Category Archives: News

SXSWEdu: Helping Different Kinds of Minds Solve Problems

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temple

Temple Grandin, SXSWEdu 2016 opening keynote speaker, is a professor of animal science at Colorado State University and often speaks about her personal story of autism and cattle handling.

Temple, this charming quirky character, shared her personal story of growing up with the label of autism. Her talk was both inspiriting and entertaining.

As Temple Grandin stated, to help people learn, you need to first realize people think differently. Different kinds of minds mean different problem solving skills. For example, restricting students to one path of achieving a goal, such as requiring a non-needed prerequisite for advanced courses, might set a very high boundary for people who think differently. As Temple claimed, learning should be building up things that people are good at.

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TurnItIn Assignments in Canvas

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canvasturnitinThe TurnItIn LTI integration with Canvas allows you to use the TurnItIn plagiarism service to check your student’s writing assignments for originality against a large database of internet sources. When creating assignments in Canvas using TurnItIn, there are some important limitations to keep in mind:

  • You cannot restrict student submission types. By default Turnitin always allows students to submit their assignment as a text entry or upload any supported file type. Supported file types are: .txt, .doc/.docx, .ppt/.pptx, .ps, .pdf, .rtf, .html, .wp, .hwp, .odt/.ods/.odp
  • Students cannot submit multiple file uploads.
  • If you want to use a Canvas rubric for the assignment, you must add the rubric before setting the External Tool submission type. Create the assignment with any other submission type, save the assignment, add the rubric, and then edit the assignment to select the External Tool.
  • You cannot use Turnitin with group assignments.
  • You cannot have more than one ‘Assign to’ dates.
  • The TurnItIn Assignment details will not be viewable while in Student View mode.

As you watch the video on how to create a TurnItIn Assignment in Canvas, keep in mind and make note of the following best practices: Continue reading →

Using the Attendance Feature in Canvas

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How does Attendance work in Canvas?

Canvas offers the Roll Call Attendance feature for tracking attendance. This tool can be used to mark students as present, absent or late. Your students will automatically be populated into the attendance list and you can use it as an alphabetical list or in a class seating chart view.

Roll call attendance

In Canvas, the Attendance feature is considered a no submission Assignment. Enabling Attendance will automatically create a column in Grades worth 100 points. The students all start with 100 points and their grade is automatically adjusted each time their attendance is noted. Attendance points are calculated by a percentage of the number of dates the roll is taken and the number of total points. You can also specify the percent of credit given to a student who is marked late. Every time you mark students as absent, present or late, students will receive a notification, based on their notification preferences.

Instructions for setting up attendance from the Canvas Community. Continue reading →

Deadline Extended: Proposals for 2016-2017 Innovation Fellowships and TLTR Pilots due February 8, 2016

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digital_learning_newThe deadline has been extended for Innovation Fellowships and TLTR Pilots (aka Technology for Innovative Learning & Teaching Pilot Project Grants).

CFPs are available online for both the 2016-2017 Innovation Fellowships and the 2016 Technology for Innovative Learning & Teaching Pilot Project Grants. Proposals for each are due Monday, February 8, 2016. There is an abbreviated TLTR form for those submitting combined proposals.

These opportunities are open to both tenure-track and non-tenure-track (including adjunct) faculty. You may apply for one or both of these opportunities, even if you have already applied for and received a Presidential Excellence Award for the summer of 2016.

More Information is available online:

 

Canvas Commons: Where Educators Find and Share Teaching Resources

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Canvas-Logo

What is Canvas Commons?

Commons is a community that allows you to share your course content or access others’ shared course content. You can import and export Canvas pages, modules or the entire course.

  • Share course materials among faculty who are teaching the same course.
  • You can create a personal learning object repository
  • Build a course from scratch by using the shared materials from other Canvas users.

Continue reading →

Recording Student Presentations? Flipping the Classroom? Yes!

