Teaching in Our Digital World
Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning and
the TRU Centre for Teaching and Learning
May 28-29, 2010

Session Sign up

Agenda (pdf)

Closing Plenary – Time Travelling to the Future

Keynote Address & Workshop Sessions

Keynote

Friday May 28th 2010 6:00 - 7:00 pm

Open & Collaborative Learning:
How Social Networks Can Transform Teaching & Learning – Alec Couros, Ph.D.

The last few years have brought forth amazing possibilities for the innovative use of technology in education. Internet participation has exploded, thanks in no small part to the emergence and increasing popularity of social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter. What are the implications for social networks in education? How are educators using these tools to not only engage their students, but also to connect with each other? And, perhaps most importantly, how can we view these changes as an opportunity to inspire new and meaningful approaches to teaching & learning? Come and find out how Dr. Couros uses the tools of connectivity to transform the educational process.

Dr. Alec Couros is a professor of educational technology and media and the Coordinator of Information and Communications Technology at the Faculty of Education, University of Regina. Alec is scholar and advocate of openness in distributed learning environments and believes in the educational potential of many digital tools. He has given hundreds of workshops and presentations, nationally and internationally, on topics such as openness in education, social/networked learning, instructional design, digital citizenship, and critical media literacy.

Workshop Sessions

Saturday May 29th 2010 8:30 - 10:00, 10:30 - 12:00, 2:00 - 3:30

Workshop A:
Using Social Media to Build Powerful Networks of Practice - Alec Couros, Ph.D.

Social Networks services often get the bad rap of 'time-wasters' or tools that students use inappropriately. Yet in reality, there are many social networks built upon passion, kindness, transparency, sharing, and collaboration. This session will explore these positive human networks as they apply to educators. You will learn how distributed teacher networks are transforming practice in many courses. You will experience the most commonly used tools to build and communicate within these networks. You will engage in important first steps for building your own personal learning network. And, most importantly, you will see how the future of professional development will be anytime, anywhere and always at your fingertips.

Dr. Alec Couros is a professor of educational technology and media and the Coordinator of Information and Communications Technology at the Faculty of Education, University of Regina.

Workshop B:
The Virtual Classroom – Bridging the distance - Carole Robinson, Ed.D.

Do you ever ask yourself “Could I be more effective in my web or online course? How could I get my students to be more engaged? What could I do to maximize the student’s experience? How can I connect with my students in a virtual class? This workshop will provide tips and techniques on how to juggle the myriad of responsibilities within the virtual classroom, in order to support and meet the learner’s needs. On-line ice breakers will be shared/developed, along with an easy to use checklist designed to enhance your on-line facilitation experience

As Distance Education Specialist for Pasadena City College, Carole Robinson provides pedagogical support, development strategies, instructional materials and design, pertinent to evolving information technologies for web and online course delivery. Initially, Carole’s career in the online environment began in 1999 with the University of Montana as their first Director of Online Education. As a leader in Online Education, Carole is recognized in the US for her work with respect to the skills required to facilitate in the ‘virtual classroom’.

Workshop C:
More than the Lingo… Podcasts and Slidecasts - Norm Friesen, Ph.D.

Don’t be intimidated by the lingo or the technology! By following a few simple steps and taking advantage of a few technologies, you can ensure your presentations reach the widest possible audiences and are readily available to your students for study and review. Podcasting refers to recording an audio presentation and making it available online for download at a later date. Slidecasting refers to synchronizing audio with a PowerPoint presentation and also having it available for the convenience of your students. In this workshop Dr. Friesen will cover the use of both of these approaches. Sharing thoughts and ideas, you’ll discuss their value from a pedagogical and research perspective as well as the types of technology involved (e.g. laptop vs. stand-alone mics, online storage for larger audio files, etc.). You’ll even have a chance to explore your creativity and produce a short slidecast

Dr. Norm Friesen is Canada Research Chair in E-Learning Practices at Thompson Rivers University. An accomplished researcher and author, he has been developing and studying Web technologies in educational contexts since 1995. His publications include Re-Thinking E-Learning Research: Foundations, Methods and Practices (Peter Lang, 2009), and The Place of the Classroom and the Space of the Screen: Relational Pedagogy and Internet Technology (Peter Lang, 2010). Norm is co-editor of Phenomenology & Practice, a journal focusing on the application of hermeneutic phenomenology to the research of professional practice. His current research involves media theory and in discursive psychology.

Workshop D:
Copyright & Plagiarism in the Age of Digital Mash-Up - Desseri Clowater, B.Com

Emerging technologies present fresh, creative opportunities for teaching from a distance. However, these technologies can also present challenging questions to tutors: “Is it legal to post an article into Blackboard? Or email it to my student? How do I know if a student has plagiarized a work?” To help answer these questions, this session will begin with a primer on copyright, plagiarism and other legal and policy based parameters that regulate instruction at a distance. The last part of the session will be in a workshop format, providing participants with an opportunity to practically apply the concepts presented. Questions welcome – bring dilemmas have you faced to share with and help your colleagues.

Desseri Clowater has over 20 years of experience at several post secondary institutions. More than eight of those years have been in the intellectual property office of distance education divisions. In addition, she has ten years of paralegal experience in intellectual property and corporate commercial law. She obtained her Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan and her Legal Assistant Diploma from Capilano University.

Closing Plenary – Time Travelling to the Future

Come to the closing plenary for an experience like no other! Watch in amazement or even feel free to participate as part of this talented group. It’s not only a performance, but also a creative take on the impact of the virtual world, learning and teaching. See how your ideas become magically transferred into reality and feel the impacts of technology on your professional and personal lives. Your level of participation in this experience is up to you. Sit back and enjoy....or jump into the action. Either way, the result will be enlightening, educational and above all...entertaining!"

Photo by Will Minsky. Vancouver TheatreSports League