Langara - Educational Technology at Langara College

EdTech Tips: Copying Announcements Between Courses

September 11, 2024September 11, 2024 Brendan Hunter

Welcome to EdTech Tips, a monthly message with helpful, focused advice for improving your experience with educational technologies.  

The Announcements tool enables you to create announcements that communicate with your users quickly and effectively. For information about creating new announcements, visit the Brightspace Instructor Help Page.   

Instructors frequently run into difficulties when they copy their course from a previous semester to the current one. It is important to note that, if you have selected Copy All Components during the Import process, the Announcements from the previous semester are copied as well.   

Often all these Announcements will be active and visible to students. This is because, when the Announcement was created, No End Date was set up. To make them inactive, you must set an end date for each Announcement. If you do not have a specific end date for the Announcement, you can add the end of the semester as the end date. That way, when the course is copied over the next term, the announcement remains inactive, and you can change the start date and end date and reuse them whenever you want. 

 Please note that when you, as the instructor, Dismiss an announcement, the announcement is only dismissed from your view. It is not hidden from all the students.  

Want to learn more about the Announcements tool? Visit the Brightspace Instructor Help article about Announcements.

See you next month.

EdTech Tips: Manage Dates (in copied content)

August 14, 2024September 11, 2024 Ari Crossby

Welcome to EdTech Tips, a monthly message with helpful, focused advice for making your Brightspace course work better.

If you copy Brightspace content forward from previous semesters, you need to make sure you update any Start Dates, End Dates, or Due dates to match the current semester. Otherwise, students may not be able to see activities, or may be able to see activities but not access them.

The quickest way to update dates is using the Manage Dates tool. The Manage Dates tool allows you to bulk edit the Due Dates and Start/End Dates of your course content.

On the navbar, click Course Admin.
Click Manage Dates.
Select the check box of the items for which you want to bulk edit dates.
Click Bulk Edit Dates.
In the Bulk Edit Dates dialog box, update the due dates and availability dates.
Click Save.

Want to learn more about the Manage Dates tool? Visit the Brightspace Instructor Help article about Manage Dates.

See you next month.

Exploring the Potential of PebblePad: Innovative Solutions for Future-Ready Students

August 7, 2024August 7, 2024 susanbonham

Langara uses the platform, PebblePad, to support teaching and learning in an increasing number of programs. To date, it’s largely being used for experiential learning, particularly in clinical and practicum courses. However, we’ve barely begun to tap the potential of PebblePad for higher education.

Are you looking for a new solution for a teaching and learning challenge? Maybe you would like to get inspired with new approaches to assessment? In either case, PebblePad has a number of free downloadable whitepapers, ebooks, and publications that can be a good place to start exploring the possibilities. Topics include:

Redesigning Assessment Practices in an AI World

“Discover how AI is impacting how we assess and evidence student learning with PebblePad’s latest insights.”

6 Ideas to Kickstart a Student-Centred Learning Strategy

“Identify what student-centred learning means, how to implement it effectively, and strategies for today’s learners.”

Exploring High-Impact Practices with PebblePad

“Explore global initiatives from integrated learning through ePortfolio, to service learning and internships with 10 case studies.”

Career Readiness

“Explore the student perspective on employability and discover our recommendations for universities.”

Teaching and Learning Priorities 2025

“Uncover the ambitions and challenges for those supporting Higher Education learning and teaching over the next 3 years.”

In addition, you might want to explore the following PebblePad case studies and student examples.

If you’d like to learn more about PebblePad or you’re interested in using it in your program or course, please contact EdTech.

Sign Up for Brightspace Foundations

July 24, 2024July 24, 2024 Luke McKnight

To self-register for Brightspace Foundations:

Login to Brightspace and select the Self Registration link
Select the Brightspace Foundations for Instructors link
Select the Register button
Select the Submit button
Select the Finish button

The course will now appear on your Brightspace home page and the course selection menu.

In addition to this fresh Brightspace resource, you can contact EdTech for support and consultation.

Welcome to Brightspace Foundations

July 18, 2024August 8, 2024 Luke McKnight

EdTech is excited to launch Brightspace Foundations, a self-directed Brightspace course designed to provide instructors with the tools and information they need, when they need it.

Brightspace Foundations is a comprehensive, self-paced course designed to empower instructors with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively use Brightspace. This course introduces basic features, navigation, and advanced tools. Brightspace Foundations has been meticulously built to ensure instructors have the knowledge and confidence to create engaging and effective learning experiences. All instructors—new or veteran, teaching face-to-face, mixed-mode, or otherwise—will benefit from learning how to use Brightspace efficiently adding a powerful tool to your teaching toolbox.

