Center for Teaching and Learning Blog

Tag: center for teaching and learning

Canvas update: New Analytics replacing Course Analytics

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Canvas update: New Analytics replacing Course Analytics

New Analytics, the updated version of Course Analytics, will be available in this month’s Canvas release on December 16th! Are you curious about your student course engagement, coursework status, or keeping track of students who may need extra assistance (low scores or missing/late coursework) and desire the ability to reach out to them directly? New Analytics fulfills those instructional requirements by updating the New Analytics dashboard every 24 hours in published courses with Course Activity Reports taking approximately 40 hours. Special note: only active and completed student enrollments are included in data for New Analytics; deleted or inactive user enrollments do not generate data. 

Use New Analytics to:

  • View average course grade analytics as an interactive chart graph or a data table
  • Compare the course average with an individual assignment, course section, or student filter using the chart graph comparison or data table comparison
  • View average weekly online participation analytics as an interactive chart graph or a data table
  • Compare the course average weekly online participation analytics with an individual student or section using the chart graph comparison or data table comparison
  • Send a message to all students based on specific course grade or participation criteria
  • Send a message to an individual student based on specific course grade or participation criteria
  • View course grade and participation analytics for an individual student
  • View and download reports on missing, late, or excused assignments, class roster, and course activity.
  • View a report that displays if students have met online attendance criteria that has been selected by an admin.

Additional notes from Canvas:

  • In order for New Analytics to display in Canvas, third-party cookies may need to be enabled in your browser settings.
  • New Analytics data does not display for unpublished courses.
  • Because mobile page view data is based on device settings and network connection, it may vary from the time the page views actually occurred. Page view data should not be used to assess academic integrity.
  • Unposted assignments are not included in the New Analytics course grade tab.

If you wish to see what New Analytics will look like in a current course:

  • From your left hand navigation menu choose Settings
  • From the top menu choose Feature Options
  • Under Features, find New Course and User Analytics and from that option on the right hand side enable the feature by selecting the red circle/x and choose Enable

A Canvas designed How-To and what it can do for instructors can be found here. The Canvas Community has a FAQ on New Analytics here and if you’re curious what other New Analytic users are saying in the Canvas Community, direct your browser to this link!

Otherwise after December 16th, choose New Analytics located in the upper righthand corner from within your course shell. If you are currently using Course Analytics and wish to preserve course data, Canvas recommends taking screenshots of the course data prior to December 16th. (It should still be there, just in a different format.)

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CTL Technical Workshop: Getting Started with iClicker Cloud

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Thursday, January 4, 2024 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Location: Library Room 244

The Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) will host a technical workshop Thursday, January 4, 2024, to introduce instructors to iClicker Cloud software.

iClicker Cloud helps instructors engage with their students in the classroom by asking polling questions that can promote discussion, identify areas of confusion and generate questions. Michigan Tech has a campus site license for iClicker Cloud, so instructors can use this tool at no additional cost to their students.

In this CTL technical workshop, we’ll review how to get started using iClicker Cloud in your classroom. We’ll review how to set up your instructor account, iClicker Groups, make custom course settings to meet your needs, and integrate the course with your Canvas course. 

Register for the workshop — make plans to join us Thursday, January 4, 2024, from 2-3 p.m.

The workshop will be held in Library 244.

Contact the CTL at elearning@mtu.edu with any questions about this workshop or using iClicker Cloud in your class.

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CTL Services and Points of Interest

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CTL Services

Ever wonder how the Center for Teaching and Learning can support your instructional needs? We are here with support for any questions you may have about Canvas, Huskycast, Gradescope, Turnitin, Zoom, or iClicker. Already familiar with these but would like to take a deeper dive into some of these technologies or maybe you have never used these and would like to give them a try in your classroom, we would be happy to provide some one-to-one training! Feel free to drop by during our walk-in hours from 10-noon and 1-4pm Monday through Friday. We can also provide in-person consultations in classrooms for classroom teaching technologies. No time to stop by the CTL? Be sure to check out our online resources that can be found on our site in our Teaching and Learning Knowledge Base, Canvas Instructor Guides, and the Getting Started With Canvas sections. 

