BLENDED LEARNING: EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION AND ENGAGEMENT July 30 August 1, 2012 Atlanta, GA
OVERVIEW In light of the increased demand for high-quality blended courses and programs, instructional designers and course developers are facing new design challenges. To ensure the development of effective courses and a high level of engagement for a variety of learners, course developers must effectively use the online and physical classroom environments, establishing measurable learning outcomes and the means for achieving them. Join us in Atlanta as we discuss: Blended course design principles Student engagement and assessment of learning Instructional strategies and alignment LEARNING OUTCOME Sharpen your instructional skills and learn how to engage more students in a blended course environment. After attending this conference, you will be able to improve your blended courses, better engage your students, and sharpen your instructional skills. WHO SHOULD ATTEND Instructional designers, faculty, and faculty developers will benefit from this conference. CONFERENCE FORMAT The conference is structured to balance information sharing, targeted learning activities, group work, and collaboration with colleagues. Through the use of case studies and collaborative work, you will be able to directly apply the knowledge that you have gained during the conference while receiving guidance from the instructors. WHAT TO BRING Required materials and equipment for the course are: An actual course syllabus from your institution. You will have the opportunity to redesign a section or chunk of your course into a blended format and determine the best instructional approach for it. A laptop or a tablet with wireless connectivity. Conference proceedings will be available online or on a flash drive. Attend as a Team and Save! We know that critical issues and challenges require the input and support of many campus stakeholders. To help make it possible for your team to attend, every fourth conference and/ or workshop registrant can participate FREE of charge! 2
AGENDA MONDAY, JULY 30, 2012 8:00 9:00 a.m. Registration and continental breakfast for pre-conference workshop participants (breakfast included in workshop registration fee) 9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Optional pre-conference workshop: Cloud-Based, Mobile, and Classroom Technology for Learning and Engagement Blended courses provide a variety of opportunities for utilizing student-owned, institutionally provided, and cloud-based technologies. Cloud computing refers to accessing software and data from a multitude of devices and not being reliant on software contained on and accessible only from a single desktop computer. These mostly free technologies can be effectively used to enhance collaboration and engagement in blended courses. This workshop provides an overview of the range of technology use strategies and resources that can be utilized to support learning within and outside of the classroom. We ll address: The role of technology in the blended course Classroom technologies Cloud-based and mobile technologies Enhancing the LMS/CMS with cloud-based technology You ll also apply some of the shared technologies and rubrics to your own course. 12:00 1:00 p.m. Lunch for pre-conference workshop participants (included in workshop registration) 12:00 1:00 p.m. Conference registration 1:00 1:30 p.m. Introduction and opening remarks SECTION 1: COURSE DESIGN PRINCIPLES 1:30 2:45 p.m. Blended Models and Course Redesign While incorporating online and face-to-face interaction components, blended courses differ from classroom and online courses; they have unique requirements and necessitate designing a new course, even when the online course is based upon an existing one. This session introduces key elements of blended design and the process of redesigning a traditional course into a blended one. 2:45 3:00 p.m. Break 3:00 5:00 p.m. Mapping the Blended Course The blended course redesign process includes several steps. In this segment, we ll begin that process by providing an overview and practicing the first few mapping steps with an existing course or by reworking a course syllabus. We will continue to work through the redesign process throughout the conference, focusing on a chunk or section of the course. Session discussions will include: Mapping the course: How to organize the design process for the redesign team and the faculty member Starting with what you have: evaluating, redesigning, and using objectives 5:00 6:00 p.m. Networking reception (included in registration fee) 3
AGENDA TUESDAY, JULY 31, 2012 SECTION 2: STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING (INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES, ENGAGEMENT, AND ASSESSMENT) 8:00 8:30 a.m. Continental breakfast (included in registration fee) 8:30 9:45 a.m. Connecting Classroom and Online Experiences 9:45 10:00 a.m. Morning break Designing face-to-face meetings and online activities is often straightforward, though connecting and integrating student experiences can be challenging. Through case studies and examples, this session will illustrate a variety of approaches to designing the blend of in-class and online course components. 10:00 11:15 a.m. Blended Instructional Strategies Blended course design often requires meeting in different locations and different times, requiring that the learner take on new roles and responsibilities. Working from course syllabi, this session will provide examples and strategies of how to utilize successful instructional approaches. 11:15 a.m. 12:15 p.m. Interaction and Peer Engagement in the Blended Course This session will focus on facilitating and assessing online discussion and collaborative exercises, as well as on building community among students. 12:15 1:30 p.m. Lunch (included in registration fee) 1:30 3:00 p.m. Student Engagement and Web 2.0 3:00 3:15 p.m. Afternoon break The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) has demonstrated that engagement, persistence, grades, and student satisfaction go hand in hand. This session will explore how Web 2.0 tools can be used to increase the level of student engagement in blended and online courses. You will work through a series of case studies in order to identify which strategies and tools are appropriate for your own contexts. 3:15 4:30 p.m. Blending Assessments for Optimizing Learning Bringing it full circle, in this session you will develop creative assessment practices, such as the use of case studies, authentic assessments based in real-life application of concepts, and collaborative activities that move away from the traditional use of tests and quizzes. You will also discuss the design and use of rubrics as a technique for assessing projects and collaborative activities. SECTION 3: INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND ENGAGEMENT (COMMUNITY, COMMUNICATION, AND OVERSIGHT) 4:30 5:30 p.m. The Role of a Successful Blended Instructor In this session, you will discuss issues that exist and emerge in developing and delivering a blended course, and that affect the success and effectiveness of online instructors. Participants will share real-life experiences and knowledge, and will hear practical suggestions and recommendations for addressing common course design issues, as well as management strategies that work. 4
AGENDA WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2012 8:30 9:00 a.m. Continental breakfast (included in registration fee) 9:00 10:15 a.m. Building Trust and Effective Communication 10:15 10:30 a.m. Break This session will outline strategies instructors use to get students to begin to know each other and build trust. Participants will complete an online teaching context exercise using Web 2.0 or cloud-based tools. 10:30 11:45 a.m. Learner Accountability and Support This session will focus on achieving learning objectives in the distributed/blended learning environment with respect to overall success rates, withdrawal, student and faculty satisfaction, interactive success patterns, and student perception of teaching effectiveness. We will also cover strategies for building a culture of the scholarship of teaching and learning by relating these concepts to the emerging emphasis on information fluency. 11:45 a.m. 12:15 p.m. Wrap-up and program takeaways 5
INSTRUCTORS ALISA COOPER / Assistant Chair and Professor of English Glendale Community College In her role as assistant chair and e-courses coordinator for the English department at Glendale Community College, Alisa works with faculty to create and improve online and blended courses. She currently serves as a technology specialist for the Maricopa District, providing a podcasting and vodcasting series and teaching with technology and mobile learning workshops for the Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction. Alisa previously served as interim instructional technologist for the Title V Grant at Phoenix College. PATRICIA MCGEE / Associate Professor of Instructional Technology The University of Texas at San Antonio As associate professor and program coordinator of the digital learning design program in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Patricia has designed and taught more than 20 online and blended courses. She is the recipient of a US Distance Learning Association (USDLA) Gold Award for Online Technology. She has been awarded research fellowships with the National Learning Infrastructure Initiative (EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative), American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE)/Navy, and the ASEE/Air Force. Her professional work and consulting includes K-20 education, military, nonprofit, for-profit, and public sector projects. At the University of Texas at San Antonio, she is involved in both blended and online learning initiatives, serving on advisory and planning committees and conducting research. A prolific author, Patricia publishes in the areas of online and blended pedagogy, faculty technology use, and emerging learning systems and tools. STEVIE ROCCO / Assistant Director for Learning Design, John A. Dutton e-education Institute Penn State University Stevie has 11 years of experience working with faculty to create and manage online learning. In her position, she creates tools and technologies to improve online course experiences. In addition, Stevie teaches courses in information sciences and technology and instructional systems. She also consults on a wide variety of topics, including faculty development for online teaching, accessibility, usability, open source/free tools, copyright and creative commons, and social media. 6
