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Training opportunities with your host Kwame Rakes

Wimba Tools in Blackboard with your host Kelley Davis

Five Advantages to Podcasting with Chelsea Kelley

All September 2007 training opportunities have come-and-gone, but don't despair! CTL currently has some great classes on the schedule. Register for all training opportunities via the Regent Training System (RTS). Go there now

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CTL also publishes...

eNews: An instructional resource for Regent's faculty.
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Stand Out: Blog for tips, tricks, and tutorials to help you create excellent courses.
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Blackboard Tip #33 with Pete Monahan

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Use the WYSIWIG editor to jazz up your course.

If you’re using a Windows PC, you can easily jazz up your course using Blackboard’s WYSIWIG editor. (You know, it’s that toolbar that looks very similar to Microsoft Word?)

An acronym for “What You See Is What You Get,” the WYSIWIG editor helps you add media files, such as images, audio, video, and flash; and lets you perform some simple to advanced text formatting, such as bold, italics, intents, bullets, numbering, and tables.

The WYSIWIG editor even lets you highlight, change font colors, add attachments, insert hyperlinks, and cut, copy, and paste. And best of all, IT’S EASY! With a few clicks of the mouse, you can greatly improve the look, feel, and organization of your course.

So, take the WYSIWIG editor for a spin… it might just help you as you take your course to the next level.

Did you know, that Wimba is a collaborative software suite that is available for use with your Blackboard course? 

There are three Wimba products that professors use:  Live Classroom, Voice Tools, and Pronto.

Live Classroom is for audio and video enabled discussion in real time. It's essentially a desktop conferencing solution for real time meetings. Students and professors may actually dialog using audio, video, and a whiteboard that allows interactivity. Chat capability and professor-run polls are also available.

The virtual voice tool allows you to add a voice to your emails as well as adding a voice to your discussion boards with a tool called voice board. You can use Voice Direct for text chat or to talk over the internet. The Voice Recorder tool can create audio sound bytes that can be used for podcasts on Regent iTunes U.

And finally, Pronto is instant messaging software available for those enrolled in your Blackboard course that allows for audio chat as well as text. Pronto automatically links you to your classmates or students. For access to Wimba from the content area of your course, choose the Select window at the top right of your screen.

You may also access Voice Email, Voice Board, Pronto, and Live Classroom through the Communication area of your course.

Now you know!

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The Blackboard Content System with Ginger Zillges

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The Blackboard Content System is a new feature that allows you to work with your online classes anytime, anywhere.

• Upload files for access anywhere around the world
• Build portfolios
• Insert content into your Blackboard courses
• Save "versions" or drafts
• Create workflows
• Share files with colleagues, students, and others

Here are five fast facts about podcasting.

#1: Podcasting allows education to become more portable.

#2: Podcasts can help student study for exams, catch up if they've missed class, and clarify lectures.

#3: Podcasts can provide access to experts through interviews.

#4: Podcasts allow students to use their mp3 players for educational experiences. For example, students can create their own podcasts, record activities, collect notes, or reflect on material learned.

#5: The Wimba Voice Recorder located in Blackboard allows the Regent community to produce, publish, and subscribe to a podcast.

If you would like to learn more about podcasting take the Podcasting Seminar and attend the Regent Showcase of Innovations where Dr. Bill Ventura will present iTunes U Podagogy, a faculty perspective on how he is utilizing iTunes U to enhance teaching and learning in his courses.

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A SACS Update with Dr. Randall Pannell

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This past summer, each Dean and Vice President has been preparing summary reports of their respective school's or administrative unit's accomplishments, goals, and challenges. To supplement these reports in the schools, each degree program has undergone review in assessing learning outcomes and goals as they relate to particular school and overall university goals.

The administrative units have also evaluated their goals as they relate to the overall university strategic goals. SACS allows us to demonstrate our university's quality and excellence in all areas of student learning. That means effectiveness in teaching, effectiveness in faculty, in staff, in facilities, in financial aid, in student services, etc.

This summer, you may have been already asked for information by members of the SACS Committee. If not, not to worry - we may be asking you during this coming academic year, so be patient. If they do contact you for information, help them out if you can.

In the next few months, you're going to be hearing a lot about SACS Quality Enhancement Plan for Regent. That's called QEP for short. It will focus on Regent's international mission to change the world. It is an exciting plan, so keep your ears open about it. So, that's the update from this summer. Thanks for letting me update you on this most important accreditation process.