So for most of my trips to the big Blackboard Conference I would “seat-of-the-pants” my session scheduling. Essentially this means I wait until I get the guide in my hands and go from there. When I started attending Blackboard Conference’s back in 2000-2001 (Washington DC was my first one) this really wasn’t that big of a deal.  The number of presenters were low and the number of attendees was manageable for my “last-minute” scheduling routine.  This year I decided to use the My Planner app on the Blackboard World Website and plan out my sessions in advance.  Admittedly, I may still change my mind and pick different sessions when July 10th gets here, but this does help me get a head start.  With hundreds of sessions to choose from the planner really helps me put it together.   As the Assistant Director of Training & Development for SHSU Online, it is my responsibility to ensure our faculty feel comfortable in the new environment so you can see from my sessions, exactly that! I’ll try to include a little blurb on why I’m attending each session.

Jacob’s BbW12 sessions: (at least the ones he’s planning on attending today)

Monday July 9

Preconference Workshop:

Content Management Boot Camp
Pre-Conference
Monday, 7/9/2012
9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

This one won’t be rescheduled as it is paid for.  We will be adopting content management and I think that this session will be vitally important for understanding how content Management works. I am really itching to see how it is all put together and how we might help our colleges, departments and programs leverage this tool to ensure that curriculum is aligned, share research, publish student portfolios and more.

Tuesday July 10

Engagement, Persistence and Retention: How is the University of Southern Mississippi using ConnectYard to Successfully Enhance these Key Factors
Tuesday, 7/10/2012
2:05 PM – 3:00 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – Room 277

I am interested in seeing how other schools are leveraging the social media connections within the LMS.  Our focus groups on this topic have been mixed in terms of what’s important for the student, so I’d really like to see what they have to offer in practice.

T-BUG (Texas Blackboard User Group)
Tuesday, 7/10/2012
3:10 PM – 4:05 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – Room 294

Want to mix it up with my fellow Texas Blackboard users! I’m hopeful that we can break some kind of “attendees from the Lone Star State” record!

Innovation in Higher Education: Leadership and the Role of Technology
Tuesday, 7/10/2012
4:15 PM – 5:30 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – New Orleans Theater

Keynote:  Freeman will tell us about Analytics and data driven decision making.  I like to think of it as Neo and the Matrix. This is obviously a topic du jour or was it du semaine or du mois (speak french to me Tish).

Best Practices for Developing an Effective Online Training Course for Faculty: Lessons Learned
Tuesday, 7/10/2012
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – Exhibit Hall (Hall J)

Having just done this here for our certification process I’d really like to see what others are doing successfully. We have a large contingent of adjunct faculty who’s everyday jobs and physical location make it difficult for them to attend f2f sessions.

Wednesday July 11

Blackboard Corporate Keynote
Wednesday, 7/11/2012
8:20 AM – 9:35 AM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – New Orleans Theater

I give you the 15 (crash)….10, 10 commandments.  The roadmap for the future.  I always like this session!

100% Online Faculty Training
Wednesday, 7/11/2012
10:20 AM – 10:45 AM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – Room 260

This will be a reoccurring theme for me!  

Rock on, SLATE! An Up Close Look at How a Blackboard User Group has Impacted Teaching, Learning & the Support of Technology in the Midwest
Wednesday, 7/11/2012
10:55 AM – 11:50 AM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – Room 392

I love that they are doing this.  I want to see if any methods can be applied by our local user group and how T-bug might benefit.

Foreign Languages in Blackboard Collaborate
Wednesday, 7/11/2012
12:00 PM – 12:25 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – Room 267

Our Foreign languages group are always looking for ways to leverage technology to help them teach online.  I thought that anything I could bring back could be helpful.

Creating Self-Sufficient Online Learners Through the Use of Online Orientations
Wednesday, 7/11/2012
2:55 PM – 3:50 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – Room 276

Blackboard has grown to be this really powerful set of tools.  Anyway that I can help our students see through the LMS to the course content is a good thing!

HuMBUG – Without the BAH! – How a Large Metropolitan Area Works Together to Improve the Blackboard Experience for their Students
Wednesday, 7/11/2012
3:50 PM – 4:20 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – Digital Content and Upgrade Center

We fall geographically in this region and I’m excited to join-up and see what it is all about.

Pedagogy First, Training and Course Design to Follow at Montclair State University
Wednesday, 7/11/2012
5:15 PM – 5:40 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – Room 392

The advice every faculty member wishes their technology people would take to heart! It is not about the medium, it is about the Method!

Thursday July 12

iPad-emonium: A Panel’s Perspective on iPad Initiatives in Higher Education
Thursday, 7/12/2012
10:15 AM – 11:10 AM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – Room 281

What’s an iPad?  LOL This looks like a good session for many different reasons.  Multiple perspectives on a hot topic!

Rethinking Education
Thursday, 7/12/2012
11:20 AM – 12:20 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – New Orleans Theater

Sal Khan doing the keynote thing.  This is a must see!

Documentation Tips and Tools, Brought by the World’s Foremost Expert in the Field: YOU!
Thursday, 7/12/2012
1:45 PM – 2:40 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – Room 270

As the author of most of our documentation, this session should be great!  Trying to cover every base or eventuality can be a nightmare.

Beyond the Bells and Whistles – Exemplary Courses and Best Practices
Thursday, 7/12/2012
2:50 PM – 3:45 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – Room 273

Learning about the Exemplary Course Program rubric can help me equip our professors to present their own exemplary courses!

Turning the Whale: Training for Transformation
Thursday, 7/12/2012
3:45 PM – 4:15 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – Digital Content and Upgrade Center

The title on this one alone makes it worth going. I’m really interested in two of their bullet points:
  • Encourage more sophisticated usage of Bb Learn
  • Create space for conversations about teaching and learning

Client Appreciation Party!

Nuff Said!
 
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