Join MSU IT for several virtual workshops in October to help leverage educational technology tools, accessibility considerations, and other technology-informed teaching strategies in your courses.
Read more about the October training offerings below and register at spartanslearn.msu.edu.
- Register by selecting Live Course Listing
- Follow the instructions to sign in (if prompted)
- In the Training Registration area, click Register for a Course
- Select “Virtual” in the Type of Class drop-down
- Select the course title in the Choose a Class drop-down
All workshops will be conducted via Zoom. Additional technology training opportunities and on-demand course recordings about collaborative tools such as Microsoft 365 applications can also be found at spartanslearn.msu.edu.
Engaging Students in Online Discussions & Peer Feedback Activities, 10/4/2023, 11:00 a.m. to Noon
Presented by Susan Halick, Dr. Cui Cheng, and Dr. Lindsay Tigue
Are you concerned about keeping your students interested in discussions and feedback in an online environment? This session will briefly demo D2L Discussion types and then introduce three external learning tools available at MSU, including Packback, Piazza, and Eli Review.
D2L Gradebook Setup, 10/4/2023, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Presented by Dr. Jennifer Wagner, Mark Hodgins, and Lisa Batchelder
Access to accurate and up-to-date grades is very important to students. The D2L online gradebook gives private views to students and a spreadsheet view to instructors. This training will lead you through how to set up a points-based or percentage-based (weighted) gradebook. We will also cover how to connect existing activities, such as assignments and online quizzes. See the Grading in D2L workshop as a follow-up.
Creating Accessible Digital Media, 10/5/2023, 11:00 a.m. to Noon
Presented by KJ Downer-Shojgreen, Kevin Henley, and Rhonda Kessling
Do you want to learn more about how to create accessible digital media for your courses? Join this workshop to learn strategies and key considerations for making your video, audio, and graphic content inclusive and accessible.
D2L Quizzes, 10/5/2023, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Presented by Dr. Cui Cheng, Dr. Jennifer Wagner, and Lisa Batchelder
Would you like to provide ample practice opportunities for students to test themselves online with auto-graded questions and multiple attempts? You can with the Quizzes tool in D2L. In this session, we’ll demonstrate how to build a D2L Quiz with question types such as True/False, Multiple Choice, Multiple-Select, Matching, and more. Written Response (essay) questions can also be added and manually graded in an efficient way. Other demonstrated topics include the Question Library, question pool items, and quiz options, such as shuffling questions and answer choices.
Creating Engaging Videos with Camtasia, 10/10/23, 11:00 a.m. to Noon
Presented by Rhonda Kessling and Kevin Henley
This workshop will focus on the use of Camtasia for creating and editing instructional videos, with tips for recording practices that minimize re-recording and make editing easier. The topics covered will include recording a presentation, editing a video, importing media, and adding effects or annotations.
Reviewing Your Online or Hybrid Course, 10/10/23, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Presented by Rhonda Kessling, Susan Halick, and Dr. Cui Cheng
There are many options for getting feedback on your online or hybrid course: formative feedback from an online learning specialist, peer review programs, or formal reviews from Quality Matters. Join this session to learn about your options and how you can engage with them.
Incorporating UDL Into Your Course Design, 10/11/23, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Presented by Dr. Cui Cheng, Dr. Lindsay Tigue, and Lisa Batchelder
Are you looking for ways to make your course more accessible and inclusive for all students? From a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) perspective, this session will discuss general principles and practical strategies for creating inclusive course materials, enriching student engagement, implementing varied assessments, and fostering a sense of belonging for all students. Join us in this session for discussions and actionable insights to create an inclusive environment for every student.
Grading in D2L, 10/12/23, 11:00 a.m. to Noon
Presented by Mark Hodgins, Lisa Batchelder, and Susan Halick
Are you new to entering grades in D2L? Have you already been grading and would like to pick up a few new tips? This training is for anyone who will be grading activities or entering scores into a D2L gradebook. Participants should have an existing gradebook or previous knowledge of how to set up a gradebook. See the session on D2L Gradebook Setup prior to this session, if needed.
D2L Content Templates for Consistent Course Design, 10/17/23, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Presented by Susan Halick, Kevin Henley, and Dr. Cui Cheng
Content Templates provide a consistent design to your D2L course pages without requiring knowledge of HTML code. The Spartanized templates offered by MSU IT are fully responsive and accessible, with built-in interactivity and knowledge checks to engage students. The templates are now available automatically in every course via Public Files, or a zip file can be uploaded manually to Manage Files for your own customization. In this workshop, participants will follow along with us to apply the templates to a development course and create visually appealing and engaging content pages.
D2L Intelligent Agents: Streamlining Personalized Communication at Scale, 10/18/23, 11:00 a.m. to Noon
Presented by Susan Halick, Mark Hodgins, and Dr. Lindsay Tigue
Join us for a workshop on leveraging the power of D2L Intelligent Agents to automate personalized messages to students based on their actions. For example, agents can be used to send targeted emails to students who have not engaged with the course in a specified timeframe or to offer congratulations for achieving exceptional scores. Intelligent Agents can also be used to produce reports on student activity, such as listing those who have completed a checklist or earned an award. Streamline your communication efforts and enhance student engagement with Intelligent Agents.
If you are not able to attend one of these sessions, recordings will be posted to view on the Instructional Technology & Development MediaSpace channel. You can also learn more about using D2L at Educational Technology Training.
