Category: Teaching News

Dedicated to news and announcements for the CELT community.

Promoting Healthy Community, Ideas from Student Counseling ­Director Christopher Hanes (Teaching Tip)

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As a Cyclone community, we are facing an unprecedented challenge. We have been impacted on a personal, local, national, and global level by the COVID-19 pandemic and recent and continued acts of racial and xenophobic violence. These stressors and events have impacted us all in unpredictable and significant ways. Our daily lives’ rhythm and routines that help ground us and often support our wellness continue to be disrupted. Identifying new coping strategies and wellness strategies can serve as an effective way to navigate these ongoing challenges. As members of our Cyclone community, we work to create a space for growth, learning, and wellness as we pursue our academic mission. The following tips offer how to help promote a healthy community for you, your students, and together as Cyclones.

  1. Promote Awareness: Identify signs of distress and know steps you can take to support yourself. Identify resources on campus and in the community that is available to help you when needed. You are not on an island in these situations. Many partners on campus are available to provide consultation, including Student Counseling Services, Office of Student Assistance, and others.
  2. Make a Statement: Whether in class or the community, acknowledge the stress of our current climate and crisis, normalize that its normal to struggle in times of crisis, and promote engagement and positive messaging around mental health support. We find that the best predictor of help-seeking is social norms and attitudes. By cultivating healthy discussions, you can help foster a culture of wellness and help-seeking.
  3. Set a routine:Check in with yourself regarding your needs at this time. How am I doing? Am I finding a balance? What are my needs regarding sleep, eating, and exercise? Create a workable schedule to achieve a balance and commit to it.
  4. Connect:  Find a connection in some form in your community. Establishing a connection and belongingness within a community is an essential predictor of success and wellness, especially on a college campus. Recognize that the community you find might be similar or different from what you expect. Be open to new ways of connecting with others.
  5. Set Limits: Set limits on exposure to news, social media, and other outlets. Stay informed with current issues but keep it within limits. Identify what is in your control about the current situation and let others go.
  6. Be Kind to Yourself: Identify ways to nourish your mind, body, and spirit. Engage in meaningful and values-based activities to refuel yourself. Accept your thoughts and feelings, and embrace your struggles with kindness and self-compassion.
  7. Promote Efficacy: Identify ways that you can accomplish tasks or meaningful goals in your daily lives. Personal and community based initiatives are powerful.

Best,

Christopher Hanes, Director

Student Counseling Services

Iowa State University | Student Health and Wellness

Webinar, Supporting student mental health and well-being

Oct. 1 (1:10-2 p.m., view via Webex)

Join this interactive webinar as we discuss the increasing complexity of student mental health and well-being needs on college campuses. We will explore current data and student needs. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect upon challenges they’ve experienced in their setting. Finally, we will share both strategic and operational tactics that we all can use.

Facilitated by Erin Baldwin, Assistant Vice President, Student Health and Wellness, and Chris Hanes, Director, Student Counseling Services

Erin Baldwin
Christopher Hanes

Full Teaching Tip

View the published CELT Teaching Tip: Promoting Healthy Community, Ideas from Student Counseling ­Director Christopher Hanes (September 24, 2020 – Constant Contact) page.

Prefer a Print version?

To view the Teaching Tip as a printable document with web addresses, download the CELT Teaching Tip for September  24, 2020 (PDF).

Fit learning into your busy schedule with online Canvas training

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Whether you are brand new to Canvas or a seasoned veteran, there are training offerings that meet your learning style (demonstration sessions, interactive sessions, and discussion sessions). The offerings are divided into unique series on the Canvas Training website including:

  • Welcome to Canvas Series: This series starts at the beginning and shows users how to login and navigate the global and course interfaces.
  • Building Blocks Series (e.g., Home Pages, Assignments, Course Communications, Course Design, Leveraging Modules, Quiz Basics, Managing Quizzes, Gradebook and Speedgrader, Course Settings and Sharing, etc.)
  • Classroom Application Series: Come prepared to learn more about how you can use Canvas in your everyday life as an instructor. Specific use cases, cool ideas, and classroom analytics will be just a few of the topics we will explore (e.g., Data for Teachers, Outcomes and Rubrics, etc.)
  • Showcase Series: This series will take instructors on exciting tours of new and more advances Canvas features.
  • Self-Paced Series: Asynchronous training resources are a thoughtful collection of user created items which anyone can access for self-paced training (e.g., Accessibility, MasteryPaths, Exploring Canvas Commons, etc.)

