April 2009 Archives

The TLT Center Summer Series 2009 Schedule

Monday, May 18th
Developing Your Online Course: Are You Ready?
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM BECK Rooms (Ground floor of Walsh)
Register HERE!

Tuesday, June 2nd
Sakai@SHU
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM CTC (Ground floor of Walsh)
Register HERE!

Tuesday, June 9th
Web 2.0 Tools for Blog, ePortfolio and Website Design:
What's Writing Got to do With It?
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM CTC (Ground floor of Walsh)
Register HERE!

Tuesday, June 16th
SHU Tube & iTunes U
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM ITV Room (Ground floor of Walsh)
Register HERE!

Wednesday, July 1st
Microsoft Day: Office 2007, Outlook 2007 & Live Resources
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM CTC (Ground floor of Walsh)
Register HERE!

Wednesday, July 8th
Web 2.0 Storytelling: The Tools, The Ease, The Magic
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM CTC (Ground floor of Walsh)
Register HERE!

Wednesday, July 15th
Standout in a Crowd: Creating Effective Posters & Presentations
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM CTC (Ground floor of Walsh)
Register HERE!

Wednesday, July 22nd
Assessment Day
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM Beck Rooms (Ground floor of Walsh)
Register HERE!

Wednesday, July 29th & Thursday, July 30th
Electronic Survey Research Day 1 Register for Day 1 HERE!
Electronic Survey Research Day 2 Register for Day 2 HERE!
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM CTC (Ground floor of Walsh)

Tuesday, August 4th
DyKnow
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM ITV Room (Ground floor of Walsh)
Register HERE!

Tuesday, August 11th
What's New in Blackboard 9?
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM CTC (Ground floor of Walsh)
Register HERE!

If you have any questions, please contact Melissa McDowell at mcdoweme@shu.edu or Ext. 6173

New possibilities and exciting changes will be available when the University moves to the newest release of Blackboard. This summer, the Teaching, Learning and Technology Center will upgrade Blackboard, Seton Hall University's course management system, from version 8.0 to version 9.0.

As we move to Blackboard 9, you will find a fresh new look - one that features fewer clicks to navigate and to complete course setup options. The new version offers new and improved social learning tools such as blogs and journals, and other Web 2.0 technologies that allow for greater interactivity and collaboration in a web-based environment. It offers the ability to customize course pages by "dragging and dropping". Navigation is easier with the new drop down menus. And that's just the begining!

For more information on What's new in Blackboard 9 and see a preview click HERE. Stay tuned for more information about additional features, training dates and the actual upgrade schedule.

Earlier this week PBS launched a new video portal (http://www.pbs.org/video) featuring numerous full-length videos from programs including Frontline, Nature, Nova, and The News Hour.

Video content is organized by program and by topic. Additionally, a search feature allows users to find content on a specific topic.

According to http://www.pbs.org/video/about.html, the new PBS Video website offers "award-winning national programming and locally produced shows..."

To discuss potential methods for incorporating video into your classes, please contact your Instructional Designer.

Do you have questions about Email Migration and PirateNet? We can help! The TLT Center will have a table set up in the University Center main lobby (the same level as the Pirate's Cove) for the next few weeks to answer any questions you may have.

We will also be able to sign you up for Email Migration if you have not already done so and explain the process of changing over to the new email system. So feel free to drop by and see us from 12:00 noon - 2:00 pm on the following dates:

• Wednesday, April 22nd 12:00 - 2:00 pm
• Thursday, April 23rd 12:00 - 2:00 pm
• Tuesday, April 28th 12:00 - 2:00 pm
• Wednesday, April 29th 12:00 - 2:00 pm
• Thursday, April 30th 12:00 - 2:00 pm

We hope to see you there!

"Web 2.0 is the rebirth of teaching and learning that fits what we are as a species." - Trent Batson, Director of The Association for Authentic, Experiential and Evidence-Based Learning (AAEEBL)

Yesterday, an interesting article was published in Campus Technology which addresses the benefits of Web 2.0 and what it offers higher education. The comments at the bottom include both positive and negative responses to the article.

I agree for the most part with Dr. Batson although I can understand some of the limitations that are represented in the comments section. How about you? What do you think?

