CIDDE Learning Opportunities

Please complete this form to register for a workshop by selecting the session(s) that fit your schedule.  Follow this link for other support materials in the form of pdf's, webcasts, videos, and external web sites.

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Adaptive Release in CourseWeb (Blackboard)

Blackboard’s adaptive release tool allows the instructor to set up rules for when their course material is released to students, enabling sequential learning. Rules (criteria) can include membership in groups, dates, grades, or review status. These conditions can be set up singularly or in combination. This session will explain how to set up and modify adaptive release rules. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Thursday, February 12, 11 am - Noon

Adobe Premiere Elements: Capture, Edit, and Share Video

Learn how to capture video to the computer and subsequently edit it, add titles and transitions and publish the video. Also learn about the different video formats and the pros and cons of using each. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Tuesday, February 3, 10 am - Noon

Advancing Authentic Learning through Teaching

Presenter: Robin Wingard, Instructional Designer, CIDDE

What exactly is "Authentic Learning"? You are already familiar with many of the characteristics -- active learning, relevancy of content, student "buy in" and motivation. Students today are often motivated by immediate gratification, by the real work (even if virtual), and by immediately applicable skills and competencies rather than the theories and philosophies of a discipline. This workshop will address the what, why and how of "authentic learning." Come and share your experiences, successes and challenges with others working with the authentic learning at Pitt.

Friday, April 10, Noon - 1:30 pm

Assessments & Surveys in CourseWeb (Blackboard)

Blackboard has tools that enable you to assess your students’ knowledge through tests and quizzes and obtain anonymous feedback through surveys. The quizzes can be configured to provide your students with immediate formative feedback. Come learn how to set up these tools and then make them available in your course. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Friday, February 6, 1 pm - 3 pm

Audacity! Record Audio for Your Course

Audacity is an open source digital audio editing program that is available for free on the Internet. Audacity has become an increasingly popular option for editing digital audio on a personal computer due to its power, ease of use, and cost. It has become particularly popular with podcasts. In this session we will go over the basics of recording audio in Audacity as well as editing techniques to improve the audio quality. The process of uploading audio files to your Web course will also be discussed. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Wednesday, February 18, 10 am - 11:30 am

Clickers! Engage your Learners with e-Instruction

Did you ever wonder if your students are grasping the topics in class? Do you want to build interactivity in your course? An innovative teaching tool, e-Instruction, allows you to turn an ordinary PowerPoint slide show into an interactive, collaborative presentation. Students can respond to your slides through a hand-held device designed to provide immediate feedback as well as generate reports for further analysis of learning. In this session, you will explore how this technology can be used in the classroom. You will learn how to set up your PowerPoint show to engage your learners. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Monday, February 9, 10 am - Noon
Thursday, April 16, 1 pm - 3 pm

Content System in CourseWeb (Blackboard)

This seminar will introduce the basic concepts of the Blackboard Content System. The content system is a storage area for your course files (Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, audio clips, etc.) that is separate from, but integrated with, your CourseWeb courses. The integration allows you to store your course material online, and point to it from your CourseWeb courses. You will learn how to save time adding and updating course materials. This session is for people who are already using CourseWeb . Please bring course materials with you in electronic form. This session is NOT intended as an overview of CourseWeb. If you are new to CourseWeb please sign up for the Standard or Self-Instructional CourseWeb Workshop. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Thursday, December 11, 1 pm - 3 pm
Wednesday, January 7, 10 am - Noon
Thursday, February 19, 1 pm - 3 pm
Friday, March 27, 9 am - 11 am
Friday, April 10th, 10 am - noon

Copyright Issues

This session will focus on copyright issues when using electronic materials on the Web and especially within CourseWeb (Blackboard). It will cover the implications of the Teach Act, changes to the fair use doctrine, and Pitt services related to copyright protection. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Tuesday, April 28, 9:30 am - 11:00 am

CourseWeb *

There are two types of workshops available for those who are new to CourseWeb (aka Blackboard) or wish to review the different features: Standard and Self-Instructional. The Standard session is an in depth eight hour session. Self Instructional is a two hour session covering the most basic practices. We highly recommend taking the Standard version to get the most out of CourseWeb for both you and your students. Once you have learned how to use Blackboard then consider attending other workshop sessions on using the Content System, Wikis & Blogs, Images in CourseWeb, Creating Audio Files, Copyright Issues, Discussion Board, etc. Workshop topics include best practices associated with educational technologies. Come see how these tools can benefit you and your students.

