WEBINARS

Many college and university students this fall are reporting increased levels of stress and anxiety as they navigate academic and life responsibilities and attempt to deal with a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch Dr. Lara Lauzon, an Associate Professor at the University of Victoria, to learn how her students are finding their way to mental and emotional health. She shared strategies and programs that encourage and support the overall well-being of students.

• Watch from 19:55 to learn 2-3 quick ways to integrate mental & emotional health into your classroom, no matter what you teach.

Check out the PowerPoint presentation here.

In this instructor panel, three faculty members shared what they have learned from teaching in 2020-2021 and what they intend to carry into future semesters: Denis Maxwell, Assistant Dean for the Faculty of Science at the University of Western Ontario; Jennifer Bernard, Professor in the School of Business at Conestoga College, Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning; Karen Kampen, Instructor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of Manitoba. The past year and a half has been a challenging time to be teaching—we hope you leave this webinar feeling empowered, inspired, and reminded that you are not alone.

Watch from 2:24 to hear how all three instructors used empathy to build community with their students while teaching during the first year of the pandemic.

Both Karen Kampen and Jennifer Bernard are members of Cengage’s Faculty Partner Network. Click here to learn more about these peer digital experts and/or to request a meeting with one.

How did George Brown College’s business school turn feedback from employer partners into a course that successfully prepares students to use soft skills in the workplace? In this webinar, we walked through how George Brown College conducted research on desired soft skills with Toronto-area employers, created a unique mandatory course, and how this course’s hybrid pedagogy (case studies leading to scripting, role playing and modelling of improved soft skills behaviours) has been shown to lead to successful demonstration of soft skills in real-world workplace settings. 

Watch from 8:00 to learn what “soft skills” are and how employers in the Greater Toronto Area defined the “soft skills gap” when polled.

Watch from 37:49 to learn how you can integrate soft skill instruction into one class, one module, or one full course.

Check out the PowerPoint presentation here.

Topics:

• Setting up MindTap to encourage student engagement - 3:55
• Tour of MindTap assignments & the Five-Step Learning Path – 9:30
• More difficult assignment types in MindTap World Languages – 23:30
• Using the Hide function to organize your course – 26:23
• Assigning activities & useful settings – 27:18
• MindTap’s effect on academic dishonesty – 30:22
• Grammar activities & practice – 42:20
• eBook – 44:40
• MindTap vs iLrn – 47:00

Questions:

• What percentage of MindTap activities do you use? – 47:17
• Live polling/attendance – 47:17
• Progress app (Gradebook) – 55:21

Aga Bijos is a Cengage Faculty Partner. To learn more about her and the Faculty Partner Network, click here.

Quizzing – 4:55

Algorithmic questions – 9:25

Assignment settings – 10:23

CNOWv2’s effect on academic dishonesty – 12:15

Time saving features in CNOWv2 – 19:40

Blank sheet questions – 27:15

Overview of question types – 34:15

Cengage technical & customer support – 40:50

John Siambanopoulos is a Cengage Faculty Partner. To learn more about him and the Faculty Partner Network, click here.

Best practices for creating your course – 8:15

Organizing SAM in MindTap – 24:44

Gradebook – 31:12

Reports – 44:52

Extensions & accommodations – 48:16

Textbook projects – 54:45

Support & training for instructors & students – 56:30

Kellie Hayward is a Cengage Faculty Partner. To learn more about her and the Faculty Partner Network, click here.

Topics:

• What is Bongo? – 1:38
• Bongo in MindTap – 2:10
• Types of video assignments – 3:18
• Individual project (low stakes activity) – 7:30
• Student support – 12:49
• Student view – 15:31
• Rubrics – 18:31
• In-app support – 23:28
• How to save & assign Bongo activities – 33:12
• Question & Answer (high-stakes activity) 38:05
• Grading Bongo assignments – 45:50
• Interactive video assignments – 52:33

Topics:

• MobLab in lecture vs flipped classroom – 2:09
• What is MobLab? – 6:00
• In-class surveys & quizzes – 10:05
• Time saving features of MobLab – 18:55
• Experiments & games – 21:40
• Aplia vs. MobLab – 27:38
• Student view – 30:46
• Live demo of a game – 33:10
• Connect results of MobLab to course concepts – 35:41

Questions:

• How to add MobLab without re-doing course outline/syllabus – 41:31
• Using MobLab face-to-face vs virtual – 46:37

Topics:

• Why teach with MindTap? – 2:15
• 1^st Myth: Online learning doesn’t work for the trades – 4:58
• 2^nd Myth: It’s too easy for students to cheat online – 10:10
• 3^rd Myth: Trade students can’t learn in an online environment – 17:25
• Live demo of MindTap for Automotive Technology – 23:06
• Simulations – 37:13

Questions:

• Does technology help or hinder students who are not highly motivated? – 28:48

Kevin Bell is a Cengage Canada Faculty Partner. To learn more about him and the Faculty Partner Network, click here.

The shift to teaching online was not a smooth path for anyone, student or teacher. The switch back, like many things as we re-emerge post pandemic, will not be smooth either. But there are lessons learned during the last year that can be used whether you are teaching at home or in a classroom. This session will look at the sudden shift to online learning and the path back to the classroom, by providing examples of different evaluation and engagement methods that resonated with students. From live activities, case discussions and guest speakers; this session will look at what worked, what didn’t and what can be done to help prepare for what’s next.

Teaching online presents an opportunity for a new learning experience for students. A key to student success in the online learning experience is ensuring that students understand what is expected from them and what they should expect from you. Managing student expectations from the beginning of the course can make the student experience more enjoyable and the instructor’s workload more manageable. What students should expect from the learning experience, how they will be assessed and realistic expectations regarding time commitments can all help students and instructors manage the online learning experience.

Online students deserve the same sense of community and encouragement as those in a face-to-face classroom. But engaging students in a virtual environment can be challenging. Sandra Scheier boils down 15 years of online teaching experience to share with you her best-tested tips for breaking down the cyber wall so students feel connected and supported in your online class.

Watch from 7:50 for tips on how to organize your online course. If you’d like to see how presenter Sandra Scheier set up her online course, check out this course tour video.

Watch from 8:46 for tips on how to communicate effectively with your students throughout your online course.

Watch from 16:20 for ideas on how to bring interactive, engaging content into your online course.

Check out the PowerPoint presentation here.

How much of your job as an instructor involves helping others? During this unique time in Higher Ed especially, you may sometimes find yourself stretched thin between course management, student support and trying to find time for your own obligations—and then there’s self-care. As instructors, you want to help others…but it’s just as important to take care of yourself. Join Tracy Daly, Registered Dietician and Health Educator from California State University, San Marcos, as she imparts ideas for balancing workloads and focusing on your own wellness amidst job responsibilities and the uncertainty of a pandemic.

Watch from 38:46 for stretches you can do at your desk and a short, guided meditation specifically for educators

Check out the PowerPoint presentation here.

Click here for a list of wellness resources mentioned during the workshop.

Connecting with students proves difficult when they can so easily disappear behind a “stop video” button. So, how do you push through and forge connections? What factors could contribute to students’ unreachability? Join Beth Ryan of Columbia College Chicago as she discusses these concerns, shares tips for effective outreach and answers your burning questions live.

Watch from 7:15 to discuss the many obstacles in the way of “student engagement” and to learn some tips to help your students overcome those obstacles

Watch from 14:20 to learn how you can help build an interactive, engaging community for students in your courses

Click here for a list of resources and digital teaching tools mentioned during the workshop.

Check out the PowerPoint presentation here.

Cheating is a chief concern in any teaching environment but can look quite different in online courses. Experienced online instructor, Elyse Adler will discuss the statistics, explore the scenarios and share some solutions to identify, address and ultimately prevent cheating in a virtual environment.

Watch from 1:20 to learn what the research says about cheating in the face-to-face versus the virtual classroom.

Watch from 7:00 to learn how to identify cheating – How do you define it? Does self-plagiarism count? Have you communicated your policies and your institution’s policies clearly to students?

Watch from 8:50 to explore what you can do in your classroom to address cheating

Check out the PowerPoint presentation here.