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If any of the following situations may apply to you, then read on:

Are you interested in recording student presentations for student self-assessment and improved efficiency in instructor grading?

Are you interested in recording lectures or in-class activities for students who were absent or would like to review them later (student athletes, non-native speakers, study aid)? 

Would you like to experiment with ‘flipping the classroom’ and spending class time on discussion and activities vs. lectures?

In Fall of 2015, St. Edward’s began using a tool called Panopto that easily enables Instructors to do all of the above.  Instructors are able to create videos that can contain audio, video, PowerPoint and screen capture in an easy and straightforward way that requires no complex technology and video editing software.  The example below was created using a laptop with a built-in webcam, a headset and a PowerPoint.

Panopto is available to all Faculty, Staff and Students right now.  For instructors, the easiest way to get started is via your Canvas courses.  If you teach in Canvas and have a webcam, you can be up and running in minutes.  In addition, some classrooms are now Panopto enabled with high-quality cameras for classroom-based recording.   If you are interested in learning more about Panopto, contact us at instcom@stedwards.edu.

 

Canvas Commons for Qualtrics

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Qualtrics is a research survey software that allows survey data collection and provides an analysis platform  to meet research needs. St. Edward’s now offers a Qualtrics self-paced online course on the Canvas Commons. The course gives students instructions to get started with Qualtrics, set up their own survey, distribute the survey and collect and analyze data.

If you wish to add the Canvas Qualtrics course as part of your course or if you simply wish to learn about the software, you can 1.) request to add students to take the self-paced course, 2.) take the course without registering or 3.) import the course into your own course

 

To request your students to be added to the self-paced course:
Send a request e-mail to lchen1@stedwards.edu with a list of student email addresses.

To take the course:
The course is open for public, you do not need to be a Canvas user to access this information. Go to the course URL here.

To import the course into your own course:
Canvas allows the training course to be imported into your course. Once you are logged in to your Canvas account, go to the Commons Tab and search for “Qualtrics Training”

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 2.35.48 PM
To import the Qualtrics common into your own course, follow the instructions here

Start of the Semester Checklist for Canvas

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Clipboard with checkmarks and Canvas logoWelcome back to the Spring 2016 semester!  Did too much holiday cheer wipe out your memories of those start of the semester tasks you need to do in Canvas?  Is this your first semester teaching in Canvas? Here are a few things to check as you set your courses up for the semester.  Remember that Turnitin Assignments will need to be set up again as the integration with Canvas has changed.

 

 

checkbox_no  Make your course available to students.

  • Publish your course by clicking on the “Publish” button in the upper right menu of the Home page
  • Check the Start and End Dates for your classes. By default, students cannot view classes outside of those dates, even if the course is published.  Go to the Course Settings to check and change the dates. Click on the “Update Course Details” button to save the changes.

checkbox_no Rename your course to add the semester and year.

checkbox_no Send a message to your students.

checkbox_no Combine multiple sections of a course.

checkbox_no Add TA’s

  • Go to the People link in the course menu and select “+People”.  Enter the TA(s) email address and click on “Add”.

checkbox_no Import Content from another Canvas course

  • Go to Course Settings for the Spring 2016 course and click on the button to “Import Content into Course”
  • Under Content Type select “Copy a Canvas Course”
  • Search for the course name
  • Choose “All Content” unless you want to only copy over specific content or want to exclude Announcements created in your prior class.  Note that Announcements from the prior semester are automatically included in an “All Content” import.  These announcements will be available to students in the current course unless you delete them from Announcements. If you have announcements we recommend choosing “Select Specific Content” and not importing announcements.
  • Click on “Import”

Check box Add Assignments

  • When you add an assignment  it is also automatically added to “Assignments”, “Calendar”, “Syllabus” and “Grades”
  • Turnitin Assignments are now created by selecting the Submission Type “External Tool”

Check box Meet with Instructional Technology

  • We’re available to help you design your Canvas course, setup your grades, learn how to use new tools such as web conferencing or lecture capture, and to answer questions.  Contact us at instcom@stedwards.edu.

