology Institute

Please join us in April as KCTCS and The Office for Professional Development and Innovation hosts regional Teaching & Learning with Technology Institutes! The Institute will be held at 3 locations across the state and will offer the same tracks and sessions to ensure consistent information is shared among all faculty and staff. During lunch you'll be able to participate in roundtable discussions and visit with partners and vendors of educational technology and products. Whether you teach online, on-campus, or a combination, you are sure to find sessions that will spark creative ideas for your courses.

The 4 Teaching and Learning tracks are:
  • Pedagogy - sessions on pedagogy include topics like Engaging Students, Learning Styles and modes of instruction
  • Assessments - these sessions will give you ideas and tools for improving course assessments and managing grading tools such as rubrics and online grade centers
  • Instructional Resources: Creating and Curating Content - sessions in this track include tools, technology and ideas to spice up your current course content
  • Best Practices: Tips, Tricks & Shortcuts - this track has a variety of topics to help you manage your courses, use engaging content and go further with web 2.0 and social tools
The event is free for all KCTCS faculty and staff, but you will need to get approval from your local college for travel reimbursement.

Register now as space is limited!
April 4 @ Henderson
April 11 @ Jefferson (Southwest Campus)

April 25 @ Ashland (Technology Campus)

Monday, January 13, 2014

Test Exceptions

FYI, Bb SP 13 contains a new Text Exception feature that makes it much easier to allow for time extensions.  Connie Rine, the college eMentors or Ben can show you to use it.  See additional info below: