DE Workshops

Learn about online pedagogical practices and new tools you can use to improve your course(s) instruction. If you miss a workshop, look for a recording in the ​DEFT Video Library, which has recordings of our past workshops, or you can make an appointment​ to learn about these topics with our Course Developers and Accessible Technology & Media Coordinator.​​​​​​​​

 

District DE Spring '25 Workshops​ 

• Title: Learn It! VoiceThread Engagement Tool (Registration Link)
  • Day: Friday, May 2nd
  • Time: 2-3 pm PDT
  • Description: Creating regular substantive interactions (RSI) with students can be challenging. Many discussion-board-based courses leave students isolated, but VoiceThread bridges the gap by fostering real human connections through asynchronous audio, video, and multimedia discussions. Join District DE and a VoiceThread trainer to learn how to use VoiceThread to establish a strong instructor presence, facilitate meaningful interactions, and enhance student engagement. We’ll cover all the essential features, demonstrate VoiceThread’s integration in Canvas, showcase real course examples, and have an open Q&A throughout the session.

• Title: Plagiarism & AI Review with Turnitin in Canvas Assignments (Registration Link)
  • Day: Friday, May 9th
  • Time: 2-3 pm PDT
  • Description: Join District DE and Turnitin Trainers to learn how to use the built-in Turnitin Plagiarism Checker and AI Indicator in a nuanced and thoughtful fashion for all your courses. During the session, we will do the following:
    • Touch base on the current state of Plagiarism and AI in higher education
    • Demo how the Turnitin Plagiarism Checker and AI Indicator work in Canvas Assignments
    • Explore the scope and limitations of the Turnitin Plagiarism Checker and AI Indicator

• Title: Learn It!: Introduction to AI Prompt Writing (Registration Link)
  • Day: Friday, May 16th
  • Time: 2-3 pm PDT
  • Description: Join District DE and Dr. Danielle Mirliss for an engaging, hands-on workshop introducing faculty to writing clear and effective prompts for AI tools. Perfect for beginners or those looking to expand their prompting skills, this session will guide you through simple strategies to craft questions and instructions that generate relevant, useful results from AI. You’ll also learn how to refine and adjust prompts to improve outcomes, giving you the confidence to use AI effectively in your teaching, research, and productivity.
  • Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate

• Title: Learn It!: Deep Dive into ChatGPT (Registration Link)
  • Day: Friday, May 23rd
  • Time: 2-3 pm PDT
  • Description: Curious about how ChatGPT can support your teaching, research, and daily tasks? Join District DE and Dr. Danielle Mirliss for this beginner-friendly workshop to help faculty understand and use ChatGPT effectively. We’ll introduce common terms related to generative AI, so you can feel confident navigating this technology. Next, we’ll walk you through ChatGPT step by step, exploring its features and how it works. You’ll also learn what ChatGPT does well compared to other tools and how it can be applied to your needs. Finally, we’ll compare ChatGPT's free and paid versions, helping you decide which option is the best fit for your work. Whether you’re new to AI or just looking to explore its potential, this workshop will give you the tools to get started confidently.
  • Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate

 

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Vendor Workshops & Ongoing Training Sessions

• DesignPLUS & TidyUP offer ongoing training. Check out CidiLabs training calendar for registration links for the following training workshops:
  • DesignPLUS Sidebar Training -- In this 90-minute training, CidiLabs will introduce the new DesignPLUS Sidebar, demonstrate how to create basic and home pages, transform some existing Canvas content, demonstrate our Sidebar’s accessibility checkers, and provide resources that will help you along the way! BONUS: Have a specific question about DesignPLUS’ new Sidebar? Register to attend one of the Q&A sessions below.
  • TidyUP Training -- Join CidiLabs for a 45-minute training session to learn how to use TidyUP to clean up your course clutter!
• VoiceThread offers workshops to support new users. You can also watch previous workshops on a variety of topics such as Flipped Classroom, Assessment, Game-based Learning, and more.
  • Register for current & review previous VoiceThread workshops.
  • Note: The times listed are (usually) EST time zone.
• LockDown Browser & Respondus Monitor offers comprehensive training workshops intended for instructors who plan to use LockDown Browser and/or Respondus Monitor with online exams. The session repeats multiple times per week and provides a detailed demonstration of both applications, including enhancements that make Respondus​ Monitor more effective and easy to use. 
• Turnitin & Gradescope workshops can help users to understand how to use our products to achieve educational goals. Whether you use our Integrity products or Gradescope, there is a workshop that can provide insights and guidance for best usage and practices.
• TextExpander you’re losing precious hours every day typing the same things, copying and pasting from shared docs, and coordinating accurate and compliant messaging with your team. Check out our introduction videos, in-depth TextExpander webinars, and best practices!
• Snagit join us for free webinars and we’ll teach you Snagit and best practices for creating better visual content.
• Camtasia join us for free webinars and we’ll teach you Camtasia and best practices for creating better visual content.