Monday, July 25, 2005

 

7:30AM – 7:00PM
West Exhibit Hall Foyer

Registration

8:30AM – 12:00PM
NCC 202
Pre-Conference Workshop

This session requires advanced registration and an additional fee.

More than a Taste of MERLOT: Taking Full Advantage of MERLOT Resources for Course Design
John St.Clair, Tennessee Board of Regents
Vicki Young,
Motlow State Community College

MERLOT is a rich source for finding peer-reviewed quality learning objects and much more. This workshop will involve the participants in an in-depth understanding of how MERLOT resources can be fully leveraged both as a resource for course design and as a professional development activity. Participants will explore the MERLOT collection, investigate the MERLOT Discipline and Special Interest Communities, create a personal collection, post a review for a learning object, and add to the MERLOT collection. Those not already members will be able to join MERLOT during the workshop.

Presenters
John St.Clair is the Executive Director of Training and Technical Services for the Tennessee Board of Regents Online Degree Program (http://www.rodp.org/). The RODP coordinates certificate and degree programs offered by the technology centers, colleges, and universities of the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR). Prior to joining TBR, Mr. St. Clair was an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Motlow State Community College where he taught courses in developmental mathematics, collegiate mathematics, and computer programming.

Vicki Young has been with Motlow State Community College in Lynchburg, Tennessee since 1982. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vanderbilt and a Master of Science in Teaching from Middle Tennessee State University. Ms. Young has created an extensive collection of songs, which she uses as learning objects in her math classes.

8:30AM – 12:00PM
NCC 203
Pre-Conference Workshop

This session requires advanced registration and an additional fee.

Guidelines for Authors of Learning Objects
Rachel Smith, New Media Consortium (NMC

Learning objects. Perhaps you've been using them in your courses, and now you want to create some. But where to start? What issues should you consider? What best practices should you be aware of? This workshop provides a gentle, but thorough, grounding in the how, what and why of learning objects. We will offer practical advice for designing for usability and reusability; for keeping your learning objects learner-centered and learner-driven; for aligning with current metadata standards; and for making your objects accessible to everyone. We will share tips for "marketing" your finished work and point you to resources for follow-up information.

 

Presenter
Rachel S. Smith is the Director of Development and Programs for the New Media Consortium (NMC). She works with member institutions on NMC projects and develops new opportunities for collaboration among members. Before joining NMC she worked at the California State University Center for Distributed Learning, where she was involved with the development of MERLOT, Biology Labs On-Line, and other projects. She is the author of the monograph, "Guidelines for Authors of Learning Objects," released June 2004 by NMC.

12:00PM – 1:00PM

Lunch Break (on your own) for Pre-Conference Workshop Participants

1:00PM – 4:30PM
NCC 202
Pre-Conference Workshop

This session requires advanced registration and an additional fee.

Designing for Student Engagement: Creating Learning Activities to Reuse Learning Objects
Tracy Penny Light, University of Waterloo

The MERLOT repository houses many exciting learning objects in many disciplines. However, sometimes they do not exactly suit the context and needs of our classrooms. This workshop will engage participants in an effective strategy for designing effective online learning activities. The goal is to design activities that complement existing learning objects so that students are truly engaged with the content. This strategy can be used with existing MERLOT objects but can also be incorporated into learning object design.

 

Presenter
Tracy Penny Light is an Assistant Professor of History and the Acting Associate Director of the Teaching Resources and Continuing Education (TRACE) office at the University of Waterloo. Besides her teaching load, Tracy leads training programs on developing learning objects for faculty and staff. She is also a MERLOT Editor for the History Editorial Board and one of the founding editors of the MERLOT Journal for Online Learning and Teaching (JOLT).

1:00PM – 4:30PM
NCC 203
Pre-Conference Workshop

This session requires advanced registration and an additional fee.

Evaluating the Usability of Online Materials for Student Success
Barbra Bied Sperling, Center for Usability in Design and Assessment (CUDA)

To be successful, users must be the central consideration in the development and implementation of learning modules. Usability testing evaluates the effectiveness, ease of learning, ease of using, and preferences for using technologies from the user’s perspective. In this workshop, tools and techniques of usability testing will be introduced and reviewed. Through hands-on experiences, you will learn simple methods for identifying user difficulties with a variety of Websites. This workshop is a must for faculty who want to develop their own learning objects, who use learning objects in their classrooms and teaching, or who want to develop peer reviewer skills.


