Syllabi LMS Workshops Video Creation/Editing
Syllabi
World Civilizations I
From 2014 to 2019, I was the main instructor for World Civilizations I, a general education course required for most students in the University at Buffalo’s undergraduate program in Singapore. As the course was not part of any student’s major field of study, I chose learning outcomes that met the history department’s criteria but could also carry over into classes in other disciplines. The class focused on historical themes in the ancient and medieval eras but also gave students opportunities to develop digital communications skills, web literacy/research skills, and critical thought about higher education. The syllabi below represent three iterations of the course.
Spring 2018: World Civilizations I [Digital Communication with Twitter and Blogs]
Fall 2018: Human Origins of Global Society [Web Literacy/Research Focus]
Spring 2019: Human Origins of Global Society [Critical Thought with Ungrading]
Learning Management Systems
Canvas LMS
I translated the content of my World Civilizations website (helloworldciv.com) into a Canvas LMS course to increase my familiarity with Learning Management Systems. World Civilizations I (HIS 141) is available on the Canvas Commons.
The course includes modules for each class meeting, links to Google slides, pages with annotated primary sources, discussion boards, ungraded surveys, and peer-reviewed assignments.
Workshops
Digital Tools & Pedagogy
Presented for UB-SIM Faculty, February 2017
What makes us enthusiastic about using new digital tools? What causes hesitation? The workshop explored definitions of pedagogy, digital tools instructors already used in the classroom, and new technologies they might consider. Activities included group reflections and a collaborative Padlet. I also provided a list of resources about technology, pedagogy, and digital teaching for participants interested in learning more.
Accessibility & Digital Environments
Presented for UB-SIM Faculty, October 2017
Creating accessible syllabi, classroom spaces, and assessments takes work, but it’s worth it. A workshop on understanding accessibility, avoiding the retrofit, and caring for students. Further resources on accessibility are available in the blog post “Accessibility and Digital Environments.“
Accessibility-Brown-BagRespect for Other Creators (Academic Integrity)
Presented for UB-SIM Faculty, April 2019
Discussions of “plagiarism” and “cheating” can be reframed and made more positive for students by shifting the language to respect for other creators. To reinforce the ethics and necessity of this respect, it is helpful to ask students to create and license their own work through Creative Commons as well.
A PDF of the images below is available at bit.ly/RespectCreators.
Video Creation/Editing
In May 2020, I completed Exploring Emerging Technologies for Lifelong Learning and Success, offered through Coursera by The State University of New York & University at Buffalo / Binghamton University. The course was an excellent opportunity to experience an online class as a student and to play freely with new processes and tools.
To fulfill the course requirements I created the video, “Hatshepsut: A Female King” to increase my comfort with video and audio editing. I used Explain Everything, iMovie, GarageBand, and YouTube to create and subtitle the video. The content is based on research I completed for Facts on File and the forthcoming Daily Life of Women: An Encyclopedia from Ancient Times to the Present.
