2024 Agenda & Recordings

All sessions via Zoom webinar on this day.

• 9:00 - 9:30 AM: Bridging Borders, Building Skills: The Power of Virtual Exchange in Education -  Faculty Panel

  • • We will present on the practical implementation of a Virtual Exchange in which Wilkes University students actively interact with students from institutions around the globe by completing a cross-disciplinary project, exchanging ideas and information, and developing a group presentation. Through real-life case studies, we showcase faculty planning stages, program execution, and student feedback. relevant to the demands of the globalized workplace. The variety of technologies students used was a vital component in students successful presentations. 

    • Format/ Location/ Audience: Panel Discussion /All Levels/F2F & Online Instructors

    • Zoom recording: https://wilkes.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=bfb88bf4-52b3-48cf-961e-b18d00f3404a

• 9:30 - 10:00 AM: Virtual Exchange Experiences for Faculty/Students - Kimberly Niezgoda, Kristine Pruett, Mona Pearl 

  • • We’ll continue the conversation about the Wilkes Virtual Exchange Program, connecting faculty and students with universities around the globe. Learn how to become a part of this global network, where you'll collaborate with international peers and help your students develop skills for a globalized future. After a general overview of the program, attendees will be introduced to digital tools used in the Virtual Exchange Program to facilitate seamless communication and project management across time zones and geographical locations. Instructions on how to participate, tips for successful participation, and an overview of the training materials available to prepare and support you through the experience will wrap it all up. Don't miss your chance to expand your academic horizons and forge lasting international connections.

    • Format/ Location/ Audience:  Presentation/All Levels/F2F & Online Instructors

    • Zoom recording: https://wilkes.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=bfb88bf4-52b3-48cf-961e-b18d00f3404a

• 10:15 - 11:00 AM: Ungraded: Grading With Contracts and Conferences  - Chelsea Chamberlain & Mischelle Anthony 

  • • Fight your grading fatigue and empower students by turning grading into a conversation. This presentation will offer ideas for shifting individual assignments and whole courses from an emphasis on numerical grades to focus instead on effort, feedback, and improvement. 

    • Format/ Location/ Audience: Presentation/ All levels/F2F & Online Instructors

    • Zoom recording: https://wilkes.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=f2f8dcab-7a9a-4053-8aed-b18d00fc4467

• 9:00 -10:15 AM: Challenges and Solutions in Teaching in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (75 min)  - Faculty panel

  • • Join some of your faculty colleagues as we explore various types of teaching challenges related to the use of artificial intelligence they encountered this year and how they chose to solve them. After each shares their experience, we will engage the audience to further the dialogue on how we address the use of artificial intelligence in our teaching, whether permitted or not. We look forward to a lively discussion on this rapidly evolving topic! We hope you will join us!  

    • Format/ Location/ Audience:  Panel Discussion /All Levels/ F2F & Online instructors/In-person Room: CSC 428

    • Zoom link: zoom.us/j/98959835978?pwd=M3FCeXorM3ExYndXYkNSaTl0WDlpZz09 

• 10:30 AM - 11:15 PM: "How did it do that?" A Look Inside the Brain of ChatGPT and Other Generative AI - Del Lucent

  • • Join us for a lecture and workshop in which we will explain the inner workings of generative artificial intelligence, in a way tailored for non-STEM faculty and staff. This session aims to demystify the terms used in the AI world and explain visually how a model is trained and deployed. Armed with this knowledge, we will explore how this understanding may be used to make informed decisions about how AI can affect our academic enterprise.

    • Format/ Location/ Audience: Presentation/ Zoom Session/All Levels/F2F & Online Instructors

    • Zoom link: zoom.us/j/97288437771?pwd=dnJyV1VOSTFlR1hCMnFHK2lZM0FtUT09 

• All sessions via Zoom webinar on this day.

• 9:00 - 9:45 AM: Tech Tools Two-fer! - Kristine Pruett & Kathy Lewis

  • • Join our OTTL staff for a demo of two different ‘Tech Tools’ you can incorporate into your courses. We will show you how to save any kind of content into beautiful collections you can share with your students using Wakelet. We’ll also demonstrate how to create collaborative ‘boards’ with Padlet to engage your students.                                                               

    • Format/ Location/ Audience:  Demonstration/All Levels/F2F & Online instructors

    • Zoom link: zoom.us/j/95345326023?pwd=TWNKUjBIK1ZVU2MwWlp3c1BHbkFEQT09 

• 10:00 - 10:30 AM: Building Bridges: The Importance of Relationships in Online Learning Environments  - Stephanie Wasmanski 

  • • In online learning environments, fostering meaningful relationships between students, instructors, and peers is paramount for creating engaging and successful learning experiences. This session explores the significance of relationships in online education, discuss strategies for building and maintaining these connections, and highlight the impact on student engagement and achievement. As the landscape of education continues to evolve, the role of relationships in online learning environments becomes increasingly crucial. This session will delve into the importance of building strong relationships in virtual classrooms, drawing on research, practical experience, and innovative approaches. 