Presenter
Barbra Bied Sperling is a usability specialist with over 15 years of experience in evaluating software, Web designs and documentation. Through her work for the Center for Usability in Design and Assessment (CUDA), she conducts user tests and evaluation for MERLOT and works with the MERLOT development team to test new design issues and conduct Quality Assurance testing. She also serves as the MERLOT Webmaster.

1:00PM – 4:30PM
NCC 103-104
Pre-Conference Workshop

Faculty Development Workshop

This session is open to MERLOT Partners only. Advanced registration is required.

1:00PM – 4:30PM
NCC 103-104
Pre-Conference Workshop

Librarian Development Workshop

This session is open to MERLOT Partners only. Advanced registration is required.

5:00PM – 6:00PM
NCC 103-104

 

Overview of the MERLOT Vineyard – Orientation Session

Are you new to MERLOT and/or the MERLOT International Conference? This session will give you an overview of MERLOT as an organization - its activities, goals, and objectives. We will help you maneuver the “in’s and out’s” of the conference - the hotel and conference center as well as the program and the special events going on during the conference.

5:00PM – 6:00PM
NCC 208

Session Chair Orientation Meeting

6:00PM – 8:00PM
Renaissance Hotel
West Ballroom

 

Sponsored by:

The 2005 MERLOT International Conference Reception

We at MERLOT invite you to attend our welcoming reception. It’s a great time to meet old friends and make new ones, and join your colleagues in celebrating the opening of our 5th annual conference. Welcome!

 

 

 

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

 

7:00AM – 5:30PM
NCC West Exhibit Hall

Registration

7:30AM – 8:00AM
NCC 204-206 Foyer

Coffee and Conversation

8:00AM – 9:30AM
NCC 204-206

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sponsored by:

OPENING REMARKS
Gerry Hanley
, MERLOT Executive Director

A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR

Tom Probert, Executive Director, White Hat Management / Lydialearn

WELCOME TO NASHVILLE
Charles Manning, Chancellor, Tennessee Board of Regents

 

KEYNOTE ADDRESS
The Long-Awaited Breakthrough?

Sir John Daniel
, President and Chief Executive Officer, Commonwealth of Learning

Half the population now undertakes tertiary education in industrialized countries, yet it reaches less than 10% in developing countries. Technology has allowed the creation of some large open universities (e.g. India's IGNOU with 1.5 million students) that have begun to attack the problem. However, the four billion people at the bottom of the world pyramid miss out on opportunities for tertiary education (and many other benefits of contemporary life). Analyzing the cost structures of technology-mediated learning shows what is required to correct this. The combination of good connectivity and Open Educational Resources could be the breakthrough that brings the opportunity to learn to most of humankind."

Sir John Daniel is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth of Learning located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Prior to this position he was with UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) where he was Assistant Director-General for Education and headed the global Education for All program. Knighted by Queen Elizabeth for services to higher education in 1994, the honor recognized the leading role that he has played internationally, over three decades, in the development of distance learning in universities.

9:30AM – 10:00AM
West Exhibit Hall

 

 

 

Refreshment Break in the Connections Room

 

Sponsored by:

 

 

10:00AM – 12:30PM
NCC 203
Workshop

Creating Interdisciplinary Learning Objects from One Authorative Source
Andrea Sanders, Chattanooga State Technical Community College
Becky Cantrell,
Chattanooga State Technical Community College
Tim Dills, Chattanooga State Technical Community College
Vicky Leather
, Chattanooga State Technical Community College
Jim Walker
, Chattanooga State Technical Community College
Kent Nelson
, Independent writer and lecturer

In this workshop, participants will explore an interactive online environment that models learning objects from four academic disciplines: business, law, science, and English. These learning materials were created in cooperation with author Kent Nelson, who agreed to visit the campus, be interviewed on videotape, and participate in online discussions. In addition to using video clips and textual excerpts from the author, each learning module incorporates a library assignment and effective use of technology.

10:00AM – 11:00AM
NCC 103-104
Concurrent Sessions

The National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard: Impact on Postsecondary Materials?
Skip Stahl, CAST, Inc.

The endorsement of the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) by the United States Department of Education and its designation as a state K-12 mandate, IDEA 2004, creates the foundation for flexible learning resources for all students, including those with disabilities. What will be its effect on postsecondary educational practice?

