CONTACT INFORMATION
Sue and Radcliffe Kilam Library 259
956.326.2792
facebook.com/txamiu.oit
youtube.com/user/TAMIUeLearning
tamiu.edu/qm
twitter.com/tamiu_elearning
2015 - 2016
Annual Report
6
WH O
W E
A R E
T E C H N O L O G Y S P O T L I G H T
TAMIU
eLearning
CONGRATULATIONS!
TECHNOLOGY
SPOTLIGHT
D
r. Blackwell is aHistory professor
andDirector of theUniversityHonors
Program. She has
adopted Echo360 into her curriculum as
a vital instructional tool.Dr. Blackwell is
a proponent
and a perfect example of how the inte-
gration oftechnology can boost student
learning
outcomes in the classroom.
She admits that atfirst shewas a little
hesitant to use Echo360 but now feels
that it has truly
revolutionized andmodernized her
students’ learning experience.
Dr. Blackwell stated, “The studentswho
make themost use of these [Echo360
recordings] are
the studentswho are using it for exactly
the purpose thatwewant them to,which
is the studentswho really need to review
thematerial andwhowant to hear it
again.”
Dr. Blackwell goes on to say that Echo360
is helpful for studentswho are absent,
specifically
studentathletes and students participating
in other extra-curricular events.
Dr. Blackwell began using Echo360 in the
Fall 2014 semester. To date, she has 140
recordings.
DR. BLACKWELL &
ECHO 360
DECEMBER
2015
COLLEGE OF ART AND SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF HISTORY
DR. DEBORAH BLACKWELL
{
{
TAMIU
eLearning
CONGRATULATIONS!
TECHNOLOGY
SPOTLIGHT
D
r. Ynalvez is an associate professor for the
College of Arts and Sciences, Department of
SocialSciences,andhas successfully complet-
ed the Applying the Quality Matters Rubric
(APPQMR)workshop.QualityMatters isana-
tionallyrecognized, faculty-centered,peerre-
viewprocessdesigned to certify thequalityof
online and hybrid courses.He has developed
an online course that has been certified by
QualityMatters (QM).Hewasmeticulousdur-
inghis coursedevelopmentand createdade-
tailed coursealignment table thathas served
asamodel forother coursesbeingdeveloped.
His experience with QM has been a game
changer in his approach to getting a course
ready fordeliverybecause,ashe states, ithas
“instilled the kind of discipline, alignment
and structure thatgoes [in] to [developing]a
course. I like theQM conceptofalignment,be-
cause Iwasnotmindfulabout thatprior toQM
andQMmade thatkindof connection in terms
of having the SLOs, the standards, the mea-
sures and even the rubrics and assignments
align intoa logical fashion,which, I think, real-
lymakes foraqualitydeliveryof esotericma-
terials, like ResearchMethods,” Ynalvez said.
He goes on to note that the structure that
QM provides from the format, the temporal
delivery and even the grading has greatly
impacted students taking his online course in
a positivemanner. TheQM template provides
predictability for students,whichmakes for a
“conducive environment and encourages be-
ingprompt, structuredand clear.”Dr.Ynalvez
has seen higher performance from his stu-
dents because “everything becomes clearer
than clear and becomes easier [for students]
to engage,” and navigate through the course.
Dr. Ynalvez asserts that the QM design
“makes the professor not gravitate to-
ward mediocrity,” instead it helps you
to “outperform yourself to be better.”
DR. MARCUS A. YNALVEZ
& QUALITY MATTERS
APRIL
2016
COLLEGE OF ART AND SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
DR. MARCUS A. YNALVEZ
{
{
TAMIU
eLearning
CONGRATULATIONS!
TECHNOLOGY
SPOTLIGHT
A
riadne Gonzalez is a Communication in-
structor intheCollegeofArtsandSciences.She
has been using video conferencing to deliver
COMM 1315 to Eagle Pass Independent
SchoolDistrict students for thepast twoanda
half years. This year, InstructorGonzalezhas
moved to Blue Jeans, a more progres-
sive videosolution for face-to-face col-
laboration with reliable performance.
Gonzalez noted, “BlueJeans has allowedme
to take the classroom intomy campus office
withoutcompromisingmyinstructionmaterial.
I teach twoHouseBill1 (HB1/DualCredit) sec-
tions of Public Speaking, and though it seems
student interaction might be a challenge,
my students at CC Winn High School in
Eagle Pass and I maintain excellent com-
munication and quality interaction.”
“With BlueJeans, I can show sev-
eral speaking comprehension videos
to the class, and we can even evalu-
ate online informative and persuasive
speeches togehter. OIT hasmade this process
much more accessible by providing quality
speakersandasecondcomputermonitorinorder
to keep track of the screen I’m sharing with
my students. Thanks to thistechnology, Idon’t
have to compromise my instruction, or seen
alternative
classroom
re-
sources,”
she
explained.
This innovative tool isalsobeneficial forhome-
bound students, prospective professor and
student interviews, quick or on-the-fly online
meetings,
and
guest
speak-
ers
from
all
over
the
world.
BlueJeans is a high-powered video conferenc-
ing key that has enabled TAMIU professors
to deliver quality educationfrom a distance!
ARIADNE GONZALEZ &
BLUEJEANS
MARCH
2016
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSYCOLOGY
& COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATION INSTRUCTOR
ARIADNE GONZALEZ
{
{
TAMIU
eLearning
CONGRATULATIONS!
TECHNOLOGY
SPOTLIGHT
I
nstructor Cantu teachesUniversity College
courses. She has been teaching hybrid
courses every spring for three years.Hybrid
courses blend the
features of face-to-face and online courses,
combining the best of bothworlds.
“Blackboard ismy instructional partner,”
says Cantu. Discussion boards have been
an instrumental part in student learning for
her hybrid courses.
Since her classes onlymeet once aweek,
discussion boards allow them to continue the
conversation aftermeeting face-to-face.
Her students have given her positive feed-
back on using Blackboard discussion forums.
They particularly like theMeet andGreet
discussion forum
because they get to know each other, coming
together as a community by replying to each
other, and offeringwords of encouragement.
“It helps
promote a sense of community and sup-
port,” she says.
She utilizes BlackboardGrade Center to keep
her grades organized and current, letting
students knowwhere they stand in the
course throughout
the semester. Cantu says that theGrade
Center is beneficial, because it helps her
pinpoint the areas of difficulty for students,
thus aiding the
preparation for early alert reports (Advis-
ing andMentoring) to intervene and retain
students.
“I realize that there is a lotmore that I don’t
know, but the reason I do it is to challenge
myself since I am so intimidated by technol-
ogy, and I realize
that it (technology) is here to stay, so Imight
aswell embrace it and learn asmuch as I
can about it to facilitate student learning,”
Cantu noted.
LILIA P. CANTU &
BLACKBOARD
FEBRUARY
2016
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
INSTRUCTOR
LILIA P. CANTU
{
{
The Technology Spotlight is an e-newsletter that features an instructional technology that our department offers and spotlights professors or
groups that utilize the technology in their courses and classrooms. The e-newsletter is posted on Uconnect as well as other media to publicize
this recognition.
