But in my Class, I Write on the Board: Introducing New Online Faculty to the Tools of the Trade

Emphasis of Presentation: Practical application

Institution Type: All Institution Types

Audience Level: All audiences

Type of Session: Education Session - Dual Presentation

Program Strand: Tools & Technologies

Proposal:

Powerpoint, writing tablets, web conferencing tools, OH MY! Breaking instructors out of their comfort zone and supporting/enabling them to utilize tools, gizmos, gadgets, and contraptions in the sphere of online education. We help translate their current methods of instructions to their digital counterparts and utilize aids such as: video simulations, interactive modules,  writing tablets, web conferencing, project management software, etc. It can be an initial struggle for some, but has tremendous benefits in the long run. Students expect more from their online classes and from their professors than a talking head and powerpoint slides. Gamification, virtual reality and simulations, and much, much more!

Expectations of Next Generation Learners

• Content that is available with mobile friendly functions.

• Clean designs that model their online experience.

• Interactive and engaging components that easily allow participation in the course.

• Communication and connection with instructors and other learners.

The technology used in online education is ever evolving and learning new tools provides faculty with a newfound freedom in their teaching.  It may spark an excitement for teaching with technology that they didn’t previously have. As instructional designers, we work with faculty members, many of whom are brand new to online teaching, to teach them new technologies that can be used in developing an online class as well as teaching online. Through initial meetings we discuss their on-campus teaching methods and come up with a plan to convert their on-campus content to fit the online medium. Our process of developing an online class typically includes preparing a detailed outline of course activities, what we call a “storyboard,” having faculty come into our green screen studio to record their lectures, and package everything together into “Active Learning Modules.” Throughout this process, instructional designers and educational technologists are routinely meeting with faculty and offering input and feedback about what tools and technologies could be used to make a robust course.

In this presentation we will discuss the different tools that the NYU Tandon Online team have worked with and how the once insecure instructors found confidence and success in their engagement.  Some of these tools include:

• Writing tablets (iPad Pro, and Wacom Board) which were used in online math courses to help illustrate equations.

• Web Conferencing Tool (Webex) which we use for our live virtual meetings.

• Video filmed in our green screen studio

• Interactive elements embedded within slides such as buttons and layers to transform static slides into a more dynamic learning experience

We will also discuss our course development process from initial meeting with faculty members through course completion. This presentation will focus on different strategies NYU Tandon Online instructional designers have used for gaining faculty buy-in to experiment in an area they may not be comfortable in, and helping to build confidence in learning to use new tools. We will provide before and after examples of course content. We will demonstrate how we have worked with faculty members to transition their workflow from, in some cases, providing handwritten notes and turning that into interactive, engaging modules that meet the needs and expectations of next generation learners. We will also provide feedback we have received from faculty about the instructional design process including their comfort levels of using new technology before and after the course development process.

This presentation will provide the following:

• Helpful tips and resources for faculty who are resistant or have limited experience with developing and teaching an online course

• An overview of NYU Tandon Online’s guidelines for converting on-campus classes to online classes and how we incorporate different tools and technologies in this process

• Examples of how we have used new technologies in simple ways that produced a creative outcomes.

• Examples of online course modules with different levels of interactivity and technology integration: basic, moderate, and advanced

• “Before” examples of content created by faculty when they were brand new to the process of online course development

• “After” examples of content created by faculty after they have become familiar with the online course development process

Engagement with the Audience:

• Interactive Handouts: online tools resource list and descriptions

• Small group activities and partner exercises

• Interactive live survey tool

• Q & A session

TAGS:

technology; tools; emerging; content; practice; assessment; web 2.0; Web 3.0; mobile devices; mobile learning; mLearning; innovative learning environments; case-based learning designs; blended learning; teams; collaborative learning; authentic learning; online support; knowledge management; learning outcomes; technology applications; adult learners; student perceptions; video; media; video collaboration; digital storytelling; proctoring; game dynamics; learning scenarios; engagement; community of inquiry; community of practice; interaction; participation; participatory; 21st century; curation;  learner achievement; instructional design; instructional technology; gamification; automatic or dynamic feedback; formative assessment strategies