HOTEL RESERVATIONS The conference will be held at: InterContinental Atlanta Buckhead 3315 Peachtree Road NE Atlanta, GA 30326 To reserve your room, call 404.946.9191 or 1.877.422.8254. Please indicate that you are with the group to receive the room rate of $165 for single or double occupancy, plus applicable tax. A room block has been reserved for the nights of July 29 31, 2012. Reservations must be made by July 6, 2012. There are a limited number of rooms available at the conference rate. Please make your reservations early. The InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta puts you close to Buckhead s thriving business and shopping districts and provides easy access to attractions such as the Georgia Aquarium, the High Museum of Art, the New World of Coca- Cola, and the CNN Studio Tour. The hotel is approximately 17 miles from Atlanta s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL). Taxis are plentiful from the airport. Expect about a 20-minute ride and approximately a $41 fare. MARTA (subway) is another option for transportation from the airport to the hotel. You can expect this option to take about 30 minutes and to cost $2 for the MARTA fare and then an $8 cab ride from the MARTA station to the hotel. 7
PLEASE FAX ALL REGISTRATION PAGES TO: 303.221.2259 Questions about the event? Call us at 720.488.6800 to help determine if this event is right for you. Register online at REGISTRATION FEES Your registration fee includes: full access to all conference sessions and materials, access to the networking reception on Monday, breakfast and lunch on Tuesday, and breakfast on Wednesday, as well as refreshments and snacks throughout the conference. Best Value Conference Workshop Conference + pre - conference workshop - $1395 USD # of attendees Conference only - $1095 USD # of attendees Pre - conference workshop only - $395 USD # of attendees Total Total Total ATTEND AS A TEAM remember, if you register as a group, every fourth registrant is free. EARLY BIRD PRICING Postmarked on or before July 13, 2012. For registrations postmarked after July 13, 2012, an additional $100 fee per registrant applies. REFUND/CANCELLATION POLICY Refunds will be issued only if cancellations are received in writing by May 4, 2012. A $100 processing fee will be assessed. After May 4, 2012 a credit (less $100 processing fee) will be issued. The credit will be valid for 12 months and can be used toward any future conferences, Web conferences, audio proceedings, or Web conference archives. In case this event is cancelled, liability is limited to a refund of this registration fee only. By submitting this registration form, you agree to the terms and conditions of the above cancellation policy. 8
PLEASE FAX ALL REGISTRATION PAGES TO: 303.221.2259 CONFERENCE REGISTRATION INFORMATION Print Name Job Title Institution/Organization What name do you prefer on your name badge? Address City State/Province Zip/Postal Code Country Telephone Email IF THIS CONFERENCE PARTICIPANT HAS ANY DIETARY OR ACCESSIBILITY NEEDS, PLEASE LIST THEM IN THE SPACE BELOW. WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO ACCOMMODATE THESE NEEDS. If you would like us to send a copy of your registration confirmation or receipt to someone else, please complete this section ADDITIONAL CONTACT INFORMATION Additional Contact Name Contact Phone Additional Contact Email Additional Contact Title EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION Emergency Contact Name Emergency Contact Phone 9
PLEASE FAX ALL REGISTRATION PAGES TO: 303.221.2259 PAYMENT METHOD We accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express credit cards. To pay by check, include the check with this form or select the invoice me option. Fax form to 303.221.2259 or mail form along with payment to:, 4601 DTC Blvd., Ste. 800, CREDIT CARD Name on Card Account Number Billing Address Billing City Billing State Billing Zip Code/Postal Code Exp. Date Security Code (last 3 digits on the back of Visa and MC or 4 digits on front of AmEx) Remember, if you register as a group, every fourth registrant is free. CHECK/INVOICE AMOUNT TO CHARGE: My check is included and covers registration(s) Check # Please invoice me, Purchase Order # (PO # not required to receive invoice) FREE HIGHER ED NEWS AND ANALYSIS Each conference registration includes a subscription to Higher Ed Impact, a free industry scan of news, trends, and research on higher education, delivered in an easy-to-scan email. Higher Ed Impact (HEI) includes: (Check the boxes for the editions you would like to sign up for) HEI: Daily Pulse impactful news, trends, and practices, sent daily HEI: Weekly Scan the week s most critical news, with analysis of top stories and trends, sent on Fridays HEI: Monthly Diagnostic practical takeaways addressing a strategic challenge facing institutions of higher ed, sent 9-12 times/year List the names of the registrants you d like to sign up: Note if you do not provide any names in the above space, all attendees will be signed up for the options selected. 10