Join us for an interactive launch event on August 22nd at 12:30. The expert EdTech team will be on hand to provide an introduction to the course, instructions to self-register, and answer your Brightspace questions. Network with fellow educators, get your questions answered, and gain valuable insights into maximizing Brightspace’s potential at this unique, engaging event. Don’t miss your chance to learn Brightspace Foundations and maximize your digital learning material.

In the meantime, consult these instructions to self-register for Brightspace Foundations.

Unlocking the potential of Digital Badges

July 17, 2024July 18, 2024 Julian Prior

Digital Badges image licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

In May and June EdTech and TCDC ran their yearly digital media creator (DMC) series of workshops that brought together a diverse group of participants eager to explore the intersections of creativity, technology, and professional development. This series, consisting of six hands-on workshops, delved into various aspects of using digital media and advanced technologies to enhance creative practices and outputs in teaching. Additionally in this iteration, we piloted a new digital badging system through CanCred to recognize and reward participants’ achievements.

With roots in gaming culture’s emphasis on rewards and status (Weller, 2020) digital badges are a modern and versatile way to recognize, validate, and showcase learning and achievements. Unlike traditional certificates, digital badges are dynamic, containing metadata that provides detailed information about the criteria for earning the badge, the issuing institution, the date of issuance, and the evidence of the accomplishment. This metadata, embedded within the badge, ensures that the achievements are verifiable and meaningful, allowing employers, educators and students to trust the credibility of the badge.

A badge shaped like a hexagon is partially peeled back to reveal a circuit board inside. The visible part of the badge shows the letters "CQ" and the word "curious" with icons of two hammers. A red arrow points to the text "There's Data Inside!" On the right, a list includes: badge name, badge URL (description), badge criteria, badge image, issuer, issue date, recipient, tags, alignment (standards), expiration date, evidence URL.

Open Badges & Meta Data CC BY-ND @bryanmmathers

One of the key standards that open digital badges adhere to is the IMS Global standard, which ensures interoperability, security, and scalability of digital badges across various platforms and institutions. This standardization is crucial as it allows badges to be seamlessly shared and recognized across different educational environments and professional fields. For instance, a digital badge earned at Langara College can be recognized by employers or other educational institutions globally, provided they adhere to the same IMS standards.

In this year’s DMC we decided to award individual badges for the six modules and an overall Digital Media Creator badge for participants who successfully completed four out of the six modules. Congratulations to Holly Hames (Continuing Studies), Aubyn Radar (English), Javtesh Bedi (Global), Gabriel Lascu (EdTech) and Farah Leplat (Modern Languages) who will receive their digital badge soon. EdTech are currently working with SC&M to design the finalized version of the DMC badge further badges for the pilot that adhere to accessibility and branding guidelines.

The good news is that we have received funding to extend the digital badges pilot for a year with CanCred. If you would like to participate in the pilot please contact either Diane Thompson (dianethompson@langara.ca) or Julian Prior (jprior@langara.ca) for more information.

Reference:

Weller, M (2020) 25 Years of EdTech. Athabasca University Press, Edmonton, AB.

Accessible Video Creation

June 11, 2024June 19, 2024 Luke McKnight

Creating videos that are accessible to all viewers is not just a concern for a niche audience; it’s a craft that enhances the overall viewing experience. Learn how to create accessible video content in the newest chapter of the Accessibility Handbook for Teaching and Learning. This comprehensive guide explains how to plan, script, record and distribute your video.

Apart from the basics of recording setup and adding closed captions, this chapter has a special focus on integrated audio descriptions. This practice seamlessly adds audio descriptions of visual information into your video script. This accessibility and universal design for learning practice ensures everyone, from blind or visually impaired users to those watching on a phone, can engage and understand the video’s content.

Read about video accessibility before you record your next video lecture, screen capture, or announcement video. With a little planning and attention to detail, anyone can produce videos that are not only informative but inclusive and accessible.

Accessibility Handbook for Teaching and Learning

June 3, 2024June 3, 2024 Luke McKnight

Langara’s Educational Technology Department is excited to officially launch the Accessibility Handbook for Teaching and Learning. This free book is a comprehensive guide to digital accessibility explaining key concepts such as colour contrast, alternative text, and closed captioning. Foundational knowledge of digital accessibility is complemented with detailed, step-by-step instructions to create accessible content in platforms like Brightspace, PebblePad, PowerPoint, and Word.

