Center for Online Learning Workshops

Our workshops are designed for faculty who want to learn technology tools in the context of how they can be used in college classrooms, using examples of how they have been used by Hunter colleagues. We update them each semester as technology tools and instructors’ needs change. Workshops are listed below by date offered. You can also view them grouped on our Workshop Categories page.

Please use the registration links to let us know that you will be joining us. We change registration links to links to resources or recordings after the date of the workshops.

Upcoming Workshops

Date & Time	Workshop	Links
Fri. 09/22/2023 11:00 - 12:00 AM	Course Flipping with SOFLA®️ - The Synchronous Online Flipped Learning Approach In this workshop, Prof. Kazuko Saito will how to flip a college course using SOFLA®, a method that guides the implementation of the Flipped Classroom. SOFLA®️ offers a template for learner-centered online instruction that allows flexibility within each step. It draws from flipped learning pedagogy principles and online education best practices, providing a robust framework for technology-based instruction, combining synchronous and asynchronous components. SOFLA®️’s eight steps are: Pre-work Sign-In Activity Whole Group Application Breakout Sessions Share Out Preview and Discovery Assignment Instruction Reflection	Slides
Wed. 10/11/2023 1:00 - 2:00 PM	Creative ways to use social annotation in your courses In this workshop, Hypothesis’ instructional designer Christie DeCarolis will lead participants in a discussion about various discussion protocols and active learning strategies that can help make social annotation more engaging and fun. Participants will come away from this session with a variety of ways to creatively use social annotation in their courses.	Register
Wed. 10/18/2023 1:00 - 2:00 PM	QR codes for QUICK student engagement Those square-shaped codes–you’ve used them for restaurant menus and plane tickets. You’ve seen them at bus stops and on event flyers. Shouldn’t you also use them for your college classes? To check who is in class? Maybe. To share materials with students? Yes! To engage students in active learning activities? Definitely! Join us at this interactive workshop to explore how QR codes can be used for in-person and online classes to check for understanding, encourage reflection and support collaboration. We will discuss when it is appropriate to use them and how to create or find them in frequently used tools such as Padlet and Mentimeter. Please have your smart phone’s camera ready to scan QR codes.	Register
Fri. 10/20/2023 1:00 - 2:00 PM	Hypothesis and Chat GPT: Leveraging Social Annotation in the Age of AI The emergence of cutting-edge technologies, like ChatGPT, has sparked a critical conversation throughout the education industry. In this workshop, Christie from Hypothesis will show you how to leverage social annotation to encourage authentic, process-oriented engagement with your course materials. She'll also share best practices for using social annotation with AI writing tools and demonstrate how to set up Hypothesis-enabled readings in Blackboard. Participants can expect to leave the webinar armed with concrete assignments to implement in your courses right away.	Register
Wed. 10/25/2023 1:00 - 2:00 PM	Padlet for resource collection & interactive activities What can Padlet NOT do? It is a versatile tool for collaborating and posting notes that include text, images, links, and videos. At Hunter, Padlet is widely used for ice-breaker activities, for sharing resources, and for collecting student work. In this workshop, we will review samples of successful and innovative activities designed by Hunter professors, and discuss appropriate formats and settings for different kinds of assignments.	Register

Date & Time	Workshop	Links
Wed. 08/02/2023 3:00 - 4:00 PM	Blackboard essentials for the beginning of the semester There is so much to do to get a Blackboard course site ready for a new semester! We will show you how to do all the following tasks in one (1!) hour: make the site course visible to students send an email post an announcement add the syllabus fill in the instructor information organize course materials in folders link to a webpage create a discussion forum For professors who prefer a slower page, we will show you where to find step-by-step instructions and video tutorials.	Blackboard Essentials
Mon. 08/07/2023 1:00 - 2:00 PM	Using Blackboard Ally to Create Accessible Course Materials This workshop introduces instructors to Ally, the new Blackboard tool to improve the accessibility of your online course content according to Universal Design for Learning principles. Participants will learn how to use Ally’s accessibility rating system and to make needed corrections to Blackboard content items, files, and videos, with an emphasis on alternative file formats and document conversion.	Bb Ally & accessibility resources
Wed. 08/16/2023 1:00 - 2:00 PM	Humanize Your Online Course with VoiceThread Creating engaging online courses is not easy. In many discussion-board based courses, students feel isolated and disconnected from their instructors and classmates. VoiceThread bridges the gaps in social presence typically found in online courses. In this workshop, educators will learn how to establish a social presence and connect with their students using VoiceThread to improve course satisfaction and student learning. This workshop will be led by VoiceThread’s instructional designer George Haines.	Recording
Mon. 08/21/2023 12:00-1:00 PM	Using Blackboard Ally to Create Accessible Course Materials This workshop introduces instructors to Ally, the new Blackboard tool to improve the accessibility of your online course content according to Universal Design for Learning principles. Participants will learn how to use Ally’s accessibility rating system and to make needed corrections to Blackboard content items, files, and videos, with an emphasis on alternative file formats and document conversion.	Bb Ally & accessibility resources
Tue. 08/22/2023 2:00 - 3:00 PM	Reusing your Blackboard Course Materials Course materials can be transferred from one course site to another in a variety of ways. Join this workshop to learn the differences between “course copy” and “export course/import package,” and when to use each method. Let us help you make appropriate choices on what to select when copying or exporting a course, and take the necessary steps to “clean up” the new course shell once content has been added to it.	Exporting Courses Blackboard Course Copy
Wed. 08/23/2023 12:00 - 12:30 PM	How to get students to read the syllabus? Annotate it! Asking your class to annotate the syllabus allows you to introduce students to social annotation in a low-stakes way. Even better, you’re providing them with an opportunity to engage with the syllabus, to share ideas and to ask questions about the course in a way that sets the tone for engagement throughout the term. In this workshop, we will review ideas and guidance for the collaborative syllabus annotation assignment. In addition to sharing pedagogical best practices for collaborative annotation, Christie from Hypothesis will demonstrate how Hypothesis can be used with course readings on Blackboard. Participants can expect to come away from this session with a clear idea about how they can start incorporating collaborative annotation into their courses to improve student success.	Slides
Thur. 08/24/23 1:00 - 2:00 PM	Breaking the ice: a guide to using Padlet for your course icebreakers What can Padlet NOT do? It is a versatile tool for collaborating and posting notes that include text, images, links, and videos. At Hunter, Padlet is widely used for ice-breaker activities, for sharing resources, and for collecting student work. In this workshop, we will discuss examples of icebreakers you can use during week zero of your course to introduce your students to each other and showcase appropriate formats and settings for different kinds of icebreakers.	Resources
Fri. 08/25/2023 1:00 - 2:00 PM	Grading and feedback for social annotation While there are multiple options for grading in Hypothesis, the importance of incentivizing participation cannot be overstated. To help spark interest in annotation, instructors need to provide clear guidelines that reward high-quality contributions. In this workshop, Christie from Hypothesis will present foundational components in creating either an analytic or holistic rubric for annotation, as well as establishing a framework for effective feedback. Social annotation lends the ideal format for assessing and promoting continuous learning, so join this session to gather ideas and tools to take your grading and feedback practices to the next level.	Slides Recording
Mon. 08/28/2023 1:00 - 2:00 PM	Preparing students for success: The orientation module An “orientation module,” informative materials paired with interactive activities, can set students up for success in a course where the mode of instruction might be unfamiliar. In this workshop, we will discuss what to include in an orientation module, and what tools can be used to create one. We will also share strategies professors can use to welcome students to a course, navigate the course site, learn tech tools, and build community.	Sample Orientation Module

