Tech Bytes

[Flaviana Bresee]

UFITTech Bytes is a series that provides bite-sized events covering technologies and strategies to enhance teaching and learning. You can register for upcoming Tech Byte events and access recordings of previous events below.

UFIT Academic Technology has scheduled two in-person, drop-in Tech Byte sessions to introduce faculty to UF classroom environments and Canvas. These drop-in sessions will explain the flexibility and capabilities of classroom technology to enhance teaching and learning. Participants will be provided with the basic information on utilizing the available technology and resources including lecture recording options, cameras for Zoom/Teams sessions, microphones, available software, digital annotation, and guidance on seeking assistance from Classroom Support, eLearning Support and other UFIT teams. RSVP through this form for a calendar invitation or walk-in to either session that works for you!

Pilots Leslie Mojeiko and Chris Sharp will be sharing ways to use AI Chatbot tools for teaching and learning purposes. We will be exploring ways to use Microsoft Copilot as well as the soon-to-be-released UF NaviGator AI to support teaching and learning in courses. Practical ideas for using these generative AI services as both instructors and as students will be shared. Register for this free, aviation-themed online event to participate in our flight school!

Tech Chefs Chris Sharp and Leslie Mojeiko are back to host a Tech Byte Cooking Show that explores how to utilize generative artificial intelligence to increase authentic assessments in the classroom. They shared their AI Prompt Cookbook before that included recipes (or prompts) designed to enhance teaching and learning, but this Tech Byte will feature recipes that elevate our use of generative AI to move beyond introductory use to embracing how it can transform the teaching and learning process. Join Chris and Leslie to learn new AI recipes for debating, role playing, tutoring, and more.

Canvas Learning Outcomes is a powerful educational tool designed to help educators track and assess student learning performance. Faculty and instructors can set up learning outcomes in Canvas to measure student performance against the preset Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs). This tool benefits students by informing them of their own subject mastery. Join us in this virtual session to learn how this tool provides data to faculty which can guide their teaching!

Feedback Fruits is a group member evaluation tool that allows students to grow their collaboration skills! Students can use this platform to self-reflect and provide feedback within their group in a constructive and easy way without leaving Canvas. Assistive AI feedback coaching helps guide student comments. At the same time faculty gain valuable insight into student performance and competence. This tool has been funded by the Student Tech Fee Grant and is available to use free of charge within Canvas. Join us for a demonstration from Feedback Fruits to learn more!

UFIT Academic Technology hosted two in-person Tech Byte sessions to introduce faculty to UF classroom environments in August, 2023. These drop-in sessions gave faculty the opportunity to explore the flexibility and capabilities of classroom technology to enhance teaching and learning.

This Tech Byte will demonstrate Gradescope, a new tool being piloted with Canvas e-Learning that streamlines grading of many different types of assessments (e.g., paper-based diagrams or equations, bubble sheets, programming assignments).

After the demo, there will be a case example presented from Engineering Education to share their experiences with using Gradescope. The remaining time will be used for Q&A and additional case examples.

Looking to make your course content more engaging for students? On-location video is a great way to do it! There are a variety of video types that can increase student success, but one size does not fit all. The UFIT Field Production Video team will present a menu of video options, talk about our video production process, and answer any questions you have.

Are you ready to see a cooking show like none other? Leslie Mojeiko and Chris Sharp from UFIT's Center for Instructional Technology & Training (CITT) are co-hosting a new type of Tech Byte event for UF faculty and staff. In this live one-hour cooking show, we will present "30-Minute Recipes" using technology and tools to increase instructor presence in your courses!

We will explain the three dimensions of instructor presence, provide a few demonstrations, and even give you a cookbook handout at the end of the event so that you can prepare these recipes on your own!

2. Open a Proof Directly from a Proof Approval Report

We all love a pending proofs report. Make them more user friendly by including a column with the proof URL to open directly from the report, instead of the default Document Name column in a Proof Approval report, which takes the user to the details page (then the approver has to open the proof from there...annoying, right?).

I'm back with more bytes! This and next week's focus is on best practices. I have a handful of bytes for instance health below. Check back here next week for bytes around user experience. Feel free to comment with more juicy bytes of your own, this topic is endless!

1. Deactivating Beyond Just the User...

Keeping up with user deactivation is obvious - hello, you don't want precious (paid) licenses used up by deactivated users! Do your instance a favor by going beyond just deactivating the user. Make yourself a dashboard to help identify other objects that may need deactivation or updating based on the deactivated user, like:

- Open projects with deactivated project owners

- Open tasks/issues assigned to deactivated users

- Pending proofs in Current projects with deactivated approvers

- Active templates owned by deactivated users or shared only with the deactivated user (either deactivate the template or share with others accordingly)

- Timesheet/issue/task/project approvals pending from deactivated users

- Active template tasks assigned to deactivated users

Do you utilize group admins? Have them add this to their group maintenance.

2. Leverage Wildcards to Reduce Reporting Bloat

We all know the value of using $$USER.ID (not every user needs their own task report, pending proof report, etc.). $$USER.ID isn't the only option! Don't forget about the several other helpful wildcard options. Check them out here, they may prompt some ideas.

3. Avoid Open Text Custom Form Fields

Not only can open text fields lead to human error, but they can also create a reporting nightmare. As much as possible, when you have a field with known answers, use checkbox/radio buttons/dropdown fields instead. Cost center, project type, request type, region, etc. For example, a user could answer that a project type is 'web page,' 'website page,' 'web,' etc. Set yourself up for clean reporting by providing the appropriate option(s) for users to select.

4. Unsharing Questionable Reports

You know those lingering reports you've been debating to delete - perhaps they're shared with active users but haven't had recent views. But you also don't want to try to pin down someone that can give you an answer if ok to delete (of if you do, sometimes all of a sudden users find it valuable when they haven't looked at it for a year). Since reports don't go to the recycle bin, an easy trial is to simply unshare the report(s) and track when you did so (perhaps add an unshare date to the report description for your reference) - if no one misses it after a timeframe you see fit, delete it!

Semester Wrap-up (opens new window)

In this concluding presentation for the Spring term, our LMS team delves into the latest developments in Distance Education. They discuss how instructors can request D2L Course Combines, Sandboxes, and Course Copies. Additionally, they cover Course Design and Delivery Support, along with updates on other instructional technologies. Plus, you can get a peek at the D2L Brightspace Creator+ authoring tool!

The 411 on the AOQF (opens new window)

Distance Education created the APSU Online Quality Fundamentals (AOQF) to promote continuous improvement of online course quality, capitalize on faculty expertise, and increase participation in course reviews. Learn more about the five fundamentals, being an AOQF Peer Reviewer, and the success of the program's launch.

D2L Updates (opens new window)

Our LMS team explores the latest updates within D2L Brightspace, specifically the Locker tool within Groups, the revamped Enrollment Experience and the functionality for assigning Grade Exemptions. This presentation offers valuable insights into leveraging these updates to optimize your teaching and learning workflows.

Vendor Webinar: Tutor.com Faculty Training (opens new window)

This Tutor.com session covers best practices, outreach resources, a live demonstration of the Tutor.com learning environment, and the benefits of online tutoring in improving student success.

In this session, we cover the Insights Dashboard available to instructors and administrators. Brightspace Insights, integrated with the D2L Brightspace Data Platform, offers user-friendly reporting visualizations for a comprehensive overview of users within the learning environment. This empowers instructors to effectively track, assess, and monitor student progress.

Group Work and Peer Reviews in D2L (opens new window)

This session demonstrates how you can increase student participation and active learning in your online course by using the Group tool in D2L. In addition to fostering collaboration and increasing engagement in your online course, explore other strategies for incorporating partnered and small group opportunities, like peer reviews using the Discussion Boards tool.

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