CourseWeb (Blackboard) Standard Workshop

This eight-hour workshop (offered as two half-day sessions or one full-day session) introduces faculty to the use of CourseWeb at the University of Pittsburgh. This workshop focuses on the application of Web-based instructional technologies to enhance learning by encouraging active and collaborative learning. You will receive an overview of the CourseWeb components and learn how to effectively design your course. Through a hands-on approach, you will explore features such as the content system, discussion board, assignments, assessments (tests, quizzes, surveys), and the gradebook. Since you will be working on developing your course, you should bring course materials (such as lecture notes, syllabus, course outlines) in electronic form. You should be familiar with basic computer operating system concepts such as “files,” and should be experienced with Web browsers (current versions of Firefox or Internet Explorer) as well as a word processor. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Monday, December 8 (Part 1) and Wednesday, December 10 (Part 2) 9 am - 1 pm
Friday, January 9, 9 am - 5 pm
Tuesday, January 13 (Part 1 )and Thursday, January 15 (Part 2), 9 am - 1 pm
Friday, February 13, 9 am - 5 pm
Monday, February 23 (Part I) and Wednesday, February 25 (Part 2) 1 pm - 5 pm
Friday, March 6, 9 am - 5 pm
Tuesday, March 17 (Part 1) & Thursday, March 19 (Part 2) 1 pm - 5 pm
Friday, April 3, 9 am - 5 pm
Monday, April 27 (Part 1) and Wednesday, April 29 (Part 2) 1 pm - 5 pm

CourseWeb (Blackboard) Self Instructional Workshop

This one-to-two-hour workshop is for those who cannot attend the CourseWeb Standard Workshop. The session provides an introduction to CourseWeb that covers the basics of adding content to a course and using the gradebook. Users are shown how to access additional support materials and resources available over the Internet to assist in using other CourseWeb functions. Please bring course materials with you in electronic form. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Tuesday, December 16, 9 am - 11 am
Tuesday, January 6, 2 pm - 4 pm
Thursday, February 5, 1 pm - 3 pm
Tuesday, February 17, 10 am - Noon
Tuesday, March 3, 10 am - Noon
Wednesday, March 25, 10 am - Noon
Tuesday, April 7, 1 pm - 3 pm
Wednesday, April 15, 10 am - Noon

Developing a Course

Presenter: Joanne Nicoll, Associate Director for Instructional Design and Faculty Development, CIDDE
Learn to use an effective, straightforward model to design a university-level course. Students learning outcomes, activities, and assessments are the components of this learner-centered model that hundreds of Pitt faculty have found valuable. Follow-up, individual assistance is available from an Instructional Designer with a background in learning theory and instructional theory.

Thursday, January 22, 11 am - 1 pm
Thursday, March 26, Noon - 2:00 pm

Digital Camera Workshop

CIDDE’s Instructional Media Services can now provide modern digital cameras for short-term loan to faculty. These cameras are designed to provide high quality images and offer a wide variety of digital functions for creative photography, including many features previously limited to more expensive cameras. Join our expert staff from CIDDE’s Photographic Services department for a workshop that will show you how to get the most out of your digital camera and improve your picture making skills. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Friday, February 27, 9 am - Noon

Discussion Board in CourseWeb (Blackboard)

The Discussion Board in Blackboard promotes interaction between students, instructors, and content. It provides an asynchronous area for class members to continue discussions, conduct peer reviews, facilitate communication, to name just a few. This session will cover best practices for setting up and using the tool in your course as well as reviewing new enhancements. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Thursday, March 5, 10 am - Noon

Drop the Dropbox! Consider Using the Assignment Tool in CourseWeb (Blackboard)

The Assignment Tool will save you time while organizing student work. It creates a link to submit homework while simultaneously creating a column in the gradebook. The instructor can retrieve submissions individually or all at one time with just a few clicks. Feedback can then be attached to the grade for the student to read. This session will cover setting up this tool, retrieving submissions, entering grades, and giving feedback. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Thursday, January 22, 1 pm - 2 pm

Evaluating Online Courses

Presenter: Carol DeArment, Senior Instructional Designer, CIDDE
Faculty who teach online or hybrid classes want to know how to design courses that are pedagogically effective. Specific criteria for evaluating online courses will be shared, including the Quality Matters™ rubric used in a faculty-centered, peer review process. A self-assessment inventory will also be shared.

