Author: Tracy Mendolia-Moore

Development of a Branched E-Learning Simulation for Schizophrenia Therapeutics

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Faculty Partner Project

Co-presenter.

Electronic learning (e-learning) is gaining popularity due to technology trends, learner preferences, and evident need for curricula to be able to adapt to changing world conditions. Passive e-learning methods such as recorded Zoom lectures can be used in an emergency, although are far from ideal e-learning tools.

Interactivity in e-learning exercises changes the level of engagement students have with e-learning materials, which in turn can influence learning. In this session we describe the instructional design process of developing a branched e-learning interactive simulation for schizophrenia therapeutics and summarize course evaluation feedback pertinent to the branched e-learning simulation.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Differentiate types of e-learning based upon levels of interactivity including basic (passive), intermediate (limited interactivity), and complex (branched simulations)
  2. Describe instructional design process of branched e-learning simulation
  3. Summarize course evaluation feedback pertinent to the branched e-learning simulation

Quality Matters: Emergency Remote Instruction Checklist

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Workshop

Quality Matters, a nonprofit organization focused on standards for online learning, has created a set of checklists for rapidly moving classes online in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Emergency Remote Instruction Checklists for higher education provides “considerations, tips, and actionable strategies to enact during an institutional move to temporary remote instruction of classroom-based courses.”

During this session we will preview a video by Dr. Bethany Simunich, Director of Research and Innovation for Quality Matters. Dr. Simunich will explain how the checklists can be used to assist instructors in Higher Ed when moving to remote instruction in an emergency.

The advice is prioritized by phases: starting points, next steps and longer-term considerations.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify Quality Matters Emergency Remote Instruction Checklist
• Explain how the provided QM Tips can be applied to your online course
• Apply the recommended actions to the appropriate phase

EdTech Three-4-Thursday #4

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Presentations, Workshop

This month’s three technologies to add to your creative toolbox, include: BioRender, Factile, OneTab.

 This reoccurring CETL Session will introduce you to three new technologies each month. The presenter will review the technology with the attendees and share examples of how this technology can: 

  • be utilized within the classroom or to enhance online learning
  • used for communication with the students
  • to spark classroom engagement

 Participants are strongly encouraged to bring their WiFi-enabled laptop or tablet so that they can fully participate in the session. Learning Objectives: 

  • Define the technology presented.
  • Explain how the technology can be used for teaching and learning in higher education.
  • Demonstrate how the technology can be used to enhance online student learning.

Your TPS is your GPS

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Workshop

Co-presenter.

You’ve heard of them. You know you should have one. But do you have a Teaching Philosophy Statement (TPS) that really tells the world how you view teaching and learning (especially when it comes time for P&T)?

This interactive workshop will help you work through an inventory of various teaching philosophies to help you with the vocabulary and concepts to convey you pedagogical ethic. Interactive discussion, flash cards, small group work and self-discovery during this workshop will help you create a rough draft of a TPS that will have you well on you way to a beautiful finished product.

Session objectives

– List and describe various teaching philosophies

-Recognize and apply teaching philosophies that personally apply

Advanced Outlook Techniques to Improve Productivity

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Workshop

Co-presenter.

It’s 2020 and in this CETL Session we will show you how to be more productive this year by enhancing your skills with Microsoft Outlook.  Come and learn tips, tricks, and keyboard shortcuts that will help you increase your work efficiency.  As part of this session we will discuss: email rules, folder management techniques, email delivery delay, categorization tags, quick parts, scheduling assistant, calendar time blocking, bcc, reoccurring calendar events, email templates, and so much more!

Becoming Your Own Instructional Designer – Facilitated Workshop

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Workshop

One overarching goal for an instructional designer is to create a perfect match between modality, content, student learning, and faculty experience and expectations.  In this workshop we will view a Magna Publications video led by Krys Ziska Strange, a curriculum and learning innovation designer for the Office of Digital Learning at the University of Arizona.   

This guiding 2-hour workshop will lead the group through the instructional design process in developing a course planning sheet, and help you develop the first few weeks of a course. This will be a hands-on session, so come prepared to participate!  Bring your laptop or tablet, learning objectives, and any other items that will help you in developing or revamping one of your courses. 