Date & Time	Workshop	Links
Fri. 07/07/23 2:00-3:00 PM	Using Blackboard Ally to Create Accessible Course Materials This workshop introduces instructors to Ally, the new Blackboard tool to improve the accessibility of your online course content according to Universal Design for Learning principles. Participants will learn how to use Ally’s accessibility rating system and to make needed corrections to Blackboard content items, files, and videos, with an emphasis on alternative file formats and document conversion.	Bb Ally & accessibility resources
Wed. 07/12/23 3:00-4:00 PM	Tips and Tricks of Blackboard We have rolled into one workshop everything that made professors say “I wish I had known that!” and “This will save me a ton of time!” Join us to learn a slew of strategies to make your work in Blackboard more efficient and effective. You will learn how to add a picture, embed a video, use the student preview, make text look consistent, reorder items, connect with cloud storage, and more!	Bb Tips & Tricks Instructions
Mon. 07/24/2023 11:00 - 12:00 PM	New & Advanced features on Zoom This is an advanced workshop for professors who teach synchronous sessions online and want to enhance their students’ course experience. Participants will learn about new and advanced features on Zoom, including: Zoom avatars meeting templates screen share watermark threaded chat discussions Q&A in meetings feedback surveys Zoom whiteboards	Presentation

Date & Time	Workshop	Links
Thu. 06/08/2023 1:00 - 2:00 PM	VoiceThread and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Participants will learn how VoiceThread can help educators provide multiple means of engagement, representation, action and expression for their courses. Voicethread’s instructional designer, George Haines, will review how to use VoiceThread’s multi-modal communication platform, closed captioning features, alt-text, and VoiceThread Universal to design accessible lessons.	VT & Universal Design Recording
Fri. 06/09/2023 10:00 - 11:00 AM	QR codes for QUICK student engagement Those square-shaped codes–you’ve used them for restaurant menus and plane tickets. You’ve seen them at bus stops and on event flyers. Shouldn’t you also use them for your college classes? To check who is in class? Maybe. To share materials with students? Yes! To engage students in active learning activities? Definitely! Join us at this interactive workshop to explore how QR codes can be used for in-person and online classes to check for understanding, encourage reflection and support collaboration. We will discuss when it is appropriate to use them and how to create or find them in frequently used tools such as Padlet and Mentimeter. Please have your smart phone’s camera ready to scan QR codes.	QR Codes Slides
Wed. 06/14/2023 12:00 - 1:00 PM	The Basics of Creating Visuals on Canva In this workshop, you will learn the basics on how to create graphics and visuals for your courses on the online design tool Canva. Learn how to create an account, all about the design tools, how to use templates to get started and more.	All about Canva
Thurs. 06/15/2023 11:00 - 12:00 PM	What not to do when copying courses Course materials can be transferred from one course site to another in a variety of ways. Join this workshop to learn the differences between “course copy” and “export course/import package,” and when to use each method. Let us help you make appropriate choices on what to select when copying or exporting a course, and take the necessary steps to “clean up” the new course shell once content has been added to it.	Exporting Courses Blackboard Course Copy
Wed. 06/21/2023 1:00 - 2:00 PM	Creative ways to use social annotation in your courses In this workshop, Hypothesis’ instructional designer Christie DeCarolis will lead participants in a discussion about various discussion protocols and active learning strategies that can help make social annotation more engaging and fun. Participants will come away from this session with a variety of ways to creatively use social annotation in their courses.	Slides

