8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Registration and Refreshments

9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Opening Remarks & Intro Video

Bob Tolsma, Academic Technology & Extended Learning

9:40 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Concurrent Sessions:

Session 1: Benchmarking best practices for web-based courses in nursing education.

This presentation will focus on the evolution of an 8 year benchmarking project initiated by three schools of nursing (Indiana University, University of Kansas Medical Center and UCDHSC)  and Flashlight/Learning Curves consultant group.  The presentation will highlight the model, current survey, usage by participating schools and our latest study examining class sizes and educational practices.

Session 2: Voice tools to use in online courses

New tools make podcasting, creating audio bulletin boards and recording lectures easier than ever. Learn how to go beyond text and graphics in your online courses without mastering complex multimedia tools. Simple point-and-click tools provided by CU Online allow any instructor to quickly and easily integrate voice into their courses.

Session 3: Classroom response systems

Tired of staring a roomful of silent students? Maybe it's time to get them clicking. Classroom response systems, or clickers, have come to the downtown Denver campus. Find out how you can easily add clickers to you classes.

10:40 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions

Session 1: Top research findings for online teaching

What does the research say about online teaching methods? We survey distance-learning research in several key areas and synthesize what know and what works to improve online teaching. The areas include: facilitating cognitive engagement in students; assessing and evaluating learning; enhancing teacher presence; nurturing working groups and learning communities; and managing teaching time demands. The session includes links to research studies in these areas.

Session 2: Using Breeze to teach online

Breeze Web Conferencing software allows online faculty to easily record and share lectures, meet with students online and more. Come hear how your colleagues have taken advantage of this supported software to enhance their online courses and discover ideas for integrating this tool in your own!

Session 3: Community based online courses

Blogs, bulletin boards, Wikis and instant messaging. We've all heard about the "My Space" generation. But what does that have to do with higher education? A lot. The same social networking and community building tools that thrive on the Internet promise to revolutionize our notion of online education. Come hear how the Boulder's Continuing Education Department is using online community as the core of a new model for online learning.

11:30 a.m. - 12:50 p.m. Lunch and Keynote

 

1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m. Concurrent Sessions

Session 1:Online research tools

What the Internet gives, the Internet takes away. While the world of information is just a button click away, the daunting task of locating anything makes finding the right information seem impossible at times. Fortunately, as the amount of information bloats, the tools for digging through all the data improve in sophistication. This session will highlight and demonstrate some of the best tools for mining the treasure trove of research information available online.

Session 2: Benchmark online course showcase using eCollege

Want to know how to take your course to the next level? Come see how your colleagues have challenged themselves to turn up the quality on their courses. Demonstrations of courses with an emphasis on new techniques and success stories will stimulate new ideas for improving you courses.

Session 3: Serious games in education

Games can entertain. But they can also teach. Collaboration between the arts and computer science department at the University of Denver has produced a series of interesting, provocative and ultimately educational games. Case studies focued on their efforts and demonstrations of games will help show some of the enourmous potential in serious uses of games.

2:00 p.m. - 2:50 p.m. Concurrent Session

Session 1: Student and instructor perceptions of what helps students learn

The results of a student and instructor survey which asked each to rate how effective they thought 19 tools were for student learning will be presented and discussed. These tools ranged from lectures to online tutoring to chat rooms. Not only will the results from each group be presented but also the tools where students and instructor are significantly different in their perceptions will be pointed out.

Session 2: Save a Tree!  What you can use Blackboard for in classroom-based courses

Save time. Save paper. Learn to use Blackboard to streamline your classroom based courses. From tracking attendance and grades to distributing course materials and running pre-class quizzes and discussions, this seminar will focus on using Blackboard's online tools to improve your face-to-face lecture courses.

Session 3: Top technologies to watch

A symposium favorite! What's new in technology? What's hot? What's not? This lively presentation never fails to point toward the potentials for online technology.

3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Closing Session