News from Online Learning - Fall 2007
Introduction
Welcome to News from Online Learning!
Happy New Year! We are excited to share plenty of 'good news' with you in this Fall issue: New staff! New Tools! New Lab! New Webinar series! Faculty success stories! Read and enjoy!
Features
New Community for Online Students
Approximately 34% of RIT students have taken at least one online course in the past three years. Online Learning recently launched an innovative myCourses learning community that is all about training and supporting this population of students.
Webinars: A New Way to Reach Out
Online Learning is not only on the forefront of teaching faculty how to use web-based conferencing systems, but they are using this new technology to offer a series of "webinars" on other technologies, such as RIT's myCourses.
Faculty Focus
Teaching Math Online
There's a popular notion that certain academic subjects-like mathematics-cannot be taught well online. A talented group of RIT faculty is dispelling this notion; they're inventing new pedagogical strategies, and exploiting new technologies, to effectively teach math online.
Announcements
Improvements to the Teaching and Learning Technology Lab
Over the summer, Online Learning made significant improvements to the Teaching and Learning Technology (TLT) lab, Studio G and the training area. The new design of the TLT area allows for easier access to the exam proctoring room, all of Online Learning's staff offices and the training area used for workshops and special events.
New Tools for myCourses
Online Learning has just released Model Course 2.0 and a peer evaluation tool, peer2peer, two tools that are designed to increase faculty productivity and share common best practices for online, blended, and campus courses.
Faculty Workshop on Blended Learning: Thursday, October 11
Many instructors find that it can be difficult to ensure that students are prepared for productive discussion, and difficult to achieve widespread and even participation. One solution is blended learning, which combines face-to-face with online interaction.
New Staff Members in Online Learning
Online Leaning has added Chris Williams to its Information Technology team, Jessica Hooper to its Teaching and Learning Technology team, and James Foley to its Support Services team.
Emerging Technology Partnerships: Update and Call for Proposals
Last spring Online Learning launched the Emerging Technology Partnership (ETP) program to support RIT faculty with new and promising ideas for technology-based teaching and learning projects. The next application deadline is October 19, 2007.
C-Print Support Added to Adobe Connect Meetings
A collaboration between Online Learning and NTID has made it possible to use C-Print to caption Abode Connect web-based meetings while they are being conducted.