Date & Time	Workshop	Links
Wed. 5/3/2023 2:00 - 3:00 PM	Using Blackboard Ally to Create Accessible Course Materials This workshop introduces instructors to Ally, the new Blackboard tool to improve the accessibility of your online course content according to Universal Design for Learning principles. Participants will learn how to use Ally’s accessibility rating system and to make needed corrections to Blackboard content items, files, and videos, with an emphasis on alternative file formats and document conversion.	Ally on Blackboard Resource
Tues. 05/09/2023 1:00 - 2:00 PM	What do you do with black boxes on Zoom? Strategies for engaging students in synchronous online classes How do you know if students are engaged in your synchronous online class if they don’t have their cameras and microphones turned on? Join us for a workshop where we will engage in ten activities where audio and video are optional but participation is highly recommended. Using tools you may already know—Zoom, Google, and Padlet, experience how answering polls, annotating images, discussing in breakout rooms, and working on shared online spaces can engage online participants without using microphones and cameras.	Strategies for engaging students on zoom slides
Wed. 05/10/2023 12:00-1:00pm	Padlet for collecting and presenting finals What can Padlet NOT do? It is a versatile tool for collaborating and posting notes that include text, images, links, and videos. At Hunter, Padlet is widely used for ice-breaker activities, for sharing resources, and for collecting student work. In this workshop, we will explore the ways in which Padlet can be used for collecting final papers and creating final presentations. We will also discuss appropriate formats and settings for different kinds of presentations, ways to upload final papers and more.	Padlet Resource
Fri. 05/19/2023 10:00 - 11:00 AM	Calculating final grades in Blackboard’s Grade Center Blackboard’s Grade Center has spreadsheet capabilities that you can use to calculate students’ final grades. However, that Grade Center column needs to be set up manually to reflect how you grade and weigh the different assignment types or categories. Join us at this workshop to learn how to assign student work to categories, understand the differences between the “Total” and “Weighted Total” columns, and set up a column to calculate final grades.	Final Grades Recording

Date & Time	Workshop	Links
Wed. 04/5/2023 9:00 - 10:00 AM	Creating peer review assignment using Turnitin’s PeerMark PeerMark is a peer review assignment tool that allows students to read each other’s papers. It is part of Turnitin and integrated into Blackboard. Workshop participants will learn to create and manage PeerMark assignments for students to self-review their own papers and to review one or more papers submitted by their peers. Participants will also learn about advanced options including choosing between anonymous reviews or attributed reviews and choosing between pairs of student reviewers or randomly assigned reviewers.	Turnitin Resources Padlet
Mon. 4/10/2023 10:00 - 11:00 AM	DIY captioning for Zoom, VoiceThread, and YouTube Adding captions is no longer an onerous task for professors creating videos. Many tools that we use now generate automatic captions that can be quickly reviewed and easily edited for 100% accuracy. Join us for a workshop on where to find captions and how to edit them on Zoom, VoiceThread, and YouTube.	DIY Captioning for Busy Professors
Fri. 04/14/2023 10:00 - 11:00 AM	Tools & scaffolds for student presentations What tools can students use to create online presentations? How do I help them form groups and avoid submitting last-minute work? How should I collect student work and share it with their classmates for peer feedback? If you are grappling with any of these questions, this workshop is for you. Join us to learn how Hunter colleagues have scaffolded student group work and presentations, and what tools they have chosen to use.	Scaffolding Projects Slides
Wed. 04/19/2023 1:00 - 2:00 PM	Tips & tools for recording mini-lectures You are ready to record mini-lectures for your course, but are unsure about what tools to use and how to look good and sound clear. Join us for a session on best practices for professors creating video recording in their own space and using their own equipment. We will consider several tools in terms of the kind of mini-lectures you are creating, the editing capabilities you need, and what is available at Hunter. We will also review ways to capture good visual and sound quality, so that your videos can be repurposed and reused.	Lecture Recording Tips Slides
Mon. 04/24/2023 10:00 - 11:00 AM	Multimedia alternatives to final papers A term paper does not have to be the way to end a term. Consider allowing students to demonstrate the results of their learning and research in multi-modal, multimedia formats. Perhaps a narrated slide presentation, a video, or an infographic can be acceptable alternatives. We will discuss tools that students can use to create alternatives to papers, and introduce Genially as an example tool that allows integration of text, images, audio, and video.	Guide to Genially
Fri. 04/28/2023 9:00 - 10:00 AM	Creating tests in Blackboard and choosing test settings Blackboard Tests have been commonly used as review exercises, self-assessment tools, and low-stakes quizzes. This is an introductory workshop on how to create a test, add questions, and make it available to students. We will help you choose appropriate settings for how to present the test, when to take it, how long to keep it open, and what feedback to show students when they submit their answers.	Creating Tests

Center for Online Learning Workshops

Upcoming Workshops

2023 Workshops

2022 Workshops

2021 Workshops

2020 Workshops

Presenters