Interested in online Canvas Training (demonstration sessions, interactive sessions or discussion sessions)? visit CELT’s Online Training webpage.

 

Canvas is Available!

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Canvas is available to all of Iowa State today. Blackboard is still available for faculty to use during fall semester 2017, and almost all courses that use a learning management system (LMS) will be taught in Blackboard. However, now is the time to learn Canvas in preparation for all courses being taught in the new LMS this spring semester 2018.

Begin to learn Canvas using the MyCanvas Teacher at ISU website. This is a 24/7 publicly available course.

How-to Log into Canvas

To log into Canvas click the “Sign Ons” link found in the upper right-hand corner (above the search box) of Iowa State’s home page. Then, use the drop down menu and go to “More Sign Ons” to select the Canvas button.

What you will see in Canvas

Once you are logged into Canvas, you will see your dashboard displaying course cards for your current courses; as well as, a “Start Here” course for MyCanvas Teacher at ISU.

If you do not see the MyCanvas Teacher at ISU course (“Start Here”), follow the steps found in Canvas’s How do I view my institution’s Public Course Index as an instructor? website and click the “+Join this course” icon to self-enroll.

If you choose to not log into MyCanvas Teacher at ISU today, you still will have access to the resources at anytime.

We are no longer accepting Early Adopters for Fall 2017.

Canvas Support:

All 24/7 support options may be found by clicking the “Help” button found on the left-hand navigation bar in Canvas. Canvas offers 24/7 support via the following channels:

  • Canvas Support Line (Call 515-294-4000 then press 2, press 1)
  • Live Chat with Canvas Support
  • A web-based Report a Problem Form

You’re invited: Demos for next learning management system (Inside Iowa State)

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By Anne Krapfl
April 13, 2017

Education technology companies Instructure and Desire2Learn (D2L) have been selected to give on-campus presentations for Iowa State’s next learning management system (LMS) for would-be users. The visits are scheduled for next week. They include demonstrations by the vendors and shorter, scenario-based overviews presented by university staff. Registration is not needed for any of the sessions.

A review of Iowa State’s LMS, co-led by the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching and information technology, has been ongoing since October. The Instructure and D2L proposals were among three received in response to a March request for proposals.

Vendor demonstrations, 206 Durham Center

At least 45 minutes of each session will be devoted to questions from participants.

Instructure’s Canvas

  • April 17, 8-10 a.m., for instructional designers
  • April 17, 10 a.m.-noon, for faculty and students

Desire2Learn’s Brightspace

  • April 18, 8-10 a.m., for instructional designers
  • April 18, 10 a.m.-noon, for faculty and students

Product overviews

CELT and IT staff will present a scenario-based, 50-minute overview of the two LMS products. This session is for faculty, staff and students, and will be presented seven times in four locations:

April 19, 3558 Memorial Union

  • 10-11 a.m.
  • 11 a.m.-noon

April 19, 198 Parks Library

  • 2-3 p.m.
  • 3-4 p.m.

April 20, 198 Parks Library

  • 8:45-9:45 a.m.
  • 9:45-10:45 a.m.

April 20, 2403-04 Vet Med

  • Noon-1 p.m.

Re-posted from Inside Iowa State (2017, April 13)

Are you ready to teach your course in Canvas this Fall?