Objectives: 

  • Explain the purpose of a course planning sheet
  • Identify curated course content
  • Use the provided template to begin to draft your course plan

EdTech Three-4-Thursday #3

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Presentations, Workshop

This month’s three technologies to add to your creative toolbox, include: FlipBoard, Kahoot, Quizlet.

 This reoccurring CETL Session will introduce you to three new technologies each month. The presenter will review the technology with the attendees and share examples of how this technology can: 

  • be utilized within the classroom or to enhance online learning
  • used for communication with the students
  • to spark classroom engagement

 Participants are strongly encouraged to bring their WiFi-enabled laptop or tablet so that they can fully participate in the session. Learning Objectives: 

  • Define the technology presented.
  • Explain how the technology can be used for teaching and learning in higher education.
  • Demonstrate how the technology can be used to enhance online student learning.

InteresTED: The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Facilitated Discussion

Everyone has the ability to build mental strength, but most people don’t know how. We spend a lot of time talking about physical strength and physical health, but much less time on mental strength and mental health.  We can choose to perform exercises that will help us learn to regulate our thoughts, manage our emotions, and behave productively despite our circumstances. No matter what your goals are, building mental strength is the key to reaching your greatest potential.

In this session we will watch Amy Morin’s TEDx Talk, and dive deeper into the presented concepts of:

  • 3 Types of Self-Limiting Beliefs That Will Keep You Stuck in Life.
  • 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do.

PBL Gamechanger: Converting Paper Cases to Online e-Learning Modules

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Faculty Partner Project

Co-presenter.

This session will introduce you to a PBL game-changing format utilizing Articulate Storyline. Standard written medical cases studies were transitioned into e-modules allowing for better assessment of the student’s critical thinking and decision-making skills through case selection interactions.

The idea was to take the traditional case-based learning method and convert the model into a case scenario to be presented in an online environment, incentivizing correct answers and disincentivizing incorrect answers. This gamification pedagogy helps students to understand that in real-world scenarios not all diagnostics are necessary or appropriate and therefore their choices should be well thought out and intentional. The e-modules challenges learners to engage in decision-making that mirrors the clinical setting. The ending goal of the CBL e-module is to provide appropriate and cost-effective healthcare to the patient.

In this session, the presenters will discuss the e-module case study development process from planning to implementation.  During the session the audience will gain access to the e-module and experience the case via their tablet, mobile device, or wi-fi enabled laptop.  Group discussion about the Articulate Storyline implementation will commence and participants will get to see and learn about the structure of the e-module design.  Utilizing an online case development template, the audience will work in small groups to begin to develop their own case during the session.

Upon completion of this session audience members will be able to:

  • -Describe how traditional medical case-based learning can be converted into an online e-learning module within a blended learning environment.
  • -Identify how Articulate Storyline can be used to develop online e-modules for medical case-based learning.

*NOTE: Please bring a laptop to fully participate in the session

EdTech: Three-4-Thursday #2

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Presentations, Workshop

This month’s three technologies to add to your creative toolbox, include:

  1. ThingLink
  2. FlipGrid
  3. QR Codes

This reoccurring CETL Session will introduce you to three new technologies each month. The presenter will review the technology with the attendees and share examples of how this technology can:

  • be utilized within the classroom or to enhance online learning
  • used for communication with the students
  • to spark classroom engagement

Participants are strongly encouraged to bring their WiFi-enabled laptop or tablet so that they can fully participate in the session.

Learning Objectives:

  • Define the technology presented.
  • Explain how the technology can be used for teaching and learning in higher education.
  • Demonstrate how the technology can be used to enhance online student learning.

How Can High Quality Faculty Development Improve Online Course Quality?

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Facilitated Discussion

This 20-Minute Mentor will cover the benefits of providing high quality professional development opportunities for faculty, what some of these opportunities (or programs) might look like, and ultimately how these opportunities can positively impact the overall quality of online programming.

