November Workshops
Friday, November 3
2-4 p.m.
YuJa Basics
Instructors: Anna Donohoe, Laurent Ndeze
Are you tired of using your personal YouTube account to upload videos for your students? Would you like to eliminate the commercials that appear in the videos you have uploaded to YouTube by transferring them to another source? Have you been waiting for a college-sponsored resource for uploading videos? Are you looking for a resource that makes generating and modifying video transcripts easy to make your videos more accessible? Would you like to make minor edits, such as cutting video or merging clips, but you lack video editing software on your computer?
YuJa is a college-sponsored resource for uploading video content that takes care of these issues. YuJa allows you to upload videos without using your personal YouTube account while providing a similar value in creating auto-captions with the ability to edit those captions. YuJa is a resource for uploading a video that is commercial-free, college sanctioned, and the software provides a simple interface for editing videos.
Divided into a two-part series of training, after Part 1 of the YuJa Training, you will review the steps to:
- Log onto YuJa
- Upload a video onto YuJa
- Organize YuJa Videos
- Link to YuJa Videos in Blackboard
- Embed YuJa Videos in Blackboard
- Upload a YouTube Video to YuJa
- Add Quiz questions to a YuJa video and score in the Grade Center
- Share Media with Another User
Please note that if you are interested in learning additional advanced YuJa Features, we will offer an advanced training titled YuJa Video Advanced: Adding Captions, Editing Video, and Viewing Analytics during April and May. This advanced training will cover editing YuJa Captions, editing videos using YuJa’s built-in video editor, and YuJa video analytics.
The currently listed training, YuJa Video Basics: A College Sponsored Resource to Upload Videos for Your Students, is a prerequisite for this training.
While this training will cover the needs of faculty sharing instructional materials with their students, this training will also be helpful for MC staff who need to present or share video content. If you are an MC Staff and would like to learn more about YuJa, you are welcome to attend.
In this session, participants will review the following steps: logging onto YuJa and adding it to the left-hand menu of a Blackboard course, creating a folder to organize YuJa material, linking, embedding, and uploading videos to YuJa, uploading videos from YouTube into YuJa, and incorporating quizzes into YuJa videos. This will enable participants to effectively utilize YuJa’s features and enhance their teaching and learning experience.
Friday, November 3
1:30-2:30 p.m.
Co-create with Me! Inviting Students to Collaborate and Innovate
Instructor: Angela Lanier
Recent movements toward Open Pedagogy and Decolonizing the Curriculum challenge educators to think differently about the traditional instructor-student relationship as well as the use of traditional course materials. New models of teaching and learning call for alternatives that value students’ voices, experiences, and contributions to the curriculum and assessment. This workshop will define what it means to have students co-create, give examples of what co-creation looks like in practice and at different levels, and highlight the benefit of co-creation for students and instructors.
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- Explain the different options and levels of student co-creation
- Identify the benefits of co-creating with students and strategies to address challenges
- Evaluate an existing course activity for opportunities to invite students as co-creators
Monday, November 6
7-9 p.m.
YuJa Advanced
Instructors: Michele Knight, Megan Calvert
Please note that YuJa Video Basics: A College Sponsored Resource to Upload Videos for Your Students is a prerequisite for this training
Were you excited when you found out about YuJa, the college-supported resource for uploading videos?
Did you attend YuJa Video Basics: A College Sponsored Resource to Upload Videos for students and are looking to do more with the software?
This second, advanced training will help faculty further meet accessibility requirements by learning the necessary skills for captioning video. It will also help you understand the basic video editing capabilities of the software and how to view analytics (or statistics on how your video is being viewed).
After this two-part training series, faculty will be able to:
- Edit video auto captions
- Perform simple edits using the YuJa Video Editor
- View YuJa Video Analytics
While this training will cover the needs of faculty sharing instructional materials with their students, this training will also be helpful for MC staff who have attended YuJa Basics Training and would like to learn more about YuJa captioning and video editing features.
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- Review the steps for editing Video auto captions
- Demonstrate simple video edits using the YuJa Video Editor
- Describe YuJa’s Video Analytics feature and the details it provides
- Optional: If time allows, faculty will be provided the option for open lab zoom time to practice the skills learned.
During this session, participants will have the opportunity to review the steps for editing video auto captions. They will also demonstrate simple video edits using the YuJa Video Editor. In addition, the session will include a description of YuJa’s Video Analytics feature and the detailed information it provides. As an optional activity, participants may choose to join open lab Zoom sessions to practice the skills learned during the session, if time allows.
Monday, November 6
7-8 p.m.
