Dear Colleagues,

Everyone is welcome to attend the Google Docs workshop on Wednesday. If you can't come, but want to learn about Google Docs, let me know. I am excited about the article from Faculty Focus on engaging students. Please read it and check it out. Lastly, I share a great video on checking a website for accessibility. There is always lots to learn! Pick one of these and dive in.

Google Docs workshop

I will host a workshop on Google Docs on Wed. Feb. 8 from noon to 1 pm in UC 145. This is a computer lab – so you can use a computer there or bring your own. We will cover creating, editing, and sharing Google Docs, as well as converting Google Docs to and from Word, and using the revision history. I will also discuss Google Drive and why I depend on it for all my files.

See the Google Learning Center for more information on Google Docs and other Google applications.

Helping students track their progress

Faculty Focus provides an excellent idea for engaging students in their success in a course:

…enable them to assess their own performance and set goals as well as to ask questions of and provide feedback to the instructor. Instructors can give students this reflective opportunity through an online journal assignment.

Author Christina Moore suggests implementing this activity about 1/3 way into the semester. Students have an idea of the demands of the course and they have plenty of time to do the work necessary to achieve their grade. It's easy to implement this assignment in Blackboard with the assignment tool or the journal tool. Let me know if you give this a try and how it works.

Checking a website for accessibility

I just completed an online course in accessibility. I learned more about making websites accessible. I already know about using alt tags for images, making sure there is adequate contrast between text and background colors. I avoid flashing gifs and now I know that they are not accessible. This video provides a good overview. You may need to watch it a few times.

Thank you,

Lee

Lee Maria Henrikson

Instructional Designer

907-786-4903

http://ak-lee.blogspot.com

UAA Community and Technical College

Building Alaska's Workforce

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

CTC Ed Tech News Jan. 31, 2017

I continue a discussion of Accessibility this week with an explanation of alt tags. Learn more about Google Docs and the Google Suite, and customize your Blackboard landing page.

Accessible Images

One relatively easy step to take to make your files and Blackboard pages accessible is to provide "alt tags" (also called alt text) for images. An alt tag provides a verbal description of the image so that students with low or no vision can get the information.

Guidelines for alt tags:

The text should describe the image if the image contains information
The text should explain where the link goes if the image is a link
Use alt="" (null tag) if the image is only for decoration

Adding Alt Text to Word files (video)

Adding Alt Text in Blackboard (tutorial)

Google Docs

I will host a workshop on Google Docs on Wed. Feb. 8 from noon to 1 om in UC 145. This is a computer lab – so you can use a computer there or bring your own. We will cover creating, editing, and sharing Google Docs, as well as converting GDocs to and from Word, and using the revision history. I will also discuss Google Drive and why I depend on it for all my files.

See the Google Learning Center for more information on Google Docs and other Google applications.

Customize the Blackboard landing page

I recommend customizing the My Courses pane on the Blackboard landing page. Particularly with the new course names, taking a moment to organize your courses will make life easier for you.

Emergency closure info

UAAlerts sends text messages, emails and phone calls to students and employees if there is a weather closure or other emergencies. Make sure your information in UAOnline is up-to-date to receive these messages. Remind your students to keep their information current as well. Weather closures are also posted:

UAA website (uaa.alaska.edu)
UAA social media (Facebook and Twitter)
UAA phone hotline (786-1800)
Anchorage news outlets (KTUU, KTVA, Alaska Dispatch, Alaska Public Radio Network, etc.)