We have several Introduction to Canvas trainings scheduled.  Sign up at bit.ly/SEUITTraining .

Canvas and Turnitin Changes for Spring 2016

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Turnitin

Turnitin Changes within Canvas

The process for adding Turnitin assignments to Canvas is changing beginning December 21, 2015.  Turnitin has changed the way that it integrates with Canvas, which means three important things:

  1. Instructors have to use a new process for setting up Turnitin-enabled assignments in Canvas for the Spring 2016 semester. It is recommended you do not copy any Turnitin assignments from previous semesters. The old method of creating Turnitin assignments will no longer work after December 21, 2015.  The new method involves more steps, but allows you full access to all of the Turnitin features including Grammar Checking. To set up Turnitin Assignments follow these instructions for setting up a Turnitin assignment or view the video below.
  2. Turnitin Originality Reports for assignments submitted to Canvas between Spring 2015 and Fall 2015 will no longer be available after December 21, 2015. If you want to retain these Originality Reports, you will need to download them individually per student for each assignment. This is important if you have student grade challenges or need copies for department assessment. While the Originality Report won’t be available after December 21, the students’ file submission (without the Originality Report) will still be available in Canvas.  Instructions for downloading Originality Reports:
      • Go to Grades in your Canvas class.  In the grade column for a Turnitin Assignment, click on the color-coded rectangle to load the Grade window.  Click again on the color-coded rectangle. This will load the Originality Report in a new window or tab.
      • In the Turnitin Document Viewer, click the printer icon, located towards the bottom left of the screen. 
      • Select “Download PDF of current view for printing.”
      • A popup window will come up, and after a short time there will be a link: “Click here to download your file.”
      • You can then save or open the report as a PDF file.

    Note: There is no way to bulk-download Originality Reports for all student submissions.

  3. Student instructions for viewing feedback via Turnitin’s GradeMark have also changed. Students will now access their GradeMark feedback via Assignments.  If you grade Turnitin submissions using the Speed Grader student instructions for viewing feedback will remain the same.

New Canvas User Interface

Global menu with Account selected and Logout highlightedOn December 21, 2015 we will also switch the Canvas user look and feel to the new Canvas interface which is more responsive on mobile devices. Here’s what you need to know:

  • The Global Navigation menu that currently runs across the top of Canvas is now a vertical menu on the left (see the image at the left).  Use the far left menu to access your Courses, Calendar, Inbox and Commons.
  • The Logout option is now located under the Account button.
  • The Course Navigation menu will be just to the right of the Global menu.
  • The Course Navigation menu also collapses on smaller screens, allowing for a more content-focused and responsive layout.
    Canvas logo with 3 lines to the right

Click on the 3 lines to the left of the course name to restore the course menu.

 

Register by 12/1 for Free, Local Event on Digital Pedagogy, January 5-6, 2016

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THATCamp Digital Pedagogy ATX logoJoin local and national faculty to network, share ideas, assignments, and techniques for integrating digital technologies into teaching and learning.  THATCamp Digital Pedagogy ATX 2016 seeks to bring together diverse participants to share ideas, issues and strategies around teaching and learning with digital tools and methods.  Registration is free, but space is limited and we request that you only register if you are actually planning to attend.  Find out more and register by December 1 here: http://dpatx.thatcamp.org/

St. Edward’s Office of Information Technology is co-sponsoring this event and several St. Edward’s faculty and staff have contributed to planning, including the logo designed by St. Edward’s University graphic design student Melany Klopp.  The event will be held in Austin, Texas at the University of Texas Libraries’ new Learning Commons on January 5-6, 2016 (just before the annual convention of the Modern Language Convention also in Austin).  THATCamps (The Humanities And Technology Camp) are unconferences that originated in the digital humanities community.  This one has been organized by a network of digital humanists in the Austin area.