Developing online courses can be an overwhelming experience, but Kathleen Pigg and Brenton Scott wrote a blog post that gives you some insight into their transition from traditional to online courses.Our adventures in the transition to digital format. - Kathleen B. Pigg and Brenton D. Scott, SoLS Plants & Civilization (PLB 302) is a course that explores the wide range of how we grow, eat, build with, discover, exploit, modify and imitate synthetically the plants and plant products that are essential to our world and our survival.The course has always lent itself to a lot of in-class activities, e.g., "activity days" when we bring in real things (tropical fruit juices to test, herbs and spices to identify, chocolate of varying % cocoa, knitting needles, crochet hooks and yarn, drop spindles), group projects (e.g., "create a farm", "create a menu") and guest lectures (e.g., on herbal medicinal tea, xeriscaping, coffee roasting, etc.) As the internet became an increasing presence in everyone's lives, we started adding more and more online activities, starting with "20 questions" a wide ranging online discussion board. We went from objective exams to broader-based essays, and homework assignments based more and more on online sources.Short Lecture VideosIn May 2015 we ran the first 6-week online version of the class. Major things we learned:Shorter lectures or segments are best for presenting topics (5-10min)Example: https://youtu.be/kwjutJh6O90Do this by making a concept map of what you want students to learn, and then check it off as you go. Find short YouTube videos that illustrate or explain something you want to coverExample: https://youtu.be/ZuDJaUb7tHokInclude activities that get students to relate what they are learning to their everyday life.Example: https://youtu.be/P2yKHmOa5G8Student Diary ProjectWhat worked? Generally, reworking the lectures into shorter segments based on our learning goals worked pretty well. Figuring out what to focus on and what to strip away in order to streamline lectures was not difficult, but it was very time consuming. This was partially because the Powerpoints for this class are so image intense. We were happily surprised at the quality and breadth of materials available online. We ended up mostly using short YouTube videos (around 10 minute maximum), rather than editing segments from longer ones. We list our "top five" on the Conference Poster.Students were fairly good at engaging in online discussions but we would like to determine the best way to host live online discussion sessions with studentsWhat either didn't work or needs development:Students were not interested in online office hours, which were not mandatory.There were technical issues with the video taped lectures we would like to have had time to fix.It is difficult to cram such a diverse course into a 6-week course, therefore, we would like to develop student-produced lecture topics as part of the course.What are we doing next? We want the students to make more of their own videos as projects.We want to film our own "documentary style" interviews and segments to replace Powerpoint based lectures. Students found Youtube videos in this style more engaging.

Our guest blogger today is Rene Tanner ASU librarian, who specializes in biology, life sciences and environmental resources, and will be regularly sharing tips and tricks through our TeachTech Blog. In her post below, she shares how to set up an alert, and a great app called BrowZine that may be helpful for your classes and research. APP:  BrowZine Do you remember coming to the library and browsing the periodicals to see what was new in your research area? BrowZine is an app designed for browsing recent issues of scholarly journals on your iPad, iPhone or Android tablet. As the name implies, BrowZine is unlike many traditional research tools in that it emphasizes browsing over focused research and searching. Many journals develop issues around a research theme and having a tool that displays articles in the larger content of a journal issue can produce serendipitous discovers. In BrowZine you can create a bookshelf of favorite journals, browse a collection of journals by subject, search for your favorite journal by name, view the tables of contents, and read or save articles as they are released. Saved articles can be read on- or offline. TIP:  Email Alerts: With so much research being produced and discussed it can be difficult to keep up. Setting up alerts is a way to get the latest information automatically without actively searching for a topic. This guide covers email alerts for both saved searches and table of contents, RSS feeds, and more.Article alerts can be created for a variety of databases including PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and more.Many journals have an option to create table of contents alerts and JournalTOCs brings journals together so you can create an RSS feed or email alert for many of your favorite journals. To monitor the Web for new research you can create an alert for Google by following this link https://www.google.com/alerts. To create alerts for Google Scholar, do a search for the topic of interest, click "Create Alert" at the bottom of the sidebar located on the left-hand side of the results page; enter your search query, email address, and how many results you'd like to receive. Newly published papers will be periodically sent to your email address. Comment below if you are using Google alerts, and share how you are using them!!

