2009 Conference Program

Conference Opening Session

David Walk – Director

Welcome to the first NW/MET virtual conference. The possibilities are endless! Join us to briefly share your “Hot Topic”, test your Elluminate skills and get oriented to the rest of the day!

Edward A. Bachmann

Time to network with your colleagues, ask follow-up questions, split off into small group conversations using breakout rooms and share contact information and Web resources for later follow-up.

Concurrent Session: Hybrid “Large Course” Development and Implementation – Lessons Learned!

Jared S Chaalje

Design, development and implementation of History 118 at Idaho State University. This class was very large with over 400 students, and was 1/2 face to face and 1/2 online. The following topics will be discussed . . . .

  1. Grant to fund the project
  2. Technical problems
  3. Solutions to the technical problems
  4. Grading critical thinking writing assignments for such a large class (400 plus students)
  5. Mapping outcomes to course objectives using Moodle tools
  6. Tagging multiple choice questions according to their respective level in Bloom’s Taxonomy
  7. Item analysis
  8. Using formative evaluation to make changes while the course was in progress
  9. Summative evaluation instruments

Concurrent Session: Implementation of Collaborative Learning Technologies at Boise State

Bill Cottle and Eric Orton

Boise State has been experimenting with several collaboration applications as part of a Technology Incentive Grant (TIG). The presenters will share their thoughts, experiences and lessons learned while implementing two collaboration applications: Software by TideBreak called TeamSpot and Google Docs.

State/Province Caucus Meetings and Elections – While you Munch Your Lunch!

Edward A. Bachmann

The group will be divided into breakout sessions by state/province. Each group will discuss their region’s issues and prepare a brief report that will be shared with the larger group in the concluding 15 minutes of the session, highlighting anything the Executive Committee may need to attend to. The following Caucuses need to elect a new representative to the Executive Committee:

General Session: Open Educational Resources – The Case for Open Textbooks

Cable Green

The publishers’ reign of controlling content is limited. Much of the world has decided to share what they create. We should ask ourselves, as we think about managing technology for teaching and learning in the 21st century: “How will we participate in these emerging models? How will we bring open, global content to our students? How will we leverage open textbooks to significantly reduce students’ costs? How will we partner with higher education institutions around the world to share what we have and use what they offer?”

This session will explore the opportunity and the obligation we have to lead our institutions into this emerging world of networked knowledge. We will share ideas on engaging these challenges and opportunities head on.

Conversation, Coffee and Bathroom Break #2

Edward A. Bachmann

Time to network with your colleagues, ask follow-up questions, split off into small group conversations using breakout rooms and share contact information and Web resources for later follow-up.

Concurrent Session: Virtual Worlds, Authentic Learning

Monica Martinez-Gallagher

You’ve heard about Second Life. Maybe you already have an avatar and have learned how to fly, considering yourself a seasoned ‘Metazen’. Or, maybe you’ve explored Second Life once or twice and wondered to yourself as you stood in an empty place- “what is all the fuss about?”
Come to this session to be introduced to what Second Life’s educational strengths are, and to see real world examples of how its being used in teaching and learning to meet measurable objectives in unique (and possibly more effective) ways. Understand how to get involved with engaging professional communities of practice in Second Life, and where to find more information on best practices for education in virtual spaces.

Concurrent Session: Angel On My Shoulders – WAOL’s Migration Experience

Connie Broughton

Hear about the path the WA CTC’s took in their state-wide adoption of Angel and implementation of College-Branded Domains.

Making the Most of What We Have

Ana Thompson

How we used an existing resource (Moodle) to meet course evaluation needs

This presentation will focus on using an existing resource, the Moodle LMS, to satisfy university course evaluation needs and will outline processes, testing, training, and lessons learned.

Business Meeting and Closing Session

David Walk and Blake Beck

Join us to hear the fiscal report, the membership report and any other business brought to the executive team by the Caucus chairs. Of great interest will be planning for next year’s conference – it’s Idaho’s turn!!

Virtual Wrap Party in Second Life

OCCDLA presents Kyle Beltran: Physical and Virtual Worlds Entertainer

If you don’t already have a Second Life account, download this guide to getting started and click here to get a free account to join us all in avatar form on Oregon Community Colleges Island in Second Life- where piano man extrordinaire Kyle Beltran will be tickling the ivories – playing and streaming live while we mingle and relax after a long day of conference sessions. Be sure to have your glass of chosen libations available so we can raise a toast to another successful conference, and everyone’s efforts that make NW/MET the wonderful organization it is.