Calling all instructors using clickers in Fall 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Are you thinking about using clickers in your Fall 2010 courses? One item of note to consider as you make this decision is that the clickers do not work with Moodle yet, so you will need to continue to use KV for your courses using clickers. (The clickers should be fully integrated with Moodle by Fall 2011.)
If you are going to use clickers, please send an email to Krista Spahr (click the Posted by link above) with the following information by June 1, 2010.
- In which courses/sections will you be using clickers?
- In which rooms will you be using clickers?
- How many students do you expect will need clickers?
Once you have submitted your request(s), Teaching & Learning and the Campus Store will use the provided information to:
- order clickers and enrollment codes from eInstruction,
- include clickers as an item on the textbooks/materials listing(s) for your course(s), and
- equip the appropriate classrooms with the CPS software and receivers.
Please note: For any requests made after August 1, 2010, we cannot guarantee that clickers (w/ enrollment codes) will be available for your students to purchase before classes begin.
If you have any questions, please contact Krista Spahr (x6-6819).
Posted in: Academic Software: Announcements
Summer 2010: Learn it…just in time!
Monday, May 10, 2010
There are many technology changes on the horizon for Calvin College. The changes began in April with an upgrade to Groupwise 8, and now, right on its heels is the Colleague conversion, the transition from KV to Moodle, the upgrade to Windows 7, and many other hardware & software upgrades…CIT has a busy summer ahead of us!
Since the transition from KnightVision to Moodle is going to be big undertaking, CIT has designated a great deal of its training resources to the Moodle project. However, in order to provide on-going learning and professional development opportunities, we’ve added another member to our Teaching & Learning team…Meet AL (a.k.a. Atomic Learning)! AL is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week (24/7) and can probably answer most of your technology questions…just in time.
This summer we are encouraging everyone to introduce themselves to AL. AL is an online technology training library that provides thousands of short, video tutorials for more than one-hundred of the most commonly used software applications. This allows you to customize your training to meet your own specific needs. Most of the tutorials are only 1-2 minutes long, so you can squeeze in a couple tutorials when you have an extra minute or two or view an entire series of tutorials for a more in depth look at a software program. AL is also available for any quick “how-to”
questions you might have…just in time.
To meet AL:
1. Log into KnightVision
2. Click the T&L tab
3. Click Access Atomic Learning icon
Once AL opens up you can begin browsing for software titles or searching for answers to specific questions using the Browse through available tutorials and Search by keyword on tech question areas. For additional help getting started, take a look at Atomic Learning: Getting started (.pdf). There is also a Tips for getting started module on the AL’s home page which includes a link to helpful video tutorials. There will also be a LunchByte featuring Atomic Learning this Thursday, May 13 from 12:10-12:50 p.m. in the Alumni Board Room. Light refreshments will be served.
In addition to bringing AL on baord, CIT will also be offering both online and face-to-face Moodle workshops, as well a variety of LunchBytes and open lab workshops to help support your technology learning needs.
We know this will be a big change, but we’re excited by the all potential learning opportunities Atomic Learning provides—and we’re confident that AL’s the right man for the job…just in time!
Posted in: Academic Software: Announcements: Workshops & Lunchbytes
Energize your teaching and learning with Atomic Learning online technology learning resources
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
CIT’s Teaching & Learning team is excited to announce the official launch of our new online technology training resource called Atomic Learning!
What is Atomic Learning?
Atomic Learning (AL) is an online technology training library that provides thousands of short, video tutorials on more than one-hundred of the most commonly used software applications, including the major operating systems and browsers, the Microsoft Office Suite, Blackboard, GroupWise, the iLife suite, the Adobe collection of programs, and more.
Who has access to Atomic Learning?
Calvin College has a campus subscription to Atomic Learning which means ALL Calvin faculty, staff and students have access to this resource.
How do I access Atomic Learning?
Atomic Learning can be accessess through KnightVision, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week (24/7). Log into KnightVision > click on the T&L tab near the top of the screen > click on the Access Atomic Learning icon.