Categories of Teaching Resources In our latest TeachT@lk Webinar (Sept. 1), we highlighted several useful teaching and learning resources available to instructors at ASU. Heidi Blair, Ph.D. , College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, and Rene Tanner, ASU Libraries, showcased services and technologies that are available for free. Furthermore, we showed exemplary resources to stay informed about pedagogy and developments across the university. Please take a moment to review the webinar recording and PowerPoint to see a full demonstration.Teaching with CLAS Hub (email CLAS-IDT@asu.edu for further information)ASU LibrariesStreaming VideoLib GuidesUTO Training for BlackboardASU Help Desk Live Chat in Blackboard (how to add it to your courses) TeachOnlineQuality Matters at ASU Twitter:ASU OutagesTeachOnline If you have a favorite resources that you would like to share, please add them by commenting on this post.Resources:Recording of Webinar: https://connect.asu.edu/p2u35o7n0fg/ PowerPoint Slides: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12594701/Final_Gallery_webinar.pdf

Today's Guest Blogger is Katelyn Cooper. Katey is a PhD student in Sara Brownell's Biology Education Research lab studying ways to promote equity in undergraduate biology education. Specifically she is interested in how different social identities impact student experiences in biology. Katey is also an Academic Success Coordinator in the School of Life SciencesNational recommendations call for college biology instructors to create active learning environments for all students (AAAS, 2011), but can all students afford to learn this way? Active learning has been shown to increase student learning and decrease the failure rate (Freeman et al., 2014), yet the student economic challenges associated with active learning are often hidden. The economic costs to students of doing active learning While active learning can be done in a low cost way (e.g. students drawing on the whiteboard), several new technologies have been developed to aid instructors in implementing active learning in large enrollment courses. Because these technologies often make the job of the instructor easier, instructors are incentivized to adopt them into their class. However, undergraduates are often responsible for purchasing these tools and technologies. These extra costs are commonly revealed to students only after they have enrolled in the course and may not be accounted for by the student when they are financially planning for the semester. While scholarships and financial aid are often directed toward tuition and housing, there may not be options to subsidize these hidden expenses. Consider three examples: Access to online learning- One of the common ways that instructors use active learning is to have students engage with the material prior to coming to lecture. Recently, this has been called "flipping the class" so that students read and/or watch videos outside of the normal lecture time (Tucker, 2012; Herreid and Schiller, 2013). The frequency with which students need to access the internet is increased for those enrolled in active learning classes that use a "flipped" format. While students can access computers in libraries and computer labs, there are a limited number of computers and set hours for these facilities, which place constraints on availability. Further, the time spent commuting to the library or computer lab is time that more advantaged students can spend doing homework.Clickers- The use of a student response system is an easy way to quickly assess student understanding in a large-scale course and allows instructors to tailor the class in real time to maximize student learning (Wood, 2004). However, clickers can cost students up to $100 and some companies require an additional registration fee per class. Instructors may require students to purchase these devices by using their responses to clicker questions for participation points. Additionally instructors can often choose among different technologies, which may require students to invest in multiple systems for different courses.Supplemental online learning materials- Many textbook companies now provide supplemental online material for an additional fee (e.g. Pearson’s Mastering Biology). This supplemental material can include interactive videos, practice questions, and a test bank for instructors to use to quiz students on their reading. These questions can be used by instructors to "flip" their classrooms, so students read and answer questions outside of class. However, some instructors make the purchase of this supplemental material mandatory for all students if they assign course points for students completing quizzes administered on this platform. What can instructors can do about it?  Be cognizant of student financial challenges-The first step in attempting to alleviate this inequity is for instructors to recognize the potential economic challenges for students. While an unexpected $100 expense likely is manageable for a faculty member, $100 for students who have to take out loans to pay for college may mean that they have to go without a necessity.Be transparent about costs and understanding of individual student issues- Instructors can provide students with a detailed syllabus, including information about these extra costs, before students sign up for the course. Furthermore, instructors can post assignments in advance, providing students with ample time to plan their personal and work schedules around accessing computers.Advocate for students who are struggling financially-When choosing from a range of possible active learning technologies, instructors can talk with providers about strategies to accommodate students who cannot afford access to their technologies. Companies may be willing to work with these students and provide discounts or even free access. However, instructors need to create an open environment in which students feel comfortable coming to them to discuss financial constraints.Change in policies: from extra costs to course fees- Up until this point, these costs are treated like textbook costs. However, if instructors require students to use these technologies to gain course points, then it seems like including them in a course fee would be more appropriate. This would minimize the out-of-pocket expenses that are required of students and scholarships and financial aid may be able to be used to cover them more easily. Lessening financial challenges should lead to enhanced student learning in active learning environments We encourage faculty members to continue to use technologies in their efforts to convert courses, particularly large enrollment courses, into active learning environments. However, we hope to promote awareness that student financial challenges may be a barrier for them in using some of these technologies. These technologies have been shown to improve student learning and we want to continue to harness that power, but we want to do so in a way that doesn’t disadvantage certain groups of students. References American Association for the Advancement of Science (2011). Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action, Washington, DC: http://visionandchange.org/files/2013/11/aaas-VISchange-web1113.pdf (accessed 19 March 2015).Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., Smith, M. K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., & Wenderoth, M. P. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8410-8415.Herreid, C. F., & Schiller, N. A. (2013). Case studies and the flipped classroom. Journal of College Science Teaching, 42(5), 62-66. Tucker, B. (2012). The flipped classroom. Education Next, 12(1), 82-83.Wood, W.B. (2004). Clickers: a teaching gimmick that works. Dev. Cell 7, 796-798.

