Utilizing Distance Learning fees NJIT has renewed membership in the Sloan-C College Pass program for the 2008 Calendar year. This membership includes enrollments in a variety of 2 to 4 week, on-line workshops in many diverse subjects. Participants will be entered into a drawing for a free iPod Touch. Registration is currently available for the following workshops: (to register send an e-mail to instruction@njit.edu) The following workshops are scheduled for August thru October. The full schedule is at http://www.sloan-c.org/workshop/index.asp

• Introduction to Second Life for Educators:  Throughout this workshop participants will learn the basics of Second Life, and integrate learning theories in the use of virtual worlds. Participants will be encouraged to create activities that are student-centered and maximize the real potential of virtual worlds. A primary goal of the workshop is to get educators thinking about their classes and how the tools used in Second Life can be personalized for the learning environments that they create. The workshop will explore examples of good teaching in Second Life and move beyond PowerPoint, lecture, and passive learning. Participants will make use of asynchronous discussions, multimedia materials, reading assignments and live, interactive class sessions to collaborate, learn, and expand the range of instructional possibilities that are available to students. September 3 - September 12

• Getting Started: Online Course Development Basics: Based on research and the Sloan-C effective practices, this workshop provides the foundation for designing and delivering online courses. Faculty gain enhanced pedagogical knowledge and learn effective strategies for creative, online classroom facilitation. September 10 – October 10

• Podcasting in Higher Education: Current Trends and Applications:  Podcasting has had a revolutionary impact on formal and informal teaching and learning. Rising out of the advent of the Apple iPod, podcasts have grown into the mainstream of online media since their inception in early 2004. The power of the individual to use podcasts to communicate globally has important implications for educators. Higher education professionals must learn how to harness the power of podcasting to reach an increasingly more tech savvy population of students and colleagues. Learn all about podcasts and podcasting in this online workshop conducted by two of the pioneers in using this technology in higher education: Burks Oakley II and Ray Schroeder.  September 24 - October 3

• Preparing Faculty for Blended Teaching and Learning: Basics for Faculty Developers & Trainers:    This workshop provides concrete strategies for faculty developers and trainers who wish to help faculty redesign their courses for blended teaching and learning. A well established and highly successful blended teaching and learning faculty development program is presented from the viewpoint of faculty developers and trainers. The workshop provides guidance regarding program structure, content, and activities as well as general tips and pointers for fostering a successful faculty development experience. Actual workshop materials will be reviewed and discussed. The interactive sessions will help participants address the challenges related to instituting a blended course faculty development program on their own campus and help them to find the “next steps” needed to get their program up and running.  October 1 - October 10

• Using the Quality Matters Rubric to Improve Your Online Course:  Recognizing quality is much like recognizing art – you know it when you see it, but everybody sees something different. And when it comes to online courses, your students, faculty, administrators, peers, and accrediting bodies may certainly not see what you do. In fact, they might not even know what to look for in assessing quality. Sloan-C announces an interactive online workshop focused on learning how to improve your online course(s). Learn how to use the rubric tool developed by the nationally recognized, FIPSE-funded Quality Matters (QM) project. The QM rubric provides a research-supported framework with annotations and examples for applying quality practices to specific course design standards. Affirm the strong areas in your course(s) and generate specific ideas for improvements. The QM rubric is the centerpiece of the QM process. Additionally, this course serves as a stepping stone for faculty interested in becoming certified course peer reviewers. October 1 - October 24

• Toppling Global Barriers: The Emerging Culture of the Online Classroom:   Cross-cultural virtual classrooms are fast becoming the rule rather than the exception. In today’s interconnected and independent world, the online learning environment is becoming more diverse. Faculty and students involved in international learning communities provide opportunities for both to understand the world across the breath, depth and complexities of human experiences. This workshop explores the opportunities and challenges institutions face as they expand their classroom doors overseas, such as instructor/learner preparation, conflict resolution, team building, and time zone/holiday management. Participating institutions will demonstrate how effective management of the global classroom contributes toward building human-to-human connections and rendering educational boundaries between countries irrelevant.  October 15 - October 24

Details on these and many more available workshops are available at http://www.sloan-c.org/workshop/index.asp

FREE Resource for Blended Learning Educators - www.blendedteaching.org

Details on future workshops will be posted here.

With our "College Pass" membership, NJIT has become a "Sloan-C Premium Member" giving all NJIT staff access to a variety of benefits. Details here on how to set up your own account.