Monday, March 16, Noon – 1:30 pm

Faculty Article Discussions

Join your colleagues for a discussion of General Education: The Changing Agenda, by Jerry G. Gaff*

This article, part of a series sponsored by The Association of American Colleges and Universities, refutes the misconception that general education programs at colleges and universities are somehow failing to meet the needs of students nationwide. Gaff argues and provides examples of how “signs of progress can be seen in a variety of areas” as he examines ten key themes in education. Paying closest attention to the most recent developments and trends, such as diversity, technology, assessment, Gaff relates how these initiatives are having a positive effective on reshaping the curricula and improving general education across the country. He goes on to make recommendations for how these ideas can be implemented and predicts the positive changes faculty will recognize almost immediately.

*Jerry Gaff is Senior Scholar of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and served as co-director of the Preparing Future Faculty Program. He states in a keynote address to the Association for lntegrative Studies, "like many of you, my entire career has focused on academic improvement and innovation." His work in liberal education has made him a widely sought after lecturer by the academic community over the past decade, and he continues to support the mission of AAC&U, which is to “make the aims of liberal learning a vigorous and constant influence on institutional purpose and educational practice in higher education.”

Wednesday, March 18th, Noon – 1:30 pm
Friday, March 20, Noon – 1:30 pm

Faculty Book Discussions

Join Pitt colleagues for a discussion of the book, Learning and Motivation in the Postsecondary Classroom, by Marilla Svinicki, one of a series of informal conversations about teaching based on common reading. Workshop located in 815 Alumni Hall.

This clearly written book outlines learning and motivation theories, and then describes how to implement these theories into practice. The author provides examples for developing instruction so that students master basic information as well as accomplish higher level thinking skills. This book distills the most important material that higher education faculty need for translating educational theory into practice.

The author, Marilla D. Svinicki, is a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and director of the Center for Teaching Effectiveness at Austin. She has published extensively about learning in the postsecondary classroom. Her teaching and research interests are in the areas of learning and motivation as translated into teaching practice. Copies of the book are provided to all faculty who participate in the discussion. Enrollment is limited.

Tuesday, March 17, Noon – 1:30 pm
Thursday, March 19, 3:30 – 5:00 pm

Guidelines for Providing Feedback

Presenter: Carol Washburn, Senior Instructional Designer, CIDDE
Does your feedback on student assignments always result in increased learning? What does the research say about the types of feedback that are most effective, and, under what conditions? What audience benefits most from feedback? We will review general guidelines that can help you facilitate learning and save time. (And no, we will not be talking about grading rubrics).

Friday, January 30, Noon – 1:00 pm

Gradebook: Best Practices in CourseWeb (Blackboard)

How can you give timely feedback to students? How can you organize your grades so you don’t feel so overwhelmed? How can you reduce the grading nightmare? This session will provide answers to these questions and more by reviewing the gradebook tool in CourseWeb. You will learn a number of tips and tricks as you explore best practices associated with the gradebook. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Thursday, January 22, Noon - 1 pm
Tuesday, March 31, 11 am - Noon

Janus: Interactive Touch Screen Panel

Janus is Pitt’s name for a technology that pairs a touch-sensitive LCD panel with a computer, video/data projector, and specialized software. The LCD panel doubles as a graphics tablet and preview screen allowing the instructor to stand or sit facing the class. The instructor can then make drawings and annotations that the entire class can view on the large projection screen. Janus has been installed in over 60 classrooms at the University and is available for delivery to others. This one-hour workshop will introduce you to the applications available for Janus and show you how to prepare your presentation, navigate and annotate it. The session covers various techniques for annotating and saving your work in a format that your students can access through the Web environment. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Wednesday, January 28, 10 am - 11 am

Motivating Your Student to Learn

Presenter: Carol DeArment, Senior Instructional Designer, CIDDE
Motivation is an important force in student learning. This workshop will focus on ways that you can capture students' attention and interest to promote deeper, more lasting learning in any discipline.

