Motivational Monday TEDx of the Week What kids can teach adults about asking for help Looking for a dose of inspiration to start your week? No need to look any further. Each week, we curate talks on topics that matter NOW for all of us related to resilience, self-care, dealing with uncertain times, as well as ways to stay connected, inspired, and grounded when the earth beneath us is shifting.

Today's talk is What kids can teach adults about asking for help by YeYoon Kim. Do you need some help? It's OK to ask, says YeYoon Kim, a former kindergarten teacher who learned from her students how powerful and courageous it can be to reach out for support. Sharing the story of one of the most difficult periods in her life, Kim explores the happiness and joy that can come from leaning on those you love in times of need -- and encourages the rest of us to start asking for help more often.


After you watch, we invite you to reflect on the following:
  • What resonated for you in the video?
  • What lived experiences do you have, either personally or professionally that align with the core message of the talk?
  •  As you think of your role as a student, employee, or manager what feels relevant and useful to remember?
  • What are you taking away that feels meaningful - either a new perspective, a potential action, etc.
  • How might we take better care of ourselves and each other during this time?
If you're a supervisor, consider using this talk for team building purposes! You might send the video ahead of your meeting with several reflection questions on which you'd like your staff to come prepared to speak.
]]> Looking for a dose of inspiration to start your week? No need to look any further. Each week, we curate talks on topics that matter NOW for all of us related to resilience, self-care, dealing with... https://hr.umbc.edu/wp-learning-and-wellness/ https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/97281/guest@my.umbc.edu/89fefda16b97d7e7d3fb89d3077d0082/api/pixel Training https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/training https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xsmall.png?1281010946 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/original.png?1281010946 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xxlarge.png?1281010946 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xlarge.png?1281010946 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/large.png?1281010946 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/medium.png?1281010946 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/small.png?1281010946 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xsmall.png?1281010946 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xxsmall.png?1281010946 UMBC Workplace Learning, OD & Wellness https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/281/f1c56338ebafdbe263515bec026ee74d/xxlarge.jpg?1604933307 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/281/f1c56338ebafdbe263515bec026ee74d/xlarge.jpg?1604933307 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/281/f1c56338ebafdbe263515bec026ee74d/large.jpg?1604933307 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/281/f1c56338ebafdbe263515bec026ee74d/medium.jpg?1604933307 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/281/f1c56338ebafdbe263515bec026ee74d/small.jpg?1604933307 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/281/f1c56338ebafdbe263515bec026ee74d/xsmall.jpg?1604933307 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/281/f1c56338ebafdbe263515bec026ee74d/xxsmall.jpg?1604933307 0 0 true Mon, 09 Nov 2020 09:49:29 -0500 Attend Webinar Focusing on Success with Online Proctoring! Tips provided by University of Alabama at Birmingham - 11/12
Over 1,100 universities use LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor to prevent cheating
during online exams. Hear how the University of Alabama at Birmingham uses these applications to proctor tens of thousands of exams each month. They will share tips on how to prepare instructors and students for online proctoring, from start to finish.

This free session will begin with a brief overview of LockDown Browser (a custom browser that locks down a computer during online exams) and Respondus Monitor (a fully-automated proctoring system). Presenters will touch on key considerations for success, including training resources for instructors, 24/7 live chat support for students, and how to approach privacy concerns.

Time will be available at the end to ask questions from UAB staff or the Respondus training
team. Register for free today!

Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1308408251107039500
 
Thur, Nov 12, 2020 @ 1:00 PM ET
    
REGISTER NOW
]]> Over 1,100 universities use LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor to prevent cheating during online exams. Hear how the University of Alabama at Birmingham uses these applications to proctor tens... https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1308408251107039500 https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/97255/guest@my.umbc.edu/2be3d5123c34e381d55f048febe80bc9/api/pixel online-assessment online-learning respondus-lockdown-browser respondus-monitor Instructional Technology https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/instructional-technology https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xsmall.png?1446126703 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/original.png?1446126703 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xxlarge.png?1446126703 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xlarge.png?1446126703 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/large.png?1446126703 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/medium.png?1446126703 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/small.png?1446126703 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xsmall.png?1446126703 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xxsmall.png?1446126703 Instructional Technology https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/255/dd7102e584d51c2df2b9692a9d2b08a1/xxlarge.jpg?1604706357 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/255/dd7102e584d51c2df2b9692a9d2b08a1/xlarge.jpg?1604706357 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/255/dd7102e584d51c2df2b9692a9d2b08a1/large.jpg?1604706357 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/255/dd7102e584d51c2df2b9692a9d2b08a1/medium.jpg?1604706357 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/255/dd7102e584d51c2df2b9692a9d2b08a1/small.jpg?1604706357 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/255/dd7102e584d51c2df2b9692a9d2b08a1/xsmall.jpg?1604706357 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/255/dd7102e584d51c2df2b9692a9d2b08a1/xxsmall.jpg?1604706357 3 0 false Fri, 06 Nov 2020 18:47:18 -0500 Fri, 06 Nov 2020 18:50:29 -0500 USM OnTrack: New Quality Matters January Workshops Added! Sign up now for these newly added workshops for 2021!
USM OnTrack has added additional Quality Matters workshops in high-demand topics for the January 2021! 

Quality Matters January 2021 Workshops 

Registration Now Open!  

  

Registration is now open for our January Quality Matters workshop series. These dedicated workshops are being offered at no cost to all USM faculty through USM OnTrack. Please note workshops have a maximum registration of 30 people, so please encourage your colleagues to register early.  

 

2-Step Instructions for Self-Registering for USM OnTrack QM Workshops  

Date 

Time 

Title 

Description 

Tuesday, January 5, 2021 

9:00-11:00 a.m. 

Introductions and Overviews: Helping Learners Get Started 

This workshop explores methods you can use to ensure your learners get off on the right foot. Participants will learn why it is important to provide clear instructions for learners on how to get started in the course, how to navigate the site, the purpose of the course, posting a self-introduction, and having learners introduce themselves. The participants will create a mock-up of a “Getting Started” page and a “Self-Introduction” during the workshop. 

Tuesday, January 5, 2021 

1:00-3:00 p.m. 

Active Learning Strategies 

This workshop explores learning preferences, active learning, and strategies to promote active learning in online or blended courses. Participants will determine their own learning reference, discuss active learning, discuss types of interaction and determine how to select active learning activities that align with their course-level/module-level objectives. Participants will complete an Alignment Check worksheet using their own objectives to incorporate active learning. 

Wednesday, January 6, 2021 

9:00-11:00 a.m. 

Developing Activities to Engage Your Learners 

In this workshop, participants discuss ways to engage learners through activities that vest them in their learning. Group activities that align with the course objectives and require active learner involvement will be discussed. Participants will explore how to align learning activities with learning objectives, discuss challenges and opportunities around active group projects, identify methods of designing group work that engage learners, and problem solve different methods and examples for creating engaging online group activities. 

Wednesday, January 6, 2021 

1:00-3:00 p.m. 

Setting Expectations and Learner Support: Helping Learners be Successful 

This workshop addresses the importance of providing learners with online interaction guidelines, required policies explaining learner and instructor expectations, technology requirements and technical skills they will need, and how to locate and access Learner Support Services. Participants will create the following four statements during the workshop, “Netiquette Guidelines for Discussion Activities,” an “Attendance Policy,” a statement for “Technology Requirements and Skills,” and a statement about one of these Services (Technical, Accessibility, Student, or Academic Support). 

Thursday, January 7, 2021 

9:00-11:00 a.m. 

Rethinking Content for Online Classroom 

This workshop will present considerations and strategies for online course content, including reconceptualizing traditional lectures, attending to content strategy, aligning content to learning objectives, and elevating teaching presence. Participants will leave with concrete, actionable takeaways for creating online instructional material, locating Open Educational Resources (OER), and ensuring that materials are aligned with assessments. 

Thursday, January 7, 2021 

1:00-3:00 p.m. 

Communicating New Policies for Online Courses 

This workshop explores classroom and institution policies you can include right away to ensure your learners are successful and stay on the right track. You will create a netiquette policy and an attendance policy and locate the privacy policy for a tool you’re currently using in your online or blended course. 

Tuesday, January 12, 2021 

9:00-11:00 a.m. 

Creating Accessible Word Docs 

This workshop prepares participants to create accessible documents using Microsoft Word. Microsoft Word is one of the most widely used word processing applications. Instructors use Microsoft Word to share documents with their learners but may not be aware of the accessibility issues learners with disabilities may be confronted with. Learn how to use the accessibility features in Word to quickly create documents that will be usable for the majority of your students. 

Tuesday, January 12, 2021 

1:00-3:00 p.m. 

Creating Accessible PDF Documents and Forms 

This workshop prepares participants to create accessible PDF documents and forms. Portable Document Format (PDF) is an open standard for electronic document exchange. Learners can view PDFs on any platform including mobile. PDFs look just like the original document and retain the source file information but are only as accessible as the original file. 

Wednesday, January 13, 2021 

9:00-11:00 a.m. 

Ensuring Accessible Multimedia 

This workshop explains how to use YouTube videos, animations, and audio as engaging instructional materials that are accessible. These tools should be beneficial to all your students. But are they? Students who are deaf or ESL can miss audio content that is not presented in alternative form. Blind students will miss visual content that is not presented in an alternative form. 

Wednesday, January 13, 2021 

1:00-3:00 p.m. 

Captioning Videos 

This workshop explores how to use YouTube and Amara to add closed captioning quickly and easily to videos. Closed captioning your videos will not only benefit learners with disabilities but can improve learning for learners with a range of other needs or strengths. During the workshop, you'll add closed captions to a video you are currently using or want to include in your course. Participants need a YouTube account prior to the workshop and need to have a video uploaded to their account to close caption. For Amara, participants need to have an account created and the URL of a video they want to close caption for a course they are teaching. 

Thursday, January 14, 2021 

9:00-11:00 a.m.  

Providing Accessible Web Content 

This workshop will help you develop accessible web content for your blended or online course. Learn the importance and methods for providing accessible content for all your learners. During this session you will learn the basics of HTML, creating good alt-tags or captions for images, graphs, and tables, and alternative methods for developing content that relies on color for communicating. 

Thursday, January 14, 2021 

1:00-3:00 p.m. 

Communicating New Policies for Online Courses 

This workshop explores classroom and institution policies you can include right away to ensure your learners are successful and stay on the right track. You will create a netiquette policy and an attendance policy and locate the privacy policy for a tool you’re currently using in your online or blended course. 

 


There is no cost for any USM faculty or staff member to attend these workshops, but each workshop does have a 30-person limit, so please sign up as soon as possible!




QM Coordinator information:

Dr. Sherri Braxton - University of Maryland-Baltimore County
sbraxton@umbc.edu
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USM OnTrack is continuing to support adoption of Labster for online courses.


New simulations available 

 

Labster is pleased to announce the release of brand-new, technique-based Organic Chemistry virtual labs, including Proton NMR: Spectrum interpretation and  Recrystallization: Purify your solid. These new lab techniques are a great complement to the existing catalog of theory-based Organic Chemistry labs. 

They have also released shorter Chemistry and Biology virtual labs adapted from our previously-released, longer versions. These shorter virtual labs focus on core concepts and techniques. For example, Functional Groups and Basic Chemical Tests and Light Microscopy.  

 

Read their latest blog post to learn more about the newly released virtual labs, including tips and best practices on how to use the new simulations. 

 

Visit https://www.labster.com/usm/  for access to the simulations, how-to videos, research and data on effectiveness, and recordings of past demos.  

