October 2017
Here is the latest in classroom teaching and technology at Rutgers-New Brunswick.
Twenty-Five Classrooms Upgrades
Over the summer, 25 classrooms were upgraded with brand-new systems. Nine of New Brunswick's auditoriums and four classrooms received Digital Classroom Podiums. Meanwhile, eleven Digital Classroom Flip-Tops were installed in seminar rooms and other small learning spaces. With upgrades on each of the Rutgers-NB campuses, 87 percent of general-purpose classrooms have now been upgraded with Digital Classroom Systems since the project's 2012 launch.
New Ways to Get Involved with Active Learning
A new addition to the Active Learning web site provides access to several opportunities to become involved in the Active Learning Community. Instructors who are new to active learning can see it in action by observing a class. Veteran practitioners can submit a proposal to present at the spring symposium or volunteer to allow other instructors to observe their class. You can also help us grow the Community by suggesting new workshop ideas. To learn about these opportunities and more, visit the ALC's new Get Involved page at dcs.rutgers.edu/active-learning/community/get-involved.
Upcoming Events
There is a wide range of upcoming events from DCS and the Active Learning Community. For more information and to register, visit dcs.rutgers.edu/about-dcs/events.
Active Learning Day Meet Up
Monday October 23, 12-1:30pm in Busch Faculty/Staff Dining Hall
The Active Learning Community will be marking Active Learning Day with a casual get together. Come join us for some good conversation with other Rutgers faculty and staff interested in active learning. Grab a bite to eat from the dining hall and we'll reserve a table.
Solstice Screen Sharing
Friday November 3, 2-3pm in Tillett Hall 118
Solstice is a wireless presentation tool available in several DCS classrooms which enables you to send images from laptops, phones, and tablets to classroom projectors or monitors without having to connect via cables. It is typically used by instructors to present from anywhere in the room, students who need to share materials, and as a form of “visual brainstorming” in which multiple students share visual content as part of in-class exercises or discussions. In this workshop, we will teach you how to connect via Solstice and demonstrate the various ways it can be used to teach.
ALC Workshop: Including All Students
Thursday November 9, 10-11:30am in Tillett 204
This Active Learning Community workshop will focus on the importance of and challenges relating to engaging all students in a collaboration-based class. While active learning has the potential to benefit students who are left behind in lecture-based courses, it can present new challenges for some students. A course plan that accounts for the different intellectual, interpersonal, cognitive, and physical abilities of students can result in a better learning experience for all students.
Capturing Your Class with Kaltura
Friday December 1, 2-3pm in Tillett 118
Kaltura is an online tool available to all Rutgers Faculty, Staff, and students. It can be used to record presentations in the office or at home that students can watch on their own time so that class can be devoted to discussion. Kaltura can also be used in the classroom to record in-class lectures for future viewing. In this workshop, we will discuss how Kaltura can be used to enhance your class and walk you through the steps of making your own video.
ALC Workshop: Common Challenges
Tuesday, December 5, 3-4:30pm in Rutgers Academic Building 4400
The use of active learning techniques can present new challenges that do not arise in a more traditional class. In this second Common Challenges workshop, we will open the floor to faculty who have experienced some of these issues, developed solutions, or want to learn more about active learning challenges as they prepare to use active techniques in their class.
Active Learning 101
Thursday December 14, 9am-1pm in Tillett Hall 204
Friday, January 12, 12-4pm in Rutgers Academic Building 4th Floor
This half-day session will explore the fundamentals of active learning. Instructional Designers will discuss the pedagogic underpinnings of collaboration-based learning that should inform course design, class management, and more. Instructional technologists will introduce you to Active Learning Classrooms and the technology that can enhance your teaching. Finally, conversations with colleague and staff who are both new to and versed in active learning will help you build valuable relationships and learn from the experience of other faculty.
DCS Technology Training
Wednesday January 10, 9:30-10:30am in Tillett Hall 118
As you get your syllabus and materials together for spring classes, don’t forget to familiarize yourself with the technology you will be using. DCS Technology Training is held near classrooms that have one of the five main types of DCS technology you may find in your classroom: the Digital Classroom Podium, Digital Classroom Flip-Top, Collaborative Instructor Hub, Crestron Touchscreen System, SP Push Button System, and Pixie Push Button System. If you are teaching in one of these rooms, attend a workshop to learn how to use our equipment. We also encourage faculty to bring any media – such as laptops, presentation, DVDs, or documents – that you would like to test with the equipment.
Intro to Macs
Wednesday January 10, 11am-12pm in Tillett Hall 118
This workshop is tailored towards instructors using a Digital Classroom System and anyone who would like to learn the basics of using a Mac. We will introduce you to the Mac operating system, including the dock, desktop, and finder. We will also discuss how to use popular applications that you may have used in Windows but not on Macs, such as Word, and PowerPoint. Finally, we will show you different ways you can access your presentation material in class via a USB drive or over the web. We will provide you with a Mac laptop so that you can follow along and try out your new skills.