Are you interested in taking a deeper dive into a specific instructional topic? We also have a periodical library available for checkout covering a wide range of topics! Feel free to stop in anytime and review the collection.

Points of Interest

iClicker Cloud – Reminding you that iClicker Classic is being retired at the end of 2023 and iClicker Cloud will be the only supported polling software. The student experience will not change and students can still use either physical iClicker remotes or the mobile/web app. iClicker hardware – student remotes, instructor remotes, and bases – as well as the student mobile app will continue to be supported in iClicker Cloud. Visit the Center for Teaching and Learning’s iClicker resource page to get started using iClicker and for more information on transitioning to iClicker Cloud visit iClicker’s online resource page.

iClicker Groups (Beta) – iClicker Groups is now available in Beta, a new method of engaging your students with polling: promote discussion, open new lines of communication, and encourage collaboration. Utilizing this part of the iClicker suite divides your participants in groups to work on building a consensus for your polling. You can find the instructor guide at iClicker Groups (Beta). If you have any questions or would like to know more, visit the iClicker Groups Instructor FAQ or contact us at the Center for Teaching and Learning for more information.

Feel free to contact us at 7-3000 or email us at elearning@mtu.edu.

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November 2023

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Thursday November 2, 2023, at 3:30 PM

Attention Instructors: Let’s Talk AI in the Classroom!

Do you have insights or questions about the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education? Are you curious about how your colleagues are integrating AI into their teaching? Join us for an engaging coffee chat on November 2, 2023, at 3:30 PM hosted by the Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning, the Van Pelt and Opie Library, and the Office of Academic and Community Conduct.

What We’ll Discuss

  • Course Policies: Do you have an official policy on the use of AI tools in your classes?
  • Student Engagement: How are you encouraging or discouraging students to utilize AI in their coursework?
  • Instructor Use: How much are you using AI tools in your teaching?
  • Workforce Preparedness: What skills do your students need to effectively use AI tools in their future careers?

Why You Should Attend

  • Share Best Practices: Learn from your peers and share your own experiences.
  • Influence Policy: Your input may help shape institutional guidelines on AI use.
  • Network: Connect with other forward-thinking educators on campus.

Event Details

  • Topic: Navigating the AI Landscape in Teaching and Learning
  • Date: November 2, 2023
  • Time: 3:30 PM
  • Location: Library East Reading Room

Register, and make plans to be part of this conversation about the role of AI in education. Refreshments will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there! 

Thursday November 2, 2023, 2:00pm – 3:00pm

CTL Course Design Series: #1- Learning Objectives

Join the CTL Instructional Design team for an active and hands-on workshop where we will take a deep dive into the first step in creating high quality courses: defining and developing observable and measurable learning objectives.

When you begin creating a course, you want to design with the end in mind. The best way to approach this is to start by writing observable and measurable course learning objectives. Course learning objectives are the destinations on your course map. They state where you want students to go. A learning objective is a statement that clearly and precisely describes what the learner will know and be able to DO by the end of the course, module or unit. Bring your tablet or laptop and have a course in mind you would like to start the Instructional Design process on, and let’s get to work!

Register here for part 1, the second event in the series will be held on Nov 9. Watch for details to be published Thursday, November 9, 2023

soon.

Thursday, November 9, 2023, 2:00pm – 3:00pm

Planning out your course map is a pivotal step towards success in teaching your course. It serves as the blueprint for your course design. In this workshop, we will help you plan out your course content, assessments, and learning activities using backward design so that they align with your module learning objectives.  Backward design starts with the end in mind, which is a very useful model for planning out your course map.

So bring your tablet or laptop, have a course in mind that you would like to start the Instructional Design process on, and let’s get to work!

Register for this event here.

