August instructional workshops feature Brightspace, technology, book club

Instructors at Purdue campuses are invited to participate in the following August workshops and sessions to help prepare for the fall 2022 semester. This support is offered by the Innovative Learning Team at West Lafayette, the Center for Faculty Excellence and Office of Instructional Technology at Purdue Northwest, the Purdue Fort Wayne Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT), and Purdue Global.

Purdue West Lafayette

This month, Consulting and Training will be offering the following workshops:

Brightspace Basics
Tues., Aug. 16, 11-11:50 a.m. ET (WebEx)

Preparing Your Gradebook
Wed., Aug. 17, 2-2:50 p.m. ET (WebEx)

Starting Your Brightspace Course Off On the Right Foot
Thurs., Aug. 18, 11-11:50 a.m. ET (WebEx)

Brightspace and Instructional Technology Drop-In Help Sessions
These drop-in help sessions are held daily, Monday through Friday. Join any of these sessions with your Brightspace questions as well as questions you might have on any of our supported instructional technologies! No registration is needed.
We will be offering double drop-in hours during Weeks 1 and 2 of class (weeks of Aug. 15 and Aug. 22). Each day will have two drop-in times except Friday. These hours are as follows (all ET):
Monday 10-11 a.m. and 1-2 p.m.
Tuesday 10-11 a.m. and 2-3 p.m.
Wednesday 9-10 a.m. and 3-4 p.m.
Thursday 10-11 a.m. and 2-3 p.m.
Friday 10-11 a.m.

After Weeks 1 and 2, our daily drop-in hours will revert back to the following (all ET):
Mondays 1-2 p.m.
Tuesdays 10-11 a.m.
Wednesdays: 3-4 p.m.
Thursdays: 2-3 p.m.
Fridays: 10-11 a.m.

Additionally, the Consulting and Training Group of Purdue Teaching and Learning Technologies (TLT) and Purdue Online is refreshing its workshop offerings to focus on by-request workshops delivered when campus units and instructors most need them. The on-demand workshops can be arranged by filling out this request form (2-3 weeks’ notice is appreciated). Details on delivery, topics, and timing may be found on the Innovative Learning News page.

Purdue Fort Wayne

Speed Dating with PFW Ed Tech – Session 1
Wed., Aug. 17, 1:30-2:30 p.m. ET
As the workshop name shows, participants will engage in a fast-matching event to learn the affordance and limitations of university-supported educational technology.

CELT Fall Teaching Conference
Thurs., Aug. 18, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET
Joshua R. Eyler is the director of the Center for Teaching Excellence and adjunct associate professor of humanities at Rice University. He has a PhD in medieval studies from the University of Connecticut and has published on a range of topics, including evidence-based pedagogy, technology in the classroom, and disability studies.

Embracing Accessibility: Working together to optimize learning environments that benefit all students
Thurs., Aug. 18, 1:30-2:50 p.m. ET
In this session, a diverse panel of experts from Education, Disability Access Center, User Technology Support, and CELT will (1) discuss the significancy of accessibility for all learners; (2) confront barriers to creating inclusive and equitable learning environments; and (3) describe campus resources that faculty can rely on for support with accessibility. The accessibility experiences of real students will be described, along with practical strategies for putting accessibility goals into practice.

Panel Discussion: Mixed Modality Teaching in Interesting Times
Thurs., Aug. 18, 3-3:40 p.m. ET
Mixed modality teaching is a reality, and we must find ways to address the needs of students and faculty. Our team is using “Mixed Modality” to describe teaching that includes both online and in-person students simultaneously. The panel members were chosen to provide a balance of faculty, instructional design, and appropriate technology. Each panelist will provide information on these four main areas: student engagement, software availability, management of mixed class sessions; and addressing assignments as they relate to the mixed modality classroom.

Pearson Accessibility Workshop
Thurs., Aug. 18, 3-3:40 p.m. ET
Representatives from Pearson will be on hand to discuss accessibility in Pearson courseware. We’ll share the history of accessibility at Pearson and the work we’ve done with Purdue to move accessibility forward. Hands-on demos of where to find accessible resources and answers to your accessibility questions will be shared.

Use Poll Everywhere to Engage Students in Mixed Teaching Modality
Wed., Aug. 31, 1-2:15 p.m. ET
During this 75-minute session, participants will learn the basics of Poll Everywhere. Example activities will be shared to engage students in mixed teaching modalities. Before the workshop, participants are encouraged to check the Poll Everywhere resources on the CELT website.

Purdue Northwest

Work Sprints
Wed., Aug. 3, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. CT
Thurs., Aug. 4, 10 a.m.-12 noon CT
Thurs., Aug. 11, 9-11 a.m. CT
Fri., Aug. 12, 10 a.m.-12 noon CT
A Work Sprint provides a focused block of time and supportive environment for you to commit to and have some level of accountability for accomplishing a task-specific goal. Attend any or all sessions.

Last Day to Submit a Create-Your-Own Book Club Proposal
Mon., Aug. 8
Do you have a book that you’d like to read and discuss with colleagues? This is your chance to host your own book club! The Center for Faculty Excellence will financially support the purchase of the books, refreshments for meetings, and other costs associated with running the book club, as well as include the group members’ attendance on annual participation letters.

Last Day to Register for CFE Fall 2022 Programs
Mon., Aug. 29
Sign-up to participate in a Book Club, a Community of Practice on First-Year and First Generation Students, and/or the Research Productivity Program.

Brightspace Refresher
Wed., Aug. 17, 11 a.m.-12 noon CT
Join the Office of Instructional Technology to review the essentials of Brightspace for the start of the semester. Join this demo of how to course copy & bulk edit dates, set course availability, send email & announcements, and verify assessments and grade settings align with syllabus.

Foundational Technology for Faculty
Ongoing
Explore the core components of instructional technology in the Foundational Faculty Training module in the PNW Brightspace Instructor Training Course. These self-paced topics include: creating Brightspace content and communication, flexibility in modality, grading, and using activities. Earn a badge for each completed area. This module is part of a series of competencies created for you by the Office of Instructional Technology. Look for our upcoming functional faculty training module that takes a deeper dive into technology tools supported at PNW.

For questions and support at your campus, contact:

Purdue Global: Direct teaching-related questions to askctl@purdueglobal.edu. Technical support questions should be directed to TechSupport@purdueglobal.edu or 866-522-7747 (toll-free).

Purdue Fort Wayne: Teaching-related questions should be directed to PFW’s Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT) at celt@pfw.edu, 260-481-6354, or CELT’s website for resources and to request one on one consultations. Technical support questions should be directed to PFW’s IT Services Help Desk helpdesk@pfw.edu or 260-481-6030.

Purdue Northwest: Direct teaching-related questions to the Center for Faculty Excellence at cfe@pnw.edu, 219-989-8328, or CFE’s website. Instructional software support questions should be directed to The Office of Instructional Technology by email oit@pnw.edu or OIT’s website or through their Virtual Consultation Link.

Purdue West Lafayette: Visit the Innovative Learning website or email InnovativeLearningTeam@purdue.edu.