Category: Academic Resources Conference

The Office of Instructional Resources is happy to announce the dates for the January Academic Resources Conference (ARC). Join online via Teams during the week of Jan. 8-12 to hear about things like:

• Helping students save money on textbooks
• Building and running Blackboard classes in Ultra
• What’s new with generative AI
• Supporting students through culturally responsive practices (in partnership with the College of Applied Studies)

This January, it will also offer two hybrid sessions, so those who have been wanting to join the ARC in person, there will be a couple of options. At noon Wednesday, Jan. 10, participants can attend a panel discussion on the impact of generative AI on business and work, and at 2 p.m., participants can listen to Dr. Jennifer Friend, dean, College of Applied Studies, Dr. Bobby Berry, assistant dean, and Dr. Sara Mata, executive director of Hispanic Serving Initiatives, discuss culturally responsive practices. Later that afternoon, make time for the WSU Faculty Mixer, a fully in-person event hosted by Provost Shirley Lefever and taking place at the WSU Connect building (the old Wonder School building, just west of Woolsey Hall).

Ready to learn more? Check out the January ARC schedule today.

Join the final day of Academic Resources Conference sessions Friday, Aug. 18 by clicking on the session links to add them to your Outlook calendar or visit the August 2023 ARC webpage for direct meeting links.

Today’s sessions include two hours of come-and-go lab time for Blackboard.

• 9-11 a.m.: Blackboard Class Help (see ARC webpage for meeting links) with Mary Morriss and Rachel Porcaro
• 11 a.m.: Blackboard’s Gradebook (Original and Ultra) with Rachel Porcaro
• Noon: PANEL – Thinking outside the Classroom with Jennifer Friend, Cheyla Clawson, Chris Leonard, Sara Mathews and William Weare
• 1 p.m.: How Students can use AI to Support and Undermine their Learning with Carolyn Speer

Join the Academic Resources Conference sessions Thursday, Aug. 17 by clicking on the session links to add them to your Outlook calendar or visit the August 2023 ARC webpage for direct meeting links.

• 9 a.m.: Introduction to Generative AI with Imran Musaji
• 10 a.m.: Crafting Generative AI Prompts with John Jones and John Hammer
• 11 a.m.: AI and Academic Integrity with Liz Thornton and Kyle Wilson
• Noon: AI Questions and Answers Panel with Jo Dowling, moderator, and Sourabh Bose, Susan Castro, Gina Riggs and Mark Rodee
• 1 p.m.: Gen AI Skills Needed for the Workplace with Dane Laughlin, INVISTA
• 2 p.m.: (Split Session) Staff: Using GenAI to Assist with your job with John Jones
• 2 p.m.: (Split Session) Instructors: Let Gen AI be your GTA with Carolyn Speer
• 3 p.m.: Generative AI Showcase with John Hammer, John Jones, Carolyn Speer and others
• 4 p.m.: AI and Instruction Interest Group and John Jones, John Hammer and others

Join the Academic Resources Conference sessions Wednesday, Aug. 16 by clicking on the session links to add them to your Outlook calendar or visit the August 2023 ARC webpage for direct meeting links.

• 9 a.m.: In-class Digital Quizzes/Surveys: Poll Everywhere and Microsoft Forms with Raj Logan, Greg Housman
• 10 a.m.: Introduction to Blackboard with Rachel Porcaro
• 11 a.m.: Introduction to Using Microsoft 365 for classroom video with Rachel Porcaro
• Noon: Panel: Student Affairs with Brett Bruner, moderator, and Teri Hall, Alicia Newell, Gabriel Fonseca and Kim Sandlin
• 1 p.m.: Working with Disability Services with Jennifer Nicholson

Join the Academic Resources Conference sessions Tuesday, Aug. 15 by clicking on the session links to add them to your Outlook calendar or visit the August 2023 ARC webpage for direct meeting links.

• 9 a.m.: Ultra’s New Flexible Grading Platform with Fredrik Klemming, Anthology
• 10 a.m.: LinkedIn Learning with Carolyn Speer
• 11 a.m.: Beyond Books: Discovering the Limitless Possibilities of the Library with Angie Paul
• Noon: Mindfulness in the Midst of University Life with Jessica Provines
• 1 p.m.: Proctoring Options at WSU with John Jones, TBA
• 2 p.m.: Watermark Course Evaluation System with Sandy Ranney and Carolyn Speer
• 3 p.m.: What’s Coming in Blackboard Ultra? with Lisa Clark, Anthology

Join the Academic Resources Conference sessions Monday, Aug. 14 by clicking on the session links to add them to your Outlook calendar or visit the August 2023 ARC webpage for direct meeting links.

• 9 a.m.: Opening Plenary: Authenticity in Higher Education with President Rick Muma and Ed Baker
• 10 a.m.: Gender Inclusive Classrooms with Jenny Pearson
• 11 a.m.: Provost’s Campus Update and Listening Session with Shirley Lefever
• Noon: Panel: Generative AI in the Classroom with Andrew Hippisley, moderator; Carrie Dickison, Carolyn Speer, John Hammer and Sue Abdinnour, Murtaza Nasir
• 1 p.m.: Teams Meetings and Recordings Training wit Ali Levine. Note: This session will take place on Zoom to allow attendees to access Teams Meetings for the training.
• 2 p.m.: Deep Dive: Blackboard Ultra/Teams Integration with Carolyn Speer and Rachel Porcaro
• 3 p.m.: Accessibility Training, FY 2023-24 with John Jones

The August 2023 Academic Resources Conference (ARC) begins Monday, Aug. 14. All ARC sessions are online via Teams, and everyone is invited.

Find session descriptions, links to Teams meetings, calendar invites and more information at the August 2023 ARC webpage.

Faculty and staff are invited to attend the August Academic Resources Conference Aug. 14-18.

The conference, one of three-per-year, includes sessions on a variety of topics including technology, pedagogy, WSU programs and trends in higher education. All sessions are online via Teams, and everyone is invited.

Join the final day of Academic Resources Conference sessions Friday, May 26 by clicking on the session links to add them to the Outlook calendar or visit the May 2023 ARC website for direct meeting links.

Mary Morriss and members of the Office of Instructional Resources team will be available to help participants with Blackboard (and other tech) issues and questions.

• 9 a.m.: Blackboard workshop with Mary Morriss
• 10 a.m.: Blackboard workshop with Mary Morriss

Join the Academic Resources Conference sessions Thursday, May 25 by clicking on the session links to add them to the Outlook calendar or visit the May 2023 ARC website for direct meeting links.

• 9 a.m.: Accessibility training with John Jones
• 10 a.m.: Adobe Acrobat: Tools and tricks for taming PDFs with Ali Levine
• 11 a.m.: Tech announcements and how tech decisions are made with John Jones, Carolyn Speer and Anna Porcaro
• Noon: CTAC (formerly OEIC), ombudsman and HR panel with moderator Susan Castro and panelists Courtney McHenry, Carolyn Shaw and Vicki Whisenhant. Curious about university-wide changes regarding access to tech tools, like Zoom? This panel will illuminate the why and how of such tech decisions.
• 1 p.m.: Watermark CES with Carolyn Speer and Sandy Ranney