]]> USM OnTrack is continuing to support adoption of Labster for online courses. New simulations available    Labster is pleased to announce the release of brand-new, technique-based Organic... https://www.labster.com/usm/ https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/97143/guest@my.umbc.edu/434f1c207f2d2ca1d4c2ac55c2a3d725/api/pixel online-learning simulations virtual-labs virtual-reality Instructional Technology https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/instructional-technology https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xsmall.png?1446126703 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/original.png?1446126703 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xxlarge.png?1446126703 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xlarge.png?1446126703 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/large.png?1446126703 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/medium.png?1446126703 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/small.png?1446126703 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xsmall.png?1446126703 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xxsmall.png?1446126703 Instructional Technology https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/143/daee92f164181d4b17d73d6ea7eb3bc5/xxlarge.jpg?1604354933 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/143/daee92f164181d4b17d73d6ea7eb3bc5/xlarge.jpg?1604354933 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/143/daee92f164181d4b17d73d6ea7eb3bc5/large.jpg?1604354933 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/143/daee92f164181d4b17d73d6ea7eb3bc5/medium.jpg?1604354933 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/143/daee92f164181d4b17d73d6ea7eb3bc5/small.jpg?1604354933 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/143/daee92f164181d4b17d73d6ea7eb3bc5/xsmall.jpg?1604354933 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/143/daee92f164181d4b17d73d6ea7eb3bc5/xxsmall.jpg?1604354933 3 0 false Mon, 02 Nov 2020 17:15:41 -0500 Blackboard watchOS available to student beta testers Test drive the latest tool to support learning on the go

Designed to complement the mobile experience for online learning, the upcoming Blackboard watchOS app provides students a brand new way to experience and access the latest updates in their Blackboard courses. If you're familiar with the existing Blackboard mobile app, the new watchOS app is an extension to the phone app, but designed and built just for your Apple Watch.  


What can users do on the Blackboard watchOS app?

  • Check their most recent announcements

  • Review feedback and grades from courses 

  • Stay up to date on their upcoming work with due dates

  • Receive push notifications when updates happen in their course

This beta program is focused on getting feedback on the user experience and its features, and identifying any pesky bugs. Any student who uses the mobile app and/or has an Apple is welcome to participate and provide feedback directly to the Blackboard developers.

  1. First, make sure you have a compatible device -- specifically, an iPhone running iOS 14+ and an Apple Watch running watchOS 7+.
  2. Next, sign up using the registration form -- since you will be participating in a Blackboard-sponsored beta, any questions you have will be directed to their support team rather than RT.

Participants will receive a confirmation email with additional details in the next week. The beta program will be open through December 2020.


 ]]> Designed to complement the mobile experience for online learning, the upcoming Blackboard watchOS app provides students a brand new way to experience and access the latest updates in their... https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/instructional-technology/posts/97136 https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/97136/guest@my.umbc.edu/a80e00cbcdf6c1aa2a3aeaee9135c50f/api/pixel apple-watch mobile-learning online-learning Instructional Technology https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/instructional-technology https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xsmall.png?1446126703 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/original.png?1446126703 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xxlarge.png?1446126703 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xlarge.png?1446126703 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/large.png?1446126703 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/medium.png?1446126703 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/small.png?1446126703 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xsmall.png?1446126703 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xxsmall.png?1446126703 Instructional Technology https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/136/c33af3d46c9776bffd8af56049662369/xxlarge.jpg?1604350287 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/136/c33af3d46c9776bffd8af56049662369/xlarge.jpg?1604350287 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/136/c33af3d46c9776bffd8af56049662369/large.jpg?1604350287 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/136/c33af3d46c9776bffd8af56049662369/medium.jpg?1604350287 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/136/c33af3d46c9776bffd8af56049662369/small.jpg?1604350287 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/136/c33af3d46c9776bffd8af56049662369/xsmall.jpg?1604350287 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/136/c33af3d46c9776bffd8af56049662369/xxsmall.jpg?1604350287 3 0 true Mon, 02 Nov 2020 16:09:29 -0500 Motivational Monday TEDx of the Week How to turn off work thoughts during your free time Looking for a dose of inspiration to start your week? No need to look any further. Each week, we curate talks on topics that matter NOW for all of us related to resilience, self-care, dealing with uncertain times, as well as ways to stay connected, inspired, and grounded when the earth beneath us is shifting.

Today's talk is How to turn off work thoughts during your free time by Guy Winch. Feeling burned out? You may be spending too much time ruminating about your job, says psychologist Guy Winch. Learn how to stop worrying about tomorrow's tasks or stewing over office tensions with three simple techniques aimed at helping you truly relax and recharge after work.