Writing strong objectives for your course can help you:plan better assignmentsassess students easiercommunicate clearly to students Strong objectives can help students: understand what they are learningwhy they are learning ithow to meet the requirements of the courseFinally, objectives help align institution, program and courses to meet the learning needs of the community.During our webinar, we discussed the steps to writing objectives, including choosing verbs from Bloom's Taxonomy. We demonstrated a couple of  technologies to help you write them like ASU's Objective Builder. We also took time to practice evaluating and writing our own objectives. Below are some of the resources that were shared.Resources:PowerPoint SlidesVideo recording of WebinarTechnologies ASU's Objective BuilderEasy GeneratorThe Padagogy WheelOther Resources:Writing Measurable Learning ObjectivesCourse Objectives and Learning Outcomes ABCD Model for Writing Objectives

Dr. Sarah Dalrymple ran an exercise in her BIO530 Scientific Teaching course, that had some excellent tips for all our ASU instructors. Below is her summary of that activity.This semester in the graduate-level Scientific Teaching course (BIO 530), we have talked a lot about active learning pedagogies and how to successfully implement them in the classroom. In a recent class, the graduate students considered hypothetical classroom scenarios involving challenges that often come up when instructors try to implement active learning. For this post, I chose one scenario and presented the notes from our class discussion about possible solutions to the challenge. Davis Blasini, Latoya Campbell, Keith Crenshaw, Ryan Davila, and Tiffany Lewis came up with and compiled most of the ideas listed below. Scenario: You know that it is important to check for understanding at multiple times during a class period, but every time you ask if anyone in the class has questions, no one ever says anything. Can you assume everyone understands everything or is there a better way to get feedback? Problem: Instructor is not getting feedback or no indication if students actually understand the material being covered.Content can be really boring or difficult to understand.Teaching style might be boring or not interactive.Professor is not engaging students by not probing for understanding or using active learning within the classroom.There is possibly not enough "wait time" between the question and the professor moving on. Possible Solutions: Clicker Questions- ASU primarily uses Turning Point TechnologyIndex Cards/Post Its asking students to write questions over material that can be discussed next class (Muddiest Point)Ask students a question that has an actual answer, not just asking for clarification Restate the question in a different way Break down into small group discussion where students can discuss material and professor can walk around and answer any questions that individuals may have in a more approachable setting rather than in front of the entire class Increase the "wait time" and promote individual student thinking before answering any question. Instead of asking for questions from specific students, take a quick poll of the class (show of hands) that can help the professor determine if the class still has issues with the material. Helps students feel more comfortable by not being singled out.One Potential Solution Explained: Hand students Post-Its that they can use to write questions on a post on the door on their way out at the end of lecture. Professors can collect these Post-its at the end of each class to identify remaining questions student have at the end of the lecture. Then at the beginning of the succeeding lecture the professor can address these questions by developing some interactive activity (for example: clicker questions or strip sequences or small group discussion) that can go over the content that was discussed and can probe student understanding and clarify any misconceptions or muddy points.