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Create your course shells and make sure that your students have access to what they need in Canvas by working through the Start of Semester Checklist web guide.
Would you like to continue to work on your course after the semester starts? CELT is holding workshops throughout the semester to help you build or grow your course. Read workshop descriptions on the CELT Upcoming Events website and register via the Learn@ISU website
Finally, for questions or troubleshooting, use the ?Help option in the global navigation (far left of your screen) in Canvas.

Building & Managing Your Course in Canvas Workshop Series

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CELT will offer two Canvas workshop series in alternating weeks through fall semester, and participants can mix and match to best meet their needs. Each two-hour workshop includes mini-demonstrations and opportunities to work on course(s). Participants should bring their laptops and instructional materials (files, images, media, links etc.). Course descriptions are online; register via Learn@ISU.

Build Your Canvas Course Series:

  • Course Design Basics, July 31 (10 a.m.-12 p.m.), Sept. 4 (10 a.m.-12 p.m.), or Sept. 17 (3-5 p.m.)
  • Assignments and Quizzes, Aug. 1 (1-3 p.m.), Sept. 5 (10 a.m.-12 p.m.), or Sept. 19 (9-11 a.m.)
  • Grading and Student Data in Canvas, Aug. 2 (1-3 p.m.), Sept. 7 (10 a.m.-12 p.m.), or Sept. 20 (1-3 p.m.)

Manage Your Canvas Course Series:

  • Group Work and Collaboration, Aug. 6 (1-3 p.m.), Sept. 11 (10 a.m.-12 p.m.), or Sept. 25 (3-5 p.m.)
  • Rubrics and Outcomes, Aug. 8 (1-3 p.m.), Sept. 12 (10 a.m.-12 p.m.), or Sept. 26 (2-4 p.m.)
  • Personalized Learning and Mastery Paths, Aug. 9 (1-3 p.m.), Sept. 13 (10 a.m.-12 p.m.), and Sept. 27 (10 a.m.-12 p.m.)

Need help figuring out grading in Canvas?

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Come to Open Labs in the Library’s Rotunda area (near 281 Parks Library). Walk-in are welcome on Tue, Wed and Fri from 8:00 am to 10:00 am and from 1:00 om to 4:00 pm. Our knowledgeable graduate students will walk you through calculating and submitting midterm grades in Canvas.

Additionally, individual appointments with CELT instructional specialists can be made via online scheduling on the MyCanvas Teacher at ISU website.

Arrange for course reserves ASAP (ISU Library)

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Plan ahead to work with Course Reserves to prepare required materials for your winter and spring courses, whether interested in articles & chapters, books, DVDs, or streaming video. Request your materials now via Canvas by following our Course Reserve guides to enable, request items, and use the module. For questions about reserve items, their copyright, or how to use them in Canvas, email Course Reserves at ereserve@iastate.edu.

Vendors selected for learning management system demonstrations (Inside Iowa State)

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By Rob Schweers, office of the senior vice president and provost
April 06, 2017

Education technology companies Canvas and Desire2Learn (D2L) have been selected to give on-campus presentations for Iowa State’s next learning management system (LMS).

A review of Iowa State’s LMS, co-led by CELT and IT, has been ongoing since October. The Canvas and D2L proposals were among three received in response to a March request for proposals.

The proposals were reviewed by staff in the Center of Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT), information technology and procurement. Finalists were selected using a comprehensive rubric developed from input given to the LMS review committee from students, faculty and staff.

“We are extremely pleased with the progress the LMS review committee has made to date, and we appreciate the thoughtful input we have received from campus stakeholders,” said CELT director Ann Marie VanDerZanden. “I am confident this process will result in a new system that best meets the needs of students, faculty and staff.”

Next steps

CELT and IT developed a comprehensive product evaluation process that includes product overviews and on-campus vendor presentations. In the coming weeks, these events will provide faculty, staff and students another opportunity to provide input on the future of Iowa State’s LMS and to compare the two.

Look for announcements on the CELT website and in this publication for dates, times and locations of the product demonstrations and vendor presentations. More information on the LMS review background, process and timeline is online.

Re-posted from Inside Iowa State (2017, April 6)

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