After you watch, we invite you to reflect on the following:
  • What resonated for you in the video?
  • What lived experiences do you have, either personally or professionally that align with the core message of the talk?
  •  As you think of your role as a student, employee, or manager what feels relevant and useful to remember?
  • What are you taking away that feels meaningful - either a new perspective, a potential action, etc.
  • How might we take better care of ourselves and each other during this time?
If you're a supervisor, consider using this talk for team building purposes! You might send the video ahead of your meeting with several reflection questions on which you'd like your staff to come prepared to speak.
]]> Looking for a dose of inspiration to start your week? No need to look any further. Each week, we curate talks on topics that matter NOW for all of us related to resilience, self-care, dealing with... https://hr.umbc.edu/wp-learning-and-wellness/ https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/97102/guest@my.umbc.edu/740ed386b91f29c1edb5ae73c91692e5/api/pixel Training https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/training https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xsmall.png?1281010946 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/original.png?1281010946 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xxlarge.png?1281010946 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xlarge.png?1281010946 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/large.png?1281010946 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/medium.png?1281010946 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/small.png?1281010946 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xsmall.png?1281010946 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xxsmall.png?1281010946 UMBC Workplace Learning, OD & Wellness https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/102/0a5102d8a681e676e9cb242041560349/xxlarge.jpg?1604321978 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/102/0a5102d8a681e676e9cb242041560349/xlarge.jpg?1604321978 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/102/0a5102d8a681e676e9cb242041560349/large.jpg?1604321978 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/102/0a5102d8a681e676e9cb242041560349/medium.jpg?1604321978 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/102/0a5102d8a681e676e9cb242041560349/small.jpg?1604321978 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/102/0a5102d8a681e676e9cb242041560349/xsmall.jpg?1604321978 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/102/0a5102d8a681e676e9cb242041560349/xxsmall.jpg?1604321978 0 0 true Mon, 02 Nov 2020 08:00:58 -0500 Wellness Wednesday: Walking Your Story Connecting To Our Journey & To Each Other Don't forget to register for our upcoming Wellness Wednesday: Walking Your Story on November 4, 11am-1pm. 

"For this Wellness Wednesday we will be exploring the power of questions to help us unearth and share our story. Each participant will hav an opportunity to answer questions related to the following domains: present moment, past, future, foundation and purpose. Prompts will be provided to participants in advance and each person will have the opportunity to have their story recorded for later use and reflection."

Registration is required. Participants will receive a link with the credentials for the session 24 hours beforehand.  
]]> Don't forget to register for our upcoming Wellness Wednesday: Walking Your Story on November 4, 11am-1pm.  "For this Wellness Wednesday we will be exploring the power of questions to help us... https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/97033/guest@my.umbc.edu/f8beddfd853c2a600b41dd106a20138c/api/pixel Training https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/training https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xsmall.png?1281010946 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/original.png?1281010946 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xxlarge.png?1281010946 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xlarge.png?1281010946 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/large.png?1281010946 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/medium.png?1281010946 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/small.png?1281010946 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xsmall.png?1281010946 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xxsmall.png?1281010946 Training https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/033/e6fe2389e9b22311e0c08205f18b4ad2/xxlarge.jpg?1603993166 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/033/e6fe2389e9b22311e0c08205f18b4ad2/xlarge.jpg?1603993166 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/033/e6fe2389e9b22311e0c08205f18b4ad2/large.jpg?1603993166 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/033/e6fe2389e9b22311e0c08205f18b4ad2/medium.jpg?1603993166 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/033/e6fe2389e9b22311e0c08205f18b4ad2/small.jpg?1603993166 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/033/e6fe2389e9b22311e0c08205f18b4ad2/xsmall.jpg?1603993166 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/033/e6fe2389e9b22311e0c08205f18b4ad2/xxsmall.jpg?1603993166 1 0 true Thu, 29 Oct 2020 13:41:09 -0400 Thu, 29 Oct 2020 13:58:28 -0400 Promoting Integrity in "Open Note" Online Exams How UMBC's Largest Courses Do So w/out Surveillance Software

Update: Bass, Carpenter and Fritz have recently presented this effective practice at the following conferences:

In a recent Washington Post story about UMBC’s pandemic response to online learning, reporter Nick Anderson mentioned a video prepared by chemistry senior lecturer Tara Carpenter to address a key issue: academic integrity of online exams.

