E-LEARNING UPDATE

October 2016

Good morning, Instructors.

We hope your semester has been going well. We’ve revamped the format and content of the monthly update from the Office of E-Learning, so we hope there’s something for everyone.

In this month's edition, you can read about:

Faculty Feature: Exciting ways faculty are using e-learning tools
Instructional Design Tip: Practical ways to improve your course and engage your students
What's New in Isidore? New features and functionality available in Isidore
Student Insights: What students think about the technology that supports their learning
Training Opportunities: Pick up a new skill or join us for a refresher

Faculty Feature: Bob Wilkens

Bob Wilkens has used Isidore for many different things over the years, but this fall he decided to start using the Attendance tool in one of his sites. He was looking for a simple way to have his TA track lab attendance while also providing transparency to the students.

Listen to Bob describe how he uses the Attendnace tool in this 2 minute video.

Thumbnail of Bob Wilkens discussing Attendance tool

If you're interested in learning other tips about the Attendance tool, check out our online training resources or register for the Attendance training session on Tuesday, October 18th from 12:00 - 1:00 PM.

Instructional Design Tip

Do students care about course learning objectives? Or are they more for us than for them?

A straw poll of UD undergraduate students suggests that only one-third of students voluntarily read learning objectives in course documents.

Should they read them, and if so, how do we make them?!

Multiple studies have shown learning objectives definitely have benefits for students, but certain things must be done with the students in mind.

The Office of E-Learning has some tips to help you present learning objectives strategically to be meaningful and helpful to your students:

E-Learning Tips on Learning Objectives

What's New in Isidore?

2-Factor Authentication

In order to safeguard student and institutional data, all UD faculty and staff will need to be enrolled in 2FA by November 1st in order to access campus systems (like UD Gmail, DegreeWorks, and Isidore). 2FA prohibits access to your account in the event that your password is lost or stolen. Click on the picture below for enrollment instructions.

Gradebook Sorting

If you have been looking for an easier way to sort the items in your Gradebook, then we have good news for you.

The new Sort feature in the Gradebook allows you to easily rearrange the categories and items in your Gradebook. Watch the video to the right for a 50 second demonstration.

Customizable Icons

Did you know one third of online users include emojis or emoticons in their daily electronic communications? Icons similar to emojis are available in any rich text editor in Isidore. Find examples and instructions on the page below:

E-Learning Customizable Icons

Student Insights

Are you curious about what students think of Isidore? UD sophomore Annie Keefe shares her thoughts:

"I really like when instructors post a schedule of homework assignments and upcoming tests in Isidore. It is very helpful and allows the students to stay on top of their work. It is also helpful when instructors post their PowerPoint slides in Isidore for their lectures in class because then you can follow along and take notes on the PowerPoints slides."

- Annie Keefe, Sophomore in Marketing

Upcoming Training Opportunities

Below is a list of our upcoming training opportunities, facilitated by the Office of E-Learning. All sessions will be held in the Ryan C. Harris Learning Teaching Center (LTC).

Registration Tools (DegreeWorks, Porches, CAP)	Register	Thursday, 10/6 10:00 - 10:30 am
DegreeWorks Basics	Register	Tuesday, 10/11 10:00 - 10:30 am
How to Capture Videos and Share them with Students	Register	Tuesday, 10/11 3:00 - 4:00 pm
Isidore's Attendance Tool	Register	Tuesday, 10/18 12:00 - 1:00 pm
SpotLight on Teaching: "Creating Engaging Online Content through Isidore"	Register	Thursday, October 27 LTC Forum 044; 12:30 - 1:45 pm

Until Next Time . . .

Do you have e-learning tips to share with your fellow instructors?
Do you have feedback about the newsletter?
Do you have any questions about e-learning or trying the ideas presented in this newsletter?

Let us know by contacting us at elearning@udayton.edu or (937) 229-5039.

See you next month!