Instructional Media Lab

Meet the 2023-2024 IDEAS Instructional Innovation Fellows

2023-2024 IIF Fellows

The Instructional Design, Engagement and Support (IDEAS) team is thrilled to introduce the new group of 12 fellows for the 2023-2024 Instructional Innovation Fellowship (IIF). These fellows are all about innovation in teaching with technology, and we’re excited to kick off this journey with them. Our 12 fellows come from across UMass. They’ll meet monthly…

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Engagement in Online Learning: Is It A “One-size-fits-all” Approach?

Online engagement

Student engagement is among the most discussed topics in online learning. Many instructors encounter difficulties in creating meaningful interactions and fostering active participation in virtual environments where physical presence is absent. So, how to engage students online? Why Engaging Students Online Matters Like traditional in-person learning, online education demands active participation and involvement of students…

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August 2023 Moodle News

Moodle cow with glasses on the beach

This month’s Moodle news include Requesting Moodle and Echo360 courses, Moodle Tip of the Month, Moodle updates and downtimes, and Moodle Help and Resources. 

August 2023 Blackboard News

Cow bust with eyeglasses and a computer on top of desktop on the background.

This month’s Blackboard news include Requesting Blackboard and Echo360 courses, Blackboardd Tip of the Month, Blackboard updates and downtimes, and Blackboardd Help and Resources. 

August 2023 Canvas News

brown cow face to the right side of the image, with a green lad of background, blue sky and sunny day.

This month’s Blackboard news include Requesting Blackboard and Echo360 courses, Blackboardd Tip of the Month, Blackboard updates and downtimes, and Blackboardd Help and Resources. 

What Skills Do I Need to Teach Online Successfully?

Instructors often assume that teaching online is equivalent to teaching in-person; however, research has demonstrated that online teaching requires a distinct set of skills (Baran et al., 2011). The failure to effectively teach online frequently stems from instructors employing the same teaching practices as in-person instruction (Kreber and Kanuka, 2006), even though online teaching represents…

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Reflecting on an Inspiring Journey: Inaugural Instructional Innovation Fellowship First Year Concludes

Starting the Fall of 2022, the IDEAS team had the privilege of facilitating knowledge exchange meetings for an exceptional group of innovative teachers at UMass. We wrapped up the first year of the Instructional Innovation Fellowship at the end of May in Spring 2023. Throughout the 2022-2023 IIF fellowship year, the ten fellows shared a…

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July 2023 Blackboard News

moodle cow with flower crown in a field of wildflowers

This month’s Blackboard news include Requesting Blackboard and Echo360 courses, Blackboardd Tip of the Month, Blackboard updates and downtimes, and Blackboardd Help and Resources. 

July 2023 Moodle News

caw bust behind grapes between tree leaves

This month’s Moodle news include Requesting Moodle and Echo360 courses, Moodle Tip of the Month, Moodle updates and downtimes, and Moodle Help and Resources. 

From Analog to Digital: The Many Ways to Engage Students in Classrooms

In our seventh meeting of the Instructional Innovation Fellowship (IIF) on a bright and sunny Wednesday morning on April 26, three fellows presented their innovative tech tools and teaching ideas. Li Hou presented on using Kahoot and Quizlet for language learning, Brokk Toggerson demonstrated the use of analog tools in teaching, and Susan Boyer shared…

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June 2023 Blackboard News

Moodle cow with glasses on the beach

This month’s Blackboard news include Requesting Blackboard and Echo360 courses, Blackboardd Tip of the Month, Blackboard updates and downtimes, and Blackboardd Help and Resources. 

June 2023 Moodle News

Aerial view: a point piece of island at the left surrounded by a tight beach and light blue water. Blue sky with white cloud in the background and in the front layer at the right, the bust of a caw with purple sunglasses and a straw-hat.

This month’s Moodle news include Requesting Moodle and Echo360 courses, Moodle Tip of the Month, Moodle updates and downtimes, and Moodle Help and Resources.