 

Guidelines for Creation of Accessible Distance Education Courses
Robert Todd, Georgia Institute of Technology

While guidelines and standards exist for creation of Web materials, there is no unified set of guidelines for creation of online courses. At present, developers must apply varied tools and approaches unique to each software application. One set of guidelines, treating the most commonly used media and applications, can help promote usable and accessible courses, created according to universal design principals. This session will share a draft set of these guidelines and elicit feedback.

10:00AM – 11:00AM
NCC 201
Concurrent Sessions

What do Faculty Need from Digital Libraries?
Alan Wolf
, University of Wisconsin – Madison
Ellen Iverson, Carleton College

Flora McMartin, MERLOT
Glenda Morgan, California State University Office of the Chancellor

This session offers attendees the opportunity to provide feedback on the preliminary results of a national study to understand what faculty need from digital libraries to better meet their work practices. Presenters will share data collected from focus groups of faculty in science, math and engineering. Attendees will be asked to share their experiences as faculty or faculty developers to assist in the development of survey of faculty to be delivered in early 2006 and can register their institution for participation.

 

How to Increase MERLOT Participation within a State-wide Regental System
Connie Pollard,
Black Hills State University
Kristi Pearce, Black Hills State University

Laura Turner, Black Hills State University

This session will demonstrate the use of an e-tutorial to show higher education faculty how to use MERLOT to enhance student learning, teaching, and support the promotion and tenure process. The purpose of developing this e-tutorial was to increase participation in MERLOT by faculty in South Dakota’s regental system. An e-tutorial that is accessible through the South Dakota Board of Regents Web site provides faculty flexibility of access and demonstrates the Board’s support for MERLOT. Preview the tutorial at: www.bhsu.edu/education/MERLOT/index.html -- EUC Professional Development – MERLOT

10:00AM – 11:00AM
NCC 208
Concurrent Sessions

A Day in the Life of a Learning Object
Robert Wyatt,
Western Kentucky University

Learning Objects can empower learners in unprecedented ways by enabling them to experiment and interact with the content. The widespread adoption of Learning Objects has encountered several roadblocks, including indefinite standards, reusability, and whether anyone (other than their creators) even uses the objects. This session examines how “unexpected and unreported users, including High School classes, other universities, foreign colleges, and grant-funded educational projects, discover and use a collection of online Learning Objects.

 

I Found a Great Site; What Do I Do Now?
Martin Zahn,
Thomas Nelson Community College
James Bidlack, University of Central Oklahoma

MERLOT makes finding high quality learning objects easy for anyone. However, faculty who are new to technology use in the classroom are frequently unsure how to use the materials they find. This presentation illustrates how we have designed assignments to use specific sites to meet curriculum objectives in ecology and botany.

10:00AM – 11:00AM
NCC 108-109
Panel Session

Using Internet Communication Tools to Facilitate Collaborative Problem-Solving Activities
Connie Shih,
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Jason Caudill, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Stephen Chastain,
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Shelley McCoy,
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Carol Price,
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Michael Sturgeon,
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Michael Waugh,
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

The Internet is influencing every aspect of our world. The emergence of online collaborative learning enables students to explore new ways of learning through a variety of digital communication tools. This session will present several collaborative problem-solving projects involving a variety of interactions among pre-college and college students and professionals in various content fields. Each panelist has recently coordinated such a project as part of a university course and will share their experiences.

10:00AM – 11:00AM
NCC 209-210
Panel Session

Changing Course Management Systems (I): Challenges for Faculty Development
Alan Foley
, University of Wisconsin System Administration
Laura Gibbs, University of Oklahoma

Patricia Fellows, University of Wisconsin Colleges
Patricia McGee, University of Texas at San Antonio
Jeffrey Nugent, Virginia Commonwealth University

As colleges and universities contemplate changes in the course management system (CMS) they support, the issue of faculty development and training is a vital concern. This panel brings together a series of presentations in different aspects of faculty training and development related to the use of course management systems to promote effective strategies for online learning and assisting faculty in their transition from one course management system to another.

11:00AM – 11:30AM
West Exhibit Hall

Refreshment Break in the Connections Room

11:30AM – 12:30PM
NCC 103-104
Concurrent Sessions

Quick Fixes for Intellectual Integrity
Ludy Goodson,
Georgia Southern University
Judith Repman, Georgia Southern University
Jocelyn Poole,
Georgia Southern University
Sonya Shepherd,
Georgia Southern University

Many faculty and students differ in their evaluation of the worth of intellectual integrity. The strategies of "quick fixes" for plagiarism often garner more of the limelight than those for intellectual integrity. Marketers of "plagiarism detection tools" offer the promise to quickly and easily "catch the cheaters." This is not "truth in advertising" and lack of knowledge about how such tools operate can produce uninformed decisions, false accusations, and failure to detect cheating. Exemplary assignments, with deliberate features of design and instructional practice, can reduce plagiarism. Examples, challenges, and results will be compared to those of plagiarism detection services.