With the introduction of the Accessibility British Columbia Act, post-secondary institutions will be required to adhere to accessibility standards for service and education. Langara has formed an accessibility committee and created an accessibility plan to identify, remove, and prevent barriers to accessibility. To meet those goals educational materials must be accessible and inclusive. Creating accessible material will require a consistent effort and refocusing of how digital content is created.

Screenshot of quick guide from the handbook

Accessibility is not a feature, it’s a necessity. The Accessibility Handbook for Teaching and Learning provides faculty, staff, and students with the knowledge and tools to incorporate accessibility into their existing workflows. Inside this deliberately structured and fully accessible web book, readers will find an extensive resource including quick start guides, step-by-step instructions, demonstration videos, and links to further resources. Best of all, this guide is supported and frequently updated by Langara’s Assistive Technologist, Luke McKnight.

The Accessibility Handbook for Teaching and Learning empowers all Langarans with the knowledge and tools to make accessible digital content. Accessible content is essential to learner success, democratic access to information, and minimizes feelings of othering. Creating and choosing more accessible content is essential to ensuring inclusivity is a reality for your team, in your classroom, and for your classmates.

The handbook is available for free under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, allowing you to use, share, and adapt the material as needed.

Contact Luke McKnight or assistivetech@langara.ca for more information including direct support in creating accessible content.

Digital Practice - a collaborative approach

Build Brightspace Better

March 25, 2024March 25, 2024 Luke McKnight

The Build Brightspace Better workshop series is designed to empower instructors with the knowledge and tools needed to enhance the student experience in Brightspace. This series comprises three engaging workshops. Each workshop is centered on a different aspect of Brightspace and the tools and features available to create a more enriching and accessible learning environment for students.

Session 1 September 20th

Navigation and Layout Design

This interactive session will empower you to seamlessly integrate strategies that reduce excessive scrolling, clicking, and searching for your students. Together, we’ll work to highlight essential course elements, making content, assignment requirements, and due dates prominent and accessible.

Session 1 registration

Session 2 September 27th

Optimizing Course Readings

This hands-on workshop explores the Brightspace Reading Lists tool. Leverage library support and technology to seamlessly integrate diverse educational resources, from scholarly books to essential websites, into a singular, user-friendly digital Reading List format. Gain practical experience by curating a Reading List that exemplifies clarity, accessibility, and engagement for your students.

Session 2 registration

Session 3 October 4th

Packaging Your Brightspace Content

Transform your Brightspace course into a seamless and engaging learning experience with our hands-on workshop. Discover the best practices for organizing and presenting your course materials. Learn how to create visually appealing and interactive web pages, manage various content types, and build a repository of reusable elements. Elevate your course design and make your content more accessible and engaging for your students.

Bring your content and a laptop to create or update Brightspace content with expert support.

Session 3 registration

Session 4 October 11th

Implementation Support Session

Sign up to get help bringing your course to the next level. Whether you’re looking to update your course layout and design, organize your content, or set up Reading Lists, our experts are here to provide personalized support. This hands-on session is the perfect opportunity to implement what you’ve learned throughout the workshop series, receive immediate feedback, and ensure your Brightspace course is optimized for student success. Join us and leave with a polished, engaging, and student-friendly course.

Session 4 registration

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to transform your online course material into dynamic and engaging learning environments that prioritize student satisfaction.

Improve Digital Accessibility: May Accessibility Workshops

March 25, 2024June 2, 2024 Luke McKnight

EdTech is excited to announce a series of upcoming workshops dedicated to improving the accessibility of Microsoft Word documents and PowerPoint presentations.

Why Accessibility Matters

In today’s digital age, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can access and understand information is crucial. This is where accessibility comes in. It’s about making sure that everyone has equal access to information and functionality.

What Our Workshops Offer

Our workshops are designed to provide you with the tools and knowledge to create accessible Word documents and PowerPoint presentations. We believe that with a little effort and the right guidance, we can make a significant difference in making information more accessible to all.

Who Should Attend

These workshops are for everyone! Whether you’re a content creator, an educator, or just someone looking to learn, these workshops are for you. No prior experience is required.

Let’s Make a Difference Together

By participating in these workshops, not only will you enhance your skills, but you’ll also contribute to a more inclusive and accessible digital world. So why wait? Join us to learn how to make information accessible to all.

Learning Lab: Enhance Accessibility with AI

Date: May 15

Time: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Location: Hybrid (C202 or Zoom)

How to Create Accessible PowerPoint Slide Presentations

Date: May 22

Time: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Location: Hybrid (C202 or Zoom)

Learning Lab: Improve the Accessibility of Existing PowerPoint Slides

Date: May 27

Time: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Location: C202