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.