[Carpenter] has tinkered with the pacing and format of quizzes and tests to prevent students from getting an unfair advantage through the Internet. In a video she shared with The Post, Carpenter told students she detected some cheating on the first exam. She warned them to avoid the temptation to use online help forums as an illicit shortcut to the answer. "Posting questions to have someone else answer them is 100 percent cheating," she said. "I'm watching for it, and I will report it."

The video -- a 25-min. Panopto screencast that Carpenter has agreed to answer questions about in a UMBC VoiceThread -- was prepared for her College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (CNMS) colleagues, as part of the summer Planning Instructional Variety in Online Teaching (PIVOT) program. 

Carpenter developed her approach with chemistry colleague, lecturer Sarah Bass, and leverages three key functions available in all Blackboard Original courses (the bolded first part of each step links to a related Blackboard FAQ and/or instructional technology effective practice):

A large pool or bank of questions that can automatically populate any exam (see up to timecode 4:53 in the screencast, which covers the first three steps in Carpenter’s accompanying spreadsheet). Carpenter and Bass have developed nearly 1,500 questions that can be used in four, 20-25 question “Learning Checkpoint” (LCP) assessments in this semester’s CHEM 101 and CHEM 102 “Introduction to Chemistry” courses that collectively have more than 900 enrolled students. In steps four through six (up to time code 10:12), Carpenter creates four parts to an LCP assessment that are populated with questions of comparable rigor or complexity, which she’s identified and organized in the overall pool or bank.
Create groups (invisible to students), randomly populated for the exam that correspond to an LCP’s four parts, but no one group gets the same sequence of parts (this is step 7 and goes up to time code 11:43). Along with variations of questions from pools, the variation of exam parts they comprise means the chances that any two students get the exact same exam questions or sequence are very low (below is an example of the schema from Carpenter’s screencast):
CHEM 101 and 102 student exam groups to support online testing
Adaptive release of content, which is used to require that students “sign” an honor pledge before they can access the rest of the CHEM LCP assessments. This begins steps 8 through 10, which “bring it all together” in terms of how pools, groups and the honor pledge “pre-requisite” students must meet to access and complete an LCP exam. In addition to reminding students of UMBC’s commitment to academic integrity, which the Faculty Development Center has encouraged for years, Carpenter and Bass allow students to use their notes and textbook. But given the complexity, variety and length of the LCP assessments, they both encourage students not to rely on this strategy alone. “They’ll simply run out of time,” says Bass. “Students seem to get that.”

In addition to Chemistry, three Physics instructors, Eric Anderson, Lili Cui and Cody Goolsby-Cole, have already adopted Carpenter’s and Bass’ approach for assessments in their high-enrollment introductory Physics courses this term. “It has been working out well,” says Cui, who, along with her colleagues, had already adjusted her approach last spring, by spreading out fewer, monthly high-stakes exams into more frequent, weekly Friday quizzes that cumulatively have the same weight as prior terms. This also could facilitate a testing effect (link provided by FDC Director Linda Hodges), in which assessments can be opportunities for students to learn in their own right, perhaps especially if they occur sooner and more frequently after study.

“At first glance, Carpenter’s and Bass’ approach may appear to be complex, but it’s actually a pretty straight-forward use of current Blackboard functionality, especially for high-enrollment courses,” says John Fritz, associate vice president of Instructional Technology. “Also, it focuses less on trying to catch students cheating and more on appealing to -- maybe even rewarding -- their own commitment to effective study habits and academic integrity.”