How do I use Atomic Learning?
Atomic Learning is organized by software titles and can be searched based on software titles, keywords, or tech questions. How to use Atomic Learning tutorials are also available in KnightVision on the T&L tab. Atomic Learning: Getting Started Guide (pdf)
What else do I need to know about Atomic Learning?
While CIT does support select standard software programs, we do not support all of the titles included in Atomic Learning. We are, however, making all of the titles available as additional learning resources for Calvin faculty, staff and students. View CIT’s software service level descriptions
Note: If you attended a training session during the summer and are a pilot user logging into Atomic Learning using Calvin’s generic account, please start accessing AL through KnightVision. This will allow us to better track the usage patterns and statistics. Our generic account will be disabled in the near future.
Questions?
If you have any questions about Atomic Learning or would like to integrate AL resources into your KnightVision course(s), please contact Krista Spahr (x6-6855).
Additional information about Atomic Learning
Posted in: Academic Software: Announcements: Technology Tips
Are you planning on using clickers for Interim or Spring 2010?
Thursday, November 05, 2009
If you are planning to use clickers in your Interim or Spring 2010 course(s), please make sure you have submitted your request(s) by the following dates
Interim - November 16
Spring - December 15
Once you have submitted your request(s), Teaching & Learning and the Campus Store will use the provided information to:
- order clickers and enrollment codes from eInstruction,
- include clickers as an item on the textbooks/materials listing(s) for your course(s), and
- equip the appropriate classrooms with the CPS software and receivers.
Submit Interim &/or Spring 2010 clicker requests
(Please make sure you are logged into KnightVision before clicking this link.)
If you are interested in using clickers or have any questions, please contact Krista Spahr.
Posted in: Academic Software
Six-hundred ninety-five
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
As of Wednesday, September 30, six-hundred and ninety-five clickers have been registered in KnightVision for Fall semester. They are being used by fourteen instructors in seventeen courses.
Biology professor, David Koetje, who has been using the clickers in his Biology 141 classes for the last four years, has shared with us a couple of thoughts. “Clickers have greatly facilitated collaborative learning in Biology 141. Through the reporting features of the clicker software, student teams are able to compare answers to questions on formative quizzes, turning their attention to the rationale of different responses instead of simply obsessing about ‘right answers.’ Improvements in individual preparedness, critical thinking, and classroom engagement are three noteworthy benefits of our use of clicker technology.”
What does this mean? There is a powerful assessment tool being used on campus just waiting for you to tap into its potential. Just ask your students how many of them already have their own clicker in which they’ve enrolled in other course(s). In many cases, you might be surprised by the response.
How do the clickers work?
- Students purchase a clicker at the Campus Store for around $23.00. (Calvin College will subsidize the cost of enrolling the clicker, which will remain active for the duration of their time here at Calvin.)
- Instructors register their course(s) in KnightVision.
- Students register/enroll their clicker in your course(s) in KnightVision. (Students may register their clickers in multiple courses per semester.)
- You can use your clickers anytime in a variety of ways with results available right at your fingertips! Grades and data gathered from any class session can then be uploaded into your KnightVision grade center.
Tired of bubble sheets? Clickers can be used similarly to “bubble sheets” for assessment. As students take a test that has been individually distributed to them (on paper), the students submit their answers digitally using their clickers rather than filling in the bubbles. No more trips to CIT to have your tests graded and there is no waiting. Plus, if you make your grades available to your students through your KnightVision grade center, students will be able to see their scores as soon as you upload them. Now, how’s that for timely assessment and feedback?
Did any of your textbooks come with an ExamView CD? If yes, banks of clicker questions have already been created by your publisher and are available on CDs.
Do you think you might be interested? Please feel free to contact Krista Spahr to discuss ways you might integrate this technology into your course(s). We can even start thinking ahead to Spring and Fall 2010 too.
Posted in: Academic Software: Best Practices
