Week's End Report - July 1st

Tip of the Week!

Online technologies are a big part of our world at Ivy Tech. A significant percentage of courses are fully online and all of our courses utilize online technologies in some form or fashion. As the technologies associated with online course content have grown and evolved, tremendous classroom opportunities have emerged. 

Purdue University's IMPACT program has studied student-centered teaching, an approach that focuses on active learning, specifically collaborative and cooperative learning. Active, collaborative learning is strongly linked to increased student engagement and ultimately to a higher level of student success. 

The IMPACT program was modeled around a motivational theory called the Self-Determination Theory (SDT). SDT suggests that when students feel satisfied in three basic areas - autonomy, competence, and connectedness - they are increasingly motivated to participate in the learning process and enjoy the benefits of active learning.

What, exactly, does this mean?

• Autonomy - when students are given a choice in their learning or demonstration of learning, it increases their feelings of autonomy
• Competency - a student who feels confident in their knowledge of a subject matter and their ability to communicate that knowledge, they feel competent
• Relatedness - students who feel connected to the course materials, their instructor, and their fellow students, they are able to engage more fully in the course

Fortunately we have at our fingertips a wealth of technologies and information that can facilitate student-centered learning and increase student engagement and motivation in our classrooms here at Ivy Tech. Those technologies include:

• Blackboard - post a variety of course materials so students have alternative means by which to meet course learning objectives
• GoToMeeting - web conferencing technology allows us to "meet" virtually with individuals and groups in any location
• Discussion Boards, Blogs, and Wikis - Blackboard has a host of tools available to facilitate collaboration among students
• Web 2.0 Tools - students communicate more freely using their preferred method of communication; this extends well beyond traditional student-instructor interaction to encompass student-student collaboration as well as new methods for student demonstration of learning
• And much more! The possibilities are limitless!

To learn more about Purdue's IMPACT program and explore resources for course redesign, visit the IMPACT program website at: http://www.purdue.edu/impact/

Training Information

Those faculty who are interested in teaching online, who are not already certified to teach online, may still sign up for the summer session of IVYC110-SP. That course will run through July 30th. In order to participate, you must first have successfully completed BBRD101.

Faculty who have not been previously certified will also need to complete IVYC110-IL (must first complete both BBRD101 and IVYC110-SP). There will be two sections of IVYC110-IL offered that will enable faculty to teach online in the fall. Those sections begin:

• Monday, July 18th
• Monday, August 1st

Enrollments are extremely limited so if you have previously been online certified at Ivy Tech, please do not register for these certification courses.

Systems Information

Campus Connect will be undergoing maintenance and will be unavailable from 10:30 pm through midnight, Tuesday, July 5th.

The phone systems will be intermittently unavailable during system maintenance that will be taking place from 2:00 - 8:00 pm on Saturday, July 9th.