Designs on eLearning Conference

  • Year: 2008
  • Website: No longer available

While focusing on the challenges brought about by the incorporation of technology into the arts, design and humanities classrooms, the themes of the 2008 Designs on e-Learning conference included:

  • Challenges Faculty Face This theme seeks to examine and understand the current best practices. Faculty are encouraged to share what is required to implement the integration of technology into the classroom, to describe the barriers to creating and sustaining e-learning in the arts, design and humanities. How does one use technology to enhance the teaching of music composition or English poetry for that matter? In an era when faculty are all being asked to do more, to teach more students, to cover more material, how can technology be useful? Once you incorporate technology into your instructional plan, then what?

  • Redefined Relationships between Faculty and Students E-learning often gets a bad rap for decreasing the quality and quantity of interaction between faculty and students alike. What strategies are being used to increase student-to-student, student-to-faculty, and faculty-to-student interactions? And what about the student who doesn’t have much to contribute in a traditional classroom setting yet nearly takes over electronic interactions? How can a feeling of trust and community be attained and sustained in either a partially or entirely electronic environment? Share your solutions (both successful and not) to this issue.

  • Instructional Technology Impact How is the adaptation of instructional technology improving e-learning environments? What instructional technologies are you using, and how are they impacting the teaching and learning of the arts, design and humanities? How do you transition from a studio setting to a virtual environment? What are the advantages of incorporating technology into your instruction? The disadvantages? Share your demonstrated successes and failures.

  • Funding Strategies One of our major hurdles is finding appropriate funding to create and maintain e-learning. How does your institution fund e-learning? Does your institution provide appropriate levels of financial incentive? How much money is required to purchase the latest and greatest technological gadget? What about ongoing technical support? How many more students can you handle by incorporating technology into your classroom?

  • Instructional Innovations What are you doing that’s above and beyond the standard third party solutions? What are you doing to customize existing technology products to suit your needs? Here’s your chance to share with your peers and colleagues what’s working for you. Share your creative and innovative strategies for using technology in your instruction.