Counting Down to an eLearning Extravaganza!

The Heartland eLearning Conference is only 17 days away! 

 

In just a bit more than two weeks, Lee Crocket and Alex Couros, our eLearning "Super Heroes", will be on the UCO campus to deliver high-quality, entertaining, interactive, dynamic workshops and feature addresses.   

 

That's just the beginning!  We also have an amazing lineup of eLearning "sidekicks".  Here is a small sampling of the 52 breakout sessions available throughout the two day conference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Fun, Free, Easy" Five Tools for Presenting in a New Way!

This “Fun, Free, Easy” seminar seeks to demonstrate presentation tools professors can use immediately in the classroom or for online instruction. Professors don’t struggle with gathering information to present. We do struggle finding ways to present that information in a way which engages students today. Bring a laptop for trying a few tools during the session, or come prepared to participate with your cell phone, or just watch and learn. Conference attendees with all ranges of technology experience are encouraged to attend. Ideas for both the novice and the experienced will be presented.

 

A Roadmap to LMS Selection

Pittsburg State University developed a successful strategy to facilitate the process of selecting a new LMS. Data collection and the inclusion of key users of our current LMS were vital in getting this process done in less than a year. This session will be beneficial for anyone considering adopting a new LMS or those curious to learn about the system PSU selected - Canvas by Instructure. A product assessment rubric will be shared.

 

 

Authentic Networking through Social Media

In this era where people are constantly branding themselves and over communicating how do we connect and network while being true to ourselves? This highly interactive session will focus on creating authentic networking relationships through social media such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google + plus. Common pitfalls of networking in the differing environments will be discussed and participants will walk away with practical knowledge they easily apply.

 

 

Breaking down the wall between IT and Academia

 

To be an effective eLearning institution we must first overcome the barriers that seem to be so prevalent in Higher Education. IT (Information Technology) brings us twitter, Google Apps, Cloud storage, streaming video and oh so much more. But what if we, in Academia, simply do not speak “geek?” “Geek” being that seemingly foreign language spoken by IT experts. 

 

Still not convinced?  The entire package -- pre-conference workshops, full conference access, opening reception, networking opportunities, free parking, door prizes, great vendors, breakfast and lunch each day, all located on the beautiful UCO campus -- is only $260!   Don't miss your chance - register today!

SWOSU Site Visit

Distance education staff as well as interested faculty from Southwestern Oklahoma State University visited the CPDE offices yesterday for a tour and the opportunity to gather information on how to grow and improve the SWOSU eLearning program.

After a general overview presentation of eLearning operations at UCO, visitors and CPDE staff split into groups for more specialized discussions. Topics included instructional design, graphic design and content creation, student assessment, virtual worlds, as well as organizational structure and program funding.

SWOSU has a great many decisions to make about their eLearning program and we are humbled that their team opted to visit the UCO Center for Professional and Distance Education’s eLearning program as part of their research.

eLearning Superheroes!

The Heartland eLearning Conference is just a few weeks away! Here is a sneak peak at some of the break out sessions you can attend if you register for the conference.  Don't forget - two full days of internationally known keynote speakers, 42 presentations by practicing eLearning experts, fantastic entertainment, two breakfasts, two lunches, one dinner, and two pre-conference workshops can be yours for the low, low price of $200!  

Useful Apps for the Classroom and On the Go

This session focuses on readily available apps in iPad and android environments, including apps for reading, communication, creative writing, analysis, field exploration, studying and synchronous opportunities to work with other students. You will be invited to share your favorite apps in this interactive application session.  Suzanne Clinton and Robert Epstein, business professors at UCO, will be facilitating the session.

Connect to the Gulf of Mexico from your Classroom!

Join Adriana Reza to learn more about a fun, educational distance learning program through the Texas State Aquarium. Our distance learning program, called Aquavision, connects students of all ages to the Gulf of Mexico through live video feeds and educational programming. Funded through Flint Hills Resources, Aquavision has connected students with the Ocean for 4 years. Come learn how your classroom of students can benefit from this program with previews of programs and hands on components.

Utilizing @SocialNetworks to Assess Programs with the #TwitterGeneration

Are you looking for a new way to connect with your @students via #socialmedia? UCO Student Affairs staff members Courtney James and Jenna Lutz  will review how the University of Central Oklahoma Division of Student Affairs is utilizing social media to evaluate programs. In this presentation, we will review how the University of Central Oklahoma Division of Student Affairs collects and assesses information via information collected on social networks. Via trending topics and facebook posts, we are able to tell our story for our students through collecting various information that they post in the electronic community.

Academic Integrity on a Digital Campus

Academic cheating is on the rise in two of the largest state universities. . Have students become less honest compared to the 1990s when the internet was introduced? Or are educators better equipped to catch cheaters? In this presentation, Berlin Fang, of Oklahoma Christian University, will be discussing methods for faculty and administrators to handle what is perceived to be a growing issue on college campuses: academic dishonesty. Fang will discuss the causes to the increase of dishonest behavior, the types of cheating, and methods for faculty and administrators to handle the issue.

QR Codes in Training

Innovation involves looking at something new and asking not just, "What is it?" but more importantly, "What can I do with it?" In this highly interactive session, Larry Straining will help you use one of the hottest mobile tech trends to find information, learn in teams, and discover ways to incorporate this learning tool into any organization using QR Tagging to learn about mobile trends in the learning environment.