by Janene McMahan | Jul 26, 2021
Your use of Canvas can help you translate your face-to-face course into an enjoyable online experience for you and your students. Here are a few steps to get you started, including how to build a template to use for each week or module and how to add your lectures right inside the editor.
by Janene McMahan | Jun 28, 2021
Get ready to inspire someone to do their personal best this semester. This Teaching Tip includes ideas for increasing interaction in your course. Start with one thing and be consistent. Your choices will impact student learning and achievement. Before the semester,...
by Janene McMahan | Jun 1, 2021
The Online Course Evaluation Rubric serves as a framework for making notes on and progress toward preparing your course for next semester. Several instructional designers worked together gathering important course elements into categories with evaluative statements to jumpstart your review.
by Janene McMahan | May 17, 2021
Blackboard courses are currently being migrated to Canvas to help make the transition easier for faculty. Once there, courses will be ready to teach with some lightweight cleanup.
by Janene McMahan | Jan 20, 2021
This tip continues to explain new features available to instructors after the Blackboard upgrade that happened over winter break.
by Janene McMahan | Jan 12, 2021
Blackboard was upgraded last month to provide users with better performance and reliability. Here are tips and solutions to help you adapt to the changes.
by Janene McMahan | Dec 20, 2020
This workshop is ‘help right when you need it’ for developing your online or hybrid course. Join UAF eCampus instructional designers for a facilitated “barn raising,” which lays out a set of tasks and deadlines for you to get your course online and ready...
by Janene McMahan | Oct 20, 2020
Everyone’s pinched for time and we need real solutions that are quick to implement with regard to accessibility. This tip provides a look at three areas you can improve in your course using simple ideas that are easy to execute.
by Janene McMahan | Jul 9, 2020
Recommended strategies and language to include in your syllabus to help address the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, try surveying students about their current routines and internet access.
by Janene McMahan | Jun 24, 2020
A list of Quality Matters related accomplishments regarding Program Review and Course Reviews.
by Janene McMahan | Feb 24, 2020
UAF adopted Quality Matters as a framework for continuous improvement of online and blended courses four years ago. Gary Copus, professor emeritus, shares highlights, benefits and challenges of certifying three UAF Justice courses.
by Janene McMahan | Oct 6, 2019
A few ideas on how to easily increase your communication with students while possibly reducing your time performing course management.
by Janene McMahan | Sep 4, 2019
iTeach Online is a cohort-based workshop where faculty work on building their courses in the company of their peers. Attention to best practices, course alignment, student engagement and usability are emphasized. Synchronous sessions allow for cohort building and tool practice.
by Janene McMahan | Sep 4, 2019
Wednesday, September 4, 2019 We cover a variety of materials for those new to Blackboard. See the slides for more information.
by Janene McMahan | Jun 10, 2019
Are you interested in encouraging your students to create work to share with others? Adding your voice to the domain knowledge–which shapes our education–is a strong motivator. As teachers, writers, designers, and artists we long to create and share. What...
by Janene McMahan | Mar 19, 2019
View the slides to see a bit about the Blue Evaluation form process.
by Janene McMahan | Feb 17, 2019
Course materials need to be accessible. The Grackle add-ons assist you with making your materials more accessible even if you’re not a standard Google apps user.
by Janene McMahan | Jan 6, 2019
As faculty, at some point you’ll have to rebuild and refresh your existing course or rebuild and rebrand one you inherit. If you’ve found yourself in this situation for the upcoming semester, read on. I’m right there with you and these are the steps I’ve taken:
by Janene McMahan | Nov 27, 2018
UAF’s Master of Education in Special Education program became the first online special education program in the nation to earn the Quality Matters’ Online Program Design Certification. Here’s how they did it and how you can earn Quality Matters certifications for your course or program.
by Janene McMahan | Sep 26, 2018
Blackboard Bootcamp Are you interested in gaining experience with Blackboard? Perhaps your students have asked you use it more for your resources? Join us for a beginning Blackboard Bootcamp to get the basics. This is a hands-on workshop so bring a laptop and...
by Janene McMahan | Sep 17, 2018
If you use Google Docs in your online course or share them electronically with your face-to-face students make sure they are readable. Some students use a screen reader to assist them. Here are three tips with the needed steps to make your Google Docs more usable.
by Janene McMahan | Aug 28, 2018
Welcome to the fall semester. Here are quick tips to clean up your course today. There is one amazing “Wow’ item for Blackboard and a few very clear steps on cleaning up your WordPress shell. Feel free to stop into UAF eCampus during Open Lab to learn more.
by Janene McMahan | May 30, 2018
Teaching online since 2011, Janene McMahan has learned some things along the way. In this tip she shares three ideas for making the best use of your time: set expectations, set up your workspace for good flow, and prep a layout once then replicate it.
by Janene McMahan | Jan 21, 2018
As of this month when your students turn in programming code and graphics inside of Blackboard you can use the New Box View inline grading tool to view the code and add comments to the images. If you previously used Crocodoc to quickly view spreadsheets or papers inside of the Blackboard Grade Center, you’ll find the expanded list of supported file types a breath of fresh air!
by Janene McMahan | Dec 14, 2017
During National Distance Learning Week UAF eCampus conversed with students via Facebook. Here’s a light read on student strategies to stay on task as well as a few shared challenges we all face. Read on; it might spark a small change to make in your course as a result.
by Janene McMahan | Aug 8, 2017
Even seasoned WordPress users can learn a new trick. WordPress actively changes as new updates are applied to the main product. Years after I began using WordPress almost daily, a coworker showed me how to edit multiple settings from within one screen! This tip will show you how.
by Janene McMahan | Jun 14, 2017
A few well-placed visuals may help students find their path through your course. Consider providing both a course calendar and a course map to guide them.
by Janene McMahan | May 16, 2017
In this session you’ll see WordPress basics such as making a post, making a page, working with themes. Ready to begin your own WordPress site? Janene will coach you on your first steps. If you have a WordPress site you’ll love the tips she covers for ease...
by Janene McMahan | May 10, 2017
Slides Needed: note-taker Goals: driven by your discussion Resources Please add your ideas! On the iPad click the ” + ” near the bottom left to add. How do you know? VoiceThread You have to have Flash installed (allow use) Students practicing language...
by Janene McMahan | May 4, 2017
Let go of some of the how. How will the student generate the video? How will the student submit his or her paper? Focus on the what and the why. Grab your list of learning objectives and analyze course learning experiences and assessments to determine if they support students progressing toward course outcomes.