Weekly News and Tip, April 2, 2009

Tip - Evaluating Oral Presentations
As we reach the last weeks of the semester, your students may be making oral presentations. Grading oral work can be challenging, so being clear in advance about your criteria for evaluation can help both you and your students.

• ISUComm offers a scaled evaluation rubric for oral communication.
• The Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative at the University of British Columbia offers a detailed rubric for evaluating students’ oral presentations in an earth science class.

Announcements - CELT Events
To sign up for CELT events, use AccessPlus > Employee > HRS Training > Courses. Contact CELT at 294-5357 or celt@iastate.edu if you have difficulty using AccessPlus.

• What are video-sharing websites and how are they connected with teaching? Find out at YouTube and TeacherTube: Introduction to Video Sharing Websites, Tuesday, April 7, 10 a.m.-12 noon, 1230 Communications.
• Learn about the power of WebCT’s Grade Book in a workshop, WebCT GOLD: Managing Students & Grades, Monday, April 13, 10-11:30 a.m., 1230 Communications.

FYI - Seminar on Chemistry Education April 7;
         George Siemens on Campus April 14

• Deborah Exton, University of Oregon, will discuss Green Chemistry Education: Sustainability, Green Chemistry and STEM Education, Tuesday, April 7, 11-11:50 a.m., 2030 Morrill. This is a Center for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Education (CESMEE) seminar; everyone interested in science and math education is welcome.
• George Siemens, University of Manitoba, will present a workshop on Social Learning with Emerging Technologies, Tuesday, April 14, 8:30 a.m.-12 noon in the Memorial Union Campanile Room. This session will explore ways of teaching with technology: augmented, blended, and online. How do educators determine appropriate tools? What kind of support must be in place to ensure students needs and challenges are addressed? Dr. Siemens is Associate Director, Research and Development, with the Learning Technologies Centre at Manitoba, and author of Knowing Knowledge, which examines how the context and characteristics of knowledge have changed and what it means to organizations today.

Register via AccessPlus.

Weekly News and Tip, October 16, 2008

Tip - More on Clickers
Last week's Tip discussed the growing use of student-response systems (clickers) at Iowa State, and offered some information and recommendations on clicker use. More on using clickers for debates, predictions, and other specific teaching strategies.

Announcements - CELT Events; Student Assistance for E-Learning
Register for CELT events via AccessPlus > Employee > HRS Training > Courses. Contact CELT at 294-5357 or celt@iastate.edu if you have difficulty using AccessPlus.

• Would you like to lead students on a trip abroad someday? Come to a Faculty Panel on Leading Study Abroad Programs, Monday, Oct. 20, 2-3:30 p.m., in 2030 Morrill.
• Learn about Creating Assessments in WebCT GOLD, Wednesday, Oct. 22, from 9-11 a.m. in 1230 Communications.
  
• Join the conversation at a session on Classroom Response Systems: Clicker Pedagogy Discussion, Thursday, Oct. 23, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 1230 Communications.
• A session on Teaching & Learning in a MUVE (Second Life) will be held Friday, October 24, 1:10-3 p.m., 1230 Communications.

Student Assistance for E-Learning. In a pilot project, CELT is training undergraduate students to provide faculty with semester-long e-learning support. The students, trained and supervised by full-time CELT Learning Technologies staff, can provide technology support for faculty at no charge. Projects can include, for example, building or updating WebCT courses; using clicker technology; editing video; creating podcasts, etc. For more information, contact Allan Schmidt, aschmidt@iastate.edu.

FYI - Museum Events this Weekend
Today at 7 p.m. in the Christian Petersen Art Museum, enjoy a Gallery Walk - Exploring Ramos Rivera with Nancy Gebhart, educator of visual literacy and learning. And on Sunday, October 19, at 2 p.m. in the Brunnier Art Museum, hear an artist's lecture, "Sculptures of Fiber: When Did They Become Art?" Artist Priscilla Sage will give her audience a unique look into the life and creative process of an artist.

Weekly News and Tip, October 9, 2008

Tip - Using Clickers in Class
The CELT newsletter recently reported on faculty and student use of clickers over the last few semesters. We can now report that for the Fall 2008 term, 188 class sections within 42 separate courses are using clickers. A total of 14,000 clickers have been used across campus since fall semester 2006. Learn more about what students like about clickers, how faculty use them, and recommendations for clicker use.

Announcements - Upcoming CELT Events and Workshops
Register for CELT events via AccessPlus > Employee > HRS Training > Courses. Contact CELT at 294-5357 or celt@iastate.edu if you have difficulty using AccessPlus.

• Learn about Managing Course Content in WebCT GOLD, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 9-10:30 a.m. in 1230 Communications.
• Hands-on Workshop for Improving Students’ Problem-Solving Skills: Diagnostic Pathfinder and Problem-Solving Learning Portal, a follow-up to last month's Faculty Forum, will be held Wednesday, Oct. 15, 1-3 p.m. in 1230 Communications.
• Thinking about going abroad with students someday? Come to a Faculty Panel on Leading Study Abroad Programs, Monday, Oct. 20, 2-3:30 p.m., in 2030 Morrill.
• An additional WebCT GOLD workshop, Creating Assessments in WebCT GOLD, will be offered Wednesday, Oct. 22, from 9-11 a.m. in 1230 Communications.

FYI - Forming a New Learning Community; Last Call for TEACH Grants

• Doug Gruenewald and Steve Mickelson, co-directors of learning communities, will discuss starting a new learning community, including the funding application process, Thursday, Oct. 16, from 4-5 p.m. in 2015 Morrill Hall. To register, contact Jen Leptien, jenl@iastate.edu. More about learning communities.
• The deadline to apply for CELT TEACH grants of up to $1250 for faculty development at the department level is October 15. More information about TEACH grants.

A Mid-term Formative Evaluation

You can learn a great deal about how your students are learning in a course, and what adjustments both you and your students might make, by asking your students to give your course a mid-term evaluation. Dr. Michael Martin, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture, explains how and why to do midterm evaluations, and how a "formative" evaluation differs from a "summative", or end-of-term, evaluation.

Watch the 9-minute clip to see Dr. Martin describe the midterm assessment to his students.

Review CELT's directions for doing a formative plus/delta.

Note: You will need RealPlayer to view these video clips. If you do not have RealPlayer, you can get a free download at www.real.com. If RealPlayer does not automatically launch these clips, they may have been downloaded to your desktop.