Free Coursera MOOC - Learn the Basics of Developing an Inclusive & Accessible Course
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The deadline to submit a proposal for the Maryland Open Source Textbook (M.O.S.T.) initiative 2019 High-impact OER Mini-Grant Program has been extended by one week to Friday, March 22, 2019. Learn more about the Mini-Grant Program below, review the planning document and application questions, and submit a proposal through the online application.
M.O.S.T. is pleased to announce the call for proposals for the 2019 High-impact OER Mini-Grant Program to strategically support Maryland public higher education institutions’ efforts to increase access, affordability, and achievement for students through the incorporation of open educational resources (OER) into teaching practice. This year, the Mini-Grant Program will support projects in the following categories:
Watch a recording of the informational webinar and learn more about the program and previous recipients here.
Please share this information with interested faculty and staff. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at MOST@usmd.edu.
Thank you for your support in advancing OER adoption across your institution and across the state.
To support UMBC’s ongoing commitment to a more inclusive campus, DoIT is pleased to introduce a new tool called Ally into Ultra courses to help improve the accessibility of course content in Blackboard.
Ally automatically scans course content and performs a series of steps to make that content more accessible. Faculty who use Ultra courses will notice color gauges next to course files. Click on the Ally indicator to read detailed feedback about what the accessibility issues are with the file, why they matter, and how to fix them. Ally will not change how anything works in an existing course, and it won’t affect any course files. These Ally indicators are not visible to students.
Improving the accessibility of your course content will not only help ensure students with different abilities can access your materials, but it will also improve the learning experience for students who use mobile devices as well as those who want to engage with the material in a different way. Ally automatically generates alternative formats of your course files, and makes them available to you and your students. The alternative formats do not affect your original file, but they do allow students to access an HTML version for their phone, an ePub version for their tablet, an MP3 version for audio, and electronic braille for braille readers.
Both Instructional Technology staff and the Office of Accessibility & Disability Services (ADS) staff have been trained to support Ally questions. ADS is also available to assist in document remediation and other accessibility questions. Finally, the Ally FAQ collection is available for reference.
As always, if you have any questions, please consider the following options:
Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups
Request a consult with instructional technology staff
Free Coursera MOOC - Learn the Basics of Developing an Inclusive & Accessible Course
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On Friday, March 1, 2019, DoIT's Instructional Technology Team held its 4th annual TechFest. As part of TechFest, participants were asked to complete evaluation surveys for each of the three presentation sessions and the escape room and a final survey evaluating the event as a whole. For each completed survey, participants were automatically entered into a raffle. We are pleased to announce the winners of the TechFest raffles:
Session A Winner: Deborah P. Webb, Assistant Director of Supplemental Instruction, Learning Resources Center - Amazon Echo Dot
Session B Winner: Stephanie Lazarus, Accessibility Manager & ADA Coordinator - Amazon Echo Dot
Session C Winner: Jessica McMurtrie, Program Management Specialist, Human Resources - Amazon Echo Dot
Escape Room Winner: Aieda Solomon, Senior - Amazon Echo Dot
Deep Dive Evaluation Winner: Cassie Hoddinott, LRC Director, Learning Resources Center - Amazon Echo Dot
Since the beginning of the Fall 2018 term, faculty have had the option to adopt the Blackboard Ultra Experience for their courses. All faculty who opted into the Ultra course interface in the Fall 2018 and Spring 2019 terms were automatically entered into a raffle for an Amazon Fire HD Tablet. The winner of the Early Adopter raffle is Mariajose Castellanos, Lecturer and Undergraduate Program Director in Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering!
Congratulations to all of our winners!
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Early adoption is growing at UMBC as more than 100 faculty opted to use the new Ultra Course View during the SP2019 semester. An additional 25 faculty tried Ultra using the sandbox shells created for exploring the new course interface.
Compared to FA2018, Ultra adoption increased by more than 900% -- from 14 courses to 145 courses. UMBC faculty also use Blackboard differently than most schools, further demonstrating ongoing engagement in innovation.
Although Ultra does not support all features and tools currently in the Original version of Blackboard Learn, many faculty jumped into Ultra to benefit from the streamlined workflows. “I love that the grades don't post until I post them,” said Kate Drabinski, who converted one of her courses to Ultra. “I can post all the grades at once rather than having students get their grades at different times over 1-2 weeks.”
For some departments, Ultra was also an easy stepping stone to innovate. For example, Emergency Health Services adopted Ultra in 53% of its SP2019 course offerings. Other programs, such as the online Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, coordinated training for instructors to support Ultra adoption. Use of the new course interface grew in Art, English, Psychology, Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communication, and Health Administration and Policy. These departments and more can benefit from Ultra Faculty Ambassadors as peer experts.
All faculty who tried or adopted Ultra by January 31 were entered in a drawing to win an Echo Dot. Winners will be announced at TechFest on March 1, 2019. Additionally, at the Technology Test Kitchen, faculty can explore Ultra, plan an Ultra course adoption roadmap, ask questions about Ultra, or meet some of our Ultra Faculty Ambassadors.
Visit our Ultra Course Adoption Center for helpful resources and tools including a course adoption guide, course inventory, and course roadmap.
As always, if you have any questions, please consider the following options:
Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups
Request a consult with instructional technology staff
Using VoiceThread for Student Portfolios
February 26, 7:00 pm ET: Register Here
If you are interested in learning how to use VoiceThread as a portfolio tool to showcase student work or to provide feedback for their work in progress, we can help. In this workshop, we will showcase a variety of student portfolio examples and collaborate on a shared brainstorm discussion.
