Technology Tools for
Teaching Assistants
Loubna Bilali
Translation Studies
Naser Madi
Computer Science
Welcome new TAs!
O Today’s presentation will cover:
O Brief overview of Blackboard Learn.
O Teaching Assistant Training Program (TATP).
O Best practices for teaching online.
O Resources and campus support.
Blackboard Learn
KSU Learning Management
System
O A virtual learning environment and course
management system.
O Implementing online elements for face-toface courses.
O Developing online courses.
What can you do with
Blackboard Learn?
Blackboard Learn login
O Direct URL- learn.kent.edu
O Flashline.kent.edu > Blackboard (top right)
Getting Courses Ready in
Blackboard
Course Access and Availability
2. Course Combine (merge, cross-list)
3. Student Roster/Member updates
4. Content - Copy, Upload
1.
O Video/audio uploads via: ksutube.kent.edu/
Blackboard Learn Tools
Teaching Assistant Training
Program (TATP)
Teaching Assistant Training
Program (TATP)
O A Blackboard Learn Module designed by the
Division of Graduate Studies & Graduate
Student Orientation (GSO)
O Provides resources to help new TAs with
their teaching assignments.
Best Practices
for Teaching Online
Brief overview
O Various types (100% online asynchronous,
100% online with some synchronous
components, hybrid courses).
O Platform – Blackboard Learn [Bb Learn].
O Course requirements (assignments, chats,
discussions, virtual office hours, etc.).
Be Present
Be present in some way every day:
 Announcements
 Discussion Board postings
 Set turnaround time for questions
 Live Office Hours
Virtual Presence tool
O BlackBoard Learn App
O Videos ~ KSUtube
O Jing
O Screencast-O-matic
Create an Online Community
O Establish Social
Presence
O Reduce the “distance”
Encourage Interaction
Focus on the 3 types:
Student-Instructor (SI)
Student-Student (SS)
Student-Content (SC)
Online Community &
Interaction tools
O Blackboard Forum
O Google Drive & SkyDrive
O Piazza – www.piazza.com/
O Skype & Google Hangouts
O Prezi (educational plan 4GB for Free)
O Doodle
Communicate
Expectations
expected
coursework
actual
coursework
Communication
• Work Load
• Turnaround Time
•
Course Planning tool
O Planboard (www.planboardapp.com)
O Video: http://youtu.be/PRXEG-rAFic
Vary Learning Experiences
Massive Open Online Course
(MOOC) Tools
O
OpenCourseWare - http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm
O
Coursera – http://www.coursera.org
O
Academic Earth - http://academicearth.org/
O
Khan Academy - https://www.khanacademy.org/
Ask for Feedback




Early, informal feedback
Continuous formative feedback
Summative assessment
Use the information
Quizzing & Feedback Tools
O Classmarker - www.classmarker.com
O Polleverywhere - www.polleverywhere.com
Have Successful Discussions
O Make them purposeful
O Provide guidelines and instructions
O Model Socratic-type probing
O Consider a midpoint summary and/or
end summary
O Be an active participant
Tutorial Making Tools
O Faststone - www.faststone.org/download.htm
O Jing - http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html
Engaging Videos to Create
Customized Lessons Tool
O TED Ed (ed.ted.com) – (ed.ted.com/tour)
O NBC Learn on Blackboard
Give Prompt Feedback
O Information feedback
O Acknowledgement feedback
O Set expectations
Virtual Collaboration Tools
O Bb Learn tools
O Dropbox - www.dropbox.com
O Dropbox.kent.edu
O Audacity - http://audacityteam.org/
Plan a Closing or
Wrap-up Activity
O Have a
prepared list
to post
Reflect
Plan
O Utilize final
papers and
projects to
remind
students of
course goals
Observe
Do
Planning & Organizing Tool
O Wunderlist - https://www.wunderlist.com/
O EverNote – www.evernote.com
General Technology Tools 1
Presentation and Design
O Gimp (www.gimp.org)
O Prezi (www.prezi.com)
O Screen-O-matic (www.screencast-omatic.com/)
General Technology Tools 2
Books and notes
O Chegg (www.chegg.com)
File Encryption tools
O The GNU Privacy Guard (www.gnupg.org)
O 7-Zip (www.7-zip.org/)
Resources &
Campus Support
Center for Teaching &
Learning
http://www.kent.edu/ctl
Online Teaching
http://www.kent.edu/onlineteaching
Technology workshops
https://training.kent.edu/
Blackboard Tutorials
(YouTube)
Final Thoughts
O Teaching Scenario - Social Media
O What do you think?
O Any other thoughts/comments?
References
DeCandido, G. A. (2009). Ten things you need to
know about online classes. Retrieved from
http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/blogs/graceand/
ten-things-you-need-to-know-about-onlineclasses.html
Kent State Office of Continuing & Distance
Education (2015). Online Teaching Orientation
materials
O Loubna Bilali– lbilali@kent.edu
www.linkedin.com/in/lbilali
O Naser Madi – nmadi@kent.edu
www.linkedin.com/in/nasermadi