September 1, 2020 – Educational Technologies Committee Update

Anthony Marino, Director of Client Experience – Technology Solutions, announced that TS arranged for approximately 1/3 of UIC students to have access  to Adobe Creative Cloud.  The software is available for students to install on their own personal device and or use it in our virtual computer lab offering.  Essentially, there is no cost to students – UIC is paying the cost on a per student basis.  The service has been made available for students that express an academic need for the software.

UIC’s Virtual Computer Lab debuted in April 2020.  TS spent quite a bit of time this summer making updates in the background – the infrastructure behind the scenes – making it more stable to ensure that we could meet any additional demand expected for the fall semester.  All projects are completed, up and running – to include Socrates the chatbot – and rolled out in mid-August.

Photo Roster for Blackboard is operational with several new initiatives, explained Szymon Machajewski, Senior Learning Systems Administrator – Technology Solutions.  Of course, there is no ability to track notes; however, instructors can insert office hours, notes about the student and more.  Included is a link to Google Name Pronunciation where students can provide their own personal pronouns (preferred name).  Time zones, filtering and sorting pictures by groups, and merged sections will be added within the course.

Name Coach – a system used by JMLS for some years – allows students to record their names which can be used by faculty for reference.  It can also be used during graduation season for reading names during the ceremony.  Currently licensed specifically to JMLS, Name Coach is integrated in the Photo Roster.

Anany Manini – Technology Solutions introduced the ITSM Tool to the committee and is seeking volunteers.  The purpose for this card sorting exercise is to interview a few faculty members to confirm our labeling is correct and the information architecture on the TDX (Team Dynamix) System development follows what the user knows.  We are seeking faculty members or faculty staff with the ability to provide additional input toward clarity from the user’s perspective and not necessarily the technical perspective.  We need three or four volunteers from the colleges that would act as a designee to access the system on behalf of the faculty members and staff.  Volunteers would avail themselves for approximately one half hour, which will be extremely helpful for us.

CTE officially launched their website just before fall semester on August 13, 2020.  Although the site is in its infancy and still work in progress in coordination with the Provost’s Academic Planning Task Force, the focus was on some of the immediate needs of the faculty going into fall, teaching remotely.  Its content includes a couple of tool kits and a space reserved for expansion in the coming year.  The envisioned toolkit would essentially contain resources to support the pedagogical implementation of a particular resource or a teaching strategy, generated internally but also linked to resources that are available externally by experts across the country or in other countries.  Included are three different versions of a syllabus template:  synchronous online courses, asynchronous, and face-to-face courses – an updated version of a template previously on the teaching and learning side of the Faculty Affairs website.  COVID-19 related content with notes embedded into the templates is also a feature as well as several resources connected to the toolkit pieces from Learning Technology Solutions.   Lastly, the Equity and Inclusion toolkit just got started and provides resources attuned to the ongoing social justice movement and to answer questions.

The Learning Technology Solutions (LTS) team is formally merging with CTE starting this fall.  Website integration has begun, promoting some of the amazing work that LTS Director, Elizabeth Romero and her team have done for this remote online teaching experience.  But what’s really exciting is that this is where pedagogy and technology can come together and be seen as a place that faculty can come to innovate in their instruction, regardless of the modality by which they’re teaching.

CTE Executive Director, Erin O’Leary is shaping the idea of an official launch.  Stay tuned.

The Academic Planning Task Force observed academic misconduct during the spring with respect to exams taking place in remote learning environments.    This will be the next toolkit to be built and worked to connect to technologies, such as Gradescope, remote proctored tools, and other types of rubric based assessment tools populated by LTS.  The report can be found on the CTE website.

Erin O’Leary, Executive Director – CTE

July had 50% more tickets than in previous years, in part, due to more faculty now using Blackboard in a serious way and combining different modalities.  Concerning proctored exams, we went with a response Lockdown Browser and discovered that students can find ways of working around what’s on their screen and Smartphone simultaneously.  Transition will be made in meaningful ways through analyzing what students are capable of.  Performance reports are now kept up for students who receive course assignments and help out with physical spaces.  Prior to the middle of March, most of the faculty and many of the students took well to easing their way into holding more online courses to account for an expanded student population.  Since we were physically limited by space, this gave us a chance to get a jump start and put everything in order.  An excess of 70% of our course interactions were using Blackboard Collaborate rather than Zoom for the classes.

Jonathan Art, College of Medicine

Gradescope is a campus-wide online grading solution that can be activated directly in Blackboard; put it in as a tool, just click on it and it automatically redirects into the Gradescope course.  Watch the August 5th webinar by following this link:  https://accc.uic.edu/events/gradescope-streamline-standardize-assignment-grading/

Martina Bode, Clinical Professor – Math Statistics and Computer Science

The Academic Continuity Task Force met all summer-long, once a week.  The task force will continue to meet on a monthly basis in preparation for the spring. There are three subcommittees on the task force:  the first is focused on faculty, the second is focused on the student experience; and the third’s focus is more aligned with the logistics of scheduling courses in the various modalities – keeping track of, and ensuring that students’ needs are being met.  Elizabeth Romero and team at LTS play a critical role, as well as Aaron Brady and the Registrar, collaborating on types of webinars and panels that would bring faculty together, supporting instructors throughout the fall and into spring is currently in the works.  The course builders and resources are still available to faculty and are being distributed either at the college or department level.

Erin O’Leary, Executive Director – CTE

The libraries have reopened with a new reservation system!  The general reservation system process and procedures for services can be found on the library’s website.  Anyone entering the building must register and secure a reservation online.  UIC identification is required to swipe-in for entry –  staff is no longer available to the public.  Seating maps are available to use as part of the reservation process; a specific seat will be assigned for every guest reservation – online discussions are available via the UIC Library link for seat registration.  A video with tips for making a reservation, check-in and check-out system is also available on the website.  Printer, scanner, special equipment, priority access for patrons, open study computers, circulation, are all options when making a reservation.  Reservations allow for up to a four-hour block, per student per day.  Reserved materials are kept behind the circulation desk and materials are being quarantined for 72 hours between users.  Some regulations may change during the course of the semester.  Library hours have changed, however, if it is found that the demand for reservations is far less than expected, additional flexibility may follow.

Amelia F. Brunskill, Information Services and Liaison Librarian

With 14 members of the ITLC – Educational Technology Committee present, Nathan Phillips, Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, was elected as co-chair of the committee.