Earlier this week, the TLT Center hosted a Google Day Workshop where we looked at a number of topics including: Google Alerts; Google Books; Google Scholar; Google Docs; and Google Sites.

A number of additional Google Tools are currently available. A comprehensive list is available via Google's Website.

The Google Day agenda is available: click here

Video Resources:
How to create a Google Alert: click here
What is Google Mail: click here
Google Docs in Plain English: click here
Google SketchUp Concepts: click here
1-800-GOOG-411: Google's 411 service: click here

Additional Resources
Discover Ancient Rome in Google Earth

Google Earth: Whats new in v5.0

Did you ever wish you could read your student's mind? What possibly could they be thinking when they answered that question? Or maybe it is about the "process" and not the final result that is important however, how do you capture that?

Check out the Livescribe Pen! It mirrors traditional paper and pencil yet captures writing and audio that can then be shared as a "pencast". Faculty at Loyola Marymount have recently begun experimenting with this simple tool in the Math and Sciences to assess if students really understand important concepts or need additional help. As students solve problems, they record their thought process. Other additional uses for the pen include notetaking, recording homework solutions or post lecture notes, creating tutorials, and for language learning.

The pen costs $150 - $200. Notebooks are four for $20. You can also print your own paper if you have a laser printer.

For more information, watch the video below or check out the website at http://www.livescribe.com.

You may have seen a broadcast talking about a "migration". Do you need to do anything? What is going to happen? Do you have to "migrate"? Here is what you need to know.

Lotus Notes is being replaced by Microsoft Outlook as our email client (email program). When you schedule your migration appointment, a few things will happen:

• Systems will create an Outlook account for you on the morning of your scheduled migration.


• If you choose training, you will receive the email client. If you are comfortable with using webmail, you do need to fill out the survey but you do not need to attend training. At the migration session technicians will also move over any contacts/ folders from Lotus Notes to Outlook (if you have them).


• Training on Outlook is provided in the old Computer Training Center classroom. During training you will learn new features and how to access email through PirateNet. This process should take no more than 90minutes.

Do you have to do this? Yes! Since Lotus Notes will no longer be used for email; you will not be able to send email or receive email through Lotus notes. You will however be able to read stored emails in Notes.

When do you need to do this? As soon as possible!

Where can you sign up? Click here for more information and to schedule your migration appointment.

If you are unable to attend your scheduled session, please contact Bill Otskey immediately.
Phone. 973.275.2161
Email: otskeybi@shu.edu

For additional information on email migration and Outlook, click here.

Summer and Fall 2009 courses are now available in Blackboard. Fee free to explore your course shell by making it more unique to your course and you. Change themes, colors, toolbar options, and etc. Upload your syllabus and any other assignments for all those anxious students who are just dying to know what's in store for them in the upcomming semester. If you are in need of some instructional training, courses will be held on April 30th (reading day) in the ITV room on the 1st floor of the Walsh Library. See below for a list of available courses. Hope to see you all there!

9:30-10:30am: The Grade Center-
Explore the ability to enter student scores much more efficiently, select dual display of Grade Center data, access audit/grade history changes, provide Gradebook comments, and so much more. The new and improved, easy to use Grade Center increases efficiency and enables new customization, powerful analysis and flexibility capabilities. Join us for this class in learning the basics of the Grade Center, from creating, modifying, and grading assignments, to giving your student's feedback, to creating categories, weighting grades, and really using the Grade Center to your advantage. To register, simply click here!

10:45-11:45am: Spring Cleaning for your Course-
Are you teaching the same course again next semester? Do you want to reuse content, assignments, and other manipulations including Grade Center, Discussion Board, and Group pages? Explore the functions of Archive, Export, and Course Copy in this class designed to give you all the tools you need to clean up your current course shell in preparation for the end of the semester. Whether you choose to recycle your course again or not, all will find this class particularly helpful in organizing content and safe guarding student work by creating a permanent record of your Spring 2009 course. To register, simply click here!

3:00-4:00pm: Open Lab
Are you unsure which course to take, if any? Do you have specific quesions relating to your Blackboard course and want answers? In this non-instructional course, you bring questions you have with you and our team of techs will solve any issue you might encounter! To register, simply click here!