 

A Process for Insuring Quality in Online Courses
Tom Wallace
, Northeast State Technical Community College
James C. Lefler, Northeast State Technical Community College

Northeast State Technical Community College’s local online courses have grown from five to 70+ unique courses in the last five years. Each of these courses was developed following a procedure designed to ensure the quality of the course as it relates to its onsite counterparts. This procedure, the faculty training required, and the faculty incentive program used, will be the basis for this presentation.

11:30AM – 12:30PM
NCC 108-109
Concurrent Sessions

Making Sound Decisions in a Noisy World: A Pedagogical Guide to Audio Tools
Bob King
, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

The goal of this session is to provide practical assistance to instructors and faculty developers seeking to make good sense (and efficient use) of emerging audio tools for creating, sharing, and discussing content. Participants will be introduced to 'sound decisions' using conceptual tools (Walter Ong’s work), procedural tools (decision tree), and technical tools (narrated screen-movie utilities such as Camtasia, narrated PowerPoint compression utilities including Impatica, and audio-chat utilities including Skype and Elluminate). Discussion and idea-generation are encouraged!

 

A Media Rich Interactive Online Speech Course
Mary Jane Clerkin
, Berkeley College

Using Visual Communicator to establish professor presence and add text and PowerPoint presentations to an undergraduate speech course offers online student visual and audio directions, lectures, and comments. A simple Web cam allows professors to speak to the students, provide them with sample model student speeches, and allows them to videotape their speeches and respond to the speeches of their fellow classmates. Adding Wimba Voice Software for speech exercises also add another dimension to what is a very simple, yet media rich, asynchronous speech course

11:30AM – 12:30PM
NCC 208
Concurrent Sessions

Experimental Assessment of Learning Outcomes Using a Text-book and Interactive Package
Roger Suffling,
University of Waterloo
Kevin Harrigan, University of Waterloo
Pascale Proulx,
University of Waterloo
Diane Salter, University of Waterloo
Vivian Schoner,
University of Waterloo
Kari Stashuk,
University of Waterloo
Stacey Vojtek,
University of Waterloo

 

Usability -- What Research Tells Us About Designing Online Content
Judith Norton,
El Camino College

Usability and what it means to the online designer. This presentation focuses on what research tells us about the way visitors read and navigate the material on a website. With information from the University of Denver and a company called Eyetools, comes a study where participant’s eye movements were tracked. This session will demonstrate how information gleaned from this study translates to the online learning environment.

11:30AM – 12:30PM
NCC 209-210
Panel Session

Medical Update: Biochemical Research Shows That a Little MERLOT Everyday Improves the Health of Your Teaching
Jim Bidlack,
University of Central Oklahoma, Biology Editorial Board Member
Scott Cooper
, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Biology Editor
Marty Zahn
, Thomas Nelson Community College, Biology Editorial Board Member
Moustapha Diack, Southern University, Chemistry Editorial Board Member
Jeanne Sewell
, Georgia College & State University, Health Sciences Editorial Board Member
Suzanne Stokes
, Troy University at Troy, Health Sciences Editorial Board Member
Ray C. Purdom,
University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Teaching and Technology Editor

The best way to encourage colleagues to use MERLOT for classroom instruction, hybrid courses, and online instruction is share these experiences with them. Members of the MERLOT Biology, Chemistry, Health Sciences and Teaching and Technology Editorial Boards offer their experiences using MERLOT for use in classroom instruction, developing and offering hybrid courses, and online instruction. The panel members will also discuss how MERLOT is influencing and shaping how they teach.

11:30AM – 12:30PM
NCC 102
Design Review

Designing and Managing for Reuse
Robby Robson,
Eduworks

Now that we have access to thousands of learning resources, how do we make them more usable in more ways by more people? This one-hour session will present and illustrate guidelines and techniques for recognizing, evaluating and improving the reusability of digital learning resources. It will also discuss features that collections and portals can incorporate to support reuse. This session is based on work done under the auspices of the National Science Digital Library (NSDL) in partnership with MERLOT.