Monday, February 16, Noon – 1:30 pm

Photoshop Elements: Create and Edit Images

In this workshop, you will learn the basics of image management using the Adobe Photoshop Elements application. Participants will learn to create and use the most effective resolution, crop and rotate images, do basic color correction, and save images in formats that work well on the Web or in PowerPoint. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Tuesday, March 17 (Part 1) and Tuesday, March 24 (Part 2) 10 am - Noon

Plagiarism Prevention Software

Pitt faculty have access to two Web-based tools to check for plagiarism: SafeAssign and Turnitin. These tools let you check student work for originality against other students’ work, against paper mill documents, and also against various online electronic sources. If there are similarities between a submitted work and online material, you are provided with links to the source documents. These will help you ensure that a student’s written work is not a result of “e-plagiarism.” Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Monday, March 23, 10 am - 11 am

PowerPointers or Avoiding that Glassy-eyed Stupor

Presenter: Carol Washburn, Senior Instructional Designer, CIDDE
We'll talk a bit about theory and how students process and store information. I'll also demonstrate ideas for PowerPoint that extend beyond the basic outline. Some of your "challenging" students might actually stay awake!

Friday, April 3, Noon – 1:30 pm

Promoting Civility in the Classroom

Presenter: Barbara Frey, Senior Instructional Designer, CIDDE
In recent years, faculty across the country have seen an increase in latecomers, sleepers, cell phone addicts and downright disruptive students. The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that some courses are being hijacked by "classroom terrorists." Even a small number of disruptive students requires a great deal of your time and resources to manage. This 90-minute workshop will first examine the nature of behavior and disciplinary problems in the classroom, then provide strategies to prevent and manage disruptive students.

Wednesday, March 4, Noon – 1:30 pm

Taming Your Course Menu in CourseWeb (Blackboard)

Is your Blackboard course menu out of control? Are students experiencing difficulty in locating your course material? If you can answer “yes” to either of these questions, then attend this session to learn how to customize and organize your course menu. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Friday, March 20, 9 am - 10 am

Tracking Student Participation in CourseWeb (Blackboard)

How do you know which student viewed what material and when? There are three ways to view student activity within a Blackboard course: general statistics; item specific statistics; and the Performance Dashboard. This session will cover setting up and retrieving this information from your course. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Friday, March 20, 11 am - Noon

Using PowerPoint Effectively

This workshop will introduce the basics of using Microsoft PowerPoint 2007. PowerPoint allows you to combine text, graphics and pre-designed backgrounds to create professional presentations that can augment a lecture. The process of uploading PowerPoint files and presentations to CourseWeb will also be discussed. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Thursday, January 29, 11 am - 1 pm

The Vote is in: Ways to Enhance Your Teaching

Presenter: Joanne Nicoll, Associate Director for Instructional Design and Faculty Development, CIDDE
What are some way to enhance your teaching skills? Compare your "vote" with those from a survey of teaching center directors. Learn more about CIDDE's support services for faculty who wish to make changes in their teaching strategies.

Wednesday, February 11, Noon – 1:00 pm

Wikis & Blogs in CourseWeb (Blackboard)

CourseWeb now offers wiki and blogging tools from Learning Objects, Inc. A wiki is an interactive website that students can build within a Blackboard course. A blog is a journal that can be used individually or in small groups. This session will address ways in which these tools can enhance class assignments and projects. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Tuesday, January 20, 2 pm - 4 pm
Thursday, April 16, 10 am - Noon

Working with Images

Learn the principles and fundamentals of using images on the Web, in PowerPoint, and with handouts. Join CIDDE’s graphics artists in discussions focusing on the issues of aesthetics, image size, resolution, and file formats. Workshop located in B 23 Alumni Hall.

Wednesday, February 11, 9 am to 10:30 am