Archives for October 2011

2011 SLATE Star Award

My colleagues and I with the NIU Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center received the 2011 SLATE Star Award in recognition of outstanding contributions and dedicated service to SLATE – Supporting Learning And Technology in Education. We were recognized and presented with the award at the 2011 SLATE Conference at the University of Chicago.
Stephanie Richter, Caroline Conlon, Ken Sakowski presenting award, Jason Rhode, Olga Urban
SLATE – Supporting Learning And Technology in Education, the Midwest Blackboard Users Group, was created from the concept that all institutions that are deploying and/or currently using Web-based components to enhance their teaching and learning activities, have the same questions, the same challenges, and the need for the same solutions. By drawing together the expertise of the people involved in the entire academic experience and those designing, supporting, and using these applications; faculty, support staff, systems administrators, instructional designers, librarians, and students – a broader and more accessible and dynamic support system could be established. The current membership of SLATE encompasses over 80 institutions including K-12, Higher Education, and the Corporate sector.

The SLATE mission is: To support learning and technology in education through communication, collaboration, and innovation while developing a community of practice.

The SLATE Star Award was established in 2004 as a way to recognize an individual who has shown leadership, demonstrated initiatives, presented new ideas, improved procedures, established effective relationships or provided substantial resources that have effected the success and promotion of SLATE, the educational experience, and/or the general Blackboard Community of Practice. For more information about SLATE, visit slategroup.uchicago.edu

Teaching with iPads: Tips and Techniques

Jason leading workshop
On September 16, 2011, I led a 4 hour hands-on workshop for faculty at Chicago State University titled, “Teaching with iPads: Tips and Techniques” where I shared tips and techniques for teaching with iPads. Faculty brought their own iPad and Google Account to participate! They were also asked to install the following free apps: Evernote, Google, Dropbox, ShowMe, iBooks, Qrafter, Audioboo.

The interactive online handout and resource site prepared for the session is available at j.mp/CSUiPads11

LMS Upgrade: Roadmap for Successful Implementation

Panel Discussion
The most recent upgrade to Blackboard 9.1 at Northern Illinois University has proven to be very successful and has been receiving a lot of positive feedback from faculty and teaching staff. This panel discussion led by NIU Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center staff at SLATE 2011 explored the strategies and practices that made the upgrade a success. We shared the logistics of the support plan, implementation timeline, and the publicity plan. Additionally, we discussed the testing strategies, approach to documentation and the training support offered to NIU faculty, staff and teaching assistants.

Those planning an upgrade for the own institutions can download copies of the upgrade documents from j.mp/NIULMS to customize and adopt them for their own needs.