How do you feel now that the semester is almost over? Our final TeachT@lk Webinar for 2015 was a terrific way to wrap up the year. So often we are overwhelmed with grading, and just submit grades and walk away, never thinking about the course until we teach again. This is not an effective way to end the semester, and loses some great opportunities to reflect on your course and make improvements for the next time you teach.Dr. Peter van Leusen shared 7 Action Tips for wrapping up the semester.  They included:Collect student feedbackGet student permissions for exemplary workArchive important information on your courseDocument the experiences from student interactions and reactions to assignmentsGet additional feedback from peers, TAs and Instructional DesignersPrioritize and make a plan for any changesTake action now to prepare for next semesterParticipants went through this worksheet, and took time to write comments about their courses for each of the tips. To watch a video of this information, see the resources listed below.Resources:Video Recording (30 min): https://connect.asu.edu/p7jvn9ns497/ PowerPoint Slides:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/ugtoy08m4g2lq5t/Now_What.pdf?dl=0Faculty Focus: Student Feedback: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/philosophy-of-teaching/a-new-twist-on-end-of-semester-evaluations/Qualtrics at ASU: https://asu.service-now.com/ess/kb_view_customer.do?sysparm_article=KB0012750 Alignment Map: https://drive.google.com/a/asu.edu/file/d/0B9g84rnCFm_sMVBSOW5leURna3M/view?usp=sharing ASU Online Course Startup Checklist: https://docs.google.com/a/asu.edu/document/d/1Ov0yWnZnt_qT5C3-ViQlFmaQWqHsoYYcuJT8F7mFX7A/edit?usp=sharing

Do not start with the Project Schedule.  It is stupid, stupid, stupid to build a plan before you know who is involved and what they want. How can you build a Plan without knowing why the solution will bring value to your organization? Move away from the over-promising software tools and skip ahead to Bite 4.

The Project Charter can be made into a nightmare by over complicating it but we have one that only takes 45 minutes - fill in the blanks.  Really- it's available here.  Once you build your first Project Charter,  you can reuse it for another project. Need a bit more help-  here's a webinar recording (1 hr) that shows you how to fill it in. ​

My favorite tool in the Project Charter is the Project Scope Diagram. List all your stakeholders including the Project Sponsor (see Bite 1). Stakeholders are roles that will provide you with or get something (usually both) for/from the project.  Put a circle in the middle of a flip-chart sheet. Put the name of the project in the circle. This is where you, as the role of Project Manager sit  since you are coordinating the project, just like a traffic coordinator.  Put each stakeholder role (for example, HR) on a Post-It and put them around the circle. Draw at least one in and one out arrow from each Stakeholder to the circle, labeling what gets handed off. I bet you a Turkey Leg that you learned a lot about your project by doing that.  Share with all stakeholders, and adjust this picture as the project goes on. Bad News Early is Good News.