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October 2023

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CTL Lunch and Learn – Accessible and Affordable Learning Materials

Tuesday October 10, 2023 at 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Are you passionate about making higher education more accessible and affordable for your students?  Make plans to attend the next CTL Lunch and Learn on Tuesday, October 10, at noon in the MUB Alumni Lounge, featuring the Committee for Accessible and Affordable Learning Materials (CAALM).

During the luncheon members of CAALM will introduce the committee’s mission and discuss three critical areas of focus that promise to improve the way we approach course materials:

1. Enhancing Course Material Affordability:

Discover how inclusive access agreements with publishers can help reduce the burden of expensive textbooks and course materials. We’ll shed light on innovative strategies to make education more cost-effective without compromising quality.

2. Embracing Open Educational Resources (OER):

Explore the world of Open Educational Resources and learn how to find course materials tailored to your discipline. There is a wealth of freely available resources that can enrich your curriculum while reducing financial strain on your students.

3. Ensuring Digital Accessibility:

It’s time to ensure that your instructional materials are inclusive for all students, regardless of their abilities.  We’ll share insights on the importance of the digital accessibility of course materials, including ebooks, PDF documents, slide presentations, and video recordings.

This Lunch and Learn event promises to be a source of inspiration, innovation, and collaboration.  Lunch will be provided to those who register in advance. We look forward to seeing you there!  Contact the CTL (ctl@mtu.edu) with any questions.

CTL Workshop: Enhancing Canvas Course Design Using DesignPlus

Thursday, October 12, 2023, 2:00pm – 3:00pm,

Would you like to develop a high quality, engaging course using a modern and professional looking course template? Plan to attend the instructional design team from the William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning for a workshop about enhancing Canvas course design using DesignPlus tools. We will introduce DesignPlus and the course template, review how to import the course template, and show you how you can customize it for your own course. This workshop will focus on the most common and easy course design features to help you build a high quality professional looking course. No advanced technical skills are necessary.  

Registration for this event can be found here.

CTL Coffee Chat- Michigan Tech Writing Center: Supporting Students

Tuesday, October 17, 2023, 3:30pm – 4:30pm

You’re invited to the next CTL Coffee Chat on Tuesday, October 17, at 3:30. Claire Helakoski, Assistant Director of the MTU Writing Center, will discuss the Center’s role, the different types of plagiarism that instructors might encounter in student work, and provide practical insights on effective language to discuss citing issues with your students. We’ll also review the Turnitin (TII) similarity tool, demonstrate how to enable this feature in a Canvas-based writing assignment and provide guidance for interpreting Turnitin reports.

Registration for this event can be found here.

CTL Lunch and Learn – Essential Education Experience

Monday, October 23, 2023, 12:00pm – 1:00 PM

Learn more about the Essential Education Experience at our next CTL Lunch and Learn.

One of the signature pieces of the new Essential Education curriculum is the Essential Education Experience. This credit-bearing experience will give all Michigan Tech undergraduate students an opportunity to use what they are learning in their general education coursework to engage in collaborative, project-based work that connects them with the local community or with global partners. Join leaders from the Essential Education implementation leadership team to learn more about the Essential Education Experience and share your ideas about the kinds of innovative opportunities we can develop to address this new requirement.

Registration for this event can be found here.

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CTL Lunch and Learn: Accessible and Affordable Learning Materials

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Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Are you passionate about making higher education more accessible and affordable for your students?  Make plans to attend the next CTL Lunch and Learn on Tuesday, October 10, at noon in the MUB Alumni Lounge, featuring the Committee for Accessible and Affordable Learning Materials (CAALM).

During the luncheon members of CAALM will introduce the committee’s mission and discuss three critical areas of focus that promise to improve the way we approach course materials:

1. Enhancing Course Material Affordability:

Discover how inclusive access agreements with publishers can help reduce the burden of expensive textbooks and course materials. We’ll shed light on innovative strategies to make education more cost-effective without compromising quality.

2. Embracing Open Educational Resources (OER):

Explore the world of Open Educational Resources and learn how to find course materials tailored to your discipline. There is a wealth of freely available resources that can enrich your curriculum while reducing financial strain on your students.

