• This Quality Matters session will look at eight steps you can take toward making your digital content accessible for all users. High-level topics will be discussed, as well as nuts and bolts ideas such as heading levels, alt text, descriptive links, captioning/transcripts, and specific examples. Your takeaways will be both a greater awareness of accessibility issues and a number of practical resources. Requires a free QM membership via UMBC.

• We’ve all experienced webinars that put us to sleep; or where we listen with half an ear while working on something else. What can fend off these webinar woes? Let’s explore strategies for generating interest, catching the eye with appealing visuals, and engaging the brain with interactivity. 

• As educators, we know we must embrace emerging technologies and pedagogies in our designs for online, open and flexible teaching and learning. What are these and how are they being applied? In this webinar, we will look at 10 disruptive technologies and innovative approaches educators around the world are taking in applying them.  From a shoestring budget to high end applications, see these tools in action, while exploring how they are rapidly reshaping the landscape of distance education in the digital age.

• With the United States Distance Learning Association celebrating 30 years, it seems fitting to be reflective as we also speculate on the future.  Join USDLA as we take a look back at distance communication & collaboration while reviewing the current state of affairs with some predictions on what is to come.

• There are many interactive distance learning tools for reading and writing because text editors have long been a mainstay of internet communication.  This is not the case for mathematical equations. Until now, remote assessment for algebra has been limited to multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank responses that give teachers little insight into their students’ thought processes. New tools empower teachers to dynamically create, present and manipulate equations before their remote students’ eyes.  This technology promises to arm students with advanced procedural fluency for algebraic problem solving while saving teachers hours of time.  Analytics from automated problem grading give teachers much richer feedback that form the basis for better differentiated teaching.  This session will describe and demonstrate this exciting new development in distance learning for algebra.

• To ensure the long-term success of an eLearning program (blended, hybrid, fully online), colleges and universities need an eLearning strategic plan for growing online programs sustainably and at scale. An institution must consider and develop its goals, vision, organization, governance, policies and procedures, as well as accessibility planning around eLearning. When these areas are not at the core of the eLearning programming, the institution risks any competitive advantage in the eLearning space. Institutions often jump into developing courses and marketing programs when the campus is not organized efficiently, and the overall program has not been operationalized. Skipping strategic planning can cost the institution unexpected expenses and personnel resources. This webinar will address the components of an eLearning strategic plan and how it is critical to the success of the eLearning program.

• Check our extensive FAQ collection
• Open a ticket via RT
• Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups
• Request a consult with instructional technology staff 

• collaborating between faculty and instructional designers
• achieving quality assurance, leveraging resources, building buy-in, and engaging faculty and academic leaders
• addressing accessibility, usability, or Universal Design for Learning
• showcasing course design showcases
• discussing alternative teaching strategies such as competency-based education and gamification
• using tools such as learner analytics, digital badging, and open educational resources in support of student success

• Create, review, and post announcements
• View, create, edit, and monitor discussion board threads and replies
• Preview courses to make sure course materials are mobile-friendly
• Connect with students using Bb Collaborate Ultra including real-time audio and video support, whiteboard and chat, and recording

• Bb Instructor for iOS
• Bb Instructor for Android

As always, if you have any questions, please consider the following options:

• Check our extensive FAQ collection
• Open a ticket via RT
• Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups
• Request a consult with instructional technology staff