Workshops

Scheduled Workshops for the Spring 2010 Semester

To register for an Instructional Support workshop, please click on the "Instructional Support" link on the left-hand side of the myNU homepage. If you do not have access to myNU, please contact our office directly.

Blackboard 101: Introduction to Blackboard

Blackboard 101 workshops are designed for faculty who have little to no previous experience with Blackboard 9.0 course management software. In this highly interactive workshop, participants will learn and practice the basic features of Blackboard 9.0. Chester A. Barosky from IT will be available as a resource. Before attending the event, please register your course with IT using the “Blackboard Online Course Form” under the left-hand column on your myNU homepage. This will enable you to set up your spring class during the workshop.
Facilitator: Jennifer H. Herman, Director of Instructional Support, Niagara University
Chet Barosky from IT will be available as a resource

Session #1: Friday, January 15, 10:00-11:30 am; St. Vincent's Hall, #105
Session #2: Friday, January 15, 1:00-2:30 pm; St. Vincent's Hall, #105
Advanced Blackboard sessions and one-on-one tutorials are available upon request.

Introduction to Smartboards

After finishing a class, have you ever wished that you could save the notes on the board and email them to students? Would you like to make notes on a webpage in front of the class, or navigate the Internet without being confined behind the teaching station? All of this and more is possible with Smartboard technology, which is surprisingly easy to learn. Visit one of Niagara's many Smartboard classrooms, see what the technology can do, try it for yourself, and discuss ways that Smartboard technology can be applied to improve student learning. Led by Edwin Cabrera (IT) and Jennifer Herman (Instructional Support).
Facilitators: Edwin Cabrera (IT), Jennifer Herman (Instructional Support)

Session #1: Wednesday, February 3, 10:00-11:00 am; Dunleavy Hall #122
Session #2: Monday, February 8, 12:20-1:20 pm; Dunleavy Hall #122

Angelo's Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs)

How do you know whether the students are "getting it?" Thomas Angelo's Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) are short in-class exercises that faculty can use to obtain frequent, informal, useful feedback on how well their students are learning. This workshop will share several techniques, such as the Minute Paper and Muddiest Point. Angelo's book with 50 CATs will be available for participants to borrow after the workshop.
Facilitator: Jennifer Herman (Instructional Support)

Thursday, February 18, 11:10 am-12:40 pm; Academic Complex #127

Effective Instruction with PowerPoint 2007

This workshop introduces participants to PowerPoint 2007 and provides advice and techniques for how to use this software effectively to promote student learning in the classroom. The workshop will also demonstrate how to integrate voiceover narration into a presentation for use with online instruction.

Wednesday, March 24, 10:10-11:15 am; St. Vincent's Hall #104

Clickers in the Classroom

Classroom Response Systems (Clickers) are growing in popularity. Clickers can be powerful for formative assessment; they're also useful tools to facilitate controversial discussions in the classroom. Plus, students love them! Instructional Support has invested in a new, easier to use clicker system that can be integrated with PowerPoint. Come learn how to use the clickers, see a sample presentation, and learn how to reserve the clickers for your own classroom.

Session #1: Tuesday, April 13, 2:10-3:40 pm; Dunleavy Hall #127
Session #2: Wednesday, April 14, 10:10-11:15 am; Dunleavy Hall #131

Distance and Online Education Faculty Learning Community

The Center for Instructional Support is proud to support a Distance and Online Education Faculty Learning Community (FLC) for the 2009-2010 academic year. Mary Ellen Bardsley of the College of Education and Karen E. Edmond of the Social Work department are the faculty facilitators. FLC members support each others' work on individual projects related to distance and online education. FLC participants are expected to produce a final product (such as a publication, conference presentation, or course redesign) in exchange for funding for support of their individual projects and acceptance into this close-knit, cross-disciplinary, supportive community.