Category: Academic Resources Conference

The 2024 Academic Resources Conference (ARC), Aug. 5-9 and 12, is filled with all sorts of sessions covering topics ranging from Blackboard Ultra to mindfulness. With the transition to Ultra complete, there are quite a few sessions focusing on Blackboard Ultra and how you can use it in your classes. In addition, ARC has much more information including AI, Microsoft tools, OER options and more.

Most sessions are held online which means you can pick and choose which sessions you want to attend. Whether you are looking for something focused on Blackboard Ultra, mindfulness or the classroom, there’s a little bit for everyone.

Visit the August 2024 ARC webpage to find a downloadable PDF schedule, see session descriptions, add sessions to your calendar and find meeting links.

Join the Academic Resources Conference Aug. 5-9 and 12. The staff in the Office of Instructional Resources (OIR) has worked hard to ensure that it has curated a line-up of sessions that will be useful to you as faculty not only start the fall semester, but as more dive into the world of Blackboard Ultra. This means that if you have any concerns, questions or curiosities of what Ultra can do and how it impacts your role at Wichita State, this is a conference you won’t want to miss. In addition, you will find insightful sessions covering AI, Microsoft tools, OER options and more.

Most sessions are held online, so come to all or just a few.

Visit the August 2024 ARC webpage to find a downloadable PDF schedule, see session descriptions, add sessions to your calendar and find meeting links.

Mark your calendars for the August 2024 Academic Resources Conference (ARC).

Join ARC Aug. 5-9 and 12. The staff in the Office of Instructional Resources (OIR) has worked hard to ensure that it has curated a line-up of sessions that will be useful to you as faculty not only start the fall semester, but as more dive into the world of Blackboard Ultra. This means that if you have any concerns, questions or curiosities of what Ultra can do and how it impacts your role at Wichita State, this is a conference you won’t want to miss. In addition, you will find insightful sessions covering AI, Microsoft tools, OER options and more.

Visit the August 2024 ARC webpage to find a downloadable PDF schedule, see session descriptions, add sessions to your calendar and find meeting links.

The Academic Resources Conference (ARC) has three hours of come-and-go workshops Friday, May 24, so bring your questions. The links below will send you directly to the meeting:

• 9 a.m: Ultra Labs – OIR Staff
• 10 a.m.: Ultra Labs – OIR Staff
• 11 a.m.: Ultra Labs – OIR Staff

Click on a session link to add it to your Outlook calendar or visit the May 2024 ARC webpage for direct meeting links.

Wednesday, May 22.

• 9 a.m.: Ultra Grab Bag: Groups, Feedback, and Peer Review – Rachel Bastian
• 10 a.m.: Mandatory Accessibility Training – John Jones
• 11 a.m.: AI is Scary to Me. What Do I Need to Know? – Carolyn Speer
• Noon: hybrid I Copied from Bb Original; Now What? Help Me Fix My Class! – Rachel Bastian
• 1 p.m.: LibreText, OER, and Other Ways to Lower Student Costs – Doug English, Carolyn Speer
• 2 p.m.: Ultra Labs (come and go) – OIR Staff
  Adding videos to announcements and feedback demo at 2:05

Click on a session link to add it to your Outlook calendar or visit the May 2024 ARC webpage for direct meeting links.

Tuesday, May 21:

• 9 a.m.: Course Video in O365: Recording, Storing, and Sharing – Rachel Bastian
• 10 a.m.: Students and AI – John Jones, Carolyn Speer, Kyle Wilson
• 11 a.m.: How to Talk so AI Understands You – John Jones
• Noon: Blackboard Ultra’s AI Tools – Carolyn Speer
• 1 p.m.: Mindfulness for University Life – Carolyn Speer
• 2 p.m.: Ultra Labs (come and go) – OIR Staff
  Gradebook two ways: list and grid views demo at 2:05

Click on a session link below to add it to your Outlook calendar or visit the May 2024 ARC webpage for direct meeting links.

Monday, May 20:

• 9 a.m.: Building an Ultra Course – Rachel Bastian
• 10 a.m.: Blackboard Ultra Roadmap – Fredrik Klemming, Anthology
• 11 a.m.: Blackboard Can’t Help me with In-Person Classes: Change my Mind! – Carolyn Speer
• Noon: Grading and Gradebook in Ultra – Carolyn Speer
• 1 p.m.: Deep Dive: All about Ultra Tests and Test Settings – Rachel Bastian
• 2 p.m.: Ultra Labs (come and go) – OIR Staff
  Honorlock demo at 2:05

Next week is the May Academic Resources Conference (ARC).

Wichita State’s move to Blackboard Ultra is a large focus of the conference, but you will also find valuable information about AI, Microsoft tools, OER options, syllabus review and more.

Visit the May 2024 ARC webpage to see session descriptions and add sessions to your calendar and find a downloadable PDF schedule.

The May Academic Resources Conference (ARC) is around the corner (May 20-24). ARC is a free, week-long training event open to all instructors and GTAs, as well as all interested staff, and does not require registration.

Most days are online only, but this year there is something special: Thursday, May 23, the Office of Instructional Resources (OIR) will offer a full suite of in-person programming, most of which will also be available online as hybrid/online sessions. Here’s what to expect:

• Snacks, coffee, etc. will be served throughout the day in Wichita State Connect, conveniently located just east of the Media Resources Center next to a parking lot.
• At 9 and 10 a.m., Brett Bruner, Sara Mata and John Hammond will speak on student success topics, in-person and live-streamed.
• At 11 a.m., Carolyn Speer will speak on myths about teaching and learning, in-person and live-streamed.
• Ali Levine will speak about using forms in PowerPoint. This will be online and streamed to one of the rooms in Wichita State Connect so anyone who wants to come to the in-person events can see her.
• From 1 to 2:30 p.m., there will be an in-person only event. This will be a workshop where faculty can improve syllabi to support student belonging. The workshop is with Brett Bruner, Sara Mata and John Hammond. Bring your syllabi and a willingness to consider some changes.
• From 2-3 p.m., OIR will also offer in-person lab times. This is a frequently-requested service that OIR can only offer occasionally because of staffing. Mary Morriss, Heather Merchant, Rachel Bastian, Carolyn Speer and John P. Jones will be on hand to help and answer questions, so bring your Ultra stumpers and get them solved.
• At 2:45 p.m., Carolyn Speer will offer a short mindfulness meditation session. This will once again be hybrid, with the session itself being held in-person in Wichita State Connect. 
• There will also be WSU and vendor swag for in-person attendees.

For locations for the May 23 in-person events — and the full week’s calendar — go to https://www.wichita.edu/services/mrc/OIR/ARC/2024/may.php.

OIR hopes to see everyone attend in-person, and if the event is a success, there will be more in-person programming in August. To help OIR plan, if you think you can attend in-person, send OIR an email at OIR@wichita.edu.

Mark your calendars to join the May Academic Resources Conference (ARC), May 20-24.

WSU’s move to Blackboard Ultra is a large focus of the conference, but you will also find valuable information about AI, Microsoft tools, OER options, syllabus review and more.

Visit the May 2024 ARC webpage to see session descriptions and add sessions to your calendar and find a downloadable PDF schedule.