Review current professional development opportunities and participate in an open discussion on the ideas presented during the video and how those ideas might be able to be implemented at WesternU.

  •   Identify faculty barriers for online learning.
  •   Examine common topics for professional development.
  •   Discuss leading exploration questions to help guide future professional development.

Online Instruction: How Can Media Richness Theory and Social Presence Theory Help Me Improve?

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Facilitated Discussion

Attrition rates are 10% to 20% higher in online courses than their face-to-face counterparts. While online course formats offer convenient methods of instruction, poor course development often leads to high attrition rates. This facilitated discussion explores how applying Media Richness Theory (MRT) and Social Presence Theory to online course design and instruction can aid overall program retention and student satisfaction.

InteresTED: Let’s Use Video to Reinvent Education – Flipping the Classroom with Khan Academy

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Facilitated Discussion

In this TED Talk, Salman Khan talks about how and why he created the remarkable Khan Academy. He shows the power of interactive exercises, and calls for teachers to consider flipping the traditional classroom script — give students video lectures to watch at home, and do “homework” in the classroom with the teacher available to help.

During this session we will view the popular TED Talk presented by Sal Khan, discuss the flipped learning model and how videos can be used to support student education.

Zoom, Zoom!

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Presentations, Workshop

Co-presenter.

Offering quality video, audio, and screen-sharing capabilities and experiences, Zoom improves collaboration among teams, students, and participants.  Zoom is built to host and broadcast online meetings that can cater to up to 100 interactive video participants and 10,000 view-only attendees.  Zoom is designed exclusively for hosting webinars, teaching online courses, conducting video demonstrations, or participating in virtual meetings and video conferencing.  Users can share their entire desktop screen with their audience, an active window in their browser, or a whiteboard with illustrations and diagrams.  Another feature of Zoom is its group collaboration functionality and breakout rooms. Users can create groups and instantly send text, image, or audio files to the members of those groups.

Zoom on in and join us for this important training session!

Learning Objectives:

  • Recognize the Zoom Pro Account interface used at WesternU.
  • Create, schedule, join and start a Zoom meeting.
  • Learn how to operate Zoom’s web conferencing capabilities.
  • Discover how to use Zoom Breakout Rooms during your course.
  • Compose online classroom activities using the Zoom Whiteboard feature.
  • Get creative and set up a customized Video Background.

Easily Convert Your PowerPoint Slide Deck to an E-Learning Course

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Workshop

E-Learning course development can be as simple as taking an existing PowerPoint presentation and converting it into an E-learning module.  Use PowerPoint—a tool you already know—to create presentation‑based courses for any device, faster than ever. Articulate Presenter 360 lets you import and record audio, import and embed video, web objects, and interactive content to your slides.  Convert your current slide deck in just a few simple clicks.

Learning Objectives:

-List the contents of the four boxes within the Articulate ribbon.

-Define to apply course interactions.

-Describe best practices for slide properties.

-Identify Audio editing and narration capabilities.

-Use the content library to enhance the look and feel of your presentation

Team-Based Learning 101

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Lecture, Presentations

Team-Based Learning is an evidence based collaborative learning teaching strategy designed around units of instruction, that are taught in a three-step cycle. Some medical schools are reporting an ABIM pass rate of 85% before TBL implementation, and a95% pass rate after TBL implementation.

Some Benefits of TBL over Didactic teaching include:

  • Improved learner engagement during class
  • Better content retention through active learner engagement
  • Development of problem-solving and critical thinking skills
  • Team-building

This session will introduce you to Team-Based Learning and provide resources to get you started.  Learning objectives include:

  • Define Team-Based Learning
  • Describe the four essential elements of TBL
  • Identify the S’ of Application Development
  • Explain the TBL Course Framework

Guest Presentation: College of Pharmacy

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Invited Guest Speaker

CAPE 101: Discovering WesternU’s Teaching and Learning Support

On Thursday, March 28th the Center for Academic and Professional Enhancement (CAPE) will be presenting to the College of Pharmacy.  Come learn about the array of teaching and learning resources available to YOU!  Are you tired of lecturing and want help making your class more engaging?  Do you have a great idea for an online component, but you’re not sure how to use technology to create it?  Do you want to learn to use Articulate, but don’t have a software license?  Come get answers to these questions and learn so much more!

