CTI Tech Express

In this workshop we will discuss on Simulation Games can engage students in course concepts and overcome mental blocks like fear of math. The workshop will begin by showing participants a complex simulation game and show how the complex decision-making forces students to analyze a lot of numeric data. The workshop will then discuss the practical realities of using these types of game simulations in a course. The workshop is based on experiences with teaching seniors in the capstone course of the business administration major during a complex, multi-week game simulation. Students discover how to connect the concepts and courses they learned in their major, but even more surprisingly, many students overcome their mental block about numbers and learn to “read” numeric data with fluency.


How might we reconnect to our body and senses to optimize and motivate engaged learning environments? What are the qualities of an aesthetic educator and the classroom strategies they use? Come experience mindful, sensory activities while playing in a supportive environment that may move you beyond comfortable norms towards new insights and teaching horizons.


If you are teaching a hybrid or fully online course you want to avoid the syndrome of text-heavy online design. Canvas gives you several options for including audio feedback and comments in discussion boards, assignments and announcements. All you need is a computer or tablet with a microphone. Learn how audio feedback can be used to engage and motivate students online. Participants should have a Canvas account, be familiar with discussion boards, pages and assignments in Canvas. 


One challenge when planning a hybrid course is deciding what should be in the face-to-face times versus the online components. This workshop will examine recent research and basic principles in planning a hybrid class as well as provide some hands-on experience. Assignment examples and learning activities will be provided. Please bring a course you are working on to share with the class and problem solve around. Participants should have a basic understanding of Canvas (pages, modules, discussions & assignments).


Learn how to make banners, badges, buttons and beautiful page designs in Canvas. Students respond positively to online materials that are well designed and look nice. Learn some quick techniques to make your course stand apart from all the others. This workshop will focus on PAGES in Canvas. Participants should have a basic understanding of pages and modules in Canvas and be able to perform basic editing in each area



Would you like to make grading quicker and more effective? By using the Canvas rubric builder and Speedgrader functionality, you can deliver timely straightforward grades which will increase your productivity and student communication/connection. As if that is not enough, add on the extra bonus of asynchronous grading of in-class presentations, and you are on your way to even more hours of extra time in your day.



Livescribe pens record audio while you take notes and sync the audio to each line of writing. You can then export the file to a PDF that plays the audio back as you click on sections of the PDF. The CTI has Livescribe pens and notebooks for your use. Learn how you can use these to assist all your students. Great for group work, lecture capture and more.

Discover the intrigue and research behind the trend towards hybrid (blended) and flipped class design. These methods have proven to be highly successful in terms of both learning outcomes and satisfaction ratings for both at-risk students and dubious faculty. Hybrid classes are more popular and produce better learning outcomes than either fully face-to-face or fully online courses and are growing in popularity at SSU. Flipped courses implement essentially the same course design techniques as hybrid courses, but keep all the in-class time. In this 3 hour session you will hear some of the evidence, learn essential design techniques and will start to outline your own hybrid or flipped class. Some time will be devoted to lecture capture- a common element of both flipped and hybrid classes.

Prezi is a web based tool that allows users to create amazing and dramatic presentations with motion and structure. At this workshop, you will learn how to create a slideless, nonlinear, spatial way of illustrating an interactive presentation that will keep your audience engaged!

Sick of text conversations online? Voicethread lets you discuss video, images, text or just share information online using audio, video and/or text. You can host discussions, create online presentations, or even make a digital story. Participants will learn to use Voicethread, get a professional account through SSU, and experience exemplary classroom implementation.

Turnitin, the leading plagiarism detection tool in higher education is available to SSU faculty and students through Canvas. Turnitin uses data mining of stored student papers and online journals to detect matching text and create an “originality” report. In this workshop we will explore how to use the tool from a technical standpoint, discuss the ethics of using Turnitin, and how the tool can help or hinder student success in writing. Participants will be asked to submit one of their own papers to demonstrate how “originality” varies significantly among the disciplines.

Learn how to quickly check student engagement and understanding and provide them feedback in 5-10 minutes. These techniques can be used in class, as part of homework or online in Canvas. Often called Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATS) these exercises help students learn how to learn, apply course information to their lives, and help the teacher gauge class understanding.

Avoid bad apps that sound great, but can cause more problems than solutions. Rocky Shwedel will present several different apps that can enhance collaboration and learning. For example, a Google Doc App that edits the live Google Doc rather than a downloaded version. Now multiple people can access the same doc in class on their iPhones, iPads and laptops. Use AudioNote to take written notes then click on an item and listen to the portion of the recording that was made at the same time! Available on Windows, Mac, iOS and Android? Check out AudioNote. Flashcardlet and other awesome apps to be explored.

Have you ever wanted to write over your Powerpoint or Keynote slides to emphasize a point, make a correction on the fly, or just break up the routine? Have you wanted to use a Smartboard but you can’t seem to be assigned a classroom that has one? Doceri is an iPad application that is a remote control for your laptop. Once your laptop (Windows or Mac) is connected to the classroom projector, you can walk around the room with your iPad advancing slides, annotating slides to make them more interactive, break from the presentation to a website, play an movie – all from your iPad. It controls the laptop through a WiFi connection using our existing university WiFi network. You can also use Doceri to diagram on the projected screen just like a Smartboard. You can draw and write on any projected image, website, map, digital picture, or on one of several backgrounds supplied by the software.Your drawings can be saved for future use. And with a screen capture software, the entire presentation can be recorded (without the need for a webcam) and posted for students to view later.