    • Format/ Location/ Audience:  Presentation/All Levels/F2F & Online instructors

    • Zoom link: zoom.us/j/94668194212?pwd=bG9LQXlDeTJKZ1V6cW5salpxNTlxUT09 

• 10:45 - 11:15 AM: What's New in  D2L - OTTL Team

  • • Not sure what new features or functions are available in D2L/LIVE? Maybe you missed the monthly announcements of what's new. This 30 minute session wil give you a quick overview of the new features or enhancements added to Brightspace over the past 6-9 months. 

    • Format/ Location/ Audience:  Presentation/All Levels/F2F & Online Instructors

    • Zoom link: zoom.us/j/92108113605?pwd=NDIxenRHalY1VStxN2duN2x5VDA0Zz09 

• All sessions via Zoom webinar on this day.

• 9:00 - 9:45 AM: Making a Better Virtual Lecture, and Having Fun Doing it - Robert Eskra

  • • Creating a virtual lecture that not only informs but compels a student to continue watching is a common struggle. Whether it is for an online class, or simply an asynchronous replacement for a missed lecture, simply lecturing over a Power Point presentation no longer cuts it. Join me and learn to try to create a different sort of virtual lecture. One that informs, and entertains, and most importantly, gets watched. 

    • Format/ Location/ Audience: Demostration/All Levels/F2F & Online Instructors

    • Zoom link: zoom.us/j/98513485440?pwd=Nm14MEZtbG5mRVNPNkZrcGVveEJ6dz09 

• 10:00 - 10:45 AM: New LIVE Homepage Widgets - Joseph Nalbone

  • • We are all familiar with widgets in LIVE that organize information in convenient panels. But, did you know that the lowly widget is actually a source of creative enhancements for your courses? We will cover newly available, optional widgets that you can use to add visual appeal as well as better organization for your students. The new widgets are Multi-Profile, Slim Announcements, and Visual Table of Contents. Join us for an in-depth look at each of these new tools. 

    • Format/ Location/ Audience: Presentation & Demo/All Levels/Online Instructors

    • Zoom link: zoom.us/j/92615962835?pwd=bU8rcUM0RTZadEFGdUVvSU1SQ3I4Zz09 

• 11:00 - 11:45 AM: Engaging Compliance: Understanding Regular and Substantive Interaction in Online Courses  - Kristine Pruett

  • • If you teach online this session is necessary for you! Join us for an enlightening presentation on the essential federal regulations governing regular and substantive interaction in distance learning courses. Discover how these rules are designed to enhance the quality of online learning and ensure compliance. We’ll use examples and practical insights to help you gain a deep understanding of how to effectively implement these requirements to foster meaningful student engagement and uphold academic integrity. 

    • Format/ Location/ Audience:  Presentation/All Levels/F2F & Online Instructors

    • Zoom link: zoom.us/j/96263046788?pwd=YWJUek5weGZpcUtjczZBN3dPZzdKQT09 

• • All sessions today are via Zoom.

  • 9:00 - 9:45 AM: Simple Strategies to Improve Your Online Course  - OTTL Team

    • • Looking for small changes you can make to your online class that can have big impact? Lok no further! This session will share tips and strategies from the book, Small Teaching Online, that are easy to implement but can have significant impact on your students' engagement, learning and overall success. 

      • Format/ Location/ Audience: Presentation/All Levels/Online Instructors

      • Zoom link: zoom.us/j/94664719244?pwd=V0lLcjdNUmpsSUk0MG9YZ3huSTMzUT09 

  • 10:00 - 10:45 AM: Beyond Tests: Exploring Alternative Assessments  - Kathy Lewis

    • • This session will delve into the world of alternative assessments and explore innovative ways to evaluate student learning beyond traditional tests and exams. We will discuss a variety of strategies that promote deeper understanding, critical thinking, and authentic application of knowledge. We will explore how alternative assessments can not only deepen and promote authentic student learning experiences, but also bolster academic integrity while minimizing opportunities for cheating. 

      • Format/ Location/ Audience:  Presentation/All Levels/Online Instructors

      • Zoom link: zoom.us/j/99490580410?pwd=TEZrZms4bUJwb0R5cWNqVWRWV0I2QT09 

  • 11:00 - 11:30 AM: Exploring the Benefits of The Brightspace Community - OTTL Team

    • • Interested in learning more about how to use D2L and the tools in Brightspace? Maybe you are new to using it or just haven't mastered all the tools. Looking for where to find answers to your questions about how something works? All this and more can be found in the Brightspace Community! The OTTL staff will walk you through joining the community and then highlight the different areas and how you can use them to support your own professional development related to learning LIVE/D2L. When done you will wonder why you never joined sooner!

      • Format/ Location/ Audience: Presentation/All Levels/F2F & Online Instructors

      • Zoom link: zoom.us/j/92672714651?pwd=alNQRk42RFRqdHhQZCs3a3RuQWY5Zz09 

• • 9:00 - 12 PM: Course Building Bootcamp - Jason Wagner

    • • Brand new to using D2L? Then this is the session for you! This hands-on session, geared towards new faculty, will introduce you to the basic tools in D2L and guide you as you set up a basic structure online to support your course. An introduction to Panopto, the video management system, will also be provided. Bring your course materials with you and work as you go. 

      • Format/ Location/ Audience: Hands-on / Beginner focus / All instructors

      • Offered in-person - Breiseth Hall Computer Lab 105