Creating Alt Text

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Workshop

Alternative text, or “alt text” is an important consideration for accessibility.  It should be added to every image that conveys meaning in instructional and communications materials including LMS sites, word processing documents, and slide presentations.  In this session, we’ll introduce image alt text and explain how to add alt-text to your images within PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, and Blackboard.

Learning Objectives:

  • Define “alt text”
  • Identify where to locate alt text fields in PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat and Blackboard
  • Describe good alt text vs. poor alt text
  • Create an effective alt text example

InteresTED: Humanism and the Habits of Original Thinkers

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Facilitated Discussion

How do creative people come up with great ideas? Organizational psychologist Adam Grant studies “originals”: thinkers who dream up new ideas and take action to put them into the world. In this talk, learn three unexpected habits of originals — including embracing failure.

“The greatest originals are the ones who fail the most, because they’re the ones who try the most,” Grant says. “You need a lot of bad ideas in order to get a few good ones.”

CAPE Workshop: Articulate to Blackboard

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Workshop

In this hands-on workshop participants will learn how to prepare and publish their e-Learning file within either Storyline or Articulate, and upload that exported file into Blackboard making it available for student learning.  Printed step-by-step instructions will be provided to participants for future reference.

This workshop will be held in the new CAPE Lab, and seating for this workshop is extremely limited. Lab computers are available for participant use, and participants should bring, or have access to, an Articulate or Storyline file as well as editing permission capabilities within Blackboard.  Please contact CAPE if you have any questions.

In this session, you will learn:

  • Prepare Articulate/Storyline file for publishing
  • Use the “Upload Zip Package” feature within Blackboard
  • Demonstrate how to create an Item in Blackboard in which the Articulate/Storyline file can be viewed by students

e-Learning for Beginners

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Presentations, Workshop

Are you new to e-learning?  Or, maybe, you just want to know more about e-learning?  In this session we will examine the e-book: “E-Learning for Beginners.”  With the help of this session and the accompanying resources, you’ll be creating great courses in no time!  This Articulate-sponsored e-book will tell you everything you need to know, and each participant will receive a link to download the e-book for FREE!

In this session, you will learn:

  • Define e-learning
  • Explain how e-learning can benefit your organization and learners
  • Employ the step-by-step process for creating courses
  • List what technology and tools you’ll need in your toolkit

Top eLearning Trends for 2019

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Lecture, Presentations

Let’s take a moment to discuss e-Learning by reflecting back on 2018, and try to forecast for 2019.  In this session we will review some of the key issues from last year, as presented in the 2018 EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative annual meeting.  Next, we will discuss the forecasted eLearning trends of 2019 as presented by The eLearning Industry and share examples of how some of the 2019 trends can be incorporated into the classroom. 

Learning Objectives: 

  • Define 2018 eLearning issues 
  • List 2019 eLearning trends 
  • Discuss how forecasted trends can be incorporated into the classroom. 

Facilitated Discussion: Microlearning

Posted on by Tracy Mendolia-Moore in Facilitated Discussion

As originally presented at the 2018 Learning Solutions Conference & Expo, in this webinar, Diane Elkins of Artisan E-Learning and E-Learning Uncovered discusses a case study of 30 microlessons built in 30 days.

Many learners want shorter nuggest of content.  It can be challenging, however, to fit everything they need to do into five-to seven-minute chunks.  In this recorded session, you’ll walk through a case study of 30 microlessons in 30-days and learn how to minimize formal learning, allowing learners a chance to try techniques immediately. Next, put this new knowledge into practice with Diane’s worksheet: “How to Design a Microlesson.”  As a group we will discuss the recorded lecture and brainstorm ideas of how microlessons can be used at the university.

In this session, you will learn:

  • How to focus your microlearning designs on practice and application
  • How to pick a narrow, targeted topic that learners can explore in a short period of time
  • How to incorporate teaching points throughout an interaction, rather than use the “teach then quiz” model