Category: Academic Resources Conference

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.

The January issue of Teaching Today has a full index of all the session recordings from the January Academic Resources Conference (ARC). If you missed some sessions or are only now hearing about the event, you can catch up with the valuable training and discussion that just took place.

Check out Teaching Today for January, and if you like what you see, consider subscribing. To subscribe, simply send the request to the Office of Instructional Resources at OIR@wichita.edu.

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

Thursday, Jan. 11:

• 9 a.m.: Blackboard Ultra Roadmap – Fredrik Klemming, Anthology
• 10 a.m.: Using Microsoft Lists to Make Your Life Easier – Ali Levine, application training specialist
• 11 a.m.: Course Video in O365: Capturing, Editing, Storing, and Sharing – Rachel Bastian, instructional designer and accessibility specialist
• Noon: Panel Hour: Tech Decisions and How They are Made – John Jones, executive director of the Media Resources Center; Ryan Corcoran, director of audio-visual engineering; Brett Morrill, director of application development and support
• 1 p.m.: Common Issues in Bb Ultra and How to Solve Them – Carolyn Speer, director of the Office of Instructional Resources; Rachel Bastian
• 2 p.m.: Getting Data and Running Reports in Ultra Classes – Carolyn Speer

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

Wednesday, Jan. 10:

• 9 a.m.: What Faculty need to Know about Navigate – Brent Bruner, assistant vice president of Student Success and Persistence; Kim Sandlin, director of Student Success
• 10 a.m.: Mandatory Accessibility Training – John Jones, executive director of the Media Resources Center
• 11 a.m.: Using ChatGPT’s Virtual Agents as Personal Assistants – John Jones
• Noon, hybrid: Panel Hour: The Impact of Generative AI on Business and Work – Moderator: Tonya Witherspoon, associate vice president of industry engagement & applied learning; panelists from campus industry partners
• 1 p.m.: Using Adobe’s AI Features to Support Your Classroom – Eric Rowse, Adobe
• 2-4 p.m., hybrid: Culturally Responsive Practices – Dr. Bobby Berry, assistant dean in the College of Applied Studies; Dr. Sara Mata, executive director of Hispanic Serving Institution; Dr. Jennifer Friend, dean, College of Applied Studies
  • Note: This session will be in-person and online. Attend in person at 231/232 Woolsey Hall. If you plan to attend the workshop, fill out this form so organizers can plan for online and F2F participants.
• 4:15-6 p.m., in-person only: Wichita State Connect Mixer – Hosted by Provost Shirley Lefever
  • Note: This event is in-person only at the old Wonder School location: 1900 Research Place (west of Woolsey Hall)

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

Tuesday, Jan. 9:

• 9 a.m.: Getting Started with Ultra – Rachel Bastian, instructional designer and accessibility specialist
• 10 a.m.: Building Courses in Ultra – Carolyn Speer, director of the Office of Instructional Resources
• 11 a.m.: Ultra Grading and Gradebook – Carolyn Speer, Rachel Bastian
• Noon: Panel Hour: Retention Fellows Panel – Melinda DeFrain, assistant teaching professor of English; Cindi Mason, associate teaching professor and undergraduate coordinator of industrial, systems and manufacturing engineering; Carolyn Shaw, professor of political science
• 1 p.m.: Using Blackboard’s AI Tools in Ultra – Carolyn Speer
• 2 p.m.: Know your Library Resources – Nathan Filbert, assistant professor and research and instruction services librarian

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

Monday, Jan. 8:

• 9 a.m.: Saving Money on Textbooks – John Jones, executive director of the Media Resources Center; Carolyn Speer, director of the Office of Instructional Resources; Maria Sclafani, coordinator of Library Instructional Services and assistant professor
• 10 a.m.: How the Library can Support T&P for Faculty – Brent Mai, dean, University Libraries
• 11 a.m.: First Generation Student Success – Brett Bruner, assistant vice president of Student Success and Persistence; Sara Mata, executive director of Hispanic Serving Institution; Kennedy Rogers, director of Student Affairs Staff Engagement
• Noon: Panel Hour: Student Panel – Moderator: Brett Bruner. Students: Julie Tran, Melissa McHatten, Journey Smith, Alexander Hurla, Devon Robinson, K Carter
• 1 p.m.: Mindfulness for Instructors – Carolyn Speer
• 2 p.m.: Watermark CES Results Reporting – Sandy Ranney, Social Science Research Lab director; Carolyn Speer

The Academic Resources Conference (ARC) is hosting two hybrid events Wednesday, Jan. 10. If you can’t make it to campus, there will still be an option to attend online as well:

• Noon-12:50 p.m.: Will have a Panel Hour discussion of “Generative AI’s impact on Business and Work” at the NetApp building on the main WSU campus. Visitors should enter through the main doors on the northwest side of the building. The panel will be held in the “Defiance” room, which is on the main floor, across from the cafeteria. Business leaders from across the Innovation Campus and Wichita will be on hand to provide their insights about the impact of generative AI on their industry. If you plan to come in person, feel free to grab lunch in the NetApp cafeteria first or bring a lunch. For those who would prefer to attend online: Add panel to calendar  Join panel session at noon
• 2-4 p.m.: Dr. Bobby Berry, Dr. Jennifer Friend and Dr. Sara Mata from the College of Applied Studies will present a session on “Culturally Responsive Practices” in 231/232 Woolsey Hall. For those who would prefer to attend online: Add Culturally Responsive Practices to calendar or Join Culturally Responsive Practices Session at 2 p.m. The presenters would like to customize the presentation, so those who plan to attend in person or online should register for the presentation in advance.

The Office of Instructional Resources is excited to be able to offer these hybrid events, and it hopes to see the campus community in person if possible.

The January 2024 Academic Resources Conference (ARC) begins Monday, Jan. 8. All ARC sessions are online via Teams (with two special hybrid sessions this conference) and everyone is invited.

Find links to Teams meetings, calendar invites and more information at the January 2024 ARC webpage.