By John Fritz

]]> Update: Bass, Carpenter and Fritz have recently presented this effective practice at the following conferences: 10/27/21 Educause Poster | presentation file (UMBC login req'd) 10/12/21 UMBC... https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/instructional-technology/posts/97023 Image https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/attachments/3436bebed4a5037c5df1bf35f03a1a62/69fd38b3/news/000/097/023/6a83cd48b0fc245146c20bfed5223a60/Screen Shot 2020-10-29 at 9.34.46 AM.png?1603978588 https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/97023/guest@my.umbc.edu/4b2bf629acd561a15cc41706f45ffb53/api/pixel academic-integrity assessments effective-practices online-learning pivot Instructional Technology https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/instructional-technology https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xsmall.png?1446126703 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/original.png?1446126703 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xxlarge.png?1446126703 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xlarge.png?1446126703 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/large.png?1446126703 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/medium.png?1446126703 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/small.png?1446126703 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xsmall.png?1446126703 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xxsmall.png?1446126703 Instructional Technology https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/023/14862abef679e1caade2ba1be402d08b/xxlarge.jpg?1612190419 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/023/14862abef679e1caade2ba1be402d08b/xlarge.jpg?1612190419 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/023/14862abef679e1caade2ba1be402d08b/large.jpg?1612190419 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/023/14862abef679e1caade2ba1be402d08b/medium.jpg?1612190419 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/023/14862abef679e1caade2ba1be402d08b/small.jpg?1612190419 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/023/14862abef679e1caade2ba1be402d08b/xsmall.jpg?1612190419 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/097/023/14862abef679e1caade2ba1be402d08b/xxsmall.jpg?1612190419 Sarah Bass and Tara Carpenter, UMBC chemistry faculty who designed and implemented an online, open-note approach to exams during the pandemic. 13 0 true Thu, 29 Oct 2020 09:21:04 -0400 Sat, 02 May 2026 22:01:51 -0400 Final Reminder: Migration from Skillsoft to Percipio UMBC will be upgrading to Percipio - Skillsoft's new, state-of-the-art learning platform on November 2nd. Please make sure you complete any in-progress training on Skillsoft by October 30th. 

Watch a short introduction video to Percipio here.
]]> UMBC will be upgrading to Percipio - Skillsoft's new, state-of-the-art learning platform on November 2nd. Please make sure you complete any in-progress training on Skillsoft by October 30th. ... Document https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/attachments/d3141b0ff8bf84a1e08465f17b481d26/69fd38b3/news/000/096/966/88a3a0c581c95b9c66fd7d0924295d1f/3 - Final reminder.pdf?1603817641 https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/96966/guest@my.umbc.edu/7e530cbb1da3978ba3f983632c7f558a/api/pixel Training https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/training https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xsmall.png?1281010946 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/original.png?1281010946 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xxlarge.png?1281010946 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xlarge.png?1281010946 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/large.png?1281010946 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/medium.png?1281010946 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/small.png?1281010946 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xsmall.png?1281010946 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/019/bdb106a0560c4e46ccc488ef010af787/xxsmall.png?1281010946 Training https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/096/966/18734a64dfae2febee38a447422a6592/xxlarge.jpg?1603817612 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/096/966/18734a64dfae2febee38a447422a6592/xlarge.jpg?1603817612 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/096/966/18734a64dfae2febee38a447422a6592/large.jpg?1603817612 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/096/966/18734a64dfae2febee38a447422a6592/medium.jpg?1603817612 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/096/966/18734a64dfae2febee38a447422a6592/small.jpg?1603817612 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/096/966/18734a64dfae2febee38a447422a6592/xsmall.jpg?1603817612 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/096/966/18734a64dfae2febee38a447422a6592/xxsmall.jpg?1603817612 0 0 true Tue, 27 Oct 2020 12:54:11 -0400 Motivational TEDx of the Week Want a more just world? Be an unlikely ally Looking for a dose of inspiration to start your week? No need to look any further. Each week, we curate talks on topics that matter NOW for all of us related to resilience, self-care, dealing with uncertain times, as well as ways to stay connected, inspired, and grounded when the earth beneath us is shifting.

Today's talk is Want a more just world? Be an unlikely ally by Nita Mosby Tyler. A more equal world starts with you. Citing a formative moment from her own life, equity advocate Nita Mosby Tyler highlights why showing up and fighting for others who face injustices beyond your own lived experience leads to a fairer, more just future for all.


After you watch, we invite you to reflect on the following:
  • What resonated for you in the video?
  • What lived experiences do you have, either personally or professionally that align with the core message of the talk?
  •  As you think of your role as a student, employee, or manager what feels relevant and useful to remember?
  • What are you taking away that feels meaningful - either a new perspective, a potential action, etc.
  • How might we take better care of ourselves and each other during this time?
If you're a supervisor, consider using this talk for team building purposes! You might send the video ahead of your meeting with several reflection questions on which you'd like your staff to come prepared to speak.
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