Monthly Archives: May 2018

Present at the 2018 ADEIL Conference

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Madison, WI will be hosting the annual conference of the Association for Distance Education and Independent Learning (ADEIL) October 24-26, 2018. Do you have material you’d like to present? Potential topics to share your expertise include student outreach, revisions, aligning course objectives and assignments, accessibility/ADA compliance, game based learning, emerging research, creating online learning communities, etc.

Submit your proposal by July 31, midnight (Central Time) at:
https://continuingstudies.wisc.edu/conferences/adeil-call-for-proposals/

Facilitator Orientation: d2l to Canvas

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A reminder of some important news: as UW-Madison transitions digital learning environments, the Independent Learning Facilitator Orientation is scheduled to move from d2l to Canvas on June 1, 2018 (a week from Friday). If you’d like to complete the course in d2l, please submit your materials by noon on May 31st to ensure that we have access to grade them.

Please note: the transition from d2l to Canvas for courses that you teach will be happening at a later time. We had a chance to talk a little about that transition at the Faculty Symposium, and more information will be sent in the near future.

Faculty Symposium May 23-24

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The UW Collaborative Online Programs Annual Faculty Symposium takes place this Wednesday and Thursday, with some time on Thursday afternoon to connect as a DCS IL group. It should be a great opportunity to collaborate, network, and learn with colleagues. Presented topics include assessment creation and evaluation, course discussions, group projects, and media in course design. We hope to see you there!

The event takes place at the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon Street in Madison. As 100 faculty from around the state are attending, please allow for extra time when parking.

Directions to the Pyle Center and Lowell Center:
http://conferencing.uwex.edu/about/directions/

Parking for those staying at the Lowell Center:
Please stop at the Lowell Center when you arrive to pick up your parking permit. There is a circle drive on the side of the building on Frances Street, where you may leave your vehicle while you get your permit. Depending on availability you may have onsite parking (this is very limited) or complimentary parking a few blocks away. You may leave your luggage at the Lowell Center or in your vehicle. If your room is ready you may check in early, however, this is not guaranteed. For further inquiries about parking contact the Lowell Center front desk: 608-256-262.

Parking for those not staying overnight:
If you are not staying overnight there is a city parking garage at 415 N. Lake Street a few blocks from the Pyle Center.
https://www.cityofmadison.com/parking-utility/garages-lots/state-street-campus-garage

IL Update: Course Completion Time

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Last month, an Independent Learning program change went into effect for students’ time to complete a course. If a student enrolled on or after April 10, they have six months to complete the course (with the ability to purchase two three-month extensions). For students who enrolled before April 10, they have twelve months to complete the course (with the ability to purchase two three-month extensions). Please note: the student’s home campus, school or employer may require a quicker timeline.

From IL Program Manager Liz Bush: “A review of the student data from 2012 to today revealed that the average IL student takes 6 months after starting to complete their course – with a recent trend towards even shorter time periods. The changes outlined above, along with adjustments to some of our fees and tuition refund schedule, are intended to better serve our students and position our program competitively and in alignment with UW System policies.”

If students have any questions about these changes, you can direct them to the IL website https://il.wisconsin.edu or the Student Services Team (il@nulluwex.edu).

LRMS will continue to keep track of students’ Expected Completion Date, so regardless of how much time a student has left to complete the course, Instructors can easily see that information. A good practice reminder: it can be helpful to check in with students as their Expected Completion Date approaches.

Good Practice Reminder: LRMS Lesson Average

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When entering a student’s final grade in LRMS, you are required to enter a Lesson Average along with a Final Grade. How do these differ?

The Lesson Average is the numerical equivalent, or a percentage, of the calculated final grade. This includes lessons, exams, and any other assessed work. In d2l, when entering grades, there’s a column for Final Calculated Grade. Click on the student’s grade, and on the next page, click on the calculator icon. This will automatically calculate a percentage of the student’s final grade. Enter this number as the Lesson Average. If you have adjusted that number using the Final Adjusted Grade, enter the Final Adjusted Grade as the Lesson Average.

For the Final Grade, enter the letter grade (A, AB, B, etc.) associated with the Final Calculated/Adjusted Grade.

Thanks for your help with entering consistent information in LRMS!