Writing Effective Multiple-choice Questions
Instructor: Phillip Bonner
Writing effective multiple-choice questions is an art and a science. These types of questions abound in college classrooms, yet are they all good examples? What makes a good stem? What’s the difference between a correct option and a best option multiple-choice question? What makes a plausible distractor? Come to this one-hour class to explore these and other questions about multiple-choice questions.
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- explain the elements of an effective multiple-choice question.
- write an effective multiple-choice question using the workshop suggestions.
Tuesday, November 7
11-12 noon
Let’s Get Started with Experiential Learning
Angela Lanier
Experiential learning has benefits for students’ learning during a course and prepares them for work and life beyond the course. While many courses cannot accommodate large-scale experiential learning experiences such as internships, practicum, and research, instructors can integrate meaningful, small-scale experiences that benefit student learning. Based on Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, this workshop will guide participants to examine their course outcomes, content, and assignments for experiential learning opportunities and plan a low stakes experiential learning activity that applies the four areas of Kolb’s theory – concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation.
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- Describe the four areas of Kolb’s learning cycle
- Identify existing course opportunities that can be adapted to accommodate an experiential learning activity
- Draft a low stakes experiential learning activity that addresses the four areas of Kolb’s Learning Theory
Wednesday, November 8
2-3:30 p.m.
Empowering Instructors with AI Language Tools
Instructors: Gloria Barron, Angela Lanier
In this workshop, participants will explore different AI generative language tools to support a variety of teaching and learning needs. Participants will have time for hands on practice with one of the tools. In addition, we will discuss the ethical considerations and potential challenges associated with using AI in the classroom.
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- Explain the benefits and limitations of using AI generative language tools to support instruction
- Construct effective prompts to generate the most useful responses for designing instructional activities
- Promote responsible use of AI generative language tools for teaching and learning
- Explore a variety of tools to determine which best serves your needs
Wednesday, November 8
9 -12 noon
Microsoft Outlook Essentials Plus
Instructor: Anna Donohoe
This hands-on, small-group workshop will build on the foundational skills of Microsoft Outlook Essentials with a focus on intermediate and advanced-level tasks. Participants do not need to have taken Microsoft Outlook Essentials but should already know how to navigate the interface comfortably and perform basic tasks such as those listed in the Outlook Essentials competencies.
The workshop will be conducted via Zoom. To fully participate, participants should be able to access both the desktop and web versions of Outlook. It is also best to join from a device with two screens. Visit the Microsoft Essentials website for a full list of the functions covered in this workshop and for more details on the technology required to participate.
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- Perform advanced email management tasks such as message recall and tracking, schedule send, and insert polls and voting buttons
- Manage individual, shared, and imported calendars
- Create contact groups and collaborate with others on shared tasks
- Personalize and set default settings for compose and reply, message handling and layout.
- Customize rules to label, categorize and organize incoming messages automatically
Friday, November 10
2-3 p.m.
Pedagogical Discussion # 3: Trends in Higher Education: Supporting the College through Storytelling
Instructor: Phillip Bonner
Promoting higher education institutions can pose significant challenges in today’s competitive industry. It is essential not only to understand the specific interests of our target student demographic but also to effectively showcase how Montgomery College can bring students’ dreams and aspirations to life. To attract new students, we must craft a compelling narrative that accentuates our comprehensive value and unique characteristics. In essence, it is crucial for our faculty and staff to become proficient storytellers, adept at sharing Montgomery College’s tale. Join us for a stimulating one-hour roundtable discussion where we can exchange ideas on innovative approaches to promote Montgomery College’s unique story.
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- Express how telling the College’s story can enhance enrollment.
- Share ideas with colleagues on how to tell our story effectively.
Tuesday, November 14
1-4 p.m.
Microsoft PowerPoint Essentials Plus
Instructor: Megan Calvert
This hands-on, small-group workshop will build on the foundational skills of Microsoft PowerPoint Essentials with a focus on intermediate and advanced-level tasks. Participants do not need to have taken Microsoft PowerPoint Essentials but should already know how to navigate the interface comfortably and perform basic tasks such as those listed in the PowerPoint Essentials competencies.
The workshop will be conducted via Zoom. To fully participate, participants should be able to access both the desktop and web versions of PowerPoint. It is also best to join from a device with two screens. Visit the Microsoft Essentials website for a full list of the functions covered in this workshop and for more details on the technology required to participate.
