Welcome to the College of IST Learning Design eNewsletter
September 2024
Accessibility
If your course content contains an image, then it likely needs alternative text. To better support faculty and staff, we have created the IST Image Accessibility Assistant via ChatGPT. This custom GPT will help you determine if alt-text is needed, and generate the alt-text for you. Utilize the chat feature to question, correct, and clarify its outputs. We designed this custom GPT to work similarly to the ASU Image Accessibility Creator. Feel free to reach out to IST Learning Design or our multimedia expert Aim with questions and/or feedback!
Canvas Discussion Update
A recent update from Instructure inadvertently changed the settings in some Canvas Discussions to “Disallow Threaded Replies” which prevents students from replying to each other’s discussion posts (which is often a requirement for Discussion assignments). The IST LD team has fixed the settings for World Campus courses, but we ask that all IST instructors review their Discussion assignments to make sure the correct settings are selected. For more information on this issue, please see Action Needed: Discussions with threaded replies.
On Sept. 11 and 12, Penn State IT, Teaching and Learning with Technology, the College of Engineering, and the College of IST are partnering with Top Hat to offer a series of workshops designed to help faculty increase engagement in their courses. Available to use free of charge for all Penn State faculty and students, the Top Hat platform offers a variety of tools educators can use to deliver interactive, personalized learning.
GenAI Faculty Guides
Check out these resources on using GenAI in your courses.
- IST GenAI Across the Curriculum Report
- GenAI Resources for IST Faculty (contact IST Learning Design or Rosalie Ocker to be added)
- AI Guidelines by the AI Hub includes platforms, tools, and accessibility considerations.
- Generative Artificial Intelligence and Teaching faculty guide by the Commonwealth Campus Teaching Support group.
IST 25th Year Anniversary: Save the Dates
The College of Information Sciences and Technology is celebrating its 25th anniversary! Please join the College on October 24th and 25th for some great on-campus events.
September Learning Opportunities
There are many opportunities to enhance your teaching by learning something new.
- Designing Assignments for Learning in the Age of AI
- Thu, 9/5, 1:30-2:30pm via Zoom
- New DOJ Rule on Web/App Accessibility: The Impact on Your Role at Penn State
- Tue, 9/10, 2-3pm via Zoom
- Thu, 9/12, 10-11am via Zoom
- Canvas: Optimizing Courses for Accessibility
- Thu, 9/12, 9:30-11am via Zoom
- Rebuild PowerPoint Slides to Maximize Accessibility
- Wed, 9/25, 1-3:30pm via Zoom
- Image Description from ALT Text to Long Description
- Thu, 9/26, 1-3pm via Zoom
- Teaching with Video at Penn State: Kaltura, VoiceThread, and Zoom
- Thu, 9/26, 9:30-11am via Zoom
World Campus Online Faculty Development Sessions
If you are teaching a World Campus course, check out World Campus Online Learning Coursessuch as Essentials of Online Teaching, Supporting Accommodations for Online Learners, Serving Military-Connected Students, and more!
Accommodation Requests
Are you receiving accommodation requests from the Disability Service Office (World Campus) or the Office of Student Disability Resources (University Park)? Unsure of how to make these accommodations in a quick, efficient, and effective way? Let us know if you want to consult with a Learning Designer.
Request World Campus Course Templates
If you are teaching a Resident Instruction (RI) version of a College of IST course, you can request a copy of the World Campus (WC) course template for that course. Many of the courses that run in RI have an online WC version, and while the format is different from the RI section, you may find useful elements that you can utilize in your course. Specified versions are available for IST 140, IST 210, and SRA 111. You can also request the RI shell (empty of course content) or just the Academic Integrity module. Make sure that you also contact the Course Champion for info about the course.
IST Learning Design
The Learning Design team is available to help you! Email the Learning Design team with specific questions or to schedule a consultation at istlearningdesign@psu.edu and one of the team members will get back to you as soon as possible. The IST Teaching site at https://teaching.ist.psu.edu/ is a helpful resource for you.