Humanize Your Online Course with VoiceThread
March 5, 7:00 pm ET: Register Here
Creating engaging online courses is not easy. In many discussion-board based courses, students feel isolated and disconnected from their instructors and classmates. VoiceThread bridges the gaps in social presence typically found in online courses. In this workshop, educators will learn how to establish a social presence and connect with their students using VoiceThread to improve course satisfaction and student learning.
Using VoiceThread for Assessments
March 12, 7:00 pm ET: Register Here
Are you looking for new ways to assess your student work? If you use written exams and quizzes, this workshop can show you alternative ways to evaluate student learning using VoiceThread. We will discuss strategies for improving student presentations, using comment moderation, and designing portfolios that can replace written exams.
VoiceThread and Storytelling
March 19, 7:00 pm ET: Register Here
Most cognitive scientists agree that storytelling is a great way to help your message stick in the minds of an audience. Our minds are fine-tuned to remember information shared within a narrative structure, not a broadcast lecture. In this workshop, participants will learn how to use VoiceThread to create engaging stories with their students.
These workshops are completely free. The sessions are led by VoiceThread's instructional designer and online educator George Haines. George will share his expertise to help you get the most from VoiceThread.
DoIT believes faculty are important partners and will play an essential role during the Ultra migration. The new Blackboard course interface is significantly different from the Original course we’ve had for the last fifteen years, marking a notable change for UMBC faculty. All faculty will need time and support to prepare their courses for the proposed migration timeline.
Since recommendations and feedback from peer leaders can be helpful during change, 15 faculty have agreed to be Ultra Faculty Ambassadors:
Ambassador’s Name | Representing Areas |
Elisabeth Arevalo-Guerrero | Modern Languages, Linguistics & Intercultural Communication |
Stephen Bradley | Arts (Dance, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts) |
Jamie Gurganus | Engineering, Mechanical |
Kate Hemmis | Sociology, Anthropology, and Health Administration and Policy |
Nancy Kusmaul | Social Work |
Katie Morris | Universities at Shady Grove |
Eileen O'Brien | Psychology / Instructional Systems Development |
Tim Phin | Ancient Studies / Historical Studies / Philosophy |
Neha Raikar | Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering |
Melissa Roane | Management of Aging Services |
Sally Shivnan | English |
Donald Snyder | Media & Communication Studies |
Liz Stanwyck | Mathematics & Statistics |
Mary Tabaa | Education / Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages |
Gary Williams | Emergency Health Services |
Throughout the transition to the new course interface, Ultra Faculty Ambassadors will communicate information to departments and college peers, respond to basic questions about using Ultra, and provide feedback to the Instructional Technology team about any concerns or functionality requests. The Ultra Faculty Ambassadors also attended a full-day of customized training to better prepare for their important role.
Visit our Ultra Course Adoption Center for helpful resources and tools including a course adoption guide, course inventory, and course roadmap.
As always, if you have any questions, please consider the following options:
Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups
Request a consult with instructional technology staff
On Friday, March 1, 2019, DoIT's Instructional Technology Team will hold its 4th annual TechFest. TechFest traditionally brings the campus community together to share and demonstrate ways technology can both support and improve the efficiency of day-to-day activities including academics. This year, participants are in for a double treat as Instructional Technology partners with the Faculty Development Center to bring you day celebrating technology, teaching and learning!
There will be raffles with prizes and giveaways like Amazon products for those who attend and participate.
Students, faculty, and staff are all welcome and encouraged to attend.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO ATTEND!
NEW THIS YEAR!
Come with a team and follow the clues to conquer the Escape Room in UC-310! Teams should be comprised of 4-6 members. To sign up a team in advance (only the team leader needs to sign up), click here.
Come interact with teaching and learning tools in the Technology Test Kitchen (TTK) in UC-312! The TTK will feature accessibility-enhancing tools including the Ally course accessibility checker, Blackboard Ultra, Panopto’s video platform, PollEverywhere, Open Education Resources (OER), Duo Two Factor Authentication, and password management, and much more!
Start your day by enjoying our light breakfast and the TechFest morning sessions. Immediately following the morning sessions TechFest, the Faculty Development Center (FDC) hold their Symposium sponsored by the Provost's office, which will include a poster session and luncheon with keynote address by renowned speaker Randy Bass. TechFest will conclude the day with a final session following the keynote address.
9:00 - 9:50: Breakfast and Registration (University Center Ballroom Lounge)
10:00 - 10:45: Session A
10:55 - 11:40: Session B
11:45 - 2:10: Provost’s Symposium (UC Ballroom)
2:15 - 3:00: Session C
TechFest Sessions A-C will take place in the Engineering Building in rooms ENG-102, ENG-023, and ENG-025; click here to review the session abstracts. Some of the session topics include implementing digital badging programs to recognize competencies and skills, using data analytics to demonstrate student success, leveraging campus technology for student success and taking class attendance in Blackboard using Qwickly.
The Escape Room will be open in UC-310 from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; the Technology Test Kitchen will be open in UC-312 from 10:00 a.m. - 11:40 a.m. and again from 2:15 - 3:00 p.m.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO ATTEND!
Please Note: UMBC is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive environment for all faculty, staff, students, and visitors. If you would like to request accommodations (e.g., ASL interpreters, captioning, wheelchair access, etc.) for this event due to a disability, please notify us at least two weeks prior to the event. Requests received after that time cannot be guaranteed, but we will do our best to make arrangements for program access. Please contact the event host (email goes here) with your specific request and be sure to include the event title, date, and time.
For questions and more information, please contact us at techfest19@umbc.edu.
May 28, 2019
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Maritime Conference Center
Linthicum Heights, MD
Sessions will include topics such as:
Registration will open in mid-February 2019 for all events. Please visit www.usmd.edu/cai/most for more information and to register.