3. Ensuring Digital Accessibility:

It’s time to ensure that your instructional materials are inclusive for all students, regardless of their abilities.  We’ll share insights on the importance of the digital accessibility of course materials, including ebooks, PDF documents, slide presentations, and video recordings.

This Lunch and Learn event promises to be a source of inspiration, innovation, and collaboration.  Lunch will be provided to those who register in advance. We look forward to seeing you there!  Contact the CTL (ctl@mtu.edu) with any questions.

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September 2023

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Tuesday, September 12, 2023 at 12:00pm – 1:00pm

CTL Instructional Award Presentation

Curriculum Development and Assessment Award

Radheshyam Tewari, Associate Teaching Professor, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

Pasi Lautala, Professor, Civil, Environmental and Geospatial Engineering

Innovative or Out of Class Teaching Award

Elham Asgari, Assistant Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship
College of Business

Large Class Teaching Award

Tim Wagner, Assistant Teaching Professor, Mathematical Sciences

Click here to register to attend this lunch and learn.

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August 2023

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Thursday August 24 and Friday August 25, 2023

New GTAs are asked to attend a general teaching orientation EITHER Thursday or Friday morning the week before classes begin.   This essential session will review national and university instructional policies (FERPA, Title IX, Academic Integrity), basic classroom management and expectations (safety, managing disruptions, inclusion), effective communication with students (in and out of class), and introduce campus instructional resources (library, Student Services, CTL). You must register for a session prior to the event.

Register for Thursday August 24 here.

Register for Friday August 25 here.

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February 2023

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Coffee Chat- Teaching and Learning in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools

Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 3:45 P.M.

Chat GPT, the artificial intelligence (AI) powered chatbot, was released in late November 2022. Since then it has dominated news coverage about AI tools and its impact on higher education.  This large language model can generate human-like text responses to user prompts.  It’s also adept at producing computer code, generating email messages, composing complex spreadsheet formulas, and much more.  Instructors are grappling with the impact Chat GPT and other AI tools are having in teaching and learning. They’re also exploring strategies to leverage these tools to support course objectives and potentially save time previously used on routine tasks for higher order learning activities.  Have you adjusted your teaching strategies to address the existence of AI tools in your classes?

Make plans to attend a Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning coffee chat on Thursday, February 16, at 3:45 in the Library East Reading Room.  We’ll provide an overview of some common AI tools, demonstrate how they work, and review some AI-generated responses. You’ll also have time to discuss the implications of AI tools with other instructors from across campus.  We hope to see you there.

To register for this event, please click here.

CTL Workshop: Enhancing Canvas Course Design Using DesignPlus

Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 2:00 P.M.

Would you like to develop a high quality, engaging course using a modern and professional looking course template? Plan to attend the instructional design team from the William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning for a workshop about enhancing Canvas course design using DesignPlus tools. We will introduce DesignPlus and the course template, review how to import the course template, and show you how you can customize it for your own course. This workshop will focus on the most common and easy course design features to help you build a high quality professional looking course. No advanced technical skills are necessary.  

To register for this event, please click here.

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January 2023

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Thursday, February 2, 2023 at 12:00 noon

CTL Lunch and Learn: Engaging Students

Learning involves more than just listening!

Changing a student’s role from a passive listener to being actively involved in the learning process is said to improve one’s skills in collaboration, critical and creative thinking as well as problem solving. An active role in learning has also been vital to supporting retention of new knowledge.  The constructivist learning theory states that learning happens when students are able to test their constructs through discussions with their peers, ask questions and test various possibilities.

Have you considered ways that you can increase student engagement in your courses but are not sure where to start?

Register to attend the next Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning Lunch and Learn on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023 as we explore educational strategies best suited for your course content, level of complexity, class size, and even classroom layout!  Whether you are just starting to explore ways to engage students or have had success and would like to try other approaches we hope you will join us.

Register here to join us for this lunch and learn.

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