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- Identify basic design principles for better presentations and use advanced formatting features
- Insert, modify, align, group, order, and animate objects such as audio, video, SmartArt graphics, tables, and charts
- Manage slides using the Slide Master, Zoom, the Morph transition, and more
- Present and share slides using the presenter view, the video recording feature, and workshop handouts
Thursday, November 16
Asynchronous
Integrative Learning Pathway
Instructor: Angela Lanier
The Integrative Learning pathway is a series of modules inspired by the principles outlined in the updated Integrative Learning rubric. The modules in this pathway will support faculty implementation of Integrative Learning principles throughout their General Education and disciplinary courses. Topics addressed in the pathway will include making connections, metacognitive reflection, and transfer of concepts to new contexts to promote experiential learning. In addition, the pathway includes a module for integrated communication.
The pathway modules will open Thursday, November 16 and close Wednesday, December 20. This is an asynchronous training in Blackboard. Registrants will receive an email on the open date with instructions on how to access the modules.
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- Define integrative learning and the integrative learning principles
- Identify opportunities to integrate integrative learning activities at different stages of the course
- Design assignments and activities that prompt students to engage in integrative and experiential learning as well as metacognitive reflection
Friday, November 17
2-2:45 p.m.
Tech it Out, November 2023
Instructor: Michele Knight
Speed Sessions Facilitators: Phil Bonner, Jennifer Baugh
Tech-it-Out is your opportunity to learn about new technology with a vibrant community of practitioners. During this 45-minute Tech-it-Out, participants can choose from the following brief ten-minute awareness sessions for a quick overview of a technical topic.
- Create Beautiful Web Pages Using Adobe Express Webpage: Adobe Express Webpage is a collection of user-friendly, browser-based image editing tools that allow you to quickly and easily create webpages without needing specialized software or technical expertise.
- HyperDocs: Hyperdocs are digital documents that contain interactive and multimedia elements designed to promote student-centered learning and facilitate inquiry-based teaching.
- Best Practices for Developing PPT Presentations on Zoom: Things to be aware of when developing PowerPoint Presentations in Zoom
For the last thirty-five minutes of Tech-it-Out, we will have open discussion and sharing of things that the group is already using or that look interesting in educational technology.
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- Develop an awareness of a technical topic and participate in a free-form technical community of practice discussion.
Tuesday, November 21
9-12 noon
Microsoft Teams Essentials
Instructor: Anna Donohoe
This hands-on, small group workshop will provide a solid foundation in the use of Microsoft Teams. Whether you want an overview of the basics, or are looking to become more efficient, this course is for you. Even experienced users can benefit from valuable tips, tricks, and timesavers along the way.
The workshop will be conducted via Zoom. To fully participate in the workshop, participants should be able to access both the desktop and web versions of Teams. To more easily follow the facilitator’s examples and instructions, it is also best to join from a device with two screens. See the Microsoft Essentials website for more details, including technology requirements.
Outcomes will be adjusted based on a participant survey and may include:
Access Teams and identify the best uses for Teams
Navigate and customize the Teams environment
Use the chat and calls features for one-on-one and group communication
Create teams within Teams and use them to share and collaborate on files and organize conversations and activities within channels
Schedule meetings, participate in meetings, and follow up after a meeting
Tuesday, November 28
1-2 p.m.
Adding a Positionality Statement to Your Syllabus
Instructor: Phillip Bonner
A positionality statement is a declaration of the identities one has and how those identities most likely influence that individual. Positionality statements include information about race, social class, religion, career, and beliefs. Adding a positionality statement to a syllabus can succinctly communicate who the professor is and what their belief system is to students. Including a positionality statement is conducive to building an inclusive and welcoming classroom. Come to this one-hour class and explore what a positionality statement can do to promote equity, inclusivity, and social justice.
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- Explain what a positionality statement is.
- Explain how they promote equity, inclusivity, and social justice.
- Write a draft of a positionality statement for themselves.
Tuesday, November 28
1-4 p.m.
Microsoft Word Essentials Plus
Instructor: Megan Calvert
This hands-on, small-group workshop will build on the foundational skills of Microsoft Word Essentials with a focus on intermediate and advanced-level tasks. Participants do not need to have taken Microsoft Word Essentials but should already know how to navigate the interface comfortably and perform basic tasks such as those listed in the Word Essentials competencies.
The workshop will be conducted via Zoom. To fully participate, participants should be able to access both the desktop and web versions of Word. It is also best to join from a device with two screens. Visit the Microsoft Essentials website for a full list of the functions covered in this workshop and for more details on the technology required to participate.
Outcomes will be adjusted based on a participant survey and may include:
- Format documents with more complex features such as columns, page breaks, page numbers, tables of contents, and hyperlinks
- Insert advanced elements into a document, such as watermarks, SmartArt graphics, charts, and citations
- Use mail merge to send customized emails and letters to a list of recipients
- Collaborate on documents using track changes and comments
- Manage document metadata and formats