Let’s pack up our stuff, and prepare to make the move to our new online home, Canvas! What do you do when you prepare to move? Plan, clean, pack, and make the move! In this four-part series, we will share some tips for making the transition easier.  In case you missed it, check out Part One of the series, all about Planning . Today's post is all about cleaning up Blackboard, because why bring along stuff you don't need or use? Cleaning   In this second phase of the moving cycle, we discuss how to clean-up before you make the move to Canvas! It will help you in the future to only have moved what is essential, rather than moving everything.  First, we’ll cover the items that will not transfer to Canvas from Blackboard. Then, we will share the top six areas you need to consider cleaning up before you move your Blackboard course to Canvas. What will not transfer Most things will transfer from Blackboard to Canvas, but it is good to be mindful of those that do not....

In this week's TeachTech Webinar, we were lucky to have Jason Neenos from UTO and Lynda Mae from Psychology lead us through a presentation on using gamification and competition to engage students in the content of the course. Dr. Mae discussed the use of dopamine in the brain, and how our best students are intrinsically motivated through achievement, mastery and status. This works well for leaderboards in video games, and can be used in our classrooms. She uses a unique number for each student that only they can identify in order to provide a FERPA-approved leader board. Competitive Activities can include in-class practice exams, and quick formative checks of new material. It provides not only feedback to students, but also the instructor as to what topics may need additional review or more time for instruction. Jason Neenos wrapped up the webinar with information and a demonstration with Kahoots , a terrific quizzing tool that students can use their smart phones and la...

Let’s pack up our stuff, and prepare to make the move to our new online home, Canvas! What do you do when you prepare to move? Plan, clean, pack, and make the move! In this four-part series, we will share some tips for making the transition easier. Planning  When you’re moving, you want to make sure you know all the tasks that should be done to make the move. The planning phase of the move to Canvas includes knowing dates, resources, and training sessions that are available. You will also want to request a DEV “sandbox” Canvas course , so that you can begin to get to know Canvas and even move over one of your Blackboard courses (we will cover this in parts 3 and 4 of this series). Here's a checklist for you to plan your move to Canvas! Important Dates for Canvas November 16, 2018 - Last day to request migration of Spring A O-courses.  March 16, 2019  - Last day to request a copy of a Blackboard course to Blackboard. May 6, 2019  - Last day to teach ...

Our October webinar was hosted by Jen Mansfield and Andrew Salcido, who joined us from the Fulton School of Engineering at ASU. Both shared that future engineers need to be able to engage constructively with peers - be it in a room full of fellow students or in a online setting! To address this fundamental skill, learning activities are purposely designed to foster thoughtful conversations across the engineering curriculum. click on slide The first part of the webinar focused on creating quality online discussions for courses with small and large enrollment. Helpful strategies that were shared include: (a) engaging prompts; (b) providing structure & roles; and (c) setting expectations. In addition, the audience shared a few examples from different subject areas, such as engineering and history. The second part of the webinar focus on 'Tips & Trick' for Canvas, ASU's new LMS. Instructors and students can now subscribe to and participate in discussions i...

Today's blog is written by Logan Gin, PhD Student in Biology and Society, and member of Sara Brownell's Biology Education Research Lab What are bridge programs? The transition to college can be difficult for students from a variety of different backgrounds as they attempt to adjust to the rigor of college courses, adapt to a novel university setting, and become members of a university community. Summer bridge programs, sometimes called boot camps or early start programs, have been developed as a way to ease the academic and social transition to college. They are intensive experiences for incoming students that can provide early exposure to the opportunities, knowledge, and skills it takes to succeed in college. How can bridge programs help STEM students? Surprisingly, there is limited research on the goals and effectiveness of bridge programs. A recent review of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) bridge programs (Ashley, Cooper, Cala, and Brownell, 2017)...