Tag: calendar

Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) Resources

susanbonham
AI generated image of a humanoid robot teacher with a pointer in a classroom, standing in front of a blackboard with equations
Image generated by DALL-E.

Whether you are a superuser or a novice, the number of resources on generative artificial intelligence can be overwhelming. EdTech and TCDC have curated some that we’d like to recommend.

  • How to access Copilot (Microsoft)
    • Interested in trying a generative AI tool or using it in your course? ChatGPT and Copilot (formerly Bing Chat) are currently available in Canada. Langara College students and employees have access to a premium version of Copilot through Microsoft Enterprise and the Edge browser. Microsoft’s FAQs provide information on how to access Copilot through Microsoft Edge. 
  • Practical AI for Instructors and Students (Ethan Mollick/Wharton School, August 2023)
    • If you’re looking for a great primer on AI, this series of five videos is worth the watch. Each video is approximately 10 minutes so the whole series can be viewed in under an hour. Topics include: 1) an introduction to AI; 2) what large language model (LLM) platforms like ChatGPT are and how to start using them; 3) how to prompt AI; 4) how instructors can leverage AI; and 5) how students can use AI.
    • Note: this series references four LLMs: ChatGPT, BingCopilot, Bard, and Claude. Bard and Claude are not yet available in Canada. 
  • AI Primer by Educause
    • This article is a reading (and viewing) list that links to resources that do a deeper dive into generative AI. A good resource for those who know the basics and would like to learn more.  

EdTech and TCDC also regularly offer professional learning opportunities on AI topics. Check the PD Events Calendar for current offerings.

As always, if you’re planning to integrate AI into your course, please be aware that: 

  • There are privacy concerns with AI platforms. We recommend using caution when inputting – or having your students input – private, personal, or sensitive information (e.g. resumes or other identifying data).  
  • For those using assistive technology such as screen readers, some AI platforms are more accessible than others. For more information, please see Accessibility of AI Interfaces by Langara Assistive Technologist, Luke McKnight. 

If you would like more recommendations for AI resources, or any other AI-related support, please contact EdTech or TCDC. 

Improve Students’ Experience in Brightspace by Adding Dates

Briana Fraser

Adding dates in Brightspace is a great way to support students’ time management. Dates populate the Work To Do and Calendar widgets so that student can keep track of what’s due and when. Due dates can be added to almost all items, activities, and modules in Brightspace.

Students have two options for seeing upcoming items with a due date — The Work To Do widget and the Calendar widget.

Work To Do is an organizational widget, meaning that it appears on Langara’s Brightspace homepage and provides learners with a summary of assigned learning activities from all their courses that are overdue or have an upcoming due date or end date. Work To Do can also be added to a course homepage to show only due and overdue learning activities from the course.

The Calendar widget can be added to a course homepage and displays content items with due dates and all calendar events.

Start Dates, Dues Dates, End Dates, Access, and Availability

In Brightspace, Start Date, Due Date, and End Date can be set for Assignments, Quizzes, and Content modules and module content items. Start and End dates can also be set for Discussions.

Due Date: Due dates specify when an activity or item is due. When you add a due date to an item, activity, or module, it will automatically be visible in the students’ Calendar.

Note about Due Date: Due dates do not restrict students’ ability to submit materials. If students submit work past the due date, the submission will be identified as late. To restrict access to an item, add a start and/or end date.

Start Date: Start dates specify when students can access items, activities, or modules. Before the start date students can see that an item exists, but they cannot access it. If no start date is set, students will be able to access the item immediately (unless it is hidden).

End Date: End dates specify when students will no longer be able to access an item, activity, or module. After the end date, students will only be able to see the title. If you want students to be able to submit late, do not set an end date.

If you want students to be able to submit late, do not set an end date.

Tip: Since items, activities, or modules with an end date are not accessible and students cannot submit their work after the date, it is important to clearly communicate expectations to students to prevent any misunderstandings.

Special access: It is possible to make exceptions for the end date for specific students with the Special Access option. You can use special access conditions to open content access for certain students outside the specified dates.

Availability: You will sometimes see this header before the option to add a start date and end dates. These start and end dates work the same as listed above.

Note about Availability: Be careful with Availability and Hide from Users. Clicking the Hide From Users checkbox will hide content from users until you uncheck the box. An Availability start date does not override the Hide from Users option. We recommend you only use one.

Display to calendar: Not all dates/times show up automatically on the Brightspace calendar. If a Display to calendar check box appears, select this option to push the dates to the calendar.

Our Recommendations

  • Add due dates to marked activities and assessments, so students can use the Calendar, Work To Do Widget, and Notifications to help manage their time.
  • Add Start and End dates when you want to limit access.
  • Use Due Dates or End Dates, but not both.
  • Use Dates judiciously, marking only those activities and assessments that have a firm due or end date.
  • For content due dates, rather than placing the due date on the content item, create a checklist with a due date for all the content and ungraded work that must be completed for a specific class.

PebblePad at Langara

Ari Crossby

What is PebblePad*?

PebblePad logo

PebblePad is Langara’s online portfolio and experiential learning platform. Digital portfolios, or ePortfolios, are powerful tools for learning, assessment, and career development because they enable users to document their skills, learning, and creativity, as well as reflect on what/how/why they learn. Using PebblePad, students can create portfolios, blogs, basic webpages, online collections of files, formal and informal reflections, action plans, and more. For authentic and scaffolded experiential learning, PebblePad is also a great fit.

How Might it Be Used Within a Course or Formal Learning Experience?

PebblePad is being used in many practicum and clinical courses at Langara. Students use interactive digital workbooks to document their experiences and demonstrate what they have learned. Links to these workbook assignments are then shared with faculty for feedback and assessment.

For programs where students have more open-ended and/or creative assignments, classic portfolios can be created on PebblePad where students document, showcase, and reflect on their creative work. This type of assignment empowers students to design and collate content ranging from text and hyperlinks, to images and video.

To find out more about the possibilities, we encourage you to go to the PebblePad Community Learner Showcase to explore some of the work being done at other institutions.

Why Use PebblePad?

PebblePad is student-owned. Once a student takes a course using PebblePad, they will be issued a PebblePad account that they will have for their entire time at Langara and beyond.  This makes it a great tool for them to make connections across their learning journey, and it can support the transition to further studies or employment.

Research indicates that using digital portfolios like PebblePad within courses and programs also seems to advance student retention and success (Eynon, Gambino, & Török, 2014). Proponents theorize that ePortfolios are beneficial because they support learning in the following ways:

  • learning can be made visible, including through reflection activities
  • connections can be made across and between academic (course, program), extracurricular (work experience, volunteering), and personal (family, community life) learning
  • personal, academic, and professional identity construction can be supported
  • social pedagogies can be employed, supporting group work, peer feedback, mentorship, etc.
  • competencies – within and outside of formal academic courses – can be documented and assessed

Want to Learn More?

If you are interested in learning more about PebblePad, contact EdTech to talk to an Advisor. Please also check the EdTech calendar for upcoming workshops.

Email edtech@langara.ca for more information.

 

*PebblePad is now the preferred ePortfolio technology of BCNET.

References

Blake Yancey, K. (Ed.). (2019). ePortfolio as Curriculum: Models and Practices for Developing Students’ ePortfolio Literacy. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Eynon, B., & Gambino, L.M. (2017). High-Impact ePortfolio Practice: A Catalyst for Student, Faculty, and Institutional Learning. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Eynon, B., Gambino, L. M., & Török, J. (2014). What difference can ePortfolio make? A field report from the Connect to Learning Project. International Journal of ePortfolio, 4(1), 95-114. https://www.theijep.com/pdf/IJEP127.pdf

Penny Light, T., Chen, H., & Ittelson, J. (2011). Documenting learning with ePortfolios: A guide for college instructors. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Watson, C. E., Kuh, G. D., Rhodes, T., Light, T. P., & Chen, H. L. (2016). Editorial: ePortfolios – The Eleventh High Impact Practice. International Journal of EPortfolio, 6(2), 65–69.

Yeo, N., & Rowley, J. (2020). ‘Putting on a Show’ Non-Placement WIL in the Performing Arts: Documenting Professional Rehearsal and Performance Using Eportfolio Reflections. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 17(4).

Growing Open at Langara

Ari Crossby

Event Postcard

Mark your calendars for Open Langara’s Wine & Cheese event!

Join us on March 6, 2019 as we celebrate our colleagues who are leading the way with open educational resources (OER) at Langara . Enjoy a glass of wine while you learn about student perspectives on OER and chat with fellow instructors who are using OER in their courses.

Not currently using OER in your classroom? Come by anyway! All faculty are invited to celebrate. Stop by for food, wine, and amazing door prizes.

Event details:

Date: March 6, 2019
Time: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Location: Science & Technology Gallery (T Gallery)
Cost: FREE
RSVP: Open Langara Wine & Cheese

Questions? Contact Open Langara at open@langara.ca