12:30PM – 1:30PM
West Exhibit Hall

Lunch

1:30PM – 2:30PM
West Exhibit Hall

 

Sponsored by:

 

Dessert and Activities in the Connections Room
Poster presentations, corporate display and demonstrations, displays by MERLOT’s Editorial Boards and disciplines, and more will be on hand for participants to explore while enjoying a little something sweet.

2:30PM – 5:00PM
NCC 203
Workshop

Calendar Content Tool: Fresh Daily Content for Your Webpages, Automatically!
Laura Gibbs,
University of Oklahoma

The Calendar Content Tool lets you create and syndicate dynamic Web content. No special skills required! If you know how to type, you are ready to use the Calendar Content Tool to automatically display fresh content on your Web pages daily, weekly, or whenever. Learn how to create a "Tip of the Day," "Quote of the Day," "Joke of the Day" etc., for use on your Web pages or in a Web-based environment like Blackboard.

2:30PM – 3:30PM
NCC 201
Concurrent Sessions

Needs Assessment for a System-Wide Digital Asset Repository at UNC
Andrea Eastman-Mullins,
University of North Carolina, Office of the President
Ray C. Purdom, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Learn how the University of North Carolina 16-campus system is assessing the needs of its community before forming requirements for a digital content repository. How would faculty prefer to use such a system, for example? How do existing resources such as MERLOT relate to this effort? We will share our needs assessment process, our results to date, and how this feedback is shaping our future planning.

 

How to Make 19 Academic Libraries Work as One
Rick Bower,
Pellissippi State Technical Community College
Peter Nerzak, Pellissippi State Technical Community College

The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Online Degree Programs’ Virtual Library combines the library resources and services of TBR’s thirteen community colleges and six universities. The conglomerate Virtual Library works as one to provide online search capabilities, reference materials, databases, journals, and reference services to Regents Online Degree Program (RODP) students and faculty. This session will explore the mission, development, structure, and future of the Virtual Library.

2:30PM – 3:30PM
NCC 108-109
Panel Session

Interested in Becoming a MERLOT Peer Reviewer? Here's How
Cathy Owens Swift, Georgia Southern University
Jane Moore, National-Lewis University
Judy Serwatka, Purdue University-North Central

Peer Reviewers are essential contributors to MERLOT, their profession and to the service of teaching and technology in their disciplines. Learn how to become a peer reviewer of learning resources in MERLOT. Join the MERLOT Volunteers of the Year as they discuss the benefits of being a peer reviewer, how it affected their teaching, their students' learning and the roles as leaders in technology and teaching.

2:30PM – 3:30PM
NCC 209-210
Panel Session

Changing Course Management Systems (II): Strategies for Managing the Transition
Lorna Wong
, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Joanne Dehoney, The Ohio State University
Jeanne Blochwitz, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Peter Mann, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Glenda Morgan, California State University Office of the Chancellor

A critical issue for any institution changing course management systems is managing the transition. This panel explores and describes lessons learned in moving institutions from one CMS platform to another. Topics covered include project management, the role of communications, integrating the various components of the transition and the importance of evaluation and feedback.

2:30PM – 3:30PM
NCC 102
Design Review

The Perfect Storm: Faculty Development for Hybrid and Online Large Enrollment Courses
Cynthia Russell,
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Susan Jacob, University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Vicki Murrell, University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Steve Gilbert, The TLT Group

High enrollment hybrid or online courses concern many faculty members because of the assumed increased workload that accompanies such courses, yet several national phenomena are creating the need for such courses. Success is dependent upon faculty development that offers faculty members the rationales and strategies to make appropriate decisions in using technology to support these courses. Attend this design review session to dialogue about and participate in the refinement of a faculty development program focused on this important issue.

2:30PM – 3:30PM
NCC 208
Sponsor Session

 

Macromedia - Creating Memorable Learning Experiences with Flexible Flash Content
Ellen Wagner, Macromedia

Perhaps no Macromedia product is as well recognized as is Macromedia Flash. This session offers a look at some of the many ways that Flash-based content assets are being created and shared by post-secondary educators in the service of rich, engaging digital learning experiences. Featured use cases include on-campus examples, blended learning examples and distance learning examples. Each use case explores pedagogical, operational and user experiences issues. We will summarize "lessons learned" from these examples and offer a set of practice-tested guidelines for implementing effective, engaging distributed learning experiences.

3:30PM – 4:00PM
West Exhibit Hall

Refreshment Break in the Connections Room

4:00PM – 5:00PM
NCC 103-104
Concurrent Session

How to Talk With Instructors About Content Sharing
Ken Graetz,
Winona State University
Deborah Proctor, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

Although technology facilitates content sharing, many instructors are still reluctant to use it. Policies and technology alone won’t overcome their concerns. This session explains instructors’ concerns, emphasizing the psychological concepts of trust, control, and power. A set of guidelines, tips, and specific examples for facilitating discussions about content sharing will be provided.

 

Motivating and Supporting Faculty Use of the Web: An Example from the Geosciences
Ellen Iverson,
Carleton College
Cathryn Manduca, Carleton College
Sean Fox, Carleton College
Flora McMartin, MERLOT

How do faculty use the Web to prepare for class? This presentation summarizes a study designed to illuminate how Geosciences faculty use digital libraries to approach teaching. We will discuss the role that colleagues play in making decisions about pedagogy and content and how faculty use the Web to search for materials to design courses and to prepare for class.

4:00PM – 5:00PM
NCC 108-109
Concurrent Sessions

Using MERLOT in 'Teaching With Technology' Online Tennessee Board of Regents Online Degree Program Classes
Donald DeMoulin, Middle Tennessee State University

Come join this session and learn how MERLOT can be effectively used as a valuable resource tool to help graduates students (in my 'Teaching With Technology' on-line class through the Regents Online Degree Program) navigate through internet sites and find relevant information for class requirements. MERLOT is integrated into class modules on multiple occasions to prepare them for teacher licensure, effective teaching in science and math, and to develop their online profiles.

 

Adjunct Academy: Meeting the Training Needs of Adjunct Faculty Online
Mary Nunaley,
Volunteer State Community College

The Adjunct Academy is a one semester, comprehensive program of self-paced, self-directed online modules utilizing assessment tools, online discussion and learning objects. Participants work at their own pace while achieving experience using the most to date learning methodologies. Participants who complete the program receive preferred adjunct status.

4:00PM – 5:00PM
NCC 201
Concurrent Sessions

A Comparison of Google, Yahoo and MERLOT as Tools for Quickly Finding Quality Learning Materials
Jeff Bell, California State University, Chico

Key issues for faculty in choosing a method to search for new learning materials are the completeness of the search results (are the best options included?), and the ease of identifying the best materials (how quickly can the poor materials be weeded out?). In this session a comparison will be made between the search results for some common biology faculty searches using the Google, Yahoo and MERLOT databases.

 

Training Librarians to Use MERLOT
Ellie Dworak,
San Diego State University

You're excited about MERLOT, but how do you get the rest of your library on board? Learn how to train librarians to become both users of MERLOT (for information literacy sessions, for collaborating with faculty, and for accessing and organizing resources) as well as contributors to the database and the community. You'll leave with handouts and ideas that you can put to use right away.

4:00PM – 5:00PM
NCC 209-210
Panel Session

Using MERLOT in Teaching – Music, World Languages, History
Dorothy Bryant, Ohio University, Music Editorial Board Member
Laura Franklin,
World Languages Editor
Nathaniel Knight
, Seton Hall University, History Editorial Board Member
Stephen Martin,
Seton Hall University, History Editorial Board Member

The best way to encourage colleagues to use MERLOT for classroom instruction, hybrid courses, and online instruction is share these experiences with them.

4:00PM – 5:00PM
NCC 208
Sponsor Session

Sun Microsystems – Java and the Digital Campus
Kevin Roebuck, Sun Microsystems

An overview of Java activities in e-learning and libraries from Sun's global education and research organization.

5:00PM – 5:30PM
NCC 202

Faculty Development Debrief
Advanced Registration Required

5:00PM – 5:30PM
NCC 203

Librarian Development Debrief
Advanced Registration Required

 

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

 

7:00AM – 6:00PM
NCC West Exhibit Hall

Registration

7:30AM – 8:00AM
NCC 204-206 Foyer

Coffee and Conversation

8:00AM – 9:30AM
NCC 204-206

 

MERLOT AWARDS CEREMONY

Join us to celebrate the selection of the 2005 MERLOT Classics and Editors' Choice Awards and the Distinguished Service Award. This year, we initiate the Volunteer of the Year Award in which we honor the volunteers whose energy and commitment have been essential to MERLOT's development. The awards selected annually, recognize the outstanding contributions of our honorees to MERLOT and to the online teaching and learning enterprise in higher education.

 

PLENARY SESSION

The Sounds of Invisible Hands Collaborating: MERLOT’s First and Next Five Years
Dr. Gerard Hanley
, Executive Director, MERLOT

MERLOT's Executive Director will highlight MERLOT's development as a worldwide online community of people with passions for education as well as MERLOT's vision for the next five years.  Gerry will illustrate the principles behind building MERLOT's tools and services that reveal the invisible work that faculty, students, staff, librarians, and administrators contribute to education. MERLOT's "wine steward" will introduce plans for enabling its members to become more thoroughly engaged in the effective use of technology in teaching and learning and provide a member-driven mechanism to become recognized for their academic technology skills.  Wednesday's session will conclude with the celebration of the MERLOT 2005 awards.

Gerard L. Hanley PhD is the Executive Director of MERLOT and Senior Director for Academic Technology Services for the California State University. At MERLOT, he directs the development, delivery, and sustainability of MERLOT’s organization and services to enhance teaching and learning with academic technologies. At the CSU, Gerry oversees the development and implementation of integrated electronic library resources and academic technology initiatives supporting CSU’s 23 campuses. He is also the Director of the Center for Usability in Design and Assessment (CUDA) at the California State University, Long Beach. Previously held positions in the CSU include Professor of Psychology, Director of Faculty Development and Director of Strategic Planning.

9:30AM – 1:00AM
NCC West Exhibit Hall

 

Sponsored by:

Refreshment Break in the Connections Room

10:00AM – 12:30PM
NCC 202
Showcase

2005 Classic’s Awards Showcase

Each year the MERLOT Editorial Boards select a learning object or set of learning materials that represent excellence in their discipline. Join the authors of these materials as they demonstrate what makes them Classics!

10:00AM – 11:00AM
BUSINESS – Design Your Own Movie Theater, Tom Novak, Vanderbilt University
PHYSICS – Hyperphysics, Rod Nave, Georgia State University
STATISTICS – StatCrunch, Webster West, University of South Carolina

11:30AM – 12:30PM
HISTORY – Valley of the Shadow, Andrew J. Torget, University of Virginia
TEACHER EDUCATION – The Paper Project, Charles J. Kazilek, Arizona State University

10:00AM – 12:30PM
NCC 203
Workshop

An Exploration and Critique of Collaboration in an Online Education Environment
Jane Ross, Wilf Backhaus, Monica Bolesta, Bryan Booth,Andrew Creed, Ashis Gupta, James Stewart,
University of Maryland University College

In this workshop you will learn about collaboration through A starter exercise, mini-presentations providing theoretical foundation and model, examining the relationship between collaboration and andragogy, applications and areas for research, and a wrap-up with ideas to carry home.

10:00AM – 11:00AM
NCC 103-104
Concurrent Sessions

Is There an Opencourseware Project in Your Future?
Brandon Muramatsu,
Utah State University
John Dehlin, Utah State University
David Wiley,
Utah State University

Are you interested in providing open access to course materials like a syllabus, lecture notes, and assignments? Do you want to make these materials freely available worldwide? Are these materials stuck behind a firewall or in a LMS like WebCT? Do you want to host an site like MIT’s OpenCourseWare but don’t have millions of dollars to spend? Find out about eduCommons, the open-source, enabling technology developed at Utah State University to power opencourseware sites at universities worldwide.

 

Online Professional Development in Higher Education: An Evaluation of the T4T4T Pilot
Amy Fletcher
, University of Canterbury, New Zealand

This session analyses the T4T4T (Teachers for Teaching for Tertiary) Pilot Project through the lens of the ‘information ecology’ approach. It demonstrates that while the T4T4T concept could flourish as a professional development tool in the tertiary sector, we need more empirical work on the way in which a university ‘ecology’ differs from colleges and polytechnics with respect to the faculty incentive structure for engaging in collaborative activities related to teaching practice.

10:00AM – 11:00AM
NCC 201
Concurrent Sessions

The LearningMapR: A Pedagogically-Informed Model for Online Course Design
Dawn Buzza,
University of Waterloo
David Bean, University of Waterloo
Kevin Harrigan, University of Waterloo
Leslie Richards, University of Waterloo

We describe the LearningMapR: a course design tool that incorporates a task-based approach to instruction, and that emphasizes learner collaboration and feedback. Instructors identify cognitive learning objectives for their content and the LearningMapR recommends effective instructional strategies, templates for, and discipline-specific exemplars of learning tasks. While pedagogically informed, the LearningMapR does not require instructors to become instructional theory experts. This approach encourages re-use of learning materials such as the textbook and learning objects supporting instructional challenges.

 

A Comparison of Electronic Portfolio Systems Used for Individual and Program AssessmentDavid Wicks, Seattle Pacific University
Cris Guenter
, California State University, Chico
Jane Moore
, National-Louis University

E-portfolios systems continue to gain popularity as tools for individual and program assessment. Choosing an e-portfolio program can be a challenging process. This session will examine e-portfolio systems used at three universities. A matrix will be provided to compare systems on five characteristics. The session will conclude with a feature wish list. Faculty from institutions that have adopted e-portfolio systems as well as those new to portfolio assessment will find this session beneficial.

10:00AM – 11:00AM
NCC 209-210
Panel Session

Using MERLOT in Teaching – Business, Teacher Education, Psychology, and Statistics
Jim Formosa,
Nashville State Technical Community College, Business Editorial Board Member
Nancy Pelaez, California State University Fullerton, Teacher Education Editorial Board Member
Thomas Brinthaupt, Middle Tennessee State University, Psychology Editorial Board Member
Beverly R. King, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Psychology Editorial Board Member
Roger Woodard
, North Carolina State University, Statistics Editorial Board Member
Ginger Rowell, Middle Tennessee State University, Statistics Editorial Board Member

The best way to encourage colleagues to use MERLOT for classroom instruction, hybrid courses, and online instruction is share these experiences with them.  Members of the MERLOT Business, Teacher Education, Psychology and Statistics Editorial Boards offer their experiences using MMERLOT for use in classroom instruction, developing and offering hybrid courses, and online instruction. The panel members will also discuss how MERLOT is influencing and shaping how they teach.

10:00AM – 11:00AM
NCC 102
Design Review

The Spirit of Design: Multidisciplinary/Multimedia Database and Website
Rumiko Handa,
University of Nebraska, Lincoln

This database connects works of architecture, literature, film, theater and art, and demonstrates how they have inspired the creation of others. The database is designed to allow seamless transitions and users’ contribution of otherwise disparate materials. The database will make engaging learning resources for various disciplines and educational levels.

10:00AM – 11:00AM
NCC 208
Sponsor Session

Blackboard
Jan Poston Day, Blackboard

Blackboard is helping to power the Networked Learning Environment to enhance the teaching and learning experience by linking people and resources together, by supporting the development of communities of practice, and by encouraging widespread adoption of resources and information such as MERLOT.  Join us as we explore how Blackboard can help you extend your own Networked Learning Environment.

11:00AM – 11:30AM
West Exhibit Hall

Refreshment Break in the Connections Room

11:30AM – 12:30PM
NCC 103-104
Concurrent Sessions

On-line Statistics Resources across Disciplines
Ginger Rowell,
Middle Tennessee State University
Scott McDaniel,
Middle Tennessee State University
Lisa Green,
Middle Tennessee State University

CAUSEweb, a new statistics education digital library, is partnering with MERLOT to provide an online collection of materials for teaching and learning undergraduate statistics. We will demonstrate how this cataloged collection of lecture examples, laboratory activities, datasets, etc. aids in designing a lesson for teaching statistics in disciplines such as biology, business, education, psychology, and engineering.

 

Understanding AMSER: Applied Math and Science Resources for Community Colleges
Rachel Bower,
University of Wisconsin – Madison
Edward Almasy, University of Wisconsin – Madison

Scout's National Science Digital Library Pathways Project, AMSER, will bring quality online applied math and science resources to community and technical colleges. This sss=MsoNormal>11:30AM – 12:30PM
NCC 108-109
Concurrent Sessions

Litgloss: Accessing Texts in Multiple Languages
Carla Meskill,
SUNY Albany
Maureen Jameson, University at Buffalo

Litgloss is a free and accessible collection of texts of literary and cultural interest (essays, poems, short stories) presented in their original languages, expertly annotated to facilitate reading comprehension for American students, and in many cases accompanied by an .mp3 recording made by a native speaker. The presentation will illustrate the many ways Litgloss can be used in higher education by heritage speakers, language learners, and students of history, culture, and literature in "languages across the curriculum" programs. A number of instructional strategies for making use of the texts in a range of course environments will also be presented, as well as preliminary results of project assessment.