But there is this pandemic thing. What do we do if the college has to close because of the COVID-19? We know quite a few campuses have already closed and others are taking measures in case they have to. In this post, I do not want to discuss what our institutional response should be. You[…]
That was some clickbait, wasn’t it? It will be worth it, I promise. Colleagues, here is a problem I have faced for a long time: I use a lot of video materials (hello, PBS Frontline!), but my students do not know how to watch videos. That’s right. They can sit and watch something but not[…]
Infographics are everywhere these days, from Twitter feeds to cereal boxes. And with good reason: they make it easy to share data and important information in an easily digestible and engaging format. Infographics might look complicated to make but in reality, anyone, even those who aren’t design experts, can make one. The process can actually[…]
Even if you don’t know the term, if you’ve used a computer in the past couple of decades you’ve seen an avatar. Avatars are digital graphical representations of the user, either as themselves or an alter ego, in both 2-D (like a BitMoji) and 3-D forms (like in Second Life). Today, avatars are used everywhere[…]
By and large, technology has been an incredible tool for learners with a disability, improving their independence and allowing them to utilize resources that they wouldn’t have had access to in years past. However, it hasn’t been a perfect solution. Many types of tech also come with barriers that can make it difficult for those[…]
Not every course can or should be an online or hybrid course. However, that doesn’t mean that instructors can’t take advantage of the variety of teaching and learning opportunities afforded by the Web, and by extension, Blackboard. Here, you’ll learn why web-enhancement can be a boon to your students’ learning and your productivity alike, and[…]
This is the final part in our series on giving online students feedback. This time around, we’ll discuss how you can make time for giving feedback and what you need to do to figure out where you can improve your feedback. Let’s get started! Making Time for Feedback By now, you’re probably thinking, “Well all[…]
First gaining attention back in 2004, by tech world standards podcasts are practically dinosaurs. Yet despite all of the flashy, fun new technology and media that has launched in the intervening decade, podcasts have only grown in popularity, both as a forum for entertainment and a tool for education. Some, like the recent Serial, have[…]
This is the second part in a series of articles about giving feedback. The first time we focused on why good feedback is important and what defines good feedback. This time, we’ll focus on what you can do to improve the feedback you give and the elements your feedback should contain. See Part I here.[…]
Are your students more interested in checking Facebook or playing Candy Crush than the material you’re covering? While mobile devices have long been verboten in the college classroom, if students are prioritizing time killers over learning, the problem may not really be the phone. After all, if students aren’t interested, they don’t need a phone[…]