Teaching and Learning Technologies to emphasize on-demand workshop delivery to instructors

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 faculty and campus units need them most.

The on-demand workshops can be arranged by filling out the request form. Two to three weeks’ notice is appreciated. The sessions can cover Brightspace (Purdue’s learning management system), accessible instructional technology and course materials, or any of the tools available in Purdue’s catalog of supported instructional technology. The sessions also can range from beginning to advanced and from a general overview to more specific topics, such as building quizzes in Brightspace.

Workshops can be delivered virtually or in person. The idea is to present the sessions in the format and at a length campus units prefer – and at the best time for their faculty and staff.

TLT already offered custom workshops along with regularly scheduled public workshops held monthly. The refocus deemphasizes the latter, which didn’t always fit the needs and schedules of faculty and staff. The new emphasis on on-demand workshops will address that and actually result in a greater level of service overall. TLT will continue to hold some timely scheduled workshops, such as on assessment and grading tools at the end of each semester.

Wei Zakharov, assistant professor of library science and engineering information specialist in the Purdue University Libraries, has arranged several custom workshops for Purdue Libraries faculty in recent semesters, covering topics such as online discussion boards, tools for empowering essays and discussions in small- to mid-sized online classes, and video tools.

“These sessions were very well received,” Zakharov said. “We requested that (TLT) work with us planning the workshops, to figure out what objectives we wanted to achieve from the instructors’ perspective, not only showing us how to use the tool but showing us where it fits pedagogically and also presenting use cases.”

More than just presenting the material, TLT staff was an active collaborator in designing the workshops to meet the needs of Libraries instructors.

“They always work with you and try to understand what you really need,” Zakharov said. “They’re very knowledgeable. Their responses are timely. It’s a smooth process.”

Alina Alexeenko, associate dean for undergraduate education in the College of Engineering, arranged a series of workshops for faculty and graduate teaching assistants when Purdue transitioned from Blackboard to the Brightspace learning management system, and then again when the pandemic hit. In the latter case, the workshops covered a variety of online teaching and learning tools as COVID pushed classes online in 2020. A series of fall 2021 workshops covered hybrid and remote learning tools.

The College of Engineering also arranged drop-in sessions where faculty and teaching assistants could meet with TLT staff members and get answers to specific questions they had. Alexeenko’s experience indicates that the new emphasis on on-demand delivery of workshops will be valuable.

“Those drop-in sessions were especially popular the week before classes start or the first week of classes. That’s when we need help the most,” Alexeenko said.

While its on-demand workshops will now focus more on specific topics, TLT will continue to hold open, campuswide drop-in sessions at various times during the semester.

Writer: